Reading, Writing & Pondering

This is my first Chichi and Didi book but this is actually their second children's book from Peace Amadi and Ndidi Amadi. Chichi and Didi Find Their Gifts is fun and the illustrations are cute and colorful. Chichi and Did Find Their Gifts share the stories of Nigerian sisters, Chichi and Didi as they learn what they are gifted to do. One girl figures it out easily and the other girl has a longer quest to find out her special skills and interest that work best with her personality. This hardcover illustrated children's book is 40 pages long and measures just under nine inches square. I love how the illustrations feature the girls throughout the book with colorful, fun illustrations to help tell the story. The book is aimed at children ages three to seven. I love that it is inclusive as the girls are Nigerian. I think most children could relate to the story. As a foodie, I wish that they had shared the recipe and talked more about the Nigerian food they were preparing in part o...

It's easy for puppies to get distracted by new things. In Willa and the Way Home by Jennifer Moorman, Willa the puppy gets distracted by a butterfly shortly after moving to her new house with her human family.  In Willa and the Way Home, Willa realizes she is lost after following a butterfly near her new house. In the story, a bird and a cat befriend Willa and help her find her way home in this heartwarming story. The story is cute and also is one that could be encouraging to children as the focus is on having courage and getting help from friends. Both of those can be good things for sure. I also liked the cute illustrations. I love dogs, cats and birds, besides humans, and the illustrations in Willa and the Way Home are so cute. They are also vibrant and eye catching with bright colors. It all works together to make a fun new book to read with children. Willa and the Way Home is a hardcover book that measures 8 1/2 by 11 inches in size and is 38 pages long. This book releases f...

  If you know me, and my own son, you know we are foodies. Ripening Time by Patrice Gopo was a great book for us to read as we loved the food-oriented story about the ripening plantains. Ripening Time showcases the message from the back cover that, "Some of the sweetest things in life are worth the wait." This book starts out with a young girl shopping with her mom and sister at the grocery store. While there, they buy plantains. Mama tells the girls when they are ripe, she will cook them. The book then follows the girl and the plantains through the week as she waits for them to ripen. Ripening Time is honestly one of my favorite children's books about food. I loved the beautiful, vibrant illustrations. This 32-page book is large, measuring about  9 1/2 inches square with a dust jacket. I have never had plantains but would like to try them after reading this book. I think it would be especially fun to read the book as a family or with a group of children and then make ...

    How You Got Your Name by Trey Kennedy and Illustrated by Jesus Lopez isn't quite the book I expected when I selected it. I thought this was going to be one of those serious, endearing books. However, this book is a silly book that is meant to be funny. If you are looking for a funny book to read with your child, then this may be just what you are looking for.  How You Got Your Name is a large colorfully illustrated book with a dust jacket. It is large and measures a little over ten inches square. It is aimed at children ages four to eight. It has a place in the book to write about choosing a child's name that could be meaningful, if filled out by the gift giver, parent or guardian of the child. Honestly, How You Got Your Name was too silly for us to enjoy but I am sure there are others that will appreciate the humor and enjoy the lighthearted theme.  I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  To Mimi's House We Go by Susan Meissner is a fun Christmas book aimed at children ages four to eight. To start with, the cover of this 8-by-10-inch book is colorful and has texture, which I love. It is also 32 pages long.  I love Susan Meissner's adult books so thought To Mimi's House We Go would be a fun one for children. I do think it is. I love how it depicts lots of ways to go to a Grandmother's house and I love all the different names for Grandma. This fun book also rhymes and is fun to read aloud. I think it is neat the children can see that while kids may call their family members by different names and travel differently, ultimately they all have fun family traditions and names to relate to. I love how this book showcases differences so we can all learn from each other in a fun way.  While To Mimi's House We Go is published by a traditionally Christian publisher, this book could be read by anyone of any faith. I actually think that is great with this ty...

  Mama's Sleeping Scarf is a beautifully written and illustrated children's book. I was impressed with both the story and the bright illustrations. Mama's Sleeping Scarf is aimed at children ages 3 to 7. It measures about 10 by 111/2 inches in size. It is 32 pages long and is a nicely dust-jacketed children's picture book. Mama's Sleeping Scarf tells the story of a young girl with her mama's scarf that she wears at night to keep her hair soft. The young girl takes the scarf and magically plays with it all day while her mother is at work. This book shares her adventures with the special scarf.  This is a beautiful story. I like that it is about an African-American family. I love how the mother is going off to work and the rest of the family cares for the young girl. And the young girl has a lovely imagination with the scarf. I think it is inspiring for young minds. The illustrations are bright and beautiful. It is a nice bedtime book to read aloud. I received a c...

