From the book blurb: Welcome to Unicorn School, where you get your own unicorn best friend! You go on magical quests together! There is glitter! There is even more glitter! Mira can hardly contain her excitement as her fellow students are paired with their unicorns. Darcy is assigned the statuesque Star, whose shimmering coat always catches the light. Raheem is matched with Brave, whose every step reverberates like thunder. And Mira is paired with... Dave. Dave loves doughnuts. He doesn't follow directions very well. And he farts. A lot. Mira is a little disappointed. But she soon realizes Dave is unlike his fellow unicorns in another way: He's a little smarter than they are. When a school trip goes awry, the only way to save the day is for Mira to embrace her unexpected unicorn best friend. My thoughts: This book was never-ending fun from the beginning to the end! The characters are very diverse and relatable. Usually, I identify with the protagonist, but this time I felt Darcy was much closer to what I was like at elementary school. Of course, the unicorn school is a magic place, but starting a new school, learning rules, trying to do your best, and making new friends are experiences many children will share with Mira and her school mates. I loved the concept of magic pairing of unicorns with their human best friends and how they seem to complement each other. You need to read the story of Raheem and Brave to see that it's not that simple. Dave is just adorable, not least because he has a very understandable weakness for sugarcoated doughnuts and tends to fall asleep in history lessons. The message of being true to yourself and friendly and accepting of others is very positive and I hope this series is going to be read and enjoyed by lots of young unicorn-lovers all over the world. Thank you to Edelweiss and Imprint for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. A sweet story about Harriet, a little rabbit, who is sad because she thinks her friends have forgotten about her birthday. She decides to buy a cake and have a birthday lunch on her own. One by one she meets and helps her friends. Of course, when she gets home, they are all there waiting for her with a surprise party. The artwork in this book is wonderful with its subtle pastel colours and sweet animal characters. My son kept asking why Harriet was so sad- her face is very expressive. He also enjoyed noticing little details that 'give away' what Harriet's friends are up to. I believe the story would work the best with four year olds, although five year olds can have a discussion about what being a good friend means. This book is a part of a series of Storytime books: Beautifully illustrated, QEB’s Storytime series introduces young children to the pleasures of reading and sharing stories. Featuring charming animal and human characters, the books explore important social and emotional themes like friendship, gratitude, perseverance, and overcoming fears. A Next Steps page at the back provides guidance for parents and teachers. Thank you to Netgalley and QEB (Quarto Publishing Group) for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. From the book blurb: A quest for the perfect birthday present leads to ever grander (and ever more imperfect) gift ideas in this clever metafiction story that's hilarious any day of the year. 'I wanted to get you the greatest present ever' our narrator tells us. But somehow, none of the best ideas seemed to pan out. First, there was the pair of hand-knitted birthday socks (have you ever tried knitting birthday socks?). Then, the ten-scoop ice cream cone (a disaster to carry), the magic kit (it disappeared, just like magic!), the apple juice-fueled jet pack (still a few kinks to work out) and the dinosaur (I couldn't find one anywhere). And now, time has run out, and our narrator still has nothing to give. Or, maybe there is something after all. Something that contains all those awesome gifts in one. Something that can be enjoyed again and again, just by turning the pages ... In their debut picture book, Emmy Award-winning children's television writers Mike Erskine-Kellie and Susan McLennan have created a laugh-out-loud story filled with heart. The metafiction approach (speaking directly to you) and fun story together with the antic exuberance of Cale Atkinson's bold and colorful illustrations make this a lively read-aloud that will keep even the youngest children engaged. Though a book about finding the perfect birthday present is itself the perfect birthday present, it's also simply a delightful read for any time of year. It also offers an excellent character education lesson on perseverance. My thoughts: This was a realy cute story about trying to find the best possible present for its friend. The pace is fast, and the illustrations are entertaining. There is a fun twist- I don't think I will giving it away by repeating what the blurb has already said- this is a metafiction book. My toddler enjoyed the perseverance of the duck in the face of repeated failures. At the moment, he is very excited about any kind of present, but we also had a little discussion about what makes a gift suitable for a particular person and how the duck thought about its' friends interests and needs, put in thought, effort, and creativity in choosing what to give. It is a fun book, but there is also a great message of caring for each other and showing it. Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. The Expected Publication date: April 7th 2020. The protagonist of the story is a little girl who uses crutches to help her to walk. I could really relate to her as I spent almost a year using them as a child. The girl spends a lovely day with her mother/ caregiver. She sees the ocean in its variety of colours and characteristics- big and small at the same time, shallow in some places and deep in others, slimy, sandy, sparkly, dry and wet. She focuses on sounds -the 'splashes and crashes and echoes, and squawks' - and marine life in its glorious diversity. There is a lot of repetition which is important for a very young reader and a lot of vocabulary building (e.g. colours-'vibrant pink, rusty orange, faded white') to help your child describe their sensory experiences. The cut-paper illustrations are simple and gorgeous at the same time. I would love to read more books illustrated by Ashley Barron. Charming, original, inclusive, and beautiful. Highly recommended. Thank you to to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. A simple and touching story about a child coming up to terms with his/her grandfather passing away. I was very close to my grandfather, so this little book made me feel very emotional. It is difficult to tell if the child is a boy or a girl, which is great because family love and grief over losing your loved ones is universal. They used to do so many fun things together, timing different activities, and the grandfather was always present. Then one day he wasn't there anymore, and all the things that used to bring the child so much joy and happiness suddenly seem different. With time the child re-discovers the stopwatch. Remembering Grandfather is not as painful as it was, and there so many things to time and appreciate. The artwork is lovely and simple. It doesn't distract from the story, but rather enhances the emotions the story evokes in the reader. The topic of loss and grief is difficult to discuss with children, although sooner or later it is necessary to do. This book deals with the subject with great sensitivity and care, and can be very helpful. Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. Expected publication date: April 7th 2020 Publisher: Kids Can Press / Hachette Group From the book blurb: Akiko Miyakoshi's enchanting picture book explores how an innkeeper who spends his days at the crossroads of others' journeys secretly longs to have adventures of his own. People from all over the world come and go at the innkeeper's little hotel. He enjoys meeting them, and many even become his friends. Only, sometimes, when he goes to sleep at night, the desire to travel far away himself wells up inside him. He dreams of packing a big bag and journeying wherever he pleases, from one unfamiliar town to another. He imagines stopping to visit friends and having wonderful and unexpected experiences. The innkeeper continues to go about his daily routine at his hotel, but, someday, he is sure, he will explore the world. This beautiful picture book from multi-award-winning and internationally best-selling author-illustrator Akiko Miyakoshi thoughtfully speaks to the common experience of longing for something new and exciting, while feeling comfort in the familiar. The artwork's muted colors and soft focus give it a dreamlike quality and, paired with the spare, simple text, invokes wonder, leaving many questions open to interpretation. This book perfectly captures the feeling of wanderlust, of being curious about the world, wanting to see other places and how other people live. It could ignite intriguing conversations with children about what they long to do. Its message is also likely to resonate with adults. My thoughts: This is my second book by Akiko Myakoshi and I expected charming dreamlike illustrations in her trademark style and a gentle subtle story. The book didn't disappoint -it is beautiful and evocative. The protagonist of the book, the owner of a place aptly named The Solitude Hotel, likes his job of welcoming guests from all over the world. He likes making them feel comfortable and telling them the stories of his little town. But at night he enters a different world, the world where he is a brave traveller and explorer of unknown places, full of joy and happiness for seeing his old friends and amazing landscapes, cherishing these special moments and being ready for unexpected. The contrast between soft black and white of his daily routine and soft and pastel colours of his dreams is stunning. It is as if his dreams are full of sunshine and are glowing from within. The room where he keeps notes and postcards from his friends seems to be the only colourful place in his hotel. It is the place that is singing with possibility and opportunity, and it is important for both children and adults to think big and reach in their imagination to far away countries where things are different from our usual daily life. Will he ever pack his suitcase and set off on a journey? I believe so. In the last sequence the colours are back to black and white, but he is travelling, so perhaps he is closer now to making these dreams reality. Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion Expected publication Date: 3rd of March 2020 Publisher: Kids Can Press From the book blurb:
This inspiring picture book retells the story of Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg—the Swedish teenager who has led a global movement to raise awareness about the world’s climate crisis—using allegory to make this important topic accessible to young children. Greta is a little girl who lives in a beautiful forest threatened by Giants. When the Giants first came to the forest, they chopped down trees to make houses. Then they chopped down more trees and made even bigger homes. The houses grew into towns and the towns grew into cities, until now there is hardly any forest left. Greta knows she has to help the animals who live in the forest, but how? Luckily, Greta has an idea… A section at the back explains that, in reality, the fight against the “giants” isn’t over and explains how you can help Greta in her fight. My thoughts: 'NO ONE IS TOO SMALL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE' This wonderful story was inspired by real life events. A Swedish teenager Greta Thurnberg was wondering why despite all the scary facts about the climate change nobody was doing anything to stop 'the