The Journey Begins…

July 21, 2016May 6, 2017 / Kizzi / 8 Comments

As my journey to Uganda begins, I invite you all to journey into the incredible world created by Aaron Becker.

Welcome to the first in my three part series of reviews about The Journey Trilogy! I’ve managed to plan ahead, and scheduled each review to publish to the blog while I’m away. The second post will be a week from today and then the last post will go up in two weeks on August 4th. That’s the plan anyway 🙂 Hopefully I’ll have internet to check in on things, but if not, I trust it will all go smoothly.

Details about the giveaway are below, but I will select a winner when I return from Uganda!

“With supple line, luminous color, and nimble flights of fancy, author-illustrator Aaron Becker launches an ordinary child on an extraordinary journey toward her greatest and most exciting adventure of all…”

Journey was published by Candlewick Press in 2013, and received the Caldecott Honor. Journey is the first completely wordless book, in this magnificent trilogy which continues in Quest (2014) and culminates in Return (2016).

With incredible scenery and breathtaking panoramas, these books truly take the reader on a fantastical and magical journey.

Have you read any books from this trilogy?

What is your favorite wordless picture book?

Comment below for you chance to win copies of Journey and Quest. Comment on any of the trilogy review posts by Saturday August 6th for a chance to win. A winner will be randomly selected from all comments on each of the Journey trilogy review posts!

The winning copies will be mailed directly from Candlewick Press to the randomly selected winner.

Journey

When a young girl feels bored and ignored, she finds entertainment in drawing with her red marker. Little does she know her red marker will take her on a fantastical adventure. Her journey is filled with castles, magic, danger, and excitement as she follows the path not knowing where it leads. Then, the daring and courage of a new friend might just lead her to an even bigger adventure.

Journey by Aaron Becker is breathtakingly beautiful. A true picture book, the story unfolds entirely through the artwork, without the aid of any text. The story is made more powerful by this fact, as the reader is fully immersed in the girl’s adventure. Lovingly illustrated, the reader will be amazed at the suspense and excitement felt with the turning of each magnificent page. This is an incredible book for children and adults of all ages, begging to be “read” again and again. A fantastic book to enjoy this summer, and spark the imagination of young minds.

Thank you to Candlewick Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sunday Special

July 17, 2016May 6, 2017 / Kizzi / Leave a comment

Hope you all had a lovely weekend and are enjoying your Sunday.

I received a copy of the Minecrafter’s Bible last week and wanted to share it with you all today. I’ve received quite a few Bibles from Zonderkidz lately, and they share a similar theme of reaching children through the use of current trends.

While the text of the Bible, in this case the New International Reader’s Version, remains the same, the addition of page inserts, trivia, etc. in each of these Bibles makes the text more relevant to today. For children especially, they want to understand how the stories in the Bible have any significance in the world they live in today.

The Minecrafter’s Bible by Zonderkidz brings together the complete text of the NIrV Bible with 24 pages of Minecrafter inspired text and illustrations. Minecrafter is a wildly popular game among young people today, and showing the similarities between how God created the world to the world-building game, will likely intrigue many fans.

Each Minecrafter page features a significant event in the Bible along with the appropriate passages. Then the game is tied in to the verse by suggesting an activity to try within the game. For example, when talking about Noah’s Ark, the text suggests building a large boat in the game and putting animals on it.

The Bible is attractive and fun with a full-color, illustrated cover. The inserts are great, but I would have liked to see little tidbits included throughout all the pages. Some of the other children’s Bibles had small blocks of trivia or facts on nearly every page. Also, many children’s Bibles include summaries at the beginning of each book of the Bible which helps young people understand the main takeaways.

Overall, a great concept which many fans of Minecrafter will be eager to check out.

Ferocious Fluffity

July 13, 2016May 6, 2017 / Kizzi / Leave a comment

Who didn’t want a class pet as a kid? I know I loved the idea, and in some of my classes I was fortunate enough to have many class pets.

I was also fortunate enough to never have a pet quite like Fluffity!

I’m excited to share my review of this great new picture book from Abrams Books for Young Readers, and as an added bonus….tomorrow I’ll post my interview with author Erica S. Perl!

Ferocious Fluffity (2016, Abrams Books for Young Readers, Picture Book)

Mr. Drake’s second-grade class gets the cutest, fluffiest, best pet ever! Fluffity! A hamster seems like a great idea, but the class soon discovers the hamster is anything but sweet. Chasing the students from one class to another, Fluffity is all bite and no bark. Can the class escape Fluffity’s vicious teeth or will the hamster bite everything (and everyone) in sight?

