Tag Archives: kindness

Bob and Fluffy’s First Adventure: A Story of Kindness and Friendship by Hong Lee (Book Review)

Join Bob on an unexpected journey in Bob and Fluffy’s First Adventure. One morning, his usual walk takes a heartwarming turn when he discovers a lost, shivering puppy in the bushes. Bob hears the puppy’s soft whimpering and decides not just to help but to embark on a quest to find the little one’s home.

Through their search:

  • Bob and the puppy visit various homes, hoping to find the puppy’s family each time.
  • They encounter friendly faces and not-so-perfect matches, but each stop brings them closer together.
  • When they realize the puppy’s family is nowhere to be found, Bob makes a heartfelt decision that changes both of their lives forever.

This simple yet moving story teaches the value of kindness, perseverance, and the joy of finding new friends in unexpected places.

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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.

 

Bob and Fluffy’s First Adventure: A Story of Kindness and Friendship is a touching story of a boy with a big heart who helps a lost puppy find their furever home.

Bob walked the same checkered path through his neighborhood. He loved smelling the colorful wildflowers. As he rounded the bend, passing the big oak tree, he heard a soft whimper from the tall, leafy bushes. There lay a cold and hungry puppy. I’m not a dog breed expert, so I have no idea what kind was pictured. But I can safely say the white puppy was very cute with his white mustache! 

Big-hearted Bob knew he couldn’t leave the frightened and starving puppy alone, so he offered to take the pup home for warmth and food. Then, they would go in search of his family. Bob knocked on several doors, hoping the lost pup recognized someone as their family. As a proud cat owner, I laughed at the old lady with nine cats! One glance at each kitty, and you’ll know exactly how they feel about the dog encroaching on their turf. I particularly liked the crossed-eye cat playing with the red, round ball; they were in their own little world.  

The page of 11 doors was a creative touch. The line-up lets readers picture the small child and pup knocking on each one, growing sad with each door closing. I also liked the door designs. It’s a perfect stopping point for a teacher to ask students what their door looks like. They can even draw theirs for a lovely classroom wall display. 

Though Bob and Fluffy’s First Adventure: A Story of Kindness and Friendship concludes with a happily ever after, the duo’s quest is filled with different emotions. We watch as two optimistic beings slowly lose hope before reaching the all-smiles final scenes.

Bob and Fluffy’s First Adventure: A Story of Kindness and Friendship teaches the value of kindness, perseverance, and the joy of finding new friends in unexpected places. Share this story with your family and class. 

Amazon’s recommended reading age is 3-8 years. 

 

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

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Meet the Author

Hong Lee’s passion for writing children’s books began when she started reading to her son. She is captivated by children’s picture books’ whimsical and imaginative nature. Beyond writing, Hong enjoys watching movies and spending quality time with her family. Her debut book, “Bob and Fluffy’s First Adventure: A Tale of Kindness and Friendship,” reflects her dedication to storytelling and her commitment to fostering strong morals in young readers. Hong currently resides in Oklahoma with her husband and son.

 

 

 

 

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The Grumpy Growly Tree (Stories With Heart Book 3) by Debi K Fraser (Book Review)

The animals in the forest are scared of the Grumpy, Growly Tree. The other trees are growing as far away as be. But is there more to Grumpy than what they see?

Join the forest animals in their daily adventures and follow along as they learn that sometimes things are not always as they seem. In a story that reminds us that even the smallest acts of kindness can sometimes make the biggest difference.

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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.

 

The Grumpy Growly Tree, the third book in the “Stories with Heart” series, is a heartfelt story about the power of love, kindness, and acceptance. 

Grumpy was a sad and lonely tree whose face reflected these feelings. Other trees and many animals reacted unfavorably when they saw Grumpy’s droopy facial features. His forest companions either kept their distance from him or fled in fright. Grumpy’s fellow trees and nine animal visitors never stopped to ask if he was okay. Why did he look so sad? Thankfully, one adorable forest animal didn’t dash away in fright. Instead, this sweet animal stopped and talked to Grumpy, and in doing so, they discovered Grumpy was not grumpy at all; the tree was sad and lonely, and they only wanted someone to love them. (I kept the animal’s name a secret on purpose.) 

