Monthly Archives: June 2022

Doctoroo and the Case of the Red-Hot Hawaiians by ​Rachel B. Wellner (Book Review)

 

Doctoroo (also known as Dr. Marsha Roo) and her team―Kirby Koala, Louie Llama, and Terence Toad― may live in Australia, but they travel all over the world solving medical mysteries. In Doctoroo & the Case of the Red-Hot Hawaiians, they fly to The Big Island of Hawaii, where red, hot and very itchy hula dancers are in danger of missing their Big Dance Festival. Will they have to skip the Festival, or will Doctoroo help them in time?

 

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

My daughter was excited to see Doctoroo and the Case of the Red-Hot Hawaiians by ​Rachel B. Wellner because one of our favorite vacations took place in Hawaii. We loved the food, the weather, and the luau.

While there, we made sure we were coated with sunscreen. We also reapplied often. I don’t think any of us got a tan at all. Even when we are not vacationing, I make sure my children apply sunscreen before heading outside. One, they burn very easily. Two, I take the threat of skin cancer very seriously. 

I like the message behind the story, Doctoroo and the Case of the Red-Hot Hawaiians – protect your skin from the dangers of the sun. I also like that she chose pigs as the sunburn victims because I’m not sure how many kids or adults realize pigs can burn very easily. 

As for the illustrations by Irina Dringova, we (my daughter and I) enjoyed all of the images except for the giant spider and its web. Of course, this is probably because we both hate spiders. My daughter covered her ears as I read the pages with the spider on them. 

After reading the story, my daughter promptly asked if we could go back to Hawaii. You know what, that sounds like a brilliant idea – as long as we pack the sunscreen. 

Side note: Since this book discusses poison ivy and its effects, maybe follow up the biology lesson with images of plants that are harmful to you and helpful. This information would benefit those who like to hike, camp, or travel. 

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 

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Meet the Author:
Dr. Rachel B. Wellner

Dr. Rachel Wellner MD, MPH, FACS, BACS, is a novelist, comedian, and breast cancer doctor dedicated to making the world a better place for her readers, audience, and patients.

Connect with the Author: 
Website ~ Facebook Goodreads

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Summertime with Snowman Paul by Yossi Lapid (Book Review)

Sure, Paul is a snowman – but should that preclude him from having fun with his best friend all year long (including the Summer)?

Snowman Paul doesn’t think so, but hot summer days do pose some obvious problems for a snowman.

Snowman Paul is ready to give up when his best friend (Dan) comes up with a brilliant idea that saves the day.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

 

Joanna Pasek, marvelous job on all your illustrations. My family liked the images that dealt with summer activities. My daughter was curious what would’ve happened if Snoman Paul did a cannonball in the pool. We also pondered if the beach sand stuck to his snowy feet and backside.

I must give props to Richard Bruning for art direction, lettering, and design. First impressions matter and the cover for “Summertime with Snowman Paul” caught my eye immediately. If I saw this in a bookstore, I would buy it for sure!

For the majority of the book, the word choices were simple. I think only one word might trip up kids 4 – 8 year-olds (Amazon’s recommended reading age), and that’s chagrin. I know Yossi Lapid was trying to find a word to rhyme with “in,” but I would’ve stuck with a word that children understand. No offense, but I wondered how many adults know the meaning of “chagrin” or use it regularly in everyday interactions.

“Summertime with Snowman Paul” did have many positive qualities. The book teaches children about the seasons, which season was not the snowman’s favorite (at first), and why. These seasonal pages led to a lovely discussion with my child on which season is her favorite and why. She loves fall because it’s not too hot or too cold. It’s just right. Oh, and it has Halloween in it.

When you’re a snowman living in hot temperatures, you must think outside of the box to survive the heat from the sun. Summertime with Snowman Paul by Yossi Lapid teaches more than just the seasons. It teaches children how to problem-solve.

My daughter enjoyed “Summertime with Snowman Paul” by Yossi Lapid, and so did I. I will be recommending it to my parenting groups, especially those with children who are beginning readers.

 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Yossi Lapid was born in a small town in Romania where toy stores were absent, but stories and snowmen were abundant. Lapid holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He has three children and lives with his wife Susan and a little dog named Sasha in New Mexico.

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