Monday, June 29, 2020

Review of Beijing: A Symmetrical City



Book Links
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**My thoughts**

What I loved about this book: The illustrations are intricately detailed to really give you a feel for how the city looks even today. There is so much wonderful information in the text, including translations of the names of places. As you're reading it, you're given directions that make you feel like you are right there walking around with the author. I want to go visit the city in person, and likely use this book as a guide while doing so, like my own personal tour guide as I am walking around. Fun facts also give more insight into the history of the city. We also learn about traditional ceremonies and everyday life.

In the back, the city is presented again, this time going from the south to the north, with different drawings to give a different perspective and diagrams showing the different talking points. A full glossary is helpful for vocabulary.

What I didn't like about the book: To me, the print is awfully small, at least in my review copy. It reminded me more of a footnote-sized print. I understand that there is a lot of information to be shared with each picture, but it made it very difficult to read and follow along.

Other than the really small print, I did find this book to be overall quite informative and interesting.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for fulfilling my request for a review copy.

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Review of SUPER Science Experiments: Build It by Elizabeth Snoke Harris


With more than 80 fun experiments, SUPER Science Experiments: Build It is the ultimate lab book for kids who want to build cool stuff!

This fact- and fun-filled book includes tons of simple, kid-tested science experiments, many of which can be done with items from around the house, and require little-to-no supervision! That’s right—no adult help needed. That means no grownups doing all the fun stuff while you watch. You can do lots of messy, cool, mind-blowing experiments all by yourself! All the supplies you need are probably already in your home. No fancy gadgets or doohickeys needed!

Whether you want to build your own catapult, lava lamp, rocket, or even a light bulb, this book has something for everyone. Each experiment features safety precautions, materials needed, step-by-step instructions with illustrations, fun facts, and further explorations.

With SUPER Science Experiments: Build It, kid scientists like you can:
  • Make a chair with newspapers
  • Erupt a ketchup volcano
  • Send a rocket into the air with the stomp of your foot
  • See which direction you’re facing with a homemade compass
  • Race little cars made from toilet paper tubes
  • Build an electromagnetic motor
  • And complete many other SUPER science experiments!

At once engaging, encouraging, and inspiring, the SUPER Science Experiments series provides budding scientists with go-to, hands-on guides for learning the fundamentals of science and exploring the fascinating world around them. Also in this series, check out: Cool Creations, At Home, and Outdoor Fun.

There’s no better boredom-buster than a science experiment. You will learn something and astound and amaze your friends and family. So, what are you waiting for? Get experimenting!



Book Links
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**My thoughts**
This is another great collection of experiments that older kids can do pretty independently from adults. And younger kids can do them with some adult supervision. I've done some of these with the older fours and fives in my class. We had fun with bouncing balls, different kinds of rockets (like the balloon ones), and a volcano. So many more are waiting to be tried, though!

A lot of these items can be found around the house, but you may need to go shopping for some. It's another book that is going to provide weeks of entertainment while learning and a great part of this series.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me a review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Friday, June 19, 2020

Review of Gidget the Surfing Dog by Elizabeth Rusch


Meet Gidget, a small but mighty pug who overcame a life-threatening illness to become a world-champion surfing dog. Her story is told with beautiful, eye-catching photography that features adorable canines on and in the water.

This is the inspiring true story of Gidget, a world-champion surfing pug, who grew from a hyperactive handful of a pup to a poised and impressive surfer whose efforts are devoted to charity.

As she and her owner Alecia find their way through challenges including a life-threatening illness, Gidget's story becomes not only about a dog learning to surf and compete in dog surfing competitions but also about making the most of the life you are given and giving back to your community.

Gidget the Surfing Dog is filled with fun and informative science sidebars that help kids understand how waves are formed, how to identify different types of waves, and other aspects of the science of surfing. The book also covers the problem of trash in the ocean--an issue that Gidget and Alecia work together to address.



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**My thoughts**
I admit I almost squeed when I saw the picture of this adorable pug in a suit on a surfboard. I absolutely adore pugs and would love to have one, only my allergies would not allow me to have one full-time. 