Ferocious Fluffity, written by Erica S. Perl and illustrated by Henry Cole, is a raucous, rhyming tale of a classroom pet. Every child loves the idea of a classroom pet, and hamsters are especially popular. The story maintains a fun and frantic pace, as students scramble to avoid Fluffity. Children will love the crazy antics of Fluffity and the accompanying illustrations. This would be a great back-to-school or classroom read, as it will likely get lots of laughs when read aloud to a group of children.

Thank you to Abrams Books for Young Readers for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Red, White, and Books too!

July 5, 2016May 6, 2017 / Kizzi / Leave a comment

These reviews would have been perfect with the holiday yesterday, but I’m sure kids are still setting off fireworks somewhere, and these books are great any time of the year. They did make it into my column in time for the holiday so I’m not completely failing at this gig. 😉

These are also relevant now, since kids are likely hearing more about our government as the Presidential race takes over the news. Both of these books present our government in a way that kids will understand and find interesting. I learned a thing or two too.

Do you have any favorite children’s books about our nation?

When Penny Met POTUS (2016, Capstone Young Readers, Picture Book)

When Penny goes to work with her mom she wants to meet POTUS more than anything. Penny imagines she’ll get along great with POTUS. They might even be best friends! Her mom is busy, so Penny sets out to find POTUS on her own.

When Penny Met POTUS written by Rachel Ruiz and illustrated by Melissa Manwell provides a cute way to introduce young readers to our government. Though not heavy on facts, the tale will teach children what the POTUS is and create interest in the White House. Funny and sweet, children will relate to Penny’s imaginings of the mysterious POTUS. A clever ending rounds out this wholesome book.

4 stars

Awesome America (2016, Time Inc. Books, Non-Fiction Middle-Grade)

From sea to shining sea, and everything in between, this is a fun and comprehensive guide to the United States of America. Beginning with the forming of our nation and highlighting major historical events, readers will learn about the Presidents, branches of Government, and take a tour of all fifty states. Just in time for Independence Day, this book will have the reader celebrating many awesome aspects of the United States.

Awesome America, by Katy Steinmetz, covers the history and government of the United States in fourteen comprehensive chapters. Filled with interesting facts and lots of photographs, this book can be enjoyed by younger children with the help of an adult, but middle-grade readers and older will enjoy flipping through this book on their own. A great non-fiction choice for readers interested in American History.

5 stars (and some stripes)!

Thank you to Net Galley for reading copies of these books in exchange for my honest review.

Life Lessons From Bear Country

July 1, 2016May 6, 2017 / Kizzi / 3 Comments

I read this Berenstain Bears book collection recently and it got me thinking.

Children’s books are full of lessons on kindness, caring, politeness, respect, and so many more fantastic concepts related to growing into a functioning and considerate adult. Society wants our children to respect their elders, care about others, not say mean things, help out in the community, and ultimately not be a bully.

Life Lessons: Not just for kids

But that Bear family in Bear country made me think not just about kids needing life lessons, it made me think about adults too.

Have we forgotten that showing compassion to others, being kind, saying nice things, and not being a bully, aren’t just lessons for kids?

Do as I say, not as I do.

I’m not perfect. People aren’t perfect. Adults, parents, grandparents, kids, dogs….ok dogs are pretty perfect.

Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone says things they don’t mean or didn’t mean to say or sometimes the words just come out wrong.

What saddens me, is the amount of hate, bullying, and complete disregard for others’ feelings that takes place on social media. People comment without thinking or considering that there is a real life person with feelings on the other side of that computer. The internet allows everyone to voice an opinion in whatever manner they choose.

Social media can be a wonderful thing when it is used as a means of connecting with others and lifting people up, but it is so often used to divide people into groups of like-mindedness and tear others down.

So today my book review is about the Berenstain Bears Caring and Sharing Treasury.

Five books in one! Can’t beat that.

But this is not just a collection of books for kids, it’s a reminder that bragging is still annoying, gossiping is unattractive, generosity is always in style, there is no one career or life path that determines success, and the world needs more unconditional love.

The Berenstain Bears Caring is Sharing Treasury (2016, Zonderkidz, Picture Book)

This treasury of Berenstain Bears books contains five books on the theme of kindness. Brother and Sister Bear learn about jobs, helping others, being good neighbors, gossiping, and bragging as they explore Bear Country. There is a lot going on in Bear Country, and Brother and Sister get into trouble along the way, but with the help of each other, their family and friends can set things right?

