Category: Inner Child

Tales from Christmas Wood by Suzy Senior | Children’s Book Review

Posted December 2, 2015 by Jana in Children's Book Review, Inner Child / 1 Comment

Tales from Christmas Wood by Suzy Senior
Illustrated by: James Newman Gray
Published by: Lion Hudson PLC on September 18, 2015
Pages: 32
Source: From the publisher through Netgalley
Add to Goodreads • Buy the Book

Christmas wood is full of animals: Badger, Fidgety Fox, Owl (not Wise Old Owl, just Owl), the Rabbit family, Tiny Mouse, and Robin. It’s nearly Christmas and all the animals are getting ready to celebrate – Badger is looking for new friends, Tiny is making (or is that eating…) gingerbread, and Rosie Rabbit just can’t get ANY peace and quiet! Five festive stories from the animals in the wood all come together in a fantastically Christmassy finale in a barn with some rather special guests…

This book is a cute anthology of five very short stories about different animals who live in Christmas Wood. Each animal is looking for something, and each story has a lesson. Badger is bigger than all the other animals, and is having a hard time making friends. She asks the owl for advice, and while he feels ill-equipped to help her, she leaves very happy. The second story is about a mouse who made gingerbread for his friends, but somehow lost all of it in his tummy. He felt bad, but grandma always makes things better. The third story is about a rabbit named Rosie whose brothers are making it very hard for her to concentrate on making Christmas cards. She throws a tantrum and storms out into the snow, concerning her brothers and making them realize how much they love having her around. Then we have Robin, who loves playing make believe. He wants to be a hero more than anything, and Rosie the Rabbit gives him that opportunity. Robin realizes he does not have to he a super hero to be special. All the animals come together in the end for a festive Christmas Eve adventure. They each learn the true meaning of Christmas at a very festive Christmas party, with gifts, friends, and singing.

My favorite thing about this book are the illustrations. They are adorable and so warm and cheerful. The animals have such sweet faces, and the illustrator is able to paint light in a way that reminds me of Thomas Kincaid (although simpler). I only wish the type had been given as much attention. A very generic font was used for the story itself, and the thin black letters get lost in the illustrations. I would have loved to see a more whimsical font and more thought put into the placement and size of the words. I also think there were too many words on a page. Perhaps this will be fixed before printing, though.

All in all, I really enjoyed this sweet Christmas book. The stories all feel very short and disjointed on their own, so they should be read back to back in one story time experience. I would not recommend reading one a night unless your child is old enough to remember each one and tie them together in the end. I think it’s a great addition to any family’s Christmas book collection, and I know I’d love to snuggle in bed with my littles someday and read this cozy tale.

The Travel Adventures of PJ Mouse in Canada and Queensland | Children’s Book Reviews and Giveaway

Posted November 30, 2015 by Jana in Blog Tour, Children's Book Review, Giveaway, Inner Child / 9 Comments

Welcome to my stop along the The Travel Adventures of PJ Mouse blog tour, hosted by iRead Book Tours. These books are very cute (and educational!), and I’m excited to share my reviews of them with you today!

The Travel Adventures of PJ Mouse in Canada by Gwyneth Jane Page
Illustrated by Megan Elizabeth
Series: The Travel Adventures of PJ Mouse #1
Published by First Choice Books
Pages: 42
Source: From the author
Amazon • Amazon.ca • Barnes & Noble

PJ Mouse, an adorable little stuffed animal, was lost and alone until young Emily heard his cries for help. Now, along with his new family, PJ gets to travel the world-discovering exciting new places and people along the way!

Come join PJ on his first adventure across Canada as he hikes on a glacier in the Rockies, finds a salt lake in the prairies, and walks on the ocean floor in Nova Scotia.

I love books about travel, but I particularly love children’s travel books because they open young minds to other countries and cultures. While Canada is not at all far away from those of us in the USA, this book transports you there and takes you on an exciting adventure. PJ is a very cute mouse, who comes to life with the sweet, childlike illustrations, filled with color. The book is laid out in easy-to-manage chapters, so struggling readers do not have to worry about taking on too much at one time.

PJ has a very sweet voice, and I loved reading his thoughts and dialogue. He says some funny things. I love the magical moment when he is found by Emily, wet and soggy under a park bench. She heard his cries for help when no grown-ups could, and she can talk to him when nobody else can. This book is filled with complex vocabulary words, which will create wonderful learning experiences for children, especially if their parent is reading with them and can further explain the concepts behind these words. Emily gets to explain to PJ what the word “conceited” means, and she explained it in a way that children will understand and absorb. He also learns what a fifth-wheel is, as well as a glacier. The two have wonderful experiences together, and their excitement is infectious. Readers will learn how long and tall the Rocky Mountains are, that snow lasts in very high elevations even during the summertime, what a crevasse is, what it’s like swimming in salt water, waterfalls and erosion, some French words, a little history, that it’s ok to be short, and more. PJ gets into some sticky situations, but always come out learning from them.

