Tag Archives: animals

December 9, 2022 · 7:00 am

Coney – A Trip to Luna Park by Jeffrey Lindberg (Book Review)

It is 1904, and a new amusement park is being built in Coney Island. Unfortunately, the construction is happening right on the dunes that Selena, a scrappy little rabbit, calls home! From her trolley car one day, Millie spots Selena, and the two become fast friends. Together, they discover and confront the men and the machines that are doing something extraordinary– building a modern, even futuristic, theme park – while also doing something destructive to the land and its inhabitants. Their mission to save Selena’s home becomes quite an adventure!

Filled with historical accuracy and a captivating tale in and of itself, this book takes readers on a ride through the old Coney Island. We follow Selena and Millie as they explore the sights and thrills of Luna Park for the first time. Against the fantastic and extravagant backdrop of creator Fred Thompson’s Luna Park, the story reaches a dramatic height in the nighttime Coney Island, lit up by thousands of Edison bulbs! We hold our breath as they also encounter the “mean” men with the bulldozers. Can Millie and Selena preserve the land and still reach for the stars?

Join Millie and Selena for a trip back in time to Luna Park, when for a few pennies, you could travel all the way to the MOON!

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

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

 

Coney – A Trip to Luna Park by Jeffrey Lindberg was a period piece based on clothing and design that also contained elements based on fantasy. The flying boat was a cool idea but, sadly, not an actual mode of transportation. Yet. But if and when this becomes a reality, I’m buying a ticket!

Okay, I wouldn’t encourage my daughter to play a prank on someone to teach them a lesson about being nice. However, I did find it amusing the tricks Millie and Selena played on the mean man in the suit (Skip). The exploding cake was humorous. 

I would tell your young listeners never to try these stunts at home. Fire is dangerous, and so is making someone trip on a high structure. Plus, pulling pranks could land you in hot water! 

In Coney – A Trip to Luna Park, Selena’s home is in jeopardy due to construction. In real life, many animals lose their homes to humans. Rest assured, Selena got her happy ending. Skip learns to be nice to people and animals. And everyone lived happily ever after.

Coney – A Trip to Luna Park by Jeffrey Lindberg offers the viewing audience suspense, adventure, and comedy with a fantasy twist. Children too young to understand the dialogue and plot have plenty of animals in the story for them to look at. Jeffrey Lindberg did a remarkable job on every single image. Each page was beautifully designed.

I will be recommending Coney – A Trip to Luna Park by Jeffrey Lindberg to family, friends, and our local library.

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

About the Author

Jeffrey Lindberg is a professional illustrator and author whose new book is Coney – A Trip to Luna Park is forthcoming from Flying Rabbit Press in early fall, 2022. Coney is a 48-page, fully illustrated picture book; it will be printed offset in hardcover.

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

 

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November 1, 2022 · 7:00 am

Magician Emu by R.C. Chizhov (Book Review)

Celebrate the magic of being YOU!

In old and charming Emu Town…an emu aspires to be like the great magician, Spikey Spike. But her magic goes all wrong and nothing like Spikey’s! Will the emu find her magic and dare to be different?

With award-winning author, R.C. Chizhov’s playful rhymes and Anastasia Yezhela’s colorful illustrations, Magician Emu is a funny and heartwarming tale of embracing who you are!

Perfect for holiday gifting, read aloud, classroom discussion and bedtime!

GRAB YOUR COPY NOW!

Other books in EMU TOWN STORIES:

  • Nope-Nope Emu
  • Adventure Emu
  • Yogic Emu (coming soon)

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

Anastasia Yezhela did an outstanding job with ALL the illustrations in Magician Emu. Children will adore EMU, who wears a magician’s cape and hat and has a lovely set of curly locks. Spikey Spike, another magical emu, looked quite adorable with their bowtie and Harry Potter-style glasses. 

As all great magicians will tell you, you can read how to do the trick a thousand times, but implementing the steps perfectly is not easy. It takes lots and lots of practice to master a magical feat. Some magicians make a trick seem easy; they make it look effortless. EMU realizes that magic is not easy at all. The unthinkable, the unplanned happens. But, you shouldn’t be discouraged. Keep practicing like EMU; one day, you’ll become a great magician too. 