In real life, people are judged for looking, acting, or speaking differently from what their peers consider “normal.” Often, it is for the color of their skin. Sometimes, we look at someone’s facial expression and decide to keep a safe distance from them. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of such judgments, you’ll empathize with the sad tree in this story.

The Grumpy Growly Tree beautifully demonstrates the power of kindness. It proves that one act, big or small, can profoundly affect a person’s life. It can lift spirits, give hope, and give a person a reason to smile. The cute animal in the story caused all three effects on the initially grouchy-looking tree. I must say, the artist made the cutest sad tree ever! I loved his big nose and expressive eyes. The illustrated “a light of love so bright” page and all the glowing drawings after that made my face light up, much like the tree.

I adored the children’s book’s positive underlying messages: We all deserve love and should treat others how we want to be treated: with kindness and acceptance!

I recommend this wonderful story to children 3- 7 years.

 

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

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Meet the Author 

Debi K Fraser is the author of the Stories With Heart series of children’s picture books.

Her love of stories and the characters that inhabit them has been with her since she was old enough to hold a book. As a child she could often be found with a pile of cucumber sandwiches and any number of books containing dragons, witches and magical adventures. Her passion for creating her own naturally followed.

Although Debi is from New Zealand, she currently lives in Quebec, Canada with her two sons and her two dogs. She loves being out in nature and can often be found walking her dogs through the forest, where for her, magic and inspiration live. Stories dance their way into Debi’s imagination morning, noon and night.

But mostly in the forest.

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Loris Opens Up His Heart: An Emotional Story For Kids (Courage Tales) by Dagmara Sitek (Book Review)

It takes courage to stand up for others. It takes even more to stand up for yourself.

When Loris is placed in a new foster home (again), his foster siblings just can’t make sense of him. He doesn’t play, joke, or laugh, and he certainly has no interest in the town’s charity race. But when things get tough, Loris amazes his newfound family with his hidden courage and resilience!

Join Loris and his newfound family on this journey of self-discovery and acceptance with this relatable children’s book perfect for home or the classroom.

“Loris Opens Up His Heart” by Dagmara Sitek is a testament to the power of empathy and compassion. It models positive interactions and helps kids put themselves in someone else’s shoes. More importantly, it encourages them to help one another through their grief and fears.

Children will learn that even though fears might be scary, facing them can lead to feelings of safety and love.

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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.

 

According to Let it Be Us (website), there are approximately 400,000 children in foster care in the United States. Fifteen percent live in institutions or group homes—also, 26,000 “age out” of the system each year. Most kids in foster care move from home to home, never knowing stability. Due to childhood trauma that led them to be in the foster care system, it’s common for them to have mental problems and trust issues. In addition to that, when a kid enters the system, they don’t remain in one home but get bounced around from place to place. This causes more trust issues and takes a toll on them mentally, even more so if their foster parents are unkind.  

Loris didn’t have the best home life before living with Cam, Inaya, and their foster mom. Because of this, he closed himself off from everyone. Loris couldn’t accept their kindness. He mentally and physically shut the door on them. Loris displayed behavior that is typical of a lot of kids in his situation. Thankfully, his new family didn’t give up on him. Cam and Inaya tried to include Loris in the charity run, offered to tutor him in math and thanked him when he helped them out of a sticky situation. 

Foster kids are like every other child in the world. They need security, to feel loved, to know they belong, and their family has their back 100%. Loris shared with his siblings about his anger issues: how it can be like hot lava. In time, Loris realized he had found everything he wanted: people who cared about him and would literally and figuratively give him the shirt off their back. 

The book’s synopsis states, “It beautifully illustrates that true bravery and strength can come from the simple act of opening up their hearts.” I absolutely agree with their assessment. Loris’s story is touching and depicts a child’s emotional journey in the system. I recommend sharing Loris’s journey with your foster family and not just telling them but showing your new family member that they are in a safe place and are wanted and loved. 

Amazon’s recommended reading is 5-10 years. 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Dagmara Sitek is a Montreal-based mother of two, passionate about teaching children valuable social and emotional life lessons through her beautifully illustrated, and relatable books about children in foster care.

Amazon Author Page Link

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The Migrating Millimunger by Charlotte Chaplin (Book Review)

On the shore of Blue Bear Island,
One dark and stormy night,
Washed up a Millimunger
In a boat with a green light.

