Tag Archives: poetry

The Moon in the Sky: Poems Your Kids Would Have Written (If Only They Could Write) by Bruce Shutts (Book Review)

THE MOON IN THE SKY: Poems your Kids Would Have Written (if only they could write) by Bruce Shutts

 
Children have the power to turn simple everyday tasks into moments of intrigue and laughter.

When getting dressed, they might just think:

“My pants are really easy
Since both my feet will fit.
And after I put both legs in,
I pull them up. That’s it!
But shirts are very tricky;
They have three holes, not two!
And if you pick the wrong one,
Your head just won’t go through!”

 

Delight in thirteen whimsical poems that capture the simple honesty of everyday childhood activities written from the perspective of three-to-six-year-olds. From getting dressed, eating snacks, or having stinky feet, you and your child will recognize yourself in these poems. Crafted to make you laugh, smile, and build memories with your kids.
 
 
 
 
 
 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from iRead Book Tours. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
 
 
Bruce Shutts’s poems were topics that kids and parents could absolutely relate to: getting dressed, car rides, walks outside, bathroom breaks, and much more.


We’ve all seen our children struggle with dressing themselves—head in armholes or backward attire. Most times, their first attempts are pretty humorous.


For many people, we use car seats or strollers quite regularly. Kids love the outdoors. Those poems were 100% accurate, including all the spills as well. I think my daughter dropped more crackers than what she ate.


I have sneaking suspicion that children will love “Picking My Nose” the most. While parents think it’s gross, kids think it’s hilarious. Face it, you know they have their finger up there most of their younger years. Amy Wummer’s image of the boy, looking out the corner of his eye while digging for gold, was cute and funny. I know I’ve caught my kids many times in the act. Eww!


The poems dealing with food could lead to asking your child or class what foods they like to eat for snack, lunch, or dinner.


I want to end my review by addressing “A Bug in the Bathroom.” My daughter screams at the top of her lungs when she spots a bug. That little girl, in the story, was so brave. Heck, I think she might be more courageous than some adults I know. 🙂


Bruce Shutts (author) and Amy Wummer (illustrator), you two made a great team. I loved every poem, and the drawings were spectacular too.


The author’s recommended age group is 3-7. I think that’s accurate.

 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 
❤❤
 
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:
Bruce Shutts has spent countless hours reading children’s picture books to his three children and five grandchildren over the past forty years. He also loves to create humorous poems for nearly every occasion he can imagine. Coupled with the fact that he often thinks and acts like a three-to-six-year-old, it makes his entrance into the world of children’s books a natural fit. He currently is retired with his wife of forty-five years and loves to travel, play golf, and (you guessed it) read books at night to his grandkids! 
 
connect to the author: goodreads

 

 
 
 
 
 

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Awake with the Songbirds – Poems from the Pandemic by Kyrian Lyndon (Book Spotlight)

Content Rating:  PG + M. The book does allude to suicide in one poem and discusses grief and depression in some of the others. There may one or two words of profanity

 
 

 
“She has the ability to convey to the reader some of the most complex thoughts into words that truly reach our hearts.” — Love Books

“Her lyric voice speaks with careful observation and passion. In the narrative mode, she is masterful in reading life around her. Kyrian possesses the sensitivity, insight, and soul of the true poet. Her writing provides a primer on how to compose meaningful poetry.” — Lou Jones

 

 
 
Book Description:
 
This collection consists primarily of poems written during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time of loneliness and rumination.

Lyndon’s poetry stems from intense emotions that swing from one end of the pendulum to the other as she captures the agony of love and loss, along with innocent joy and lighthearted fun.

Each poem is an earnest response to life, love, and everything in between.

 
 
Buy the Book:
Amazon
add to goodreads
 
 
 
 
Meet the Author:

Author Kyrian Lyndon

 

Kyrian Lyndon is the author of Shattering Truths, the first book in her Deadly Veils series. She has also published three poetry collections, A Dark Rose Blooms, Remnants of Severed Chains, and Awake with the Songbirds – Poems from the Pandemic. Kyrian began writing short stories and fairy tales when she was just eight years old. In her adolescence, she moved on to poetry. At sixteen, while working as an editor for her high school newspaper, she wrote her first novel, and then completed two more novels at the ages of nineteen and twenty-five.

She is forthcoming about being a person with many years of recovery, as well as a trauma survivor. Throughout her journeys, she expressed her thoughts through poetry, embracing every challenge to triumph over adversity. In her conviction that learning, growing, healing, and evolving is a never-ending process, she remains as grateful for the dark days as she is for every flicker of hope and light. She considers herself a cheerleader for those trudging on against all odds in the hopes of living their dreams.

Born and raised in Woodside, Queens, New York, Kyrian was the middle of three daughters born to immigrants –her father from Campochiaro, Italy; her mother from Havana, Cuba. She has worked primarily in executive-level administrative positions with major New York publishing companies.

Kyrian loves nineteenth-century British literature, parallel universe fiction, and dark romanticism. She also enjoys music, art, history, fitness, and cooking.

 

connect with the author:

 
 
 

5 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

The Art of Time by Martine Therese & Martina Franca (Book Spotlight)

Picture


​In The Art of Time: A Mother-Daughter Sprezzatura on the Spirit of Time, Martine Therese and her daughter, Martina Franca, invite you into a lush world where time has no limits. Consisting of paintings, meditations and poetry, The Art of Time merges maternal & youthful wisdom into a one-of-a-kind artistic showcase with a powerful message: humanity’s experience can be enhanced by developing our minds into sensual thought.