But this pug is not your ordinary pug. In fact, she seems to want to defy all of the rules. She is super active and she actually loves water. And eventually, she becomes a surfing dog, even having success after a massive setback. You get to see her story play out in real photographs. They are so CUTE!

You also get to learn a lot about surfing. I do not do well in deep water, so I have never learned much about the sport. Now I know a lot more! And you get to learn about the problems of beach pollution. So you get some good education thrown in with all of the cute.

It would be an interesting read for a kid who is into surfing. And it's a must-have for one who loves pugs.

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Monday, June 15, 2020

Review of Lucy the Bee and the Healing Honey by Alessandra Macaluso


Lucy the honeybee lives a buzzy and bee-a-utiful life with her bee buddies from the red hive--painting her home with propolis, collecting pollen, and playing with her best friend, Molly. That is, until members of the red hive fall sick and not even their delicious red honey will heal them. As the bees struggle with how to help their hive, Lucy has an idea: could the other, forbidden hives in the forest hold the cure her friends so desperately need? Although she knows it's forbidden, Lucy devises a plan to travel across the forest in search of help, hope, and healing honey.

Join Lucy on a high-flying adventure in this sweet and educational chapter book. Complete with colorful illustrations by Thais Damiao, Lucy the Bee and the Healing Honey is certain to get everyone buzzing.



Book Links
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**My thoughts**
Lucy is a sweet bee who is determined to help those around her, even though they have prejudices against the other bees around them. As she goes on her quest, she gets help from these other bees and finds out that they really aren't so bad after all. Even though their honey isn't the same color, it is still good. It's a good lesson for kids to learn. Plus there are some educational pieces in the back about bees, so a bit of science is in there as well.

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Friday, June 12, 2020

Review of How to Make a Better World: For Every Kid Who Wants to Make a Difference by Keilly Swift


This fun and empowering guide to making the world a better place is packed with inspiring ideas and tips for kids who want to know how to make a difference.

Full of positive encouragement to find something you're passionate about and how to get started on making a big difference through small actions, this brilliant fact book for kids is a treasure trove of information and great advice.


There's a lot that can be changed by just one person, if you know what to do.

If you are a kid with big dreams and a passion for what is right, you just might be a world-changer in the making! Through ideas as small as creating a neighborhood lending library to as important as public speaking and how to talk about politics, How to Make a Better World is a practical guide to activism for children.

Well-written and divided into sections on You, Community, Environment and more, this educational book helps children to look at what they might like to achieve, and the logical approach makes it easy to navigate if you want to tie topics up with school projects.

Brightly illustrated inclusive art makes this fact book as visually appealing as its message. You can easily jump around without any loss of comprehension and dip in for short or longer periods. Learn about tricky social interactions like friendship fallouts, or bullies and how to handle them, or find out how to go about creating activist campaigns to tackle climate change or social injustice.

If kids are to think positive thoughts and be part of movements for positive change, they need to be encouraged to do it. This book is full of wonderful facts about the world, presenting such positivity as cool, sensible, exciting, and achievable. The perfect starter book to activism for kids.

Make A Change – Change The World!

If you want to create a better world that is equally awesome for everyone, this book is for you.

It's packed with tips for how to change the world, one step at a time. You could be an amazing environmental campaigner or a fantastic equal rights champion.

Anyone has the power to make a change. Start today, and who knows where your mission to make a better world will lead!

Authored by Kelly Swift, the Managing Editor of First News, an award-winning weekly newspaper for children.

This kid’s educational book teaches children about injustices of the world in a positive way covering topics like:
- Finding your cause, discrimination, and spotting fake news
- Conservation success and the plastic problem
- Animal activism and green living


Book Links
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**My thoughts**
Remember when Michael Jackson told us to start with the Man in the Mirror if we wanted to see change in the world? That's how this book starts out. Kids learn about self-care, how to be kind, how to recognize their own emotions and harness the power of positive thinking. Once you are taking acre of yourself, then you can start to branch out to others around you, friends and family, in your community, and beyond. You also learn about lots of famous activists and their causes. Bonus points for the special section on spotting fake news, which is a rampant issue we all should be thinking about.

