Tag Archives: young readers

The Adventures of Bunny and Fawn by Michael Lingo (Book Review)

An oddball pair of animals, a bunny and a fawn, love each other like sisters. In the forest that is their home, they play and laugh and learn together all day long. At night, they sleep cuddled together inside a big log. But when a sudden storm sweeps their home away, and they become separated in the melee, they have to fight hard to find each other again. Bunny is despondent at the loss of their home, but Fawn reminds her that as long as they’re together, they are home. The bonds of friendship, chosen family, and sisterhood are both tested and proven in this adorable picture book.

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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.

 

As the story begins, we meet two sweet forest animals, who we learn live together in a log. Fawn, the deer, and Bunny met as babies and have remained together ever since. They are more than best friends; they are sisters by choice. Fawn and Bunny’s temperaments are vastly different, but their differences complement one another nicely and come into play as the story progresses. Fawn, the protective sister, always watches for Bunny’s safety. When Bunny finds herself stuck, Fawn is nearby to give her sister some helpful advice: take a deep breath and stay calm. When Bunny gets too close to a coiled-up snake, Bunny recalls and enacts Fawn’s sage advice from the pond incident and avoids getting bitten by the sun-bathing snake! Thank goodness! 

As the sky darkens and a storm brews, Bunny and Fawn choose to take shelter. Wise choice! They have ridden out other storms in this very log, but this one appeared to be worse than all of the past. Globally, natural disasters are happening more frequently. More tornadoes and floods are ravaging the states this storm season. Fawn and Bunny faced what many children and their families face every year. Often several times a year! The poor animals had to make a hard decision while the thunderstorm was still barreling down on them: leave the only home they’ve ever known and seek studier shelter or stay in harm’s way. They said goodbye to their broken home. 

Every storm season, the news covers all the homes severely damaged or lost to natural disasters. Families of all sizes must start anew, and even animals must find new homes. Fawn and Bunny had the misfortune to lose the only home they’ve ever known, but worse than that, they lost each other for a time in the storm, too. Thankfully, the two siblings safely found their way back to each other. Unharmed, too!

The Adventures of Bunny and Fawn is a relatable, lovely story that shows that “home” is any place where the ones you love are. I loved the message that families come in all shapes and sizes. It’s true that family members can be biologically related, adopted, or fostered, or you can recognize someone you are very close to as your sister, brother, uncle, and so forth. 

Bunny and Fawn were fortunate to find a new home quickly; however, that is only sometimes the case for people in the real world. If your community has been affected by storms, fires, floods, etc., encourage your family to give back to their neighbors, near and far. Also, if your family doesn’t have a disaster plan, now is the time to make one. I would encourage discussing what to do if your family gets separated during a storm or dangerous event.

My recommended reading age is 2-8-year-olds.  

 

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

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Meet the Author

Having pursued an education in Architecture, and a career in construction-related fields, Mike is not your typical children’s book author. The concept for this book began as a joke, but transformed into an exciting journey. He’s excited to continue writing in the future.

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There’s a Stegosaurus in My Tonsils by Nat Gibson (Book Review)

There’s a dinosaur scratching Liam’s throat.
And the only way to get it out is to remove its favorite hiding spot: Liam’s tonsils.

Young children and toddlers about to get their tonsils out will gently learn what to expect through the fun imagination of a little boy – with the focus on catching a dinosaur, rather than surgery.

When Liam learns his sore throat is caused by the dinosaur hiding behind his tonsils, his imagination runs wild. Join him on an adventure as he prepares to meet the Dinosaur Catchers, who will remove his tonsils and capture that mischievous little dinosaur.

With colorful illustrations, simple language and a unique, kid-friendly concept, this book is designed to help parents guide their little ones through tonsil surgery and recovery in a playful, imaginative way.

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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.

 

“With colorful illustrations, simple language and a unique, kid-friendly concept, this book is designed to help parents guide their little ones through tonsil surgery and recovery in a playful, imaginative way.”

Being sick is never fun. Visiting a doctor is typically only fun if you get a lollipop or small toy from the goodie box at the end of your visit. And surgery? We all can agree that surgery is high on the no-fun list, too. Liam, the young boy in There’s a Stegosaurus in My Tonsils, has the misfortune to face all three things: a sore throat, a doctor’s visit, and a tonsillectomy. 

As kids grow, they become more vocal about feeling under the weather and point out what hurts. They don’t typically say my tonsils hurt when they have a sore throat. They keep it more general. Why? Tonsils might be a word many kids do not know. When they hear their tonsils are red or swollen, they might wonder, What the heck are tonsils? Liam did, and his doctor explained what they were and how they were the perfect hiding spot for a little dinosaur.

