Blog Archives
Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree
Needles is a wispy little Christmas tree with high hopes for the holiday. He’s so eager to get to the Christmas tree lot to fulfill his dream of being a beautiful Christmas tree that brings joy to people. Unfortunately for Needles, no one wants a lean tree. Will Needles find the perfect family, one that will cherish him? Find out in Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree.
Author Richard Wagner has created a charming Christmas picture book that will inspire children to never give up hope. This is also a highly relatable story as well. I’m sure that many people have gone to the tree lot looking for a big beautiful tree, snickering or ignoring the small meager trees. This beautiful book sheds light on those lonely trees, and will certainly make you want to buy one for yourself.
The illustrations by Sydni Kruger are absolutely gorgeous. Each page is illustrated from edge to edge. Each piece looks like it could have been painted by Bob Ross. I was especially drawn to the scene where Emily finds Needles on the side of the road. The deep purples on this page really set the mood.
Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree is an inspiring children’s book that is filled with vibrant illustrators that kids will be looking at long after the story is over. This is the perfect kid’s book for the holiday season, or for any parent or teacher who wants to educate young readers on the importance of perseverance.
Pages: 38 | ASIN: B0BNLWZP2T
Pinkie the Baby Bird Goes to School
Pinkie the Baby Bird Goes to School by Rose Andria, and Grace Boda is a beautifully illustrated book about a young bird getting ready to start school for the first time. It’s an excellent book for young, school-aged kids and children preparing for kindergarten, which can be an exciting and sometimes stressful experience. The story begins with inquisitive Pinkie, who is curious about what school will be like when she begins her first day, which allows her to discuss her anticipation with family and friends.
Pinkie expands her social circle throughout the book as she begins school. She meets her teacher and discovers many students and friends in her tree or community. The more Pinkie learned, the more she enjoyed making friends, singing, and expanding her knowledge. I found the book easy to read and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a fantastic story for parents and teachers.
The book is written in a way that captures children’s attention, and it’s a great way to make learning fun and less stressful, as many kids may experience at a new school or on their first day. It’s also an excellent introduction for preschool-aged kids, with bright, pastel-painted pictures, which incorporate the importance of education and diversity, getting acquainted with close friends and neighbors, and making new connections.
Pinkie the Baby Bird Goes to School by Rose Andria, and Grace Boda is a brilliant story that captures kids’ attention with a great storyline and illustrations. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for its creativity and a well-written message about the importance of community, inclusivity, and education. It’s a fantastic read for parents with small children and elementary school teachers. I personally found this book held my kids’ attention, and it makes a great addition to your home library or at a school or daycare.
Pages: 32 | ASIN: B0BJVPRJ3D
Dear Child of Mine
Dear Child of Mine shares an inspiring message with young readers and lets them know that they can be whatever they want to be in life. This is a love letter to all the children in the world, letting them know that anything is possible.
This inspiring children’s book shares a heartfelt message of love and empowerment to help children understand that there are many different professions, and they can choose any of them. And not just one either. This remarkable kids book shares an overwhelming message that will empower children and motivate them to think about what they want to be and shoot for the stars.
I enjoyed the exploration of different professions at the beginning of the book because I think this will inspire conversation with kids about different jobs that are out there, and what those jobs entail. After readers are shown a variety of different jobs, the story then asks what they will be, which offers another fantastic opportunity for parents and educators to stop and ask their child what their aspirations are.
The vibrant graphic art throughout the book is charming. There are several scenes throughout the book that also show a diverse cast of characters, ensuring that every reader will feel represented. Dear Child of Mine is a short but very encouraging picture book that shares a message of love and gets them thinking about what it is they want to be in life.
Pages: 31 | ASIN: B09T5RQYXC
Dread in the Dark
It is incredibly difficult to go from being an only child to having a new baby sister. With a new sibling, sometimes the older one has to move into a new room; this can be an exciting and scary time, especially when there is a dark monster hiding under the bed. In Dread in the Dark by Tuula Pere, Elliot finds himself in his brand-new room, which he absolutely adores playing in while it’s daytime, but when night falls, and it’s time to head to bed, the growls coming from under his bed causes the allure of a new room to be frightened right out of him.
The author takes us on an emotional journey of going through the jealousy of having to share the limelight with a new baby in the family to growing older and having a new bedroom further away from the safety of your parents’ room. With the baby needing lots of attention and care, Elliot worries that now being so far from his parent’s room, his pleas for help at night will go ignored. When his dad comes in to put an end to the mystery of this dark monster under Elliot’s bed, Elliot expresses his fears and concerns, and his dad solves the puzzle leaving Elliot feeling heard and cared for.
It is critical for children to know their worries and fears are heeded and understood, and even more imperative when a new baby is taking away any extra attention the child would have had before the baby. I love how the author was able to display the significance of that fact by using a very relatable situation of being a small child afraid of a new room with new sensory things happening.
Dread in the Dark is a wonderful picture book that helps children identify their feelings and shows them that their feelings are valid. It also teaches children how to work through the emotions they have in a productive and safe way that will help them build social skills and self-confidence.
Pages: 34 | ISBN : 9523254464
Faith’s Freckles: A Book to Build Self-Esteem
Faith is a young girl that has freckles, fifty-five to be exact; she has counted them all. Faith hates having freckles, no one else in her school has freckles like her, and she is constantly being teased by the other girls. They tell her that she has dirt on her face and laugh. One girl, McKenzie, however, thinks Faith’s freckles are beautiful. Through McKenzie’s kindness, Faith learns to accept that her freckles are part of who she is and learns to love that part of herself.
Faith’s Freckles by authors Shermaine Perry-Knights and Baylei Hinds-Perry is an empowering picture book for children that are self-conscious about their unique looks. In this story, Faith has freckles that no one else in her school seams to have, but the message applies to all physical differences that children are often picked on about. This story shows how much it hurts children when they are teased, emphasizing that comments about others’ looks are not funny or a game.
McKenzie stands out as an example of true friendship and how children can be friends with those they see struggling. She offers positive support and listens to what her friend says rather than brushing off her feelings or invalidating them. Teaching children how to be good friends to those that are hurting is a life skill they can carry with them.
This children’s book teaches the messages of self-love and self-acceptance. Aimed at young elementary students, this is a critical time in their lives to learn self-esteem. That makes this book ideal for classrooms and libraries. It would be a wonderful gift for a child with freckles who is afraid of being teased and made fun of. It is a heartwarming picture book that teaches children social and emotional awareness and acceptance for those that look different from themselves.
Pages: 15 | ASIN : B0B9FQP4LB
The Owl and the Shepherd Boy
The Owl and the Shepherd Boy by Tuula Pere follows young Nicky, a shepherd boy who is tasked with managing the cottage and goats for one week while his father goes back down the mountain to the valley where the family lives. Unfortunately, a large storm comes thundering through, destroying the cottage and scaring his goats away. Now Nicky is left with nothing but a torn blanket and must find his way down the mountains back home.
This story teaches children the importance of responsibility and ownership of one’s life. Nicky is now of age to where he must help the family with shepherding duties, and with that comes the responsibility for the goats’ overall well-being and being able to live on one’s own even when fear is present. The author shows this with Nicky’s problem-solving and survival skills. Of course, accepting a little help from a friendly owl would aid in the journey down the mountain but allowing to be helped is also another life lesson that is taught in this story.
I enjoyed the illustrations by Catty Flores immensely. I felt the artwork was vivid and colorful, even in the parts that were dark and stormy. Nicky was venturing down the mountain, the wind was blowing his hair, and the tattered blanket came to life through the well-crafted art. The author and the illustrator had great vision when bringing this story to life.
The Owl and the Shepherd Boy is a heartwarming picture book that teaches children the value of accepting help when offered and learning to trust. It also teaches kids that it is okay to be afraid of things like the dark and that you can overcome your fears. This inspirational story is a great starting point for families and teachers when discussing concerns and what to do in a natural disaster.
Pages: 16 | ASIN : B07HYLRWN2
Dancing Deepa
Deepa is a fourth grader who loves to dance. One day the school announces there will be a talent show for anyone that wants to participate. Deepa is afraid that her style of dancing will not be received well and is afraid to show it because it is not like ballet or tap dancing. Deepa’s dance style is from India and is called Bharatanatyam. She is afraid that because she is different, people will not understand or make fun of her. So out of fear, she does not try out. On the day of the talent show, she is amazed by all the different things her classmates can do, and she regrets not sharing her style of dance with them. Her teacher realizes something is wrong, and together, they come up with a plan to share the beautiful dancing style of Bharatanatyam with the class.
Dancing Deepa, by author Suchi Sairam and illustrated by Vidya Vasudevan, is an educational and captivating picture book that is perfect for young children. Parents and teachers will love how different vocabulary words are explained and highlighted in the text. It is a motivational story about overcoming your fears of being different and sharing your culture.
This wonderful children’s book would be perfect for multicultural lessons in school and for lessons on different kinds of dance. The children in this well-written book all show acceptance and excitement when learning about Deepa’s dance style and culture. Dancing Deepa is a charming kids book that shows young readers how important it is to share their passion and culture with others.
Pages: 38 | ASIN : B0B2VC1GVP
My Mom has Superpowers
Lillian is a young girl that has a big secret; her Mom is a superhero. Or at least that is what she thinks. Her Mom seems to help her ace her test and help a neighbor find his lost dog without even leaving the house, and a patient at the hospital where she works gets well enough to go home! Lillian thinks this is some supernatural ability, but her Mom confides in her about her superpower. Lillian’s Mom prays. The power of prayer is what brings about the amazing things that happen around her.
My Mom has Superpowers by author Vera Harris is an inspirational picture book for kids and families to recognize the fantastic power prayer can have when people believe. This children’s book explains in simple terms that kids will be able to understand that prayer plays a vital role in self-confidence and helping those in need. It also highlights the need to serve others; Lillian’s Mom does not pray for things for herself; instead, she prays to help the people around her, which, in turn, brings her joy. Lillian’s Mom shows a true servant’s heart that Christian readers will recognize and appreciate.
This heartwarming story is illustrated by Ishika Sharma, the artwork is bright and engaging, and children will love following along page by page. Each illustration has depth and details that bring them to life, especially the praying hands; you can just envision the angels in the clouds receiving the prayers from below.
An additional resource at the end of this book is the included pages to write your own prayers on. This is the only thing I did not love about the book. Not all children that read this will have a mom, dad, or siblings, and having pages dedicated to those titles may be off-putting to some kids. Nevertheless, I love the idea of having a place to write your prayers; I just wish it had been generic.
My Mom has Superpowers is a beautifully written story about learning to pray and passing that superpower on to the next generation. This would make an excellent book for families and religious education classrooms to have to show the power of prayer in a way that kids can understand and appreciate.
Pages: 40 | ASIN : B0B5BD1WCJ
LITERARY TITAN 