giants'/ goverments and huge businesses from destroying our planet. She protested next to the Swedish government building and was gradually joined by more and more people . Greta's actions inspired many people to start doing something real in order to stop the imminent climate change disaster. The picture book uses an allegory of giants who have cut almost all the forest where little Greta lives to stand for governments and corporations, key players in our current environmental crisis. This beautifully illustrated story is easy to understand and follow even for very young children, and it carries a very important message: we have a serious problem which can only be solved if we act together. In the book there is a happy end as the giants realize they have been causing damage to the nature by their careless expansion of factories. They completely change their lifestyle and gradually replant the forest to make it even more beautiful than it was before. In real life... we can and should make a diffrence. At the end of the book there are a few suggestions: learn and become more aware of what is happening, ask your caretakers/teacher help you get to a protest or write to elected politicians and decision-makers, use public transport and persuade your family take a good look at where what you consume comes from. Thank you to Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. What makes good food taste good? A team of tastes and flavors of course! Fun illustrations and quirky characters bring the kitchen to life. Join Pierre Lamielle on a kitchen adventure as he introduces you to the Munchy Munchy Gang, a team of characters here to educate kids on the art of cooking and the range of flavors they'll encounter. Learn how to make over 28 different recipes, including ketchup, pancakes, and other kid favorites with simple instructions and illustrations for every step. Pierre’s characters make complex cooking theories, like balancing the five tastes, accessible to kids of all ages. The perfect manual for a budding chef! (From the book blurb) My thoughts: A fun introduction to cooking techniques, flavours and basic recipes. I loved the way the book started with safety and dealt with it in a very clear and visual manner. It also has little warning symbols (hot, sharp, germs) throughout the book, so little chefs wouldn't forget to pay attention to safety issues once they get super-excited about making their own ketchup, volcano eggs and bananamole. The difficulty level increases as the book progresses, but the recipes continue to be fun! The chicken herby stew looked gorgeous. I wish I'd had a book like this when I was a child. I would have had such great time with it and possibly would have avoided quite a few cooking disasters my parents still keep quietly chuckling about. Thank you to Edelweiss and Familius LLC for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. The Expected publication date is the 16th of September 2019. Bruno is on his way to spend time with his friends when he finds a curious object- a phone. Bruno quickly understands that the phone lets him do lots of new things and have experiences he has never had, but above all, it allows him to have many more friends. In fact, when his old friends, Renzo and Rico, ask him what this object is for, he doesn't hesitate: 'It's for making lots of friends all over the world'. Unfortunately, what happens next is a bit sad, because Bruno gets so absorbed in what is going on online, that he forgets to pay any attention to Renzo and Rico, who are trying very hard to involve him in 'real life' activities. Until one day the phone breaks and Bruno loses his virtual friends only to discover that Renzo and Rico are still there for him and will always be.
I am in two minds about this one. On one hand, it is important to make children think about the importance of real-life friendships and 'non-digital life'. Balance is essential, playing, running, climbing trees, cycling, discovering the world with your senses, chatting to real people you can look into eyes or give a hug is invaluable. On the other hand, there are benefits to using technology, not least of which is various online communities for people with similar interests, saying nothing of keeping in touch with real friends who happen to be far away. Again, it is up to the parent/ caregiver to talk with a child and discuss the implications and consequences of abandoning your older friends, when you could share your new discoveries and let your friends know how these enrich your life. The artwork is sweet, with beautiful warm colours, and endearing pictures of the three bear friends. Thank you to NetGalley and Clavis publishing for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. In 'A warm friendship' we meet cute and curious Squirrel that finds a lonely Snowman who's shaking and shivering in the cold. She comes up with a plan to help him. Not only does she bring him a woolen scarf, but she also encourages other animals to stop by and bring a scarf or a blanket to wrap around and warm the poor thing up. They become great friends, until the warm spring sun melts the snowman, and the squirrel is sad to see that all that is left is a colourful pile of scarves. Wise Owl reminds Squirrel that she can see Snowman in every flower and leaf, as well as other animals' hearts who also loved her little friend. Sometimes we make friends for a brief time and then move on, and we have to learn to be kind to each other, even if we are in a temporary situation. There are many different ways of explaining this story, which is essentially about caring for each other while we are together and sometimes having to let it go, without forgetting your friend. The illustrations by Jacqueline Molnar are sweet and adorable. Thank you to NetGalley and Clavis Publishing for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion. |
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