Category: childrens books

April 23, 2019

Celebrate Earth Day All Year with Did You Know? Earth

Learn all about our beautiful planet with this fun and exciting book guaranteed to answer your child’s biggest questions.

About Did You Know? Earth

This Earth encyclopedia answers all the probing questions children ask about our planet, in a fun question and answer format.

Can you freeze in a desert? How do living things become fossils? What is a biome?

Earth explains volcanoes, earthquakes, oceans, space, and much more! It focuses on the subjects that kids really want to know about and the questions they ask, helping them learn new information.

Get your children learning with this amazing book, which is packed with fantastic facts for curious minds.

Our Thoughts

This beautiful hardcover book geared towards children is a great way to get children interested in the world around them and why it is so important we do everything we can to protect it.

The book covers our planet basics (how did the Earth form, why don’t things float) to the Earth’s surface (sinkhole, fossil, soil) to the Blue planet (waterfalls, icebergs) to the air (seasons, lightning, tornadoes) to living on Earth and why we need to protect it.

The pictures are bright and bold with good movement around the pages. It really helps you to follow the content and to keep younger children entertained. The content is perfect for young children, it gives them just enough to spark their curiosity but not too much to overwhelm them. I loved how each section had a true and false block! Some of these really stumped me but we had a lot of fun learning the answers and new facts (like did you know it didn’t rain for 14 years in Arica, Chile between 11903 and 1918!).

What is so important about this book is not only the learning around how precious our planet is (and how vital this is to animals and humans) but how we are harming it. One part that stuck out to me the most, was the quote that ‘some scientists think there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by 2050’. If that doesn’t scare you, I don’t know what will. Seeing that on paper, really helps to motivate you to do more.

This book provides you with not only an excellent learning opportunity for your child but to also start talking about the little ways that you can make a difference at home. Maybe you can recycle more, walk to school or work, participate in clean up days or even reduce the amount of water you use, start a garden. The possibilities are endless!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Indigo.

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

April 11, 2019

Wish Book Review

Rabbit has never had a wish before; but one day he gets not just one, but three!

About Wish!

Rabbit has never had a wish before; but one day he gets not just one, but three! Wish is a touching story about the power of kindness and the magic of friendship, with beautiful and emotive illustrations from Chris Saunders.

Once every year wishes take flight,
filled with hope and twinkling light.
They dance in the air, with a swirl and a swish,
you have to be lucky to be chosen by a wish.

Rabbit cannot decide what to wish for, so he asks his friends Mouse, Fox, and Bear what they would do if they had a wish. Being selfless and kind, Rabbit grants all three wishes to his friends. They are so grateful for his kindness and generosity, they share their wishes with him.

Our Thoughts

Wish is an adorable story of friendship, kindness and caring for others. A much needed book in times when we hear so much about bullying. Rabbit is a breath of fresh air. He has such a good heart – he is gifted with three wishes in our story but he is not quite sure what to do with the great gift he has been given.

Does Rabbit use the wishes for himself? What should he wish for? He decides to speak to his three closest friends to get a good idea of what a wish should be. Rabbit decides to grant his wishes to his friends and he is rewarded in return with a very special surprise. A great reminder that when we put good out in to the world we receive it back.

We loved the message of the story and the delivery. It was a great read to our youngest son and really helped us begin that conversation about kindness, helping others and friendships. It was easy to read out loud and to not only be serious but also add a little humour as we acted out the characters (I loved the Fox!).

The illustrations were just beautiful. They are whimsical and fit the story perfectly. They really helped to bring the story alive.

This is an excellent book for young children that teaches a very important lesson on friendship and kindness. A perfect addition to your home library!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Chris Saunders is a freelance illustrator who received an Illustration BA Honours Degree (First Class) from the University of Northampton. He was awarded the 2010 e-Creative nomination for new talent in the field of illustration. Chris lives in Bishop Auckland, in the northeast.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

March 22, 2019

Explore the Wild Animal Kingdom with DKfindout! – Small Books with Big Ideas

Do you have a young child who loves the animal world? Who loves to explore and learn new facts?

Then DKfindout! is the perfect series for you! These soft cover books are a great resource to children, introducing them a range of topics in a fun and engaging manner.

About DKfindout! Big Cats

This children’s animal book has everything you’ll need to know about big cats, including lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, and cheetahs.

Find out how big cats hunt, learn about cat myths and legends, discover where they live, and how they move. Packed with information, photographs, and colorful illustrations, DK findout! Big Cats is the ultimate kids cat book.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Indigo.

About DKfindout! Reptiles and Amphibians

Discover wriggling reptiles, colorful chameleons, slithering snakes, and extreme environments with this exciting book full of amazing images, fun quizzes, and incredible information.

Did you know that Komodo dragons can spit venom at their enemies? Can you spot the difference between crocodile and iguana scales? In DK findout! Reptiles and Amphibians, amazing photos show these cold-blooded animals in incredible detail, while fun, kid-friendly text makes it easy to absorb key facts about life cycles, habitats, and what they eat.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Indigo.

Our Thoughts

There is no better gift to give your child then learning. I love supporting them to dive deeper into subject areas that they love. Animals are one of the most popular topics in our house. We love learning about their habits, special traits and facts.

The DKfindout! books dive into these topics in a fun and age appropriate manner. We are given just the right amount of information on each page to keep both child and adult engaged and learning. The visual cues and graphics on each page help guide you through the topics. We loved the bold, bright images that helped to bring the animals and their stories to life.

One of the best features (and I love this part as it reinforces all of the learning we are doing) is the accompanying website with a wealth of resources, quizzes, videos and more! Not only can you find additional resources on the books you have been reading but also a wide range of additional topics (body, math, science, language, etc..) It is a one stop shop for parents and children!