There's a lot of information on these pages and lots of ideas for activities that you can do. Some of the pages feel a little busy because there is SO much information on them with the pictures. But it is a lot of good information. You can start with one or two small activities and build up to the bigger ones. Plus there's a whole list of resources and organizations in the back.

Kids today are even more interesting in becoming activists than before. Or at least it is getting a lot more attention than when I was a kid. This book is definitely going to appeal to those kids who want to make a change in this world. My inner tween/teenager flashed back and started feeling a little ramped up to start implementing some of these changes and activities even now as an adult. 

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Dwarf Story by Professor W.W. Marplot



Arty has many adventures awaiting him in his very own backyard, with plenty of fairy tale characters and his own friends. Read an excerpt from this middle grade fantasy and then download your copy to achieve your own adventure! Be sure to follow the tour for even more. Remember to leave comments and questions for the author along the way! And best of luck entering the giveaway.


For Arty to miss a day of school, either he is very, very sick or a fairytale-character turf-war has begun in his backyard — such as what begins this particular Wednesday. First, he finds an ax-swinging, bearded, sweaty warrior Dwarf scaring his dogs. Soon enough, Emma, Cry and other middle-school friends also find fairy creatures — Elves, Spriggans, Pixies, and a hoped-for Dragon — crashing into their normal homework-doing, backpack-carrying, phone-charging schooldays.

Why are these magical beings here? What should be done? Is that axe sharp? Can Pixies be given aspirin? Arty with his friends — and spying jerks, and questionable strangers with long names — follow the clues and try to find out, even as things turn dark and dangerous.

The mythical beings are taking sides. The Gwyllion, that legendary Old Woman of the Mountains, has a sinister plan, turning the neighborhood into a fantasy battleground. One that awaits young heroes.

Read an excerpt:
CHAPTER 10 - EMMA

I can’t be sure about everything Arty just told you. I wasn’t there. Our stories will join soon, and it’ll be fun to see Professor Arty try to use black-and-white, Courier-font science facts to make sense of a fantasy realm character landscaping his backyard. He’ll have to admit that he’s just a kid and was awfully afraid during that whole Dwarf-in-the-woods episode, even though fear is not part of the “scientific method” that he brags about all the time. I’m much more normal than he is and much more unique at the same time. And more popular. So, my version will be different, more colorful, more alive, and more imaginative—which is the way fantastic things deserve to be treated. They need to be drawn, believed, written about in long poems.

Especially with what happened next...

Available on Amazon 
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Professor Welkin Westicotter Marplot, of Coillemuir, Scotland, is a collector of esoteric tales of global wisdom and curator of ancient manuscripts. He is a recluse and, as he claims, has been collecting and collating adventure and fantasy stories for over a century.


Professor W. W. Marplot will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Review of Bark Park by Brandi Dougherty


Scout's a little dog with a big appetite for solving mysteries with her friends! From Epic! Originals, Bark Park is an adventure-filled series about the strange things that happen at Scout’s local dog park.

With a little sleuthing and a lot of blueberries, Scout follows her nose to help her friends Maggie, Rocky, and Gus solve the mysteries of the popped ball, the cone of shame, and the missing bone!


Book Links


**My thoughts**
This cute set of three stories revolves around a dog named Scout and her friends at the local dog park. There's nothing they love more than a good mystery. And in these three stories, they have little ones to solve. I think my favorite one is the second one, "Cone of Shame," where Rocky is wearing a cone to keep him from licking the sore on his paw. Of course, he doesn't know why he has it on and isn't sure how it got on him in the first place. It's amusing to read about them trying to get it off of him, and exactly the kinds of conversations and antics I think dogs may actually be saying, thinking, doing whenever one of them is wearing one of these!

Each story has a reason for why it is being told. At the end of the book, each of the "mysteries" is explained with the facts about it. For example, in the "Cone of Shame" story I mentioned earlier, the author explains why dogs sometimes need to wear cones. I really like this part.