The Caring is Sharing Treasury written and illustrated by Stan, Jan and Mike Berenstain, consists of five books in one volume. The books included are: Jobs Around Town, Get Involved, Love Their Neighbors, Gossip Gang, and The Biggest Brag. This is an impressive collection of Berenstain Bears tales, reminiscent of the original stories. Children will love these fun stories, and parents will love the heart-warming messages. Great stories to get children thinking about their actions and interactions with others.

Five stars

Thank you to Zonderkidz and BookLook Bloggers for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mud Show Monday!

June 20, 2016May 6, 2017 / Kizzi / 2 Comments

Happy Monday! Time for a picture book post!

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads. I hope everyone had a fabulous day with loved ones. I have two great books for Fathers or Grandfathers to share with children, and another Berenstain Bears book.

How are those summer books going? Anyone reading something spectacular? I would love to hear about your latest read, or any other summer projects, in the comments section below.

Happy Reading (and Writing)!

With Dad, It’s Like That

Written by Nadine Brun-Cosme and Illustrated by Magali Le Huche

Albert Whitman & Company

That’s not how Mom does it! When Dad is left in charge for a night, Clare points out everything Dad is doing wrong. Clare likes the way Mom does things, and she’s not too sure about Dad’s way. But soon Clare sees, with Dad, it’s like that, and that might be ok.

With Dad, It’s Like That written by Nadine Brun-Cosme and illustrated by Magali Le Huche emphasizes the importance of the father-daughter bond. The message is clear and well delivered, and the illustrations are detailed and engaging. It may not appeal to many as a book to be read again and again, but it is still a sweet story. Just in time for Father’s day, this book would be perfect for Fathers to share with daughters, especially on a father-daughter night in.

Grandpa Loves You

Written by Helen Foster James and Illustrated by Petra Brown

Sleeping Bear Press

“I’ll twirl you around and swing you so high. Hold on to grandpa and reach for the sky.” Grandpa loves his little grand bunny and finds many different ways to say it. Grandpa and grand bunny have such fun together in this charming tale of family and love.

Grandpa Loves You, written by Helen Foster James and illustrated by Petra Brown, is a beautiful story to be shared between grandfathers and grandchildren. The verse is sweet and easy to read, with a resounding message of a grandfather’s unconditional love and support. The soft illustrations are perfect for the text, creating a gentle book ideal for quiet moments or before bed. This book would be a beautiful gift from grandfathers to young grandchildren.

The Berenstain Bears School Time Blessings

Brother and Sister Bear are excited for school to start! Honey Bear will be going to nursery school for the first time too. When Honey Bear gets nervous about starting school, Brother and Sister get nervous too! Will they worry too much about Math and History to do their best and have fun or will they remember that God is always there for them?

In The Berenstain Bears School Time Blessings, written and illustrated by Mike Berenstain, Brother and Sister Bear face first day of school fears. This topic is appropriate for children facing their first day of school or starting at a new school. It will help children to realize that their nervousness is perfectly normal, but that everything will turn out ok. This book provides a great opportunity for parents to talk with children about their fears and reassure them. Children will recognize their favorite Bear family and love the colorful illustrations. Another fun Berenstain Bears installment, with a sweet message and Christian themes.

Thank you to Albert Whitman & Company, Sleeping Bear Press, and Book Look Bloggers for copies of these books in exchange for my honest review.

Book Reviews!

June 7, 2016May 6, 2017 / Kizzi / Leave a comment

Happy Monday Evening! Hope your Monday was as wonderful as a Monday can ever hope to be 🙂

My store is officially open so I’m hoping my blogging will return to a more consistent schedule. I have lots of reviews to post too!

I’ve been reviewing lots of titles lately that would be great for summer reading. I remember reading Babysitter’s Club Little Sister books and Boxcar Children or catching up on all the Animorphs books over the summer.

Anyone else an Animorph fan? Those were my absolute favorite!

Reading children’s books brings back so many wonderful memories of the excitement I felt getting a new book or rereading an old favorite.

No Animorphs today, but I do have two new books for beginning readers.

Memoirs of a Parrot

Written by Devin Scillian and illustrated by Tim Bowers

Published by Sleeping Bear Press

Brock the parrot chronicles his days spent in Tik Tok’s pet shop. He’s not too happy here with all the people staring at him and insisting his name is Polly, but he’s even more unhappy when he becomes Todd’s new pet. Does Todd even know anything about parrots? Todd and Brock don’t exactly understand each other, but can they give each other a chance?