The 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury by Hannah C. Hall is a beautifully illustrated children's book with some fun rhyming stories inside it. Measuring roughly 8 1/4 inches square it is a fun size to read in bed together. This story book is aimed at pre-school children up to age 4. There is one story that talks about going to school so kindergarten children may enjoy it as well. There are six stories in the 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury.  God Bless You and Good Night God Bless My Friends God Bless My School God Bless My Family God Bless My Home All of these stories are illustrated by Steve Whitlow with what I would call softly-vibrant pictures. The pictures look soft and warm and yet are vibrant in color. I think they are just gorgeous and well liked by children. Then all of these stories are nicely written in a rhyming style that is truely a pleasure to read and fun for children to listen to.  The 5-Minute Bedtime Treasury could be a fun baby gift or a gift for a young child, besides bu...

  I think there has always been a lot of pressure on adults and children to "do" something big with their lives in the way of career. We do often ask children, What do you want to Do When you Grow up?" Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? by Paula Faris changes the tone and the outlook for children with this book. I am not sure I can begin to tell you how much I love this book, but I will try. Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? has beautiful bright illustrations. I also love that the illustrations are inclusive and show children of all colors, cultures and backgrounds. I think that background adds to the appeal of the book. This is a large children's book, measuring about 9 1/4 by 9 3/4 inches in size and 32 pages long. It is aimed at children ages four to eight but it really is a timeless message that could appeal to people of all ages.   Who Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? features a girl named Lina who doesn't know what she wants to "be...

  How do we have friends? I think that can feel mysterious, even for adults sometimes. Brindlefox   by John Sandford is a fable of a fox and a heron who become friends. For me, personally, this book took me back to when I read Aesop's fables as a child from a book my Aunt gave me. This book is Aesop fable worthy. Brindlefox has no friends. Since he doesn't invite anyone over, his house is rather a mess. One day a tree starts growing out of his back, which is odd, but he really doesn't care. However, because of that tree, in a roundabout way, Brindlefox learns about friendship--how to be a friend and how to have a friend. Brindlefox is a beautifully illustrated children's book aimed at children ages four to eight. This gorgeous book has a dust jacket and is roughly 9 1/2 by 10 1/2 inches in size and 32 pages long.  This book would make a lovely gift for a young child. It would be a good book to have in your home library. It could spark some good discussion among family...

  Have you seen a Monarch butterfly flying along quickly--like it has somewhere to go? Home Is Calling: The Journey of the Monarch Butterfly by Katherine Pryor beautifully tells the story of the Monarch Butterfly. Home Is Calling is a beautifully illustrated book that measures about 10 inches almost square and is 40 pages long. It is aimed at children ages 4 to 7. Prayer does a beautiful job of telling the story of the travels that the butterflies make each year. Peterson does a great job of illustrating this book. It is clear that these gifted authors worked hand-in-hand to make this book that is truly well-done. This is a great book for teaching children about the Monarch Butterfly. I also like that there is real-life scientific information at the back of the book so children can learn the anatomy of a butterfly, their life cycle, learn about the importance of milkweed and threats to Monarch Butterflies. There are also ideas and good information for those who want to get involv...

  It is hard to believe it is already August and some children are back in school. Before we know it, Fall will be upon us. Pumpkin Day at the Zoo by Susan Meissner is a fun new children's book for Fall. Pumpkin Day at the Zoo is a good-sized children's book measuring about 8 1/2 inches by 10 1/2 inches. It is aimed at children ages four to eight. I especially like that this book encourages the use of repurposing pumpkins. Until I read the back page of this book, I had no idea that zoos could feed uncarved pumpkins to animals. Pumpkin Day at the Zoo is well-written. I Have enjoyed many of Susan Meissner's adult books, but I think this is her first children's book that I have read. This book has lyrical writing that flows so well--I think it is clearly written by an experienced writer. The words just roll out--one after another--so easily on the tongue. It is a fun book to read aloud with children. It also has great illustrations and will delight those who love animals a...

  Night Night, Ocean by Amy Parker is fun board book for little ones that features several ocean animals. This book would be a delight to children who enjoy animals or live near an ocean. The illustrations are bright and cheerful. This is a board book with the thick cardboard pages for little hands to turn on their own. It is a 20 pages book that is roughly 7 3/4 inches square in size so fairly large for little ones. The publisher says this book is for ages birth to 4 years but I would think maybe six years for those learning to read on their own. There are some larger words like seahorses and jellyfish so this isn't a book that children will likely learn to read with early on.  Night Night, Ocean helps children look to God. It does feature some great ocean animals--sea horses, sea turtle, sun fish, manatees and more. I think it is great for children to learn about the ocean and God together. I just think it is a book that care givers are likely to start out reading to littl...