The illustrations are really cute and very colorful. This is a fun read for chapter book readers!

Thank you the the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Monday, June 8, 2020

Review of Jasmine Green Rescues: A Piglet Called Truffle by Helen Peters


Meet Jasmine Green — an aspiring veterinarian who adores animals! Can her kindness and know-how save a piglet in trouble in this delightful series debut?

Jasmine Green loves animals. Her mother is a veterinarian. Her father is a farmer. And her brother and sister are . . . well, they’re mostly annoying. But being in the Green family means seeing and taking care of animals all the time. While helping her mom on a house call, Jasmine visits a new litter of piglets and discovers a forgotten runt hidden underneath its brothers and sisters. Poor little piglet. It is so tiny that it can’t even drink! Its owner refuses to rescue it. So it is up to Jasmine to save the pig . . . secretly. What will happen if anyone finds out? Author Helen Peters and illustrator Ellie Snowdon introduce the irresistible pair of clever, caring Jasmine and lovable Truffle, while capturing the beauty and bustle of a family farm. A kind of James Herriot for a new generation, this first book in the Jasmine Green series is for anyone who loves helping animals.


Book Links
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**My thoughts**
Hello, Charlotte's Web flashbacks! (At least in the beginning.) I was struck by the first illustration of the piglets at the farm that Jasmine visits with her veterinarian mother, noticing immediately that it reminded me of the pictures from my beloved childhood copy of Charlotte's Web. And then, of course, Jasmine discovers this little runt of a pig. To save it from being killed, she decides to keep it and raise it on her own. 

But this story is different and really sweet and subtly educational. I never knew all that would be involved in rescuing a runt pig, but now I do. And I learned it just by the way the story was told, not as a scientific lesson, which I really liked. It was a fun way to learn something new about pigs. You also get little tidbits about other animals.

And Jasmine's relationship with her new pig is so sweet, plus how she works at training Truffle and acclimating her to the farm life. Jasmine is also an enterprising young woman and will go far in achieving her dreams, I think!

I really enjoyed this chapter book, and I know that I would have devoured it and the others in the series when I was girl. I probably also would have been begging to go to the farm and/or get another pet. I hope to read more in this series.

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Friday, June 5, 2020

Review of What's the Point of Math? by DK


You may not realize it, but math controls just about everything in our world.

From cracking codes to winning game shows, from predicting comets to solving crimes, this unique book reveals where our most important math ideas came from (you'll be surprised!). It might change your mind about math forever!

What's the Point of Math? explains really simply how essential math ideas work and identifies the extraordinary things you can do with them. It's full of crazy facts, magic tricks, and mathematical brainteasers, along with beautiful illustrations that bring math to life. It will amuse and entertain even the most reluctant of math students.

From measuring a pyramid to becoming a trillionaire, this book is perfect for those who need some inspiration when it comes to numbers - in the classroom and in the real world. You'll find out why an hour has 60 rather than 100 minutes, what it takes to catch a cheat, and how math keeps our secrets safe.

Hands-on "Try it out" examples show readers how to solve everyday math challenges, while colorful and uncluttered illustrations throughout make mathematical explanations easy to grasp in seconds.


Book Links
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**My thoughts**
Kids often want to know why they have to learn math, because they think they won't have to use it when they are older, or that they can just use a calculator as an easy shortcut. This book takes a look at the history of the various aspects of math, from counting to probability to shapes and more. And then it tries to apply it to how we use it today in a way that kids should be able to understand. For example, one part discussing proportion and percentages shows how you can apply that knowledge to getting a bargain at the store. Quite practical, right? And the patterning section gets into code breaking, which is going to also appeal to some kids. There are even some fun activities to try out to explore the different concepts.

I love history and I love math, so this book is a perfect combination for someone like me. It has an overwhelming amount of information in it. It is not going to appeal to all kids, though. They will likely have to already have somewhat of an interest in history and/or math to actually pick this up and start paging through it. But they can learn a lot if they do. 

