Luna the Howling Husky Finds Her Howl by Samantha Shannon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Luna is a cute puppy looking for her howl. This is a story about being different and not fitting in. It shows us that it just takes one person to believe in us to help us find out howls and our true friends. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is written in a way that any child/adult can connect with.
I Am a Bold Asian Boy: A Positive Affirmation Book for Asian Boys by Yobe Qiu
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a beautifully written and illustrated children’s book. This book shows young boys of Asian decent how they can be strong, courageous and proud of their cultural identity. Affirming where one comes from and the power that we hold within ourselves is important. If I was a teacher, I would have copies of books such as this on my shelf for my students to read.
This Egg Won’t Hatch by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a beautifully illustrated book about a mama waiting for her last egg to hatch. Lois Wickstrom does such a nice job of telling a story that teaches while still being entertaining and engaging for young children. It is a tale of how to not be afraid and how to overcome your fear told through the eyes of birds. A great one to read with a class or just one child as it will draw out discussion about birds and the world around them.
Secrets at the Cafe by Susan Specht Oram
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A rainy Saturday read for me – it was fun. I enjoyed the characters in this story -Karina taking care of her Gigi’s cafe, searching for her lost journal, keeping her cousin in check… it is a mystery waiting to be solved. I loved the small town feel of this novel and the many people that we meet along the way.
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63263327-quick-affirmations-for-children” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Quick Affirmations for Children: A to Z of Easy Motivations for Creating Better days – Positive Affirmations for Happy Children” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1668007112l/63263327._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63263327-quick-affirmations-for-children”>Quick Affirmations for Children: A to Z of Easy Motivations for Creating Better days – Positive Affirmations for Happy Children</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19122075.Kim_Ann”>Kim Ann</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5988662845″>5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This is a beautifully illustrated ABC book of children’s affirmations.It develops a positive sense of self along with the vocabulary to go with it! This would make a great gift for a young child. At the end of the book there are extra pages to write your own affirmations.
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Baking a Bicycle: Invisible Magic Wand Book Seven by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It’s Caspian’s un-birthday which means something special will happen. This series of book always has a fun twist and an exciting adventure. This one isn’t any different. Caspian gets to make a bike by baking the pieces – one by one. What I love best, is that Caspian and his grandfather make so many memories together through their magic adventures.
Raining Fish and Frogs by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a cute book explaining the phenomena that can really happen – a tornado can form over a body of water and suck up whatever is in its way and then rain it out later. That must be where the saying “raining cats and dogs come from.” Lois Wickstrom always has a fun way to explain science to young readers.
Woman Unbroken by Alexandra Fleder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a sweet story of someone finding themself after a tough time. I enjoyed getting to know Devorah through her own eyes. She went on a journey to get herself out of an abusive relationship and what sounded like a tumultuous childhood. I have to admit, that the story doesn’t seem far fetched for the “stars of California” as it reminds me of the many reality shows on tv these days. Devorah has several people in her corner – her stepmom, cat Fergie, new friend Andrew, old friend Pauline and Misty. I loved that for her. They each gave her a bit of strength to heal and become who she is meant to be.
PS. Her ex – UGH!
Finding Your Heart: A Journal for Discovering Your Heart by Nadia Han
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a beautiful reflective journal. The illustrations are calming and gorgeous. I loved the prompts throughout the book – many made me stop and think…
My favorites are: The Power of a Plot Twist – rewrite two scenarios from life you want to have a different outcome and Heart Promise – Write or draw the beautiful things you want for yourself. Reflection and taking time to focus within ourselves is proven to improve the quality of life – this would be a great place to start.
Kneading a Winning Idea by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
My son found a love for baking and cooking when he was a child. This book encompasses the idea that kids can love to experiment in the kitchen and can do well at it! I love that Ben persevered to find a way to get his biscuits to be the best ever! Being a problem solver with the grit to continue on is the trait of a winner. The illustrations in this book are an added joy while reading.
Detective Dylan and the Case of the Missing Mail: A Youth Sleuths Chapter Book Series by MJ Murray
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Who didn’t grow up wanting to be a top secret spy? When David gets his spy kit in the mail, he is pleasantly surprised to get a job right away. Even though he is irritated that his little sister has to tag along, he finds they make a great team. I enjoyed this short children’s book – I think this would be a great addition to a early-reader’s bookshelf. It is engaging, has action, and could be a start to a enjoying new series!