Memoirs of a Parrot written by Devin Scillian and illustrated by Tim Bowers presents a pretty heavy message of responsible pet ownership. Striving for humor, Brock’s narration comes across as bitter and preachy, though his tone may be lost on children. Encouraging children to think about pets and realize some pets have special needs is a great topic, but the delivery feels a bit overpowering and detracting from a story that wants to be a humorous account of a parrot’s life. The book does provide a nice starting point for talking about pets, and choosing an appropriate pet, with children. Overall, the illustrations are lovely and the story ends with a nice message.

5-Minute Nighttime Bible Stories

Stories retold by Charlotte Thoroe

Illustrated by Gil Guile

Published by Thomas Nelson

Created especially for those quiet moments before bed, this large volume of Bible stories is perfect to read aloud. Covering both Old and New Testament, the stories are retold in concise, clear language appropriate for young children. The selected stories are engaging and the illustrations will keep children interested. Not just for bedtime, these stories could also be read anytime parents have a few quiet moments with their children.

This is a fantastic book for parents to share with children. The oversize format and padded cover will interest children along with the bright, fun illustrations. The book has a nice feel to it and is fun for children to look through on their own or with an adult.

Stories include Creation, Noah’s Ark, Moses, Joshua and Jericho, David and Goliath, Jonah, Jesus’s birth, Stories about Jesus, Jesus’s parables and many more! This book is packed with excellent selections that will have children asking for just one more story. Short prayers and questions help children engage even more with the text and illustrations.

This book would make a wonderful gift or addition to any home or church library.

Thank you to Sleeping Bear Press and BookLook Bloggers for copies of these books in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Teen Study Bible

May 31, 2016May 6, 2017 / Kizzi / Leave a comment

I received a Teen Study Bible this week from Zondervan and Booklook Bloggers. I have reviewed many children’s books from Zondervan/Zonderkidz but this is the first selection for young adults. I was impressed with the Kids Quest Bible I reviewed a few weeks ago, and this Bible for Teens doesn’t disappoint.

The New King James Version Teen Study Bible is a fantastic resource for teens. On almost every page, additional information, facts or an analysis of some aspect of the Bible is provided.

Features include an analysis and line-by-line explanation of the Apostles’ Creed, indexes to help with in-depth Bible study, special sections devoted to key issues discussed in the Bible, teen Q&A section offering life advice to teens, Biblical trivia, highlights Bible verses to remember, and has an 8-page full color map at the end showing important locations of Biblical events.

The Bible trivia is especially interesting and could encourage teen youth groups to start a Bible trivia team or learn more about each passage. Through trivia and other small excerpts and insights, teens are able to better relate to passages and see how the words impact their lives.

The “Dear Jordan” section is written in a format similar to “Dear Abby” questions. A question from a teen is answered by referencing passages of the Bible and providing advice inspired by the Christian lifestyle. While this format is engaging, easy to read, and the advice is well meaning and supported by Bible verses, the tone felt condescending or patronizing at times. The information was good and the format was intriguing, but for a teen, the tone of the section might be off-putting. This was not the case for every “Dear Jordan” section, but that tone did come across in many of them.

Overall, this is a fabulous reference Bible for teens and provides a wealth of fun facts and reflections as teens study certain passages of the Bible, or attempt to read it all the way through.

Thank you to Zondervan and BookLook Bloggers for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Great Falls Book Review

May 31, 2016May 6, 2017 / Kizzi / Leave a comment

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and had time to reflect on this Memorial Day.

My young adult book review this week fits in with the holiday as the characters face the realities of life after war. Though dark at times, the book does leave the reader with a new understanding of what our military faces and encourages profound respect for the sacrifices so many young people make in service to our country.

Thank you to those who are currently serving, those who have served and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Great Falls

Written by Steve Watkins

Shane’s big brother Jeremy has finally returned home after three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Shane thought having his brother back home would fix everything, but his once happy-go-lucky brother has been replaced by an angry, bitter person who can’t get through the day without a drink. With his brother living in the basement, unable to face life with his wife and two kids, Shane struggles with high school, caring for his brother’s family, and stress at home. Then, after Shane embarrasses himself spectacularly in a football game, Jeremy suggests they get away and takes Shane to the river. Excited to escape his high school embarrassment and spend time with his brother, Shane goes along. Little does he know this journey will be more than he bargained for, and his brother needs far more help than Shane can give.

“Great Falls” written by Steve Watkins is a powerful, gripping tale of family and the effects of war. Beautifully and thoughtfully written, the author captures the struggles many teen boys face as they strive to prove themselves as men in a society that expects them to be tough. Shane is thoughtful, kind and untouched by the grim realities of the world, at least until his brother returns home. Through Jeremy, Shane and the reader get a glimpse of what war can do to a person. Shocking, sad, and thoroughly thought-provoking, this is a great read for teens and adults. Appropriate for ages 14 and up due to some profanity, scenes of war, violence and adult themes.

