Reading

Red, White, and Books too!

/ 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?

penny and potus

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

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

/ 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.

bears caring and sharing

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!

/ 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 its like that

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 cover

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.

berenstain bears school time blessings

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!

/ 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.

parrot

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 bible stories

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

/ 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.

teen study bible

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

/ 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

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!

/ 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 raven

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

great stories of bible

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!

I review for BookLook BloggersReviews PublishedProfessional Reader

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

Blog Tour: A Morning With Grandpa

/ Kizzi / 1 Comment

Good morning all!

I’m excited to welcome author Sylvia Liu to the blog today as part of the blog tour for her new book A Morning With Grandpa. 

Sylvia Liu pic © K Woodard Photography

Sylvia Liu is an environmental lawyer turned children’s author and illustrator. Her debut as a picture book author, A MORNING WITH GRANDPA, illustrated by Christina Forshay (Lee & Low Books) comes out May 2016.  She was lucky to do what she loved, protecting the oceans and the environment at the U.S. Department of Justice and the nonprofit group Oceana, and now she is even luckier to paint, draw, and write for children. She lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with her husband and their two daughters.

My review of her delightful and heart warming story appeared last week on the blog, and today Ms. Liu was kind enough to join us and talk about her inspiration for this book, and her life as a writer.

How long have you been writing and when did you publish your first book?

I have been writing for fun and in journals since grade school, professionally as a lawyer for over a decade, and have been seriously writing picture books for about six or seven years (I have been illustrating longer than that). A MORNING WITH GRANDPA, illustrated by Christina Forshay (Lee & Low Books), is my first book.

main_MORNING_WITH_GRANDPA_FC_lo-res

Where do you find your writing inspiration?

Everywhere: my daughters, the ocean, quirky science facts, and recently, my new Siberian kitten, Apollo.

What inspired you to write A MORNING WITH GRANDPA? 

I was with my parents, my family, and my sister’s family at a lake house in Vermont the summer of 2013. Watching my dad do qi gong, a mind-body practice involving breathing techniques and postures to move “qi,” or energy, inspired me to write a story about a grandfather who teaches his granddaughter both qi gong and tai chi.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be a colonist on Mars.  Now, I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.

What was your favorite book as a child? 

There are too many to choose from! I loved Lloyd Alexander’s Book of Three chronicles.

Who has most inspired you in your writing career?

My family has inspired me:

My husband, David, started writing picture books on our honeymoon, and over the years, he has tried his hand at picture books and chapter books. I always saw myself as an illustrator and illustrated many of his stories. As I got more serious with my illustration, I found myself wanting to illustrate my own stories, and I started to write them down.

My daughters, Sammi and Sarah, are always a source of inspiration. They are so fun and funny.

What do you feel is the most rewarding aspect of writing? 

Sharing my vision of the world with others. Hearing back from children who have listened to or read my stories, or seen my illustratons.

What advice would you give to young writers? 

Never stop learning the craft. I’m still a relatively new author in the scheme of things, and I know there is a lot more I could learn. My top five recommendations for continuing your writing education:

1) Read as much as you can, in and out of your genre

2) Write as much as you can

3) Find a critique group to get feedback

4) Take courses (check out the Writing Courses page at Kidlit411, the kid lit website I run).

5) Read craft articles and books (Kidlit411’s For Writers page has a great list of links)

Do you have any hobbies? 

Before having kids, I had a lot of hobbies, like traveling, scuba diving, gardening, reading, and painting, in addition to working full time. After they were born (14 and 12 years ago), my hobbies unrelated to writing, reading, and creating fell largely by the wayside. I run to keep in shape, as well as take weekly yoga and tai chi lessons.

What is the most interesting place you have visited? 

I’ve had the good fortune to travel many places. One of my very favorites was a week long trip when I was thirteen, traveling through the Gran Sabana (Grand Savannah) in the southern part of Venezuela, in a convoy of jeeps with three other families. This was in the early 1980s, when there weren’t paved roads in that part of the country. We drove on dirt tire tracks across an otherworldly landscape of plains dotted by tepuys (flat-top mountains, like the ones depicted in the movie, UP); carried our own water and gasoline for a week (no gas stations); camped by and bathed in streams; and ended up at the border of Brazil and Venezuela.

Name one interesting fact about yourself unrelated to writing 🙂

I grew up in Caracas, Venezuela, and attended international and American schools there, from ages 5 to 17.

Where can readers learn more about you and your books? 

I can be found a lot of places on the interwebs:

My portfolio and website:  www.enjoyingplanetearth.com

Blog: www.sylvialiuland.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArtbySylviaLiu

Twitter: www.twitter.com/artsylliu

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sylliu/

I help run the kid lit resource website, Kidlit411 (www.kidlit411.com), with Elaine Kiely Kearns. In the two years we’ve been running, we’ve built a great community (check us out on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/KIDLIT411) and the site was named one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers by Writer’s Digest in 2015.