My Big Red Monster by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ll start by saying- I need a Big Red Monster so I can tell it to clean and do things for me! This book has beautiful illustrations and tells the story of the monster who hides under the bed.This monster isn’t there just to scare you, but it needs you to keep giving it chores and things to do so it won’t eat you. This is a great read-a-loud for young children.
Dumpster Dying: A Hazardous Hoarding Mystery by Michelle Bennington
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this read! I have a weird fascination with the show Hoarders and I like mysteries – so why not try this one out?! I love Birdie – she is the best character! She is fiesty and funny – with a sense of determination. I can picture her and her sister out at garage sales every weekend – getting excited to find the next treasure. I love that her husband is a ghost and is sticking around to keep her company. This story is the tale of Birdie and her sister trying to solve the mystery of Jenna’s disappearance.
Necromancy the Musical by Debbie Hibbert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Necromancy, The Musical, is a story of magic, friendship, love and mystery. CeCe has the power of magic – the ability to communicate with the dead. When she goes with her bestie to drama camp, she finds others who share a magic power and this comes in useful when The Caster makes his presence known. This is a great middle grades book. Would be a great read aloud or shared reading.
Porter and Midge: Paws for Safety: A Kid’s Guide to Safe Dog Interactions by Giselle Nevada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is an educational book geared towards children in learning how to be around dogs. It has beautiful illustrations and the way it is laid out is engaging and fun to read. Going through all the ways to be safe around dogs is so important – as a dog owner myself, I know that bad things can happen if dogs aren’t approached in a safe way. This is a high recommend for parents to read with their children – even if you aren’t a dog owner.
Gumshoe Goes To A Quinceanera by Laura Hawks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a great YA read. I loved that it was written around the beautiful ceremony of the quinceanera. The tradition of the coming of age ceremony for Mexican American’s is such a special day, and thank goodness Mia was intent on making sure nothing spoiled her friend Zoey’s special day. Mia, a witch, and Gumshoe, a ghostly inhabited cat, work together to solve a murder mystery. Gumshoe has the advantage of being in places where he can hear the gossip of the town and nobody thinks twice. This story is full of action and twists and if you are into the paranormal – this is your read. I think this would be a good read-a-loud for parents of tweens, one you can do together.
Wondogfilled: Look, a Dog! The story for children who love dogs between the ages of 0-8. A perfect addition to home and classroom libraries. by Dr. Kimberlie Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A beautifully illustrated book about a toddler learning about animals! Kingston loves his walks with his mom, especially when he sees a dog. Then he learns that not every furry creature with four legs is a dog. Ms. Harris has written a story that helps parents to teach their young children about the world around them. This would be a great book for the bookshelf of any new parent!
Zibs for Sale: a retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I LOVE this book. The illustrations are gorgeous and of course you can’t go wrong with a girl who loves to fix things. Lois Wickstrom did an amazing job of telling the story of a young girl and her alien friend who get stuck doing chores for another alien. The turning point is when Shirl problem solves a way to fix the aliens ship engine successfully. After completing the task and finishing the chores Shirl is rewarded with a ship of her own. This is a great children’s book – especially for girls to read.
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196952668-a-death-on-fools-lane” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”A Death on Fools Lane (Eve Sawyer Mystery #4)” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1692906454l/196952668._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196952668-a-death-on-fools-lane”>A Death on Fools Lane</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15415764.Jane_Suen”>Jane Suen</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5875808372″>4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Who doesn’t love a mystery that takes place at Christmas time? Eve Sawyer, journalism student, is fun character to follow – she is just nosy enough to get involved in a murder investigation. As Eve investigates a suicide, she finds that it might just be a murder. I kept the pages turning as I wanted to see what she finds out, all the way until the end. This is a get cozy on your couch with a blanket and beverage and be ready to read until the end.
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<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/867231-tanya”>View all my reviews</a>
Chasing Cheer by Heather Schneider
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a sweet read to get ready for the holidays. Emerald Hollow, Oregon was a great backdrop for Holly to visit. I love that her job was to collect Cheer to power the North Pole. The ambiance of the book is that of a holiday time Hallmark Movie – full of love and lessons learned. I loved the elves – both the Keblers and Kringles! The themes of the story hit home to me, right now – finding life balance and where happiness really is in our lives. This is a must read for those who want a good light read that will lift your spirits.