  It doesn't matter our age, there are times we are all tempted to worry. When Worry Whispers by Joyce Meyer is aimed at children ages four to seven. This 32-page book is a good-sized jacketed hardcover book measuring about 9 1/2 inches almost square--a great size for reading aloud or reading alone. I think When Worry Whispers is on target for what kids may worry about and how they feel when they worry. This book is a Christian-based book with talk about God and a Bible verse at the beginning of the book. The illustrations by Marcin Piwowarski is colorful and eye-catching. I like that they include children of all colors in the pictures. This is a good book for both those struggling with worry and to remind kids that aren't worrying yet that they don't need to because God cares for them. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  A Love Letter from God by P. K. Hallinan is a rhythmically perfect letter from God to a child with Him sharing how much He loves them. This 7-inch square board book is 24 pages long and aimed at children ages two to seven.  A Love Letter from God would make a great gift for any young child. It is a fun book to read aloud and would be fun for children to look at and learn to read on their own. The illustrations are colorful and eye-catching. I also like that there are children of all colors in the book remind us all that God doesn't care what color our skin is. He loves us all in a Love Letter from God . I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  How much is enough? I love seeing this question answered by this gorgeous childen's book. I enjoyed Domino's Tree House by Dawn Patituci--a fun story about contentment. As Domino's Tree House begins, Domino lays in the backyard and decides to build a tree house because laying in the grass on a nice day wasn't enough. Then the tree house didn't feel like enough so he turned it into a tree cottage, then a tree mansion, and so on. When will the "tree house" finally be enough? You'll have to get the book and find out. Domino's Tree Hous e is a fun book to read aloud and is a fun book for kids to read alone too. It is aimed at children ages four to seven, is 32 pages long and measures about 9 1/2 by 11 1/2 inches in size. It is a beautifully illustrated and written story book that gives the children, and adults, something to think about. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Here's To Your Dreams! by Dave Hollis is a fun rhyming book that encourages children to dream and to learn that they can problem-solve.  When I requested this book, Here's to Your Dreams! I recognized the name as an author but otherwise I wasn't real familiar with Dave Hollis or his daughter, Noah. I have since learned that the author has passed away. I hope this book is a special keepsake for daughter Noah.  I like the bright illustrations in Here's To Your Dreams! From the photo on the dust jacket, I thought the artist did a good job of illustrating this father daughter duo. I also like the rhyming verse. I like that it encourages children to dream, to imagine, to learn to solve problems on their own. I like that it features a dad having tea with his daughter and dreaming together. Here's To Your Dreams! is a large 32-page book measuring about 10 1/2 inches square and has a dust jacket. It would be a fun book to read together with your child(ren) while having...

    For anyone who has had anxiety in the past, they may be familiar with grounding themselves by counting five things to help them relax as that is a common way given to help yourself. Count Yourself Calm by Eliza Huie helps children use this tool from a Christian perspective. Count Yourself Calm has bright fun illustrations from Mike Henson. He does a great job of bringing the needed actions to life in this book and helping children see what to do. This isn't the typical children's bedtime book. This is a book that could help children on difficult days to face feelings of anxiety, fear, anger, and more. The book helps direct children towards remembering that they are not alone and God is with them. At the same time, they are actively doing something to help calm their bodies down, along with their minds. I think Count Yourself Calm is a great book to help children deal with difficult feelings and to look to God as part of the solution. I wish I had had it when my son was ...

  Good Night, Body: Finding Calm From Head to To e by Britney Winn Lee starts off with a note to parents about how to use this book to guide children to learn to feel more at home in their precious bodies. This book measures a little larger than nine inches square and is 40 pages long. It is aimed at early elementary children from ages four to eight. Good Night, Body is sort of an interactive bedtime book. It is a book that could help children get the last wiggles of the day out and start to settle down and relax. Several of the exercises are for relaxing. It could be fun to do this book together as a family. I like the illustrations so well. They are inclusive of people of all skin colors and include differently-abled children as well. It is a beautiful book both in the writing and in the pictures. This book is just a clean reading activity book and does not include Scripture. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

  Did you know that animals tell us about God? Bible Animals by Simona Piscioneri is a fascinating children's book full of facts about how God used animals in the Bible. Bible Animals is a large full color picture book that is 48 pages long and about 9 by 10 inches in size. This book is aimed at children ages seven to eleven--upper elementary students. It is a gorgeous book with beautiful pictures, bright bold colors and lots of interesting information and facts about animals from the Bible. Each animal that is featured has the verses from the Bible where it is mentioned along with a lot of questions and interesting information for children to read. This book would be a great book if you are home schooling your child to use along with others for science class. It is also one that would be great to have in your Sunday School or church library.  The book starts with the snake from Genesis and goes on to lions (Daniel and the Lion's Den) through a lot of Bible animals to the New ...

      I Pray You'll Be by Hannah C. Hall is such a sweet children's book. I love the beautiful illustrations by Catalin Ardeleanu and the beautiful prayer that Hall wrote that flows through this book. I Pray You'll Be would be a wonderful book to read at bedtime, but really any time of day. This beautiful children's book is 32 pages long, aimed at preschool children through second grade, and is a large beautiful dust-jacketed book measuring about 9 1/2 by 10 inches square. This beautiful prayer is one that could be prayed by any caregiver for the child that they are with. I also like how inclusive this book is as to children of all colors in the illustrations. This beautiful flowing prayer throughout the book could inspire children in so many ways. I just highly recommend it.     I received this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.