We enjoyed our daily reading with these books over the March Break and can’t wait to discover more in this exciting series!

Disclosure: I received copies of these books in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

February 15, 2019

Buster Bartholomew Benjamin Brown and the Schoolyard Bully

Begin to discuss the important topic of bullying with your child using Buster Bartholomew Benjamin Brown and friends.

About Buster Bartholomew Benjamin Brown and the Schoolyard Bully

Anna Pierri’s Buster Bartholomew Benjamin Brown and the Schoolyard Bully is a strong introduction to the concept of bullying through easy-to-read rhymes and vibrant cartoon-style illustrations. In this first book of the series, the reader is introduced to the hero, Buster – a young mouse who’s large for his age and has “a heart that’s as big as a huge Redwood tree.” When trouble (a.k.a. old Rocky Ratnik) comes knocking for his trusty sidekick, Just Billy, Buster learns that dealing with a bully by acting like a bully is not the answer.

My Thoughts

“Because you are bigger and have strength and have might, you should use it for good – not to bully and fight” – Buster Bartholomew Benjamin Brown

That quote sums up this story for me perfectly. It is a fantastic, rhyming story for young children that addresses size, bullying, standing up for yourself but also using our size for good not just to intimidate. Your child will love the rhymes and bright, bold illustrations and you as the parent will love the lessons that they are learning.

We hear a lot about bullying and fighting in schools (and in general) and I know most schools put a lot of effort in to anti-bullying but sometimes the messages just don’t seem to go through. Some kids use their size to intimidate others or force them to do something they want them to do. While others may use their size to try to stand up for the weak but this can be just as wrong. Children have to learn to find that balance but also be confident in themselves to stand up and use their voices for change.

This book follows Buster Bartholomew Benjamin Brown (we had so much fun with his name!), who is a mouse that is large for his size and has four sisters. He has a good and kind heart and wants to protect those around him, something to be admired! He meets Just Billy (his new best friend), who is quite small for his age, intelligent but worried he is not as strong and who tends to get picked on by the larger students. Together they make a plan to stop Just Billy from being picked on but it doesn’t quite work out as planned as Buster Bartholomew Benjamin Brown appears to be the bully to the school teacher after pushing the real bully to the ground (and very kindly apologizes for wanting to hit the bully, which so many children can relate to!).

This is a wonderful book for you and your child to read together and begin the process of talking about bullying, peer pressure and how to stand up for ourselves. It gives them tools but also allows you to talk to them about what is going on in their own lives and help guide them in their own reactions. This will be a great resource and starting point for parents and children.

You can purchase a copy of this book here.

About the Author

ANNA PIERRI calls Caledon, Ontario, home, where the local wildlife, and especially the mice, give her daily inspiration for her writing. An avid storyteller from a young age, Pierri realized her dream of becoming an author with the Buster Bartholomew Benjamin Brown series. She is also the founder of Ruby Two Shoes Publishing Inc.

About the Illustrator

STEVE SLAWICH’s vibrant and animation-style artwork in the Buster series draws from his years of cartooning experience and working with licensed children’s products for companies like Nelvana and Disney Studios, where he had a six-year, full-time stint drawing another famous mouse. Slawich currently lives with his wife and son in Huntersville, North Carolina.

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

February 4, 2019

Bring Star Wars to Life with Star Wars Maker Lab

Ever wanted to move things without touching them like a Jedi can? Or grow your own kyber crystal? Now you can (and maybe just maybe you can share with your child!).

About Star Wars Maker Lab

With 20 amazing projects, Star Wars™ Maker Lab teaches your child how to become a Master of science, in both the real world and the Star Wars galaxy. Using clear step-by-step instructions, the book guides scientists and makers through each experiment – from making Jabba’s gooey slime or a hovering landspeeder, to an Ewok catapult and a glowing Gungan Globe of Peace. Each experiment has fact-filled panels to explain the real-world science as well as the Star Wars science fiction from the movies.

With projects that are out of this world, this Star Wars book can keep children entertained for hours, making use of many household items such as cardboard tubes, baking soda, cornstarch, straws, balloons, and food coloring. There is also plenty to keep adventurous scientists engaged, with instructions on how to make your own bristlebot mouse droid, lightsaber duel, and Mustafar volcano. Star Wars Maker Lab supports STREAM topics and helps children to learn the basics of science by traveling through the Star Wars galaxy.

My Thoughts

This beautiful hard cover book is a child (and adults) dream come true. We are huge Star Wars fans although we do argue over if the newer or older movies are better (I still love the oldies!). This bold, vibrant book is full of ideas that help make the popular series come to life.

I have to be honest, some of the experiments would require you to have to go out and make a special purchase as you may not have them lying around the house. Which is perfectly okay – you just would have to plan out the projects to ensure you had every item (I don’t own a hamster ball but that project looked like so much fun).

We decided to tackle making Kyber crystals this weekend. I had most of the items needed except for clothespins but we improvised and it still worked. The kids loved the craft but were a bit impatient with wanting to eat the crystals as soon as possible. I loved how the book explained the process of creating the cyrstals and how it worked while incorporating a Star Wars theme. I was also a bit impatient and kept pulling the skewers out of the solution to check on the state of the crystal formation, this was fascinating to watch even as an adult!

This is an excellent craft book for any Star Wars fan. You will want to plan ahead to ensure you have everything you need to create the crafts but you will not be disappointed (our next item to tackle is creating our own light sabres – awesome right?). The instructions are easy to follow, a lot of illustrations to help you along the way and helpful hints (like watch the hot sugar boiling but this Mom still managed to splash herself!). Enjoy hours of Star Wars themed fun with this book – you will never have a dull PA or snow day again!

You can learn more about this book on the DK Canada website and purchase a copy on Amazon.

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