Reviews
Booklist Reviews "Jasper's Story: Saving Moon Bears"
Get ready to wipe away a few tears after reading this. Jill Robinson has dedicated her life to rescuing the bears of China who’ve been abused by those extracting bear bile for use in traditional Asian medicines. Jasper is one of them, a moon bear, held in a tiny cage for 15 years before… View →
Kirkus Reviews "He's Been a Monster All Day"
Moore’s soft-toned, gentle and whimsical cartoon drawings in pencil and watercolors easily complement the smoothly readable, rhyming text. View →
The Simple Moms Reviews "Finnegan and Fox: the Ten-Foot Cop"
I love finding great kids books and our shelves desperately need some new material. While on my search to expand our literary horizons I was ecstatic to rediscover a great publishing company based here in Michigan, Sleeping Bear… While Sleeping Bear Press has a nice long lis View →
Jeanbooknerd.com Reviews "Stella Batts: A Case of the Meanies"
The fourth installment in Courtney Sheinmel’s Stella Batts series, A Case of the Meanies, continues the heated story between third graders Stella and Joshua. Their rivalry steps it up a notch when Joshua decides to have his birthday party at Stella’s parent’s candy store. And of course,… View →
Examiner.com Reviews "Finnegan and Fox: The Ten-Foot Cop"
“Finnegan and Fox: The Ten-Foot Cop” is written by Helen L. Wilbur and illustrated by John Manders. It’s about a New York cop and his partner, a horse named… The story includes information about how a police horse is trained, but it’s also about one View →
Childrensbookstore.com Reviews "Delia's Dull Day"
A great book all about perception. Delia is a young girl who is convinced every day of her life is dull, boring, and uneventful. Her attentions are on her accidents, handheld electrical devices, day dreaming, doodling, repetitive practices, personal discomforts, and daily routines. If… View →
Examiner.com Reviews "No Year of the Cat"
“No Year of the Cat” by Mary Dodson Wade and illustrated by Nicole Wong is a lovely retelling of a Chinese folktale explaining why the Chinese calendar features the animals it does — and no cat. The illustrations are beautiful — pastel with an Eastern… View →
No Year of the Cat
One night last year, you went to bed and woke up a year… It wasn’t magic or because you were really tired. It happened because it was New Year’s Eve: you went to sleep in 2012 and woke up to 2013. Next December, you’ll do it again with a whole new year. If you lived in View →
War and Peace: Book Reviews from the Children's Literature and Reading SIG
When Lily is considered too young to qualify for a Victory Garden during WWII, the determined girl takes things into her own hands and approaches a neighbor who has a piece of land that isn’t being used. He agrees but does so reluctantly and with the admonition… View →
F Is for Friendship: A Quilt Alphabet
F Is for Friendship: A Quilt Alphabet I’ve never quite figured out my addiction to alphabet books. I don’t have children of my own (although I do have nieces and nephews who now have their own offspring), so I c View →
Finnegan and Fox: The Ten-Foot Cop
It’s a classic New York City buddy-cop story, but one of the officers is 10 years old, weighs more than 1,200 pounds, and has four hooves. Wilbur (F Is for Friend-ship: A Quilt Alphabet) offers a lighthearted tribute to the NYPD’s Mounted Unit, with seen-it-all narration provided by a… View →
No Year of the Cat review - January SLJ
K-Gr 4–The story of the Chinese zodiac is a popular folktale of friendship and betrayal, retold again and again in picture-book format. Since no one in the kingdom remembers when important events have occurred, the emperor decides to create a 12-year calendar. The first 12 animals to win View →
The Quilt Walk review - January SLJ
Gr 3-6–Ten-year-old Emmy Blue’s life on a farm near Quincy, Illinois, is just fine until her father announces that the family is moving to Colorado where gold is being mined. He hopes to build a store and sell supplies to miners. Emmy’s mother, Meggie, is not happy about the move and… View →
Frog's Flying Adventure review - January SLJ
Gr 1-3–At first glance this book is a typical easy reader, and children will delight in Frog’s adventures with his friends. Masse’s bright illustrations reinforce the sweet tone of the three stories. Adults, however, will note a distinct philosophical overlay in each of the episodes.… View →
Review of "The Legend of Papa Noel" in The Examiner
Christmas is celebrated around the world in hundreds of ways. Even in the U.S. the December 25 holiday that Christians celebrate as the day of Christ’s birth may be celebrated one way in California, another way in Maine and even another way in Louisiana. A Cajun Christmas is the… View →
A Review of The Boy Who Wanted to Cook
It really captures the feeling of a French country restaurant and the importance of fresh ingredients. I also appreciated the message of making the honorable choice and earning your accolades rather than just expecting them. Definitely a good choice for budding francophiles. View →
A Review of Stella Batts: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow is the second book in Courtney Sheinmel’s sweet series about Stella Batts. When their father brings home Magical Glow-in-the-Dark chewing gum for Stella and her sister Penny to taste-test, Stella is disappointed to realize that Penny can blow bubbles while she… View →
'Maestro Stu Saves the Zoo' by Denise Brennan-Nelson: A must have picture book
“Maestro Stu Saves the Zoo” by Denise Brennan-Nelson and illustrated by Tim Bowers is a picture book that can be read over and over. Kids will love the story because kids always love stories about animals. Adults and teachers will love the book because it is chock-full of… View →
'Elena's Story' by Nancy Shaw: a multicultural story of a young Guatemalan girl
“Elena’s Story” by Nancy Shaw and illustrated by Kristina Rodanas is a touching story of a young girl, her mother and her two siblings. They live in rural Guatemala and try to support themselves because Elena’s father is off working on a… The stor View →
I, Q: Independence Hall
One of my favorite middle grade publishers is Sleeping Bear Press, a publisher I first discovered at BookExpo America (BEA) a couple of years ago. I’ve loved every book of theirs I’ve read and was looking forward to giving Roland Smith’s I, Q… View →