Thank you to Net Galley and Candlewick Press for a reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Three Show Saturday!

May 21, 2016May 6, 2017 / Kizzi / Leave a comment

I have not been a diligent blogger lately.

My life has felt like a three show Saturday or maybe even a three ring circus as I attempt to get my shop ready for business.

I’m looking forward to having time to get back to my blog schedule once the shop is open 🙂 I’m still reading and reviewing books, just haven’t posted as often as I should.

So today is really a three show Saturday because I’m bringing you writing prompts, book reviews, and some quotes!

Too much?

Never!

Who wants writing inspiration?

I do! I do!

I’d love to hear some of your favorite quotes in the comments below or let me know what you’re reading this week 🙂

And now ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages…on with the show!

I try to create sympathy for my characters, then turn the monsters loose.
– Stephen King

I love thrillers. I don’t care for horror so much, but nail-biting, what’s inside the closet, don’t look under the bed, kind of stories are the best. I love to think about what might be lurking in the abandoned house at the end of the road.

This children’s book isn’t exactly creepy or a thriller, but it is strange.

Rosie the Raven

Written and Illustrated by Helga Bansch

Rosie hatches from an egg just like her brothers and sisters, but that is where the similarities end. Sure she’s a little different, but she’s still a raven….right?

“Rosie the Raven” written and illustrated by Helga Bansch is a bizarre, but enjoyable story. The illustrations are incredible and the book could be read over and over just to look at the pictures. The story itself may not be for everyone. Rosie is a tiny human hatched out of an egg and raised by Ravens. There is no explanation given for this, but that’s ok, it works. Rosie is precious and her raven family appears to love her very much. The family dynamics are cute and the message of being confident, even if you’re different, is a great one.

I read something recently that said sometimes as a writer, we are too nice to the main character. This was eye opening for me. In some of my favorite stories, the protagonist suffers greatly and has to overcome so many obstacles, but often in my own writing I didn’t want to cause my precious protagonist any undue stress or pain.

Make your character suffer.

It makes sense really, but it’s definitely hard to let bad things happen to your beloved characters. As a fun exercise, take your character and put him/her in a mundane situation, then think of all the things that could possibly go wrong. How does your character respond?

A blank piece of paper is God’s way of telling us how hard it is to be God.
– Sidney Sheldon

I am loving Zondervan publishing. They make such wonderful Biblical themed books for children. I also didn’t realize Christian/Biblical fiction was such a huge thing. I remember reading the Left Behind series years ago, but otherwise, I’m pretty unfamiliar with this genre.

The Adventure Bible: Great Stories of the Bible

Pictures by David Miles

From the Adventure Bible series comes another great collection of I Can Read stories bound in one hardback volume. This great collection of six stories includes fully illustrated Old and New Testament stories. From the creation story to parables of Jesus, each story has been carefully summarized from the Bible in words beginning readers will easily grasp. Engaging, exciting and incredibly illustrated, this book will be treasured by parents and children alike.

In “The Adventure Bible: Great Stories of the Bible”, Zonderkidz delivers another great selection for beginning readers. Geared toward newly independent readers aged 6-8, this book may be enjoyed by children reading alone or with the help of an adult. Short, interesting sentences and beautiful illustrations will keep the attention of even younger children. Some stories include a short Biblical passage, but every story includes a summary page at the end with more information from the Bible. A great resource for churches and youth groups, this is truly a beautiful collection of stories that would make a lovely gift.

I love the idea of retelling old stories. Whether drawing inspiration from religion, or from other ancient tales, there are themes of love, loss, betrayal, deceit, faith, and forgiveness that resound across culture and time.

Think about your favorite parable from Jesus or another of your favorite stories. Think about the characters and their motivations. What if your character was in the same situation? How would your character respond? Does your character seek forgiveness from someone? Why? Did your character betray someone? Why?

In stories and in real life, I love attempting to understand what motivates people. We all react to situations in vastly different ways and our characters do to.

The wonderful world of writing! These are the reasons I love it 🙂

Thanks for stopping by and happy writing!

Thank you to BookLook Bloggers and Net Galley for copies of these books in exchange for my honest review.

	Three Show Saturday on Peppy Puppy Author Interview +…
	Tasha on Peppy Puppy Author Interview +…
	Three Show Saturday on Giveaway Winner & Book Rev…
	marty on Giveaway Winner & Book Rev…
	marty on Giveaway Winner & Book Rev…