This dinoriffic storybook demonstrates how a child’s imagination will run wild when their brain attempts to understand or visualize what someone says to them. While a dinosaur can’t really be living or stuck in your throat unless a child swallowed a teeny-tiny dino toy, a child’s mind might take the doctor’s words in the literal sense. They may come up with a catchy name for the unwelcome visitor, like tonsilsaurus rex, or say their throat is dino-sore. An act I thought the child would do in the book but didn’t.

Liam dreams about his dino visitor, and when he awakens, he is ready to remove the prehistoric animal from his throat with the help of the dinosaur catchers! It was very creative how the writer walks a patient through the surgical process by transforming the hospital into a less frightening place, a dinosaur wonderland. I loved every illustration, but my favorite ones have to be the dino catchers trying to wrangle a now-free green dinosaur and the broken scale scene. Nice dino bed, too!

Tonsillectomy is a large word that might sound scary to many children. Thanks to Nat Gibson’s imagination, kids will see the procedure in a new light. While the young patient might still feel anxious about the process, I know they’ll look forward to one aspect of the recovery: the milkshakes, popsicles, and ice cream! And, if your hospital is anything like the children’s hospitals near me, every patient awakens to gift on or new their bed. Maybe your child will awaken to their very own throat-a-saurus! 

I recommend sharing this story with a child having any surgery, but definitely a tonsillectomy! 

Amazon’s recommended reading age is 2-6 years.

 

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

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Meet the Author

Nat Gibson lives in California with her husband and two children, both of whom had tonsillectomies before turning 4 years old. Her books are designed to help parents engage their child’s imagination as they go through new or difficult experiences.

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Fartasaurus by Milt Lowe (Book Review)

Fartasaurus is a young T-Rex dinosaur who has to leave his loving family for one year— according to dinosaur tribal law—because of his constant, embarrassing farting. (He even farted out the candles on his birthday cake!) 

Sent to live in a deep, dark forest,  the fun-loving farting dinosaur meets a wild and wacky group of other dinosaur misfits that bond over their uniqueness and discovers the value of friendship.

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

 

Farting is a normal part of our digestion system. It reduces belly pain from bloating. It can help alert patients and doctors of possible underlying health conditions. Whether you toot soft or loud or squeak out a silent but deadly fat, most of us agree that letting one rip usually leads to laughter. Well, unless you are a dinosaur that lived 200 million years ago. Dinos back then had a strong reaction to Fartasaurus breaking wind all the time, and it was not laughing out loud.

When you have a birthday cake, you normally blow out the candles with air coming from your mouth. Fartasaurus chose to blow them out with his rear end. Yes, readers, he broke wind and the gust of air extinguished his two birthday candles. I found this disgustingly funny! Kids will too! Unfortunately, the tribal leaders didn’t find Fartasaurus’s gassy booty funny in the slightest bit. As punishment for being an “embarrassment,” he was banished to the Forest of the Unwanted for one year. Poor T-Rex! Poor parents! All smiles will vanish when you see the three T-Rex faces’ sad looks. Heartbreaking!

As Fartasuiarus enters the Forest of the Unwanted, he’s met by other “misfits.” Their names coincide with their embarrassing acts. Without spilling the beans about every uniquely named prehistoric animal, I will disclose ONE—a small taste of the hilarity that awaits you.


“And once a day, Roarasaurus let out a roar that caused giant rocks to fall down a huge mountain and frighten all the dinosaurs, many of them running into one another and looking even sillier.”


As you read the above passage, I hope you envisioned two dinosaurs colliding as a triceratops roars close by, as that is the illustration that accompanies it.

They say that time flies when you are having fun. I think Fartarsaurus would agree. Once he befriended another dino in the forest, time zoomed by, and before he knew it, he was walking out of the Forest of the Unwanted. (Name withheld to avoid spoilers.)

 

Do you think farts are funny?

Do you like dinosaurs?

If you answered yes, then you’ll love Fartasaurus. I sure did!

The story idea was different and very funny. I enjoyed most of the illustrations, but I noticed some images looked off. For example, the brown dinosaur on the “best friends forever” page looked strange. The eyes seemed off. Also, the triceratops drawings needed to be more consistent. On the roaring panel, he had points on the edges of their frill, but they wre absent on the exit the forest page.

All in all, this was a very nice, short read. Perfect for dino fans and, of course, those who think farts are hilarious.

Amazon’s recommended age is 4-9 hours.

 

 

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

A former copywriter at top New York City advertising agencies, Milt Lowe has won over 60 major awards -including Gold and Silver Lions at the TV Cannes Film Festival – and has written humor pieces for The New York Daily News and Advertising Age. Milt has written four children’s books so far.

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Doggie Detectives (The Everyday Adventures of Papa & Paws Book 8) by Papa Paws (Book Review)

Today, Molly Paws and her sisters discover another dog toy is missing. Their toy box is empty, so they put on their detective hats and work together to find clues to solve the mystery. Will they ever see their toys again? Will they find out who did this?

