Book Review: Narwhal's Otter Friend: A Narwhal and Jelly Book

A new Narwhal and Jelly book! My 10 year old son was very excited. He really has enjoyed this series.

It's cute, and silly. I like how it has a few facts about otters and jellyfish. And that they talk about jealousy in friendships. If your BFF makes a new friend, how does that make you feel?

My son said it was great, but too short. I think he's starting to get a little too old for these. Very cute read, perfect for the younger crowd.

Reviewing Children's Fiction

This is a Taco! 
written by: Andrew Cangelose
drawn by:Josh Shipley 

**Thank you NetGalley for this copy.**

This was a tickle! My son, Ivan, said yeah and he read it. His only complaint was that the digital edition was lagging. That has nothing to do with the book, but my tablet.

It's a funny story built around a few squirrel facts. The  squirrels name is Taco because he loves Tacos. When the author talks about hawks, Taco steps in and takes control of his story. This is a little one picture book, and your kids will just love it!

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Brina and the Gang of the Feline Sun
by Giorgio Salati & Christian Cornia

**Thank you NetGalley for this copy.**This is a pretty easy to read graphic novel. Again, Ivan was game to try this one as he is an avid cat person.

This family goes on vacation and when their cat starts throwing a tizzy about being inside, they let it out. That annoyed me, because who is the human here??? They were worried about her escaping, and guess what happens?

Brina got a taste of freedom and she went with it. But it is up to her to figure out who her real friends are.

There is one crazy moment where the leader talks about how he came to be injured. He was taken from his boy and put in a bag and thrown in the river. It really made Ivan angry, he told me he will NEVER forgive that man. So, that was a little rough for him to read through. The thing is, that stuff happens. So, not that wasn't a happy moment, and there's another crazy moment, so don't go with real young kids on this one.

But other than that. You know what? Honestly, those humans drove me nuts, I didn't like the one cat, but I still read it all the way through and enjoyed myself. So, it is a good enough story.

This week in graphic novels #3

**I received digital copies from NetGalley in exchange for honest reviews.**

Andrew Matthews & Tony Ross

4 tales from Shakespeare written out for kids. I like how it has pictures, gives the cast and a quote from the original play. Then it tells the story and finishes up with an explanation of what just happened and some history of Shakespeare and the play.

I liked it. Henry V, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice and Hamlet. I have only read Hamlet before this. I enjoyed the little snippets and kind of wish they'd do this for adults and have the whole play there.

That being said, I think it falls short with the intended audience. It's supposed to be for kids, but my 11 year old didn't like it. He sat through Henry V, I think only because there was a battle going on. But he completely zoned out during A Midsummer Night's Dream and didn't want anything more to do with the book.

I finished it pretty fast. It might be OK for some kids, but the rough and rowdy boys, nope. I really thought he'd like it, he loves fantasy and some classics. 

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Imagine my delight! Not only was this a parody of the If you Give a Mouse a Cookie books, but it's by that same author!!! To be fair, I wasn't looking that closely and I'm not great with remembering names.

It goes along the same line, but it's totally written for wives. "If you give a man a cookies, he'll ask for a glass of milk to go with it...God forbid he should get it himself!" 

As a mom who has read all of her books a million times each, and a wife...I just about died laughing. My husband chuckled and my kids didn't think it was funny at all. But me, Mom, I laughed and laughed and then read it a few more times.

Book Reviews: The Little Red Wolf and Taproot

**I borrowed a digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Before you think highly of me, I did not read this in french. In English it is called "The Little Red Wolf" and it's a take on Little Red Riding Hood by Amélie Fléchais.

The little wolf has an old grandmother through the woods, and he is tasked with bringing her a bunny to eat. When Wolf finds himself lost and has eaten the bunny, he is scared of being in trouble. A little girl comes and offers to help Wolf get another bunny.

There is a story the girl sings, about a woman and the village guard who falls in love with her. I would say this is more a storybook than a graphic novel. While the artwork is beautiful, you should read it first before reading it to your child.

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Review: Little Miss Bronte Jane Eyre and Little Master Carroll Alice in Wonderland

by: Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver

Little Miss Bronte Jane Eyre - Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Little Master Carroll Alice in Wonderland - Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
With the perennial popularity of classic writers like Charlotte Bronte and Lewis Carroll, Baby Lit is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish design and illustrations by Sugar's Alison Oliver, Little Miss Bronte and Little Master Carroll are a must for every savvy parent's nursery library.

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Prepare for the gush. Look at those covers, the entire books are like that. I love reading picture books with my boys, but you rarely find something that tickles your own personal style so much. Alice in Wonderland is a color primer, with the colorful characters and colors on every page. Though the blue catepillar is not really "blue" and the orange cat with the pink background is hard to see. But the pictures are so cute, and Ivan adores it. He even gets it, the 2 I thought would be difficult he nailed the first try.

Little Miss Bronte Jane Eyre has this baby-goth thing going on. I fell in love! I have got to give Bronte another chance. I have lumped her in with Jane Austen...perhaps that isn't fair. Jane Eyre is a counting primer. It has the number and then the item being counted. On the other side is a gorgeous picture. "1 GOVERNESS" AND "6 CHALKBOARDS" up to 10. The chalkboards have some lessons written on them. At 10 there are books numbered 1 through 10, Gulliver's Travels is the only title...