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Review of The Vegetarian Cookbook by DK


Full of tasty and filling recipes, this vegetarian cookbook for kids offers up a range of more than 60 dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacktime.

Budding young cooks will be excited by the variety of healthy and fun vegetarian meals that are incredibly easy to make. Each recipe is carefully put together by an expert author and there is a nutritionist on board to check there's a balance of vitamins, minerals, protein, and carbohydrates throughout the book. Studies have shown that lowering your meat intake can be incredibly beneficial for you and your child's health as well as helping the environment. Food fact files and helpful tips throughout the book give advice on how to achieve a balanced diet, ensuring every nutritional need is covered for growing young minds and bodies. The pre-teen and teenager categories are often forgotten, but this all-encompassing vegetarian cookbook fills that gap by suggesting foods that will help with concentration, developing hormones, and overall mental well-being.


Book Links
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**My thoughts**
You can always count on DK books to be full of information and gorgeous illustrations. Or in this case, also beautiful photographs. This one starts out with an in-depth look at the kitchen, tools, and safety rules for being in there. And there is a thorough discussion of how to eat properly on a vegetarian diet. A lot more people are going the vegetarian or vegan route, so kids need to be educated on that and have ideas for foods they can make for themselves. I love the descriptions of the different foods and why each one is good for you to include in your diet. (Psst! Parents could learn a lot from this, too!)

The first recipe is Avocado mash on sourdough toast. People like to scoff and call that a Millennial breakfast. I'm here to tell you that I'm far from being a Millennial and this has been one of my favorite breakfasts since before it became super trendy. But I haven't tried this version, yet. 

I defy you to not get hungry as you page through this book. Every single recipe has a huge photo of the finished product that is so vibrant, you just want to reach right into the page and grab it to try. Some of the recipes also have the individual ingredients pictured along the edges to help kids identify those components. Each recipe includes clear instructions about how to make each one.

A lot of the recipes do require some cooking and baking, plus a lot of cutting and chopping. So your child should be older and used to the kitchen if preparing independently. I would still recommend being close by while they are working. Younger children can easily help with some aspect of each of these recipes, though.

You're covered for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack times. A couple of these could also double as a healthy dessert. And then there is a delectable dessert section at the end.

Even if you are not a vegetarian or a child, you're going to want to add this cookbook to your collection, because these recipes are fantastic.

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Review of Nature All Around: Plants by Pamela Hickman


Balancing child-friendly facts with colorful illustrations, this perfect introduction to plants is sure to inspire the budding naturalist in every child.

From crowded cities to open prairies, deserts to wetlands, plants grow everywhere! This comprehensive introduction will open children's eyes to the plants that surround them every day and how important they are to life on our planet. It covers the basics of plants, such as their parts, life cycles and growing zones. Then it takes readers on a season-by-season tour of what a plant-watcher can expect to discover throughout the year. There are sections on strange plants and those that are endangered, and how readers can help. And for hands-on experience, there's an interactive Q&A for learning how to identify plants, and an activity for growing your own plants.

With the perfect balance of child-friendly facts and colorful illustrations, this book encourages children to actively engage with the natural world. Bestselling and award-winning author Pamela Hickman covers all the essential science about plants --- including photosynthesis and pollination --- in clear and easy-to-digest text. And Carolyn Gavin's colorful illustrations bring it all to life, with accurate and inviting representations of the information. This book has strong curriculum applications for life science and earth science lessons in grades two through five, particularly for the characteristics of living things. Rounding out its usefulness are a full-spread growing zone map, an index and a glossary.


Book Links
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**My thoughts**
This book is great for those who are really interested in plants. It goes into great detail about the parts of plants, the plant life cycle, and so many different types of flowers. Parts of it even remind me of a field guide. In fact, it's a lot like one that I had when I was a kid that I had inherited from my grandmother. Even the beautiful illustrations make me nostalgic for that. They're quite realistic, I think watercolors? I would have definitely had this book with me throughout the seasons as I explored my yard as a kid, or even to take to the park.

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my request for a review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.