Anything else you’d like to mention about A MORNING WITH GRANDPA or your writing career? 

I wouldn’t be here without the amazing community of kid lit authors I’ve come to know, from the Penguin Posse, my amazing critique group (Teresa Robeson, Victoria Richardson, Elaine Kiely Kearns, Renee LaTulippe, Alayne Kay Christian, and Yvonne Mes); my in person writer friends (Tara Moeller, Jenn Vore Falls, Dee Southerland, and Mary Yurachek), to communities like Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 and Tara Lazar’s PiBoIdMo.

And of course, I owe so much to Christina Forshay, for bringing the story to life, and my editor, Jessica Echeverria, for shaping the story so nicely.  A huge THANKS to you all.

Be sure to visit the rest of the blog tour for A MORNING WITH GRANDPA.

Thanks for joining us today and thank you for letting Three Show Saturday be a part of the blog tour. It has been exciting to be a part of the count down to the upcoming release of A Morning With Grandpa. 

A portion of this interview also appears in my newspaper column, Under the Big Top Tales and Twisters, this week.

Hope you all are having a wonderful week!

Happy Reading!

 

Adventure Bible and Grumpy Pants

/ Kizzi / Leave a comment

Happy Thursday!

I hope you all are having a wonderful week and getting a lot of reading done 🙂

Two fun books for you today. One comes from Zonderkidz, another great compilation of I Can Read stories from the Adventure Bible. The other, a fun picture book, comes from Albert Whitman & Company.

Happy Reading 🙂

heroes of bible

Adventure Bible: Heroes of the Bible Treasury

Pictures by David Miles

In this fabulous collection of six books in one, beginning readers learn about great heroes of the Bible. Stories include: Noah’s Voyage, Joseph the Dreamer, Moses Leads the People, Elijah God’s Mighty Prophet, Brave Queen Esther, and Paul Meets Jesus. Bound in hardcover and fully illustrated, this is a beautiful treasury of stories. The Bible comes to life for young readers through engaging illustrations and exciting text. Perfect for children still needing a little help with reading or for newly independent readers.

This Adventure Bible collection is outstanding! The book is beautifully put together and the story selection is perfect for children. The selected stories are high interest and well summarized to include action and interesting dialogue sure to keep children entertained. Once again the illustrations are incredible for an I Can Read series. Each book is separated with a title page and at the end of each story is a nice summary page with an additional fun fact from the Bible. These books may also be purchased separately as soft cover books, but they are lovely bound together in this hardcover edition.

Highly recommended for Sunday school classrooms, Vacation Bible schools, Youth Groups, and Church Libraries.

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

grumpy pants

Grumpy Pants

Written and Illustrated by Claire Messer

Grumpy boots. Grumpy coat. Grumpy everything! Penguin is grumpy just so you know. He doesn’t know why he’s so grumpy, but he is! Can anything help him be less grumpy?

“Grumpy Pants” written and illustrated by Claire Messer features a very grumpy penguin struggling to comprehend his bad mood. A simple, cute read about emotions and expressing oneself. Children will love grumpy penguin in his grumpy underpants as they think about times they felt sad, mad, or grumpy, and couldn’t explain why. This book provides a great starting point for parents to talk with children about feelings, and healthy ways to make oneself feel better on a bad day.

Thank you to Albert Whitman and Company for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Upcoming Author Interview and Blog Tour

/ Kizzi / Leave a comment

Good Monday Morning!

Just a quick announcement about blog happenings.

Next week Three Show Saturday will take part in its first ever blog tour to help promote Sylvia Liu’s book “A Morning With Grandpa”!

Sylvia was kind enough to answer a few questions so I will be sharing that interview with you all then as well. In the meantime, her blog tour is in full swing on other blogs, so please have some fun and check out all the great posts.

Sylvia Liu Blog Tour – A Morning With Grandpa

And as a bonus for today, and in honor of Mud Show Mondays, here is my review of her fantastic picture book coming out later this month.

main_MORNING_WITH_GRANDPA_FC_lo-res

A Morning With Grandpa

Written by Sylvia Liu

Illustrated by Christina Forshay

When Mei Mei sees Grandpa dancing slowly in the garden she wants to know what he’s doing. When Grandpa says he’s doing Tai Chi, Mei Mei wants to do Tai Chi too! But when Grandpa moves like a gentle breeze, Mei Mei is a frisky fall wind! With each move Mei Mei tries to follow Grandpa but she’s not slow and steady like him. With Grandpa’s help, Mei Mei learns there are many ways to do Tai Chi.

A Morning with Grandpa written by Sylvia Liu and illustrated by Christina Forshay is a delightful and endearing tale of young and old. With a poetic feel to the prose, the contrasting natures of Grandpa and Mei Mei carry the reader from one beautiful page to the next. A wonderful read for parents, especially grandparents, to share with little ones. A reminder that everyone does things a little differently and friends can be old or young. The additional information about Tai Chi and Yoga at the end of the book is a wonderful bonus.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Lee & Low Books for a reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.