Children’s picture book about a sweet little doggie named Molly Paws and her family.

  • Created by a dog dad, every story is based on a real-life event.
  • Toddlers and preschoolers ages 0-5(ish) will enjoy the cute illustrations of the dogs.
  • Moms, dads, and grandparents will love reading the heartwarming stories.

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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.

 

Doggie Detectives (The Everyday Adventures of Papa and Paws) is based on an actual event, which makes this story more relatable in the eyes of young readers. Children will think of their canine companions and be eager to help solve the mystery of the missing toys! 

Toys bring hours of joy and comfort to young children. They grow incredibly attached to certain ones, and to lose one breaks their hearts. Molly Paws and her sisters did not lose just one toy; they lost FIVE in a week. This news is devastating; they must find them. I adored the doggies wearing detective hats illustrations, and so will kids. And who can resist a dog with a heart-shaped nose? No one!  

Molly Paws and her sisters work together to sniff out clues. The clues were not hard to uncover, so children as young as two could join the investigation. Papa Paws illustrated five missing toys. Adding a suspect list would’ve been a nice touch. It would help young minds wager a guess who snatched the missing toys. As you continue reading, ask your young listener who they think stole the toys. Ask if they agree with one dog’s suspicion that Mama the butler did it. 

I’m not an expert on dog breeds, so I can’t pinpoint which breed made which comments in the story. But I agree with the tiny dog with the pink bow that I’m surprised they didn’t question any kitty cats.

Without disclosing who did it, I will say the culprit learned a valuable lesson after they were found with the loot— It is more fun to share and play with friends.

Doggie Detectives (The Everyday Adventures of Papa and Paws) is a fun, interactive storybook with charming illustrations. I recommend sharing the story with children two years and older. 

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

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Meet the Author 

Nicholas J. Nawroth is Papa Paws. He is a dog lover and artist. At age 9, he created his first comic book featuring his dog, Woody, and has been drawing ever since. He has never lost touch with his childlike wonder and love of dogs, which he shares in his stories. In his free time, he enjoys snuggling up on the couch with the family to watch movies.

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We’ll See: Book 1, The Emotional Literacy and Mindful Fables by Jessa Hooley (Book Review)

Is it good? Is it bad? We’ll see… In the heart of Honeybrook Meadows, Papa Pip and his grandbunnies find themselves swinging between delight and disaster. Through constantly changing circumstances, Papa Pip demonstrates an open-minded resilience with his gentle yet mysterious phrase — “We’ll see.”

Throughout this fable, each new happening brings a consequential surprise for Papa Pip and his grandbunnies, and even the gravest of situations seem to unfold in unpredictable ways. “We’ll See” is a heartfelt tale of hope, adventure, and unexpected twists, teaching young readers the invaluable lesson of withholding conclusions about the “goodness” or “badness” of any given circumstance.

Mindfulness & Emotional Literacy Concepts Explored:
Radical acceptance, being present, non-reactivity, and non-judgement.

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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.

 

As I read this charming children’s book, I thought of the famous proverbial phrase: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. This phrase encourages optimism and a positive can-do attitude in the face of hardships or misfortune. This story promotes these two qualities as well. 

Seeing the bright spot in life can be challenging when times get tough. Papa Pip had the “wait and see” attitude when life threw his family curveballs. His grandbunnies had the opposite reaction and attitude; they overreacted in every situation. It is a typical response for kids and maybe even for adults. 

Whether the sweet food source was scarce or a tree came crashing down, Papa Pip kept his cool and said two key words, “We’ll see.” These two words taught his grandbunnies and readers to have patience, keep a cool head, and look for the positives in a negative situation. This is easier said than done. Even Papa Pip shed tears when the rushing water filled the meadow, threatening their home. But, I suspect his tears were a combination of losing their burrow and watching his family’s fear over the devastating turn of events. 

You can’t turn on the news without a reporter remarking about fires, floods, tornadoes, or other natural disasters. They are claiming our homes, causing families to start their lives over and leaving devastation behind. Unfortunately, it’s an emotional experience that many readers can relate to. 

Each time one of the baby bunnies were consumed with worry, things worked out in their favor. Will life imitate fiction every time? Maybe not always, but why let doom and gloom cloud your mind—look for the silver lining instead. Or, as the author writes, “It’s not always helpful to see our situations as good or bad, because you can never know for certain what will happen because of them.” This ties back to Papa Pip’s “We’ll see” mentality. 

I recommend sharing this book with children four years and older. I also recommend checking out “Let’s Talk About It!” There are four discussion points/questions that center on what they read.  

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

Amazon Purchase Link

 

 

Meet the Author

Jessa works as a trauma-sensitive mindfulness meditation teacher and Integrative Trauma Practitioner. She believes that healing our communities begins by teaching our children stories that connect them to their emotions, bodies, and lived experience through a lens of imagination, nature,& discovery.

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