Category: children

February 16, 2021

Love Book Review

“Love connects us, no matter how far apart we are.” – Love

About Love

Everyone loves everyone in Tess’s house. When Tess has to leave for school for the very first time, she is worried that her family’s love might not stretch that far. Her Mom explains that love is like a string, that it connects people together even when they are far away. At school Tess notices that all the children have strings. Some are new, some are old, some stretch a long way, and some even stretch right up into the sky! But what happens when a string breaks?

Our Thoughts

We fell in love with this beautiful story about relationships and the power of love between families, friends and even teachers. Big events can be scary for children, especially when they have spent their lives surrounded only by their immediate family and loved ones. The thought of being separated from this love and comfort zone is scary for children. This book did an amazing job of showing children that we are still connected to our family and loved ones through a very special bond (in this story a string) that stretches and bends over long distances but no matter what is always there. All of us have strings to our loved ones and each string is just a little bit different. Tess learns about these strings and how they are connected with a big new adventure for her – school!

This book does an incredible job of making a tough topic easy to understand, full of compassion, and understanding. It made my heart melt as we read the story together. The words flow nicely and have a great rhythm to them. The illustrations feel soft and tender, matching the tone of the story and help pull the story together. Love is a beautiful story for young children as they set out for preschool and school for the first time (and even for older children as they deal with separation and anxiety). It helps to tackle those big feelings in a way that young children can break down and understand.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author and Illustrator

Corrinne Averiss is the author of My Pet Star, winner of the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book of the Year, the Stockport Children’s Book Awards and in over 450,000 homes as part of Booktrust’s Pyjamarama campaign. Her first book, A Dot in the Snow, illustrated by Fiona Woodcock, was shortlisted for the CILIP Greenaway award, featured on CBeebies’ Bedtime Stories and in The Sunday Times’ Books of the Year. She is the author of Joy, Hope, Sorrel and the Sleepover, The Boy on the Bench, and Floss the Playground Boss. She is drawn to themes of identity and belonging in her books and aims to deliver big feelings with humour and tenderness.

Kirsti Beautyman works from her studio in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, using a range of mediums to build layers of texture and detail which are combined digitally to create her illustrations. She finds inspiration within mundane observations and is often staring vacantly into the distance thinking up narratives and ideas. Kirsti won Picture Hooks Illustrator of the Year Award in 2017.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

January 27, 2021

Beat the Winter Blues with Rummikub Premium Edition

It has been almost one month since we have been in lockdown in Ontario and the weather is cold, grey and miserable. We have been spending a lot of time indoors and are constantly looking for something new and fun to play. The catch? It has to be something that we all can play and would enjoy playing together.

Rummikub Premium Edition

Rummikub Premium Edition is a new spin on a fun game that you may or may not have heard of before. For me, this was a brand new game and it took me a few tries to understand the rules. I had to read the instructions over several times and walk through it slowly with my kids.

The game is designed to be played with 2 to 4 players. The game starts by dumping all of the tiles out and players choose fourteen tiles. Each player then takes turns to create a ‘group’ or ‘run’, with the main objective to get rid of all of your tiles onto the table. This person becomes the winner of the game.

This game was a lot of fun and I loved the sleek design and attention to details (the tiles are gorgeous!). I did have to have the instructions out the first two times we played (and we likely played incorrectly) but we still had a lot of fun.

The game is designed for children eight years of age and older, and I think this is appropriate as it did take a bit longer to learn (although if you have played similar games in the past this one will be easy). We really enjoyed that this game kept you on your toes and made you think. You never quite know who is going to win, as it is a surprise right up to the end. I also appreciated that it includes some great educational concepts for younger learners, including patterns.

I found this helpful tutorial on the Pressman website, which I would definitely recommend watching before playing if you are new to the game:

Rummikub Premium Edition will make family game night fun and exciting. The game can be purchased online on Amazon and Walmart.

Disclosure: I received this game in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

December 24, 2020

Take a Bite Out of the Holidays with Dino Crunch!

Looking for something exciting, different and fun to do this holiday (especially with the looming lockdown)? Check out Dino Crunch – featuring a hungry T-Rex that is ready to attack.

About Dino Crunch

Dino Crunch features one hungry T-Rex and a nest full of stolen eggs. Players have to roll the dice and try to rescue as many eggs as possible. But be careful – you never quite know when the T-Rex will attack! The game is suited for two to four players, aged 4 and up.

The game comes with one T-Rex, one dinosaur nest, twenty dinosaurs eggs and a pair of tweezers. The game requires 2AA batteries that are not included.

Our Thoughts

We were not quite sure what to expect with this game when we opened it up but we ended up loving it. The game literally comes to life with dinosaur themed sounds that come from the nest which really puts you on the edge of your seat (it also gave our Yorkie quite the scare when she decided to get close up to check out where those sounds were coming from). We would each take a turn rolling the dice to rescue the corresponding egg from the nest. My years of tweezing paid off for this game – I was the pro at getting an egg out quickly! Our youngest found it a bit harder but it definitely helped encourage those fine motor skills that are so important.

We loved the suspense of the game, you could never tell when the T-Rex was about to pounce. You could accidentally knock the nest a bit and he wouldn’t attack or as my youngest loved to do, give him a pat on the back in the hopes that he would attack his brother. It really was the luck (or unlucky) of the draw when it came to when he attacked, which ensured no fighting among the kids because no one could cheat to win.

Dino Crunch is a fun, interactive game for the whole family. Each one of us loved the excitement and suspense of the game, and it made for the perfect addition to game night for all members of our family (young and old).

You can purchase the game at Walmart and Amazon.

Disclosure: We received this game in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

December 23, 2020

The Story Orchestra: Carnival of the Animals

Discover the world of Carnival of the Animals in this musical reimagining of this celebrated suite for children – push the button in each scene to hear the sounds of an orchestra playing from Camille Saint-Saëns’ score.

About The Story Orchestra: Carnival of the Animals

One day, two brothers discover a magical animal kingdom behind their bookcase. They are greeted by the royal lion with his shaggy mane; ask for directions from an old lonely tortoise; take a ride on some lumbering elephants; topple a skeleton of dinosaur bones; and swim among a school of shimmering fish. If only they could take them all home!

The book includes extracts from ‘The Swan’, ‘Aquarium’, ‘Fossils’, and ‘Finale’ (From Disney’s Fantasia) along with a new story to link the pieces together.

As you journey through the magical scenes, you will press the buttons to hear 10 excerpts from the suite’s music. At the back of the book, find a short biography of the composer, Camille Saint-Saëns, with details about his composition of Carnival of the Animals. You can replay the musical excerpts and read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines the musical terms.

The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through illustrated retellings of classic ballet and program music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras.

Our Thoughts

When you first glance at this book, you have a strong suspicion it is going to be a treasured keepsake, a special journey for you and your child. Carnival of the Animals does not disappoint.

It has been a long time since I have read a book with my child that has accompanying sounds and music. I forgot how important this sense is when it comes to bringing to life a story. Each sound clip that is associated with a two page spread is a perfect representation of the story – from the Swan (the two pianos sounding like the swans feet paddling along) to the Aviary (with the flute that brings to life a little bird). The back of the book explains each sound that we are hearing in each part of the story.

The story itself is an amazing journey that two brothers take – one that you can easily imagine a child coming up with. They explore the wonders of the animal kingdom – meeting lions, tortoises, elephants, coral reef inhabitants, birds and so much more. The illustrations are rich and colourful, complimenting the story perfectly.

This is a spectacular book that will easily become a family treasure. It is visually stunning (you can’t help but run your hands over the illustrations and cover), the sound clips are a great introduction to classical music and the story will entertain.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Jessica Courtney Tickle is an illustrator who graduated from Kingston University in July 2014. Her absolute favorite thing to draw or paint is nature, finding a focus on foliage of any kind as well as children’s stories about adventure and exploration. She also has a penchant for drawing theater from music makers to dancers and even singing animals. Jessica is most influenced by vintage picture books, travel posters, and folk art as well as numerous painters and printmakers.

Katy Flint is an author, editor, and musician, based in London. She studied violin at the University of Southampton, before moving into children’s books. She is the author of the best-selling sound book The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker, and has worked on many other non-fiction titles—from human bodies to dinosaurs.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

December 23, 2020

Illumisaurus Book Review

Journey back in time to the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods with Illumisaurus, come face-to-face with prehistory’s most spectacular dinosaurs, plants and animals. Bring this lost world to life with your magic three-color viewing lens.

About Illumisaurus

Journey back in time to the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods with Illumisaurus, come face-to-face with the most spectacular dinosaurs, plants and animals. Bring this lost world to kaleidoscopic life with your magic three-color viewing lens.

With your lens in hand, discover amazing places and the creatures that roamed them.

Your green lens reveals a location, spanning 9 land masses across millions of years. Learn how these places transformed to become the habitats on Earth.
Your red lens brings to life the dinosaurs. Meet a T. Rex, run with packs of velociraptors and marvel at the gigantic brachiosaurus as you discover how these animals came to rule the Earth.
Your blue lens uncovers the wildlife that lived alongside and after the dinosaurs, including dragonflies, woolly mammoths and fungi taller than trees.
Fact pages fill in the details and guide you through a world bursting with life and color.

The latest in the bestselling Illumi series, Illumisaurus is a hidden-world adventure with a scientific angle, and the perfect gift for dinosaur enthusiasts. Innovative illustrations from award-winning design duo Carnovsky make this a book like no other, with hundreds of places, plants and creatures to discover on three layers of detailed artwork.

How many dinosaurs will you find on your prehistoric journey?

Our Thoughts

Wow – this was the first thought that went through my head when we opened this book (my son – this is so cool!). The book is dedicated to dinosaurs but told in such an unique manner – using three lens that explore and reveal dinosaurs, the place and the plant life all on the same page.

While the book is visually stunning, it is also full of amazing information about dinosaurs around the world during this time period. We explore Western Europe, Central Asia and Russia, East and Southeast Asia, Middle East and India, Africa, North America, Australia, Antarctica and South America. For each place, we learn about the history (climate, time period, fossils and so much more) while using the green lens to visually bring the place to life. We use the red lens to bring to life the dinosaurs of this region and the blue lens on that page to bring to life the plant life. We turn the page to learn about each of the species, meaning behind their name and how many million years ago it lived. They also include a dinosaur discovery guide (our kids found it amazing that there was a dinosaur discovery close to where we visited family in Zimbabwe!).

Illumisaurus is a stunning, well written book for children (and their parents) to explore and learn about these incredible creatures that roamed our Earth so many years ago. There is so much to learn and explore in this book, your child will spend hours on each page with each lens discovering new dinosaurs and plant life.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Milan-based design duo Carnovsky was started by Silvia Quintanilla and Francesco Rugi in 2007. They have gained wide recognition for their RGB project, first displayed in 2010. Their work has been published in magazines around the world, such as Vogue, Wired, Frame, Wallpaper, Elle Decor, and Whitewall. Their wallpaper ‘Jungla’ won the 2012 Wallpaper Magazine Design Award for Best Wallpaper.

Lucy Brownridge is an author and editor of children’s books based in London. She writes books for children about history of art, history, animals, and science. She has an MA in history of art from the Courtauld Institute of Art and a BA in history of art from the University of Bristol.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.