All in all, I really enjoyed this cute, educational story and think it would be a wonderful way to teach youngsters a little something, while having fun at the same time!

The Travel Adventures of PJ Mouse in Queensland by Gwyneth Jane Page
Illustrated by Megan Elizabeth
Series: The Travel Adventures of PJ Mouse #2
Published by First Choice Books
Pages: 42
Source: From the author
Amazon • Amazon.ca • Barnes & Noble

Come join PJ on this, his second adventure, along the coast of Queensland, as he snorkels at the Great Barrier Reef, chats with a Loggerhead turtle in the midst of a great undertaking, and explores the tropical rainforest – until he ha to be rescued by one of the local friendly wildlife.

This was another cute installment of The Travel Adventures of PJ Mouse! Pretty much everything I said about the first book applies to this one as well. The illustrations are very cute and colorful, the book is organized into small chapters, PJ is a funny little guy (although he rambles a bit too much at times), and the story not only entertains, but teaches readers about a new place. This time, we visited Queensland, Australia. Lucky PJ! I’ve always wanted to visit Australia. Readers pack their suitcases (much bigger than PJ’s, of course) and board the plane with PJ and Emily.

During his second adventure, PJ learns what a kangaroo is (he thinks it’s an Australian mouse!), that just because you go to the opposite side of the world does not mean you have to walk on your hands, why you can’t breathe underwater, some more vocabulary words, how trees can grow to be REALLY old, and more! He gets to ride the rides at Dreamworld, go boogie-boarding at the beach, go snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef (and talk to the fish–this chapter was my favorite. Very magical! I love the descriptions of the sea life underwater), get some help from a sea turtle and a lorikeet, explore the rainforest, watch loggerhead turtles lay eggs on the beach, and go four wheeling.

I really enjoyed this adventure with little PJ, and think readers young and old will as well!

Make sure you enter this tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win the first book (Canada), your very own stuffed PJ, and a passport sticker book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

IWhiny Whiny Rhino by McBoop | Children’s Book Review

Posted October 9, 2014 by Jana in Blog Tour, Children's Book Review, Inner Child / 1 Comment

Whiny Whiny Rhino by McBoop
Published by: Blue Blanket Publishing on July 31, 2014
Pages: 32
Source: From publisher
Add to Goodreads • Buy the Book

Can Tiny Tiny Rhino have a fun day? Or will all of his whining get in the way? If you’ve ever been worried to try something new, then Whiny Whiny Rhino is the book for you! From creative team McBoop, comes the story of the whiny rhino with the big head and the even bigger imagination.

Bottom line, this book is so cute. I love the illustrations, and the message is one that even we as adults have to remember: do not be afraid to try something new. We need to stop worrying about everything and just have fun!

Tiny Tiny Rhino worries about everything. He’s scared to do fun or daring things with his brothers, and sits around whining because he can’t do these things. His brothers pestered him, telling him to toughen up and quit hiding inside by himself. Sadly, his brothers really tormented him. I know this is common, but I still felt bad for the little guy! I’m sure children will identify with his worries, not to mention his mean brothers, and will cheer when he is finally able to conquer his fears and make his brothers and friends proud. I love the ending message as well. You don’t have to be big and strong to have fun, you just have to be willing to try something new. The story rhymes, so it can be read out loud is a sing-song fashion.

The illustrations are amazing. Tiny is little blue rhino with a huge head and a tiny body. He has a sweet little personality, and some of the cutest facial expressions. This is one of the most colorful books I have read. Each page bursts with various shades of purple, red, hot pink, turquoise, yellow, and lime green. Young eyes will be stimulated, and the shiny pages will have them reaching out to touch them.

All in all, this is a wonderful book for readers of all ages. It presents important messages about life, and it’s even a little funny at times. The illustrations are the icing on the cake, and I was completely delighted by the entire reading experience. I would definitely recommend this book to shy or timid children who need to learn that breaking out of their shell does not have to be scary.

Follow the rest of the blog tour!

Lola Goes to the Doctor by Marcia Goldman | Children’s Book Review

Posted August 13, 2014 by Jana in Children's Book Review, Inner Child / 5 Comments

Lola Goes to the Doctor by Marcia Goldman
Published by: Creston Books on July 29, 2014
Pages: 32
Source: From the publisher
Add to Goodreads • Buy the Book

Children will identify with Lola as she nervously waits to be called into the doctor’s office. Lola feels a little bit brave when the doctor looks into her ears, a little braver when he examines her teeth, and bravest of all when she gets a shot.