A gorgeous book to be treasured by everyone from art connoisseurs to children, The Art of Time offers concepts and images that introduce readers to a new—and wonderful—realm of being.

 
 
 
 
Meet the Authors: 

Martine Therese was a practicing Certified Public Accountant when she became pregnant with her daughter, Martina Franca. She decided to leave her accounting job and focus on her daughter instead. The transition, while “brutal,” completely transformed Martine’s life, and opened up a whole new world of possibility.

For Martine, who has been writing poetry all her life, motherhood expanded her creativity, and she finally felt the courage to bring her work to the world. Martine and her daughter discovered a love for painting, and their artwork, combined with Martine’s poetry, form the basis of The Art of Time; A Mother-Daughter Sprezzatura on the Spirit of Time. The book is a token of their shared loves and talents.

Martine and Martina Franca are putting together a follow-up collection on the topic of what it means to be human, exploring the theme of building the potential of humanity. Martina Franca embraces her maternal side on a daily basis, be it with caring for her baby dolls or her puppy, Marcello. She gets a kick out of tailgating with Mom and watching people’s reactions, and playing practical jokes like hiding Daddy’s shampoo bottle, and she loves having conversations. She regularly chills out with Mom during yoga in their special “rainbow room,” a room just for the two of them to recharge. On sunny days, gorgeous rainbows fill the wall of the Rainbow Room, and Martina and Mom bask in those colors—which is why Martina loves infusing her art with rainbows.


Connect with the Authors: Facebook ~Instagram
 

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia by Julia Hengst (Book Review)

VenusUnderwater-Interior-Ingram-EBOOK-ISBN- 9781736137512.indd

Genre: Children/ Songs/ Poetry/ Puns

 

The first book of a new series that will empower your child discover their inner flow, Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia introduces the magical underwater world of Mermaidia. This humorous and whimsical collection of poems and songs reveals how baby mermaids are made, what mermaid families are like, and how mermaids study magic at School of the Fish to become Sea Witches (not Sand Witches). Created by family therapist Julia Hengst the Venus Underwater series helps nurture the whole child, promoting self-esteem, confidence and social/emotional/mental health whilst helping with anxiety in a fun, playful way.

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

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

 

Little kids love mermaids and want to believe they are real. Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia by Julia Hengst feeds into their imagination by explaining the mystery of the merpeople. 

Many elements of Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia were sweet. Examples: How Baby Mermaids Are Made, family portrait (Families of Mermaidia), and A Mermaid’s Lullaby. 

While Julia Hengst’s story is centered around fictional and mythical beings, the overall message/points are not fictional. 

Spread kindness. 

Families take all forms! 

Like families, friendships come in all forms. Accept those different than you. 

Live a life of peace and harmony. 

Children are not born to hate. As adults, we need to foster their love and acceptance of others. 

Read Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia. Encourage your child to spread kindness like the merpeople in this magical tale. 

Special note: We love to sing in our house. While we loved the songs in the story, we didn’t know the tune/beat of them. Maybe add this feature in future stories if songs are present. Thanks! 

 

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

Kindle Purchase Link

Print Purchase Link

 

About the Author

J+Round

Julia Hengst is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, an avid surfer, traveler and word nerd who resides in Maui. Passionate about psychology, spirituality and media literacy, she holds an undergraduate degree in Media Studies from UC Berkeley, a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology, and an imaginary degree from the University of Puns. 

Julia Hengst | Facebook | Instagram

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

The Many Personalities of Me by Miss Yael Gottesman aka Bailey Gee (Book Review)

Comprised of poems hand chosen by the author, The Many Personalities of Me tells a story of struggle, triumph, heartache and above all perseverance. Stories and poems based on first hand experience from my every day life living with mental illness.

Contents:

Stranger in the Mirror
Footsteps in Reflection
The Loneliness Pandemic
Bigger than Life
Because of You
An Ativan, an Invisibility cloak and my thoughts …..
Jekyll and Hyde
Blade of Glory
A Different Kind of Drought
Lost
Tired
Faded Memories
People ask me
2012
She wonders
Today I went to a funeral
Cross my heart
New blood

Kindle Purchase Link
Print Purchase Link
Audiobook Purchase Link

 

 

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

 

Miss Yael Gottesman (Bailey Gee) opened her soul up when she wrote The Many Personalities of Me. Through her poetry, she shared what it’s like to live with an abuser and mental illness. 

As a person living with her own set of mental demons, several poems moved me drastically: “Stranger in the Mirror,” “Tired,” “Lost,” and “An Ativan, an Invisibility cloak and my thoughts.”

A few touched so close to home that they were painful to read—those involved cutting. Example: “Blade of Glory” 

I know for a lot of people they get great comfort in knowing they are not alone, that other people have gone or are going through the same situations as them. For me, it makes me face things I have worked hard to bury. I know I’m not taking the healthiest route, but it’s kept me moving forward for over 3 decades (the decades I realized I was different). 

I do commend Miss Yael Gottesman (Bailey Gee) on expressing her emotions, all her struggles. I do hope she keeps moving forward and never finds herself in another toxic relationship or situation. She has shown a great deal of strength, so I have complete faith she will find her happiness one day. 

Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: 1/2

Kindle Purchase Link
Print Purchase Link
Audiobook Purchase Link

 

 

Bailey Gee is a graduate of her local colleges creative writing program, and has since published two books. She has a special interest in writing poetry, which tells a story about her life experiences living with mental health issues. Her books are a prime example of perseverance and strength, and is a reminder to anyone going through similar situations, that they’re not alone. Bailey is currently working on her third book of poetry to be released later this year.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized