Blog Archives
Walking with the Sun
An elephant named Gaja and an eagle named Garud are the best of friends. They are always together, laughing, playing, dancing, and singing as they explore the forest where they live. One hot and sunny day, Garud suggests they go for a walk to the west in hopes of finding the night quicker. After many hours of walking, the heat was only getting worse, and they found a tree to stop and rest under. After falling asleep, they awake to the cool breeze of night and discover that by walking west instead of getting away from the sun, they were walking with it! When they turn around and head for home, Gaja has no idea there are more surprises still to discover this night.
Walking with the Sun by Preethi Saravanakumar and illustrated by Julia Duclos, is a captivating picture book that teaches children about the movement of the sun. There is also a wise message about how to overcome discomfort; you need to walk away from it, not with it. Children also learn the valuable lesson of finding happiness in all you do and not carrying sadness with them through their journeys.
This touching children’s book will provide children with much to think about and discuss with friends and family as they follow Gaja and Garud on their adventures. The beautiful watercolor images are whimsical and enchanting, adding depth to the story and bringing the characters to life.
Walking with the Sun is a delightful children’s book that teaches children about friendship, positive thoughts, and taking chances. Families and teachers will enjoy sharing this story with children, and this would make an excellent addition to a home or classroom library.
Pages: 34 | ASIN : B0BW6NQQN1
A Cat Who Became American
In A Cat Who Became American, Marie Ueda offers a unique and humorous take on the classic immigrant story. Through the eyes of Kinoko, a cat born in Portugal, readers get a first-hand account of adjusting to life in a new country. Kinoko is eventually adopted by Marie and Chris, who spend the first few years of their life in Portugal. However, they all soon relocate to San Francisco, California, and it’s there that Kinoko lives the remainder of his life. Kinoko’s perspective provides a relatable lens for readers of all backgrounds to understand and sympathize with the struggles of immigration.
The author creatively tackles the subject of immigration and adjusting to life in a new country in a humorous and tongue-in-cheek manner, and I found myself chuckling throughout. In addition, I appreciated that the author gave us some of Kinoko’s background story, which allowed me to get to know his character better and to understand how much his owners love him.
Kinoko deals with many significant milestones in life, making this a relatable read. By letting us see life through the lens of a cat it makes it easier for people to understand and be sympathetic. My favorite image in the book is when Marie is chopping onions, and there is an image of Marie and Konoko crying. The author also helps readers to not take life too seriously and to try to find the positive in a challenging situation. The illustrations, done by the author herself, bring Kinoko’s journey to life and further enhance the story’s relatability. The images allow the reader to visualize Kinoko’s journey making this a relatable read.
A Cat Who Became American by Marie Ueda is a unique and amusing biography, and portrayal of a difficult situation told from the perspective of a cat. This creative book will captivate readers from the start of Kinoko’s journey till the end.
Pages: 156 | ASIN : B09KC56GQ1
The Dog Who Wanted to be a Bird
The Dog Who Wanted to be a Bird is a creative work of fiction in the form of a satirical beast fable. Written by Giuseppe Scarpine, this fable follows the incredibly tragic life of Dog, who desperately wanted to be free to experience life. The story opens seen through the lens of Dog, who is the runt of her litter. She is instinctively aware of her relationships with her mother and siblings and the dynamics that come with that knowledge. She is purchased by her owner and taken home. As time progresses, we see the deterioration of not just Dog’s environment but also her physical well-being.
Dog’s unrelenting hope literally kept me as a reader not only intrigued by the idea of her being able to forgive, in a sense, her owner’s neglect but that being the driving force of her living another day. She clings to the idea that her owner will one day express the temporary kindness she once showed Dog in the past. Dog is extremely lonely, but she is not without friends. She has befriended three different birds with varying personalities and perspectives on the world outside of Dog’s desolate backyard. They frequently visit her to clue her in on society’s workings and how humans choose to treat canines as well as the world they live in.
The author does an interesting job of including lots of societal aspects in this story. It includes animal rights in quite an abundance and hits emotionally on every page. As the reader, I couldn’t help but want to reach into the story and just bear hug Dog and steal her away from that backyard, mostly due to the author’s incredible visceral writing skills. Other topics such as history, racism, faith, and friendship also play integral roles in the telling of Dog’s story through her lens. I found Dog’s perspective to be so in line with how I would imagine a canine’s mind would work. The dialogue just worked for me, and the writing made the story easy to follow and made this chapter book a fast read. Definitely a fascinating read.