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196952668-a-death-on-fools-lane” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”A Death on Fools Lane (Eve Sawyer Mystery #4)” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1692906454l/196952668._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196952668-a-death-on-fools-lane”>A Death on Fools Lane</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15415764.Jane_Suen”>Jane Suen</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5875808372″>4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Who doesn’t love a mystery that takes place at Christmas time? Eve Sawyer, journalism student, is fun character to follow – she is just nosy enough to get involved in a murder investigation. As Eve investigates a suicide, she finds that it might just be a murder. I kept the pages turning as I wanted to see what she finds out, all the way until the end. This is a get cozy on your couch with a blanket and beverage and be ready to read until the end.
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<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/867231-tanya”>View all my reviews</a>
<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/128044878-mr-wimp” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”Mr Wimp (The Human Mating Site #1)” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1682294262l/128044878._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/128044878-mr-wimp”>Mr Wimp</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6451338.B_L_Wilde”>B.L. Wilde</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5860140633″>4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Bella – what a great character. Finding yourself in a situation where you have to start over – including your identity… this is a very relatable storyline! I like that this a short read, quick and easy and yet draws you in and leaves you wanting to read the next one. It was a fun story to read. The story didn’t dwell on the negative, and Bella was a strong female character. I’m interested in reading the follow up in the series.
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<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/179913325-as-though-you-were-mine” style=”float: left; padding-right: 20px”><img border=”0″ alt=”As Though You Were Mine” src=”https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1687721994l/179913325._SX98_.jpg” /></a><a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/179913325-as-though-you-were-mine”>As Though You Were Mine</a> by <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22026041.J_Marie_Rundquist”>J. Marie Rundquist</a><br/>
My rating: <a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5856685259″>4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Well, I was definitely hooked from page one of this novel. I loved the story line, the characters and how they all develop throughout the story. I fell in love with the twins from the start. This story has many themes – family, identity, survival, and sacrificial love. But the hook is the relationship the reader develops with Julie, Lucy, Mikey, Grant, Zach. How does one come to find themself in order to save those they love?
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<a href=”https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/867231-tanya”>View all my reviews</a>
Killer Smile by Allan Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is like watching Criminal Minds – if you like that series, you’ll enjoy this read. Out on the dark web, there is a challenge for serial killers to come and outsmart the detective that took down the Blonde Killer. I wasn’t sure I was going to get into the story at the start, but I kept reading and was glad I did – the ending took me by surprise! I didn’t read the first book in the series, but was able to get up to speed in this sequel pretty quickly.
Rocketship Made of Stars: Naming Constellations by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A great children’s book that introduces them to what constellations are. I enjoyed the illustrations and the visit of the little alien to a school on Earth. It was interesting how he had different names for his constellations, based on what he/they thought they looked like as opposed to what we named them. The end of the book has a list and pictures of the constellations.
Xenia Navarro and the Magic Ants by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have enjoyed every one of Lois Wickstrom’s books and this one did not disappoint. This is a story about a little girl who loses her father. He is killed before he marries her mother. He is a US Citizen and mom is not. This leaves Xenia’s mother with an undocumented status which causes the family to make some hard decisions in order to remain in the US. While this is an integral theme of the story, Xenia also is involved throughout with the school science fair and begins studying ants. Having worked with children in similar circumstances as Xenia and seeing how they can face such hard situations at home and still have a love of learning gave me a connection to the story here.
Amaleigha Makes a New Friend by Janice Pratt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a well written book that shows how a young person can develop a friendship across the ocean through written letter. This story shows how Amaleigha makes a new friend in the Ukraine and develops an understanding of where her friend lives – which is much different than were we live. Not only did she learn about the present Ukraine, but her teacher taught them the history of the country – giving them the background needed to know and understand present day Ukraine. This story provides a glimpse of how children view wartime and how those of us not living it can have empathy. What a great book!
Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend: A story about pet loss and saying goodbye to a furry friend. Ages 5-11 and kindergarten through grade 5. by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It’s sad when we lose our pets. This story explains about euthanasia in a soft way that is just right for children to understand. We all know when it is time to help our pets not feel pain anymore. This is just what happens with Shadow when the family who feeds him comes down with cancer. The parents are great about explaining what is happening with Shadow and why they are making this choice.
Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend: A Story About Trap-Neuter-Return by Terri Sabol
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a cute book about Shadow- a black cat that shows up at Oscar and Emmy’s house. They begin to feed her and find she has some hungry kittens too! Mom explains that the TNR (trap, neuter, release) progam will be best for Shadow and her kittens. So they trap them, take them to the vet and then release once the vet says it is okay. Great illustrations and explanations are kid friendly.