After being chased away from home by a crocodile, Millimunger lands on Blue Bear Island. Sadly, the island’s inhabitants are not very welcoming. Can one special bear change the others’ minds?

Find out what happens to Millimunger and enjoy finding the crab as you read along.

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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.

 

Millimunger is forced to leave her home when she is chased away by a hungry crocodile. Sadly, the inhabitants of Blue Bear Island are less than welcoming when Millimunger washes ashore. Why? Well, Millimunger did not resemble the bears on the island. The islanders were blue, while Millimunger had pink fur, a red nose, and ears that looked like pink pom poms on a pink stalk. Due to Millimunger’s appearance and the fact they were a stranger on Blue Bear Island, the blue bears assumed the worst about Millimunger’s intentions. This behavior is a common occurrence in our society. Unfortunately, we judge on appearances way too often and often unfavorably. 

In real life, there are those who stand up for the mistreated. In The Migrating Millimunger by Charlotte Chaplin, the smallest blue bear, Baby Bear, broke down in tears. They were distraught over their family’s treatment of a bear who just wanted to belong. This small bear changed the minds of many. They helped the other bears see the error of the ways, which propelled the islanders into action to make amends to Millimunger.

The Migrating Millimunger promotes kindness and acceptance, which should and must be instilled in our children, starting when they are very young. 

The Migrating Millimunger is a lovely book with a spectacular message and wonderfully bright illustrations. Alice Pieroni, the illustrator, impressed me with their designs. Each bear had their own clothing style that made them stand out as individuals. And, Millimunger was the cutest pink bear I have ever seen! Oh, I love the banner at the end, and so will other supporters of the PRIDE community. 

Parents, share this picture book with your children. 

Educators, share it with your class.

Together, let’s create a more accepting society! 

At under 30 pages, I recommend The Migrating Millimunger for children two years of age and older. 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Charlotte Chaplin is a professional writer who loves writing entertaining stories for little people. She has a BA (Hons) degree in English Literature from the University of Sussex and is the proud author of ‘The Migrating Millimunger.’ She grew up, and still lives in, South East London, UK.
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Marty and Lenny by Tania Woznicki (Book Review)


Marty and Lenny is an encouraging story about the power of kindness.

Marty is a sweet, helpful monkey with lovely manners. Lenny is the complete opposite! He is a mean and selfish lion with bad manners and disgusting habits. After a memorable encounter with Lenny, Marty decides that things need to change. Join Marty as he makes a brave choice that changes EVERYTHING!

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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.

 

Marty, the monkey, was sweet and well-mannered. They always remembered to say “thank you,” “you’re welcome,” “excuse me,” and “pardon me.” Marty also did his chores and held doors open for others. What a gentleman! 

Lenny, the lion, was the polar opposite. He’s rude. Greedy. Selfish. Mean. He yelled and pushed people around (literally and figuratively). Oh, and he chews with his mouth open. GROSS! 

Marty made it his mission to change Lenny; become Lenny’s friend. During playtime, Lenny let one fart rip, and it stunk to high heaven! Instead of yelling, “Dude, your farts are toxic,” Marty spoke in a friendly, calm voice. “Gas is natural but it really does stink. So next time, Lenny, can you please stop and think?” Marty gave him sound advice. “Being polite and kind is what you should do. Please treat others how you would like them to treat you.”

By the expression on Lenny’s face, you could see he felt embarrassed and/or ashamed at this thoughtless behavior. He vowed from that moment on to be a better animal. Lenny did keep his promise. His parents were surprised at the turnabout. Teachers, too. 

Lenny looked and felt happier, and his joy was contagious. The image of Lenny and Marty looking joyful in their birthday hats made me smile.

Amazon’s recommended reading age is baby – 11 years. Of course, babies won’t be able to comprehend the moral of the story. But, it’s always lovely to read to your wee ones; your voice can soothe them. 

Kindness and manners should be taught at an early age. Children who grow up with a kind heart become adults with a kind heart. Those who use their manners teach their kids to have manners. Kindness always makes the day brighter!  

I will be recommending Marty and Lenny by Tania Woznicki to others. 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Tania Woznicki has a passion for bringing stories to life. As a loving mum and experienced primary-school teacher who has also studied psychology, she has insights into child development, what children experience, how they interact and the powerful impact that small gestures of kindness can have.

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