As EMU practiced and his magic went awry, comedic moments did shine. I won’t disclose all of them, but I will note one. It’s slime time!! 

While EMU’s magic wasn’t precisely perfect, it did delight and entertain his friends. Their happiness made EMU happy. 

I recommend you check out Magician Emu by R.C. Chizhov. Make sure and catch all the books in the Emu Town series! 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

About R.C. Chizhov

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R.C. Chizhov grew up in India, moved to New York in 2005 and spent fourteen years as an investment banker before pursuing her childhood dream of becoming an author. She now lives in Florida with her ever-supportive husband and ever- energetic son. She is a member of SCBWI.

Website Link

Instagram: @rcchizhov

 

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October 24, 2022 · 7:00 am

Madison: The Tale of a Corgi with no Tail by Susan Erickson Catucci (Book Review)

HOW CAN THIS BE?

Yesterday was just a typical day in the life of little Madison, a Corgi who lives with her family in a little blue house. She considers herself to be one of the luckiest animals within her world – even if she has to share the little blue house with Whiskers, a cat who tends to be grouchy and awfully prickly most of the time. But today, everything has changed! Madison has discovered she is not like the other animals around her. She is missing something and she needs to know why.

HOW CAN THIS BE?

And she hopes to find the answer.

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the real Madison!

 

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

 

I don’t always read the dedication page, but I’m glad I didn’t skip over it today. It had a real-life photo of Madison, and the corgi is adorable! 

I acknowledge that I am unfamiliar with all the dog breeds, but I am acquainted with corgis. They appear to be jolly dogs. In Madison: The Tale of a Corgi with no Tail, the pup starts all smiles until they realize they have no tail. 

Madison goes on a mission to ask other animals why they have a tail. Each animal Madison meets is a teaching moment. For the wee ones, it helps teaches animal names. Maybe you could incorporate animal sounds too. For the slighter older listener, it teaches the function of different tails. For example, kids will learn about an opossum using its tail to hang from a branch and protect its young while they nap. 

Madison heads home down because they do not have a tail. They think they are unlucky; however, Whiskers the cat tells them how lucky they are not to have one. The illustrations of poor Whiskers with his mouth stretched wide in an AHHHH moment will make your child laugh. 

Madison might not have a tail, but that’s okay. Dogs are loads of fun, with or without a tale!

While my daughter loved all the photos, she cracked up at the last image. She said, “Look at the dog’s big butt.” Her laughter brought a smile to my face. 

Madison: The Tale of a Corgi with no Tail held my daughter’s attention from beginning to end, and if you are a parent, you know that’s a sign of a well-crafted book. I encourage others to share this book with their youngsters. Also, show them pictures of the dearly departed Queen’s famous corgi companions. 

Review submitted to Reedsy on 9/13/22

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

Meet the Author

I have loved reading and writing all my life, second only to art, especially illustrations. My co-author Susan Permuy was the real Madison’s mom and together we have brought her to life in order to share a valuable life lesson. My main focus is mindfulness and well being for children.

Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

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September 27, 2022 · 7:00 am

When Your Feet Hit the Street, You Gotta Look Around! by Gabriella Fantoccini (Book Review)

Kids should look both ways before crossing the street, but what about when they are actually in the street?

When my daughter was little, she would make a big show out of looking both ways BEFORE crossing the street, but when she was actually in the street, she completely zoned out.

I was concerned that somehow she might wind up in the street one day when I wasn’t around, so I came up with the memory aid, “When Your Feet Hit the Street, You Gotta Look Around!”

It worked!

Whenever her feet were in the street, she was aware that she had to keep looking around until she safely reached the sidewalk.

“When Your Feet Hit the Street, You Gotta Look Around!” is a memory aid turned into a SUPER FUN children’s book based on a children’s song I also wrote.

A free download of the song is included with the book.

Have fun singing along with your little ones as you turn the pages, reminding them to look left, look right, look all around!

You can listen to the song and see the lyrics in a video at…

https://www.fantoccinibooks.com/video

 
Amazon Purchase Link
 
 
 
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 
“When Your Feet Hit the Street, You Gotta Look Around!” reinvents the vital life lesson “Look both ways before crossing the street” in a fun way with animal characters to educate and entertain young listeners/readers. Using this phrase on repeat – “When your feet hit the street, you gotta look around.” – in conjunction with darling illustrations created by Geraldine Nunez, kids will learn the proper way to cross a street. 

Since children have personal phones at an early age, this book points out not to text or stare at your cell when your feet step off the curb. It’s good practice not to text and walk in general. Head up is what I tell my kiddos all the time. 

The story also suggests holding an adult’s hand when stepping off the curb and crossing a street. It’s precisely how my family crosses the road. 

“When Your Feet Hit the Street, You Gotta Look Around!” is a memory aid turned into a SUPER FUN children’s book based on a children’s song Gabriella Fantoccini wrote. Great news – you’ll receive a FREE MP3 Download of the song with every purchase. What a marvelous gift from the author! Now, if you’re wondering if you’re following the right beat, guess no further. Be ready for an earworm because I think you and your family will sing this song a lot! Oh, I’d like to note the lyrics are in the back of the book. 

Amazon’s recommended reading age for When Your Feet Hit the Street, You Gotta Look Around! is 3 – 8 years (grade level: preschool – 3); however, I think toddlers might enjoy the catchy tune. Let’s start teaching them street safety at an early age! 

I will recommend this book to my school’s librarian and fellow elementary school parents. It’s a book that should be read often! 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Hello!

When my daughter was little, she would make a big show of looking both ways BEFORE crossing the street, BUT when she was actually crossing in the street, she completely zoned out.

I was concerned that somehow she might wind up in the street by herself one day, so I came up with the memory aid, “When Your Feet Hit the Street, You Gotta Look Around!”

It worked! She remembered!

One day, I pulled out my guitar and the phrase became a song, and then eventually the song became this children’s book.

I hope you and your little one(s) stay safe and enjoy the book and the FREE MP3 song download.

And please check out my website at…

Website Link
Reedsy Author Link

 

 

 

 

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September 9, 2022 · 7:00 am

Adventure Emu by R.C. Chizhov (Book Review)

Fasten your seatbelts for a tornado, funfair and adventure!

An emu whines about his mundane life and wishes for a grand adventure.

One day, a tornado whisks him away to a funfair! Life is as thrilling as it gets, but can the flightless emu find his way back home?

 

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 


(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

My family lives in an area with a threat of tornadoes every fall and spring. Heck, we’ve also been under warning for one during the wintertime. Crazy, but true! Therefore, my kiddos are well aware of the dangers—the destruction they cause. Even though my family has gone over our “tornado preparedness” plan several times, we went over it again. I encourage you to go over yours if you live in an area with twisters. If you don’t, maybe go over fire or earthquake instead; whatever disaster might strike your location.

One kiddo’s first remark about Adventure Emu was, “They wish our tornadoes took people to a carnival cause carnivals are fun.” My other child made an ick face regarding the kale and romaine lettuce. They said, “Who would pick salad over popcorn and nachos?” Their question led to a great discussion about the dietary needs of animals and humans. 

Since our town has a carnival every Fourth of July, we discussed the differences between Emu’s festival and ours. My children wish ours had a roller coaster and bumper cars. Me too; those are a lot of fun. 

Adventure Emu by R.C. Chizhov is a fun story that I’m sure your kids will love to read. Anastasia Yezhela once again knocks it out of the park with their illustrations. Congrats to both of you for creating a book my family loved, and I’m sure many others will too.

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

About R.C. Chizhov

ALX00719_315.png

R.C. Chizhov grew up in India, moved to New York in 2005 and spent fourteen years as an investment banker before pursuing her childhood dream of becoming an author. She now lives in Florida with her ever-supportive husband and ever- energetic son. She is a member of SCBWI.

Website Link

Instagram: @rcchizhov

 

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