The Dog Who Wanted to be a Bird is a fascinating fable surrounding the life of Dog. Touching on many sensitive topics, this novelette will leave readers with much to think about and look at in their own lives. As fables do, this story will also teach a lesson that readers can hold onto long after they have finished this thought-provoking tale.
Pages: 40 | ISBN: 979-8-218-05650-6
Howie Tootalot in Yellowstone
Howie Tootalot in Yellowstone: The Legend in Lake Isa by Lou Jenkins is a fun and engaging children’s book. The reader follows the tale of Howie and his grandmother as they journey to the land that would become Yellowstone National Park. In the park Howie befriends a bear cub named Seymour and adventures ensue.
Jenkins has crafted a creative children’s book. You can make the puppets of Howie and Seymour by downloading them online. This is a creative addition that adds another dimension to an already fun book. Being able to read this story to a child and then create those same characters makes this an activity book as well and extends the time children spend with this book. This along with the message of taking care of Yellowstone is a nice way to subtly provide a conservation starter for children.
There are plenty of artistic and imaginative bits of art in this book that I greatly appreciated even in ebook format. I really enjoyed the pictures, especially those of the various animals that can be found in Yellowstone.
The language that Jenkin’s uses is perfect for a young child’s capabilities. The names are funny and should keep children’s attention. I would be shocked to hear that a child could read through this story without laughing once. With names like “Ma Fanny” for the grandmother or “Seymour Heinie” for the bear cub, I can only smile at the thought of children who would laugh in good natured fun. Jenkin’s is able to capture a child’s innocent humor in this book.
The book’s plot is set up like a tale told by Francis Tootalot about his ancestor Howie. The story itself showcases a lot of animals and different places that are famous in Yellowstone; like the geysers and forests. To children, this kind of meandering plot may not bother them, because Jenkins’ does a great job filling these instances with pretty pictures. In some ways it reminds me of a children’s show on television, which may be where Jenkins’ pulled inspiration from.
The best takeaway from Howie Tootalot in Yellowstone is not only the ecological message that Lou Jenkins’ provides, but the fact that the Tootalot family are part of an ongoing series. There is a lot to enjoy here and I believe any parent can appreciate the message behind the fun.
Pages: 41 | ASIN: B01JZWS63G
Woofed Cookies
Woofed Cookies by Greg Bauder is an entertaining, but short read. The story follows Peter Moon and his dog named Cookies as they go through a whole breath of conflicts and tribulations. His best friend, Tiger Moss, pressures him into smoking, a strange man keeps appearing menacingly, and Tiger’s little sister is enamored with him. Peter confronts all of these with Cookies by his side who is gifted with a neat little trick; throwing up everywhere at any time.
The book begins with Peter being down on himself for not having a puppy and being alone most of the time, since his mother is a nurse. This situation is rectified, and the book truly begins, when he receives Cookies on his birthday. Bauder does a great job of recalling what it was like to be a preteen and getting into trouble with your best friend. The joy of having a puppy is felt here, even if I question the mother’s recommendation of “flushing the dog poop down the toilet”? I mean, what happened to the garbage can? The rest of the book precedes with what you would normally expect. The story did take some turns that I was not expecting and the point of view with Peter is arm’s length, so you are never really sure what he is going to do as the reader.
I do think that the book reads a little “simple” for the audience I believe Bauder is aiming for, but I can forgive that for the fact he has an entertaining story. To take the everyday, messy occurrence of a dog throwing up and make that the title, is rather ingenious. It also steals the show away from Peter, because I found myself reading the pages looking to see what Cookies was going to do next. The lack of agency on Peter’s part was a little of a let down, especially as a children’s book, but I believe that the escapades of Cookies makes up for it.
The actual pacing of the book is a little choppy and does include two scenes that almost entirely mirror one another, which is kind of strange for a children’s book. I would love it if Bauder could make Woofed Cookies into a series of books of Peter and Cookies and I would not mind at all. There is something timeless about a “boy and his dog” and as a reader I could not get tired of that. This story is a classic paradigm with a new spin and I want to see what else Bauder has up his sleeve.
All in all, I believe that Woofed Cookies is an excellent book to give to your child for an afternoon of adventure.
Pages: 20 | ISBN: 1683946812
LITERARY TITAN 