Lola Goes to the Doctor tackles a very scary subject in the minds of young children. When my sister was young, she would cry and cry for days when she found out she had to go to the doctor. She was deathly afraid of needles, to the point she had to be put on Valium just to handle a blood test! I remember my mom reading multiple books to my little sister about Cabbage Patch Kids visiting the doctor, the Berenstein Bears and their visit, Arthur’s doctor visit, and I’m sure that we would have had Lola’s book in our collection if it had been around 15-20 years ago. Who wouldn’t be comforted by that sweet puppy’s face as she sits patiently in the waiting room with other animal friends, meets the nice doctor, gets weighed, has her teeth and ears checked, has her temperature taken, and even gets a shot? I’ll admit, her face does get a bit sad when she sees the needle, but it’s an adorable sad face that is encouraging. She presents the message that it’s ok to be scared, but that everything will be ok.

I had the pleasure of meeting sweet little Lola and her owner, Marcia Goldman, at ALA Annual in Las Vegas in June. She is adorable and so well behaved! I am not the least bit surprised that she was able to pose for all of these pictures. There are no illustrations in this book, just photos of Lola’s visit to the doctor. I feel like this is actually a huge selling point because it gives children the opportunity to see what a doctor’s office is like. It’s not scary. It’s clean, has fun toys in the waiting room, and smiling doctors roam the halls. The pictures are clear, colorful, and tell the story on their own. This is another huge selling point because children can flip through the book and understand its message without needing to know how to read. Lola talks about being brave like a big dog, and mentions her future visits to the doctor with a little bit of excitement. It’s no big deal at all!

While I certainly can’t guarantee that this book will solve all problems with the hard task of getting a child to the doctor (I still hate it myself!), I am sure it will aide in calming the child’s fears a bit. It presents information in a clear manner and encourages children to be big and brave like Lola. I’d definitely recommend it to elementary and public libraries, as well as to parents and/or caregivers who would like some help in presenting the concept of doctor visits in a delicate manner.

Zips Goes Wandering by Chris March | Children’s Book Review + Giveaway

Posted March 14, 2014 by Jana in Blog Tour, Children's Book Review, Giveaway, Inner Child / 3 Comments

Welcome to my stop on the Zips Goes Wandering tour, hosted by CBB Book Promotions! I’m excited to tell you all about this sweet little picture book, and offer a giveaway for your chance to win a copy of your own!

Zips Goes Wandering written and illustrated by Chris Marsh
Series: Savannah Friends #1
Published by booktrope on March 14, 2013
Pages: 21
Grade Level: Preschool through 2nd grade
Source: From the publisher
Amazon • B&N • iTunes • Add to Goodreads

Zips is a zebra, a curious one at that. Despite his mum’s warnings, he follows his curiosity across the savannah. After a close brush with a lion and a croc, Zips discovers he’s lost, far from home. What should a youngster do when he’s lost and alone? Zips seeks friends he can trust and uses his wits till he’s reunited, safe and sound, with his mum. This colorful, rhyming picture book has lively pictures of African animals. Zips Goes Wandering can help parents and children discuss safety issues and what to do if they ever get lost or separated.

Zips Goes Wandering is a fun rhyming picture book about a little zebra who goes on an adventure and gets lost. Reminiscent of Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman, Zips goes to different animals to ask if they have seen his mother. He searches and searches before finding a really tall giraffe who is able to help him. Children will enjoy the repetition of Zips asking for his mom and then rushing off to see if that animal directed him in the correct direction or sent him to the wrong place again.

The illustrations are absolutely delightful, and are my favorite part of the book. Each illustration is bright, colorful, and enhances the text of the story so that emerging readers feel confident in trying to sound out the words. Children will love looking at pictures of several different animals. The author plays with perspective and Zips’s nose is frequently fish-eyed on the page, big and adorable. He has the sweetest little face, and so much personality.

The story presents a very important message to its readers, and that is to be careful and stay close by so as not to get lost. I think this is a great book to read to a child in order to explain this lesson, as well as come up with a plan for what to do if someone does get lost. Zips comes close to getting hurt by a crocodile and a lion, which is a compelling reason to not wander off. Luckily Zips was taught to ask other grow-ups for help, and he ended up home safe. I’ve found several lost children in stores over the course of my life, and it’s a super scary thing for everyone involved. This is such an important lesson to discuss with children, and I’m so happy to see such a sweet book that does just that. Highly recommended.

About the Author

Chris Marsh grew up in the heart of the English Countryside and spent many sunny days going on wild adventures and long expeditions, with his mother constantly reminding him to be careful. On those rainy days he would spend hours either reading, painting or drawing, letting his imagination go wild and creating a variety of stories and tales about his adventures. Surrounded by pets and constantly exploring the local wildlife and farm animals, Chris developed a love for animals which crept into his creativity. Years later it was Chris’ turn to do the careful reminding to his adventurous nieces and nephews and he found the only way to engage them was through stories.

Savannah Friends Website | Savannah Friends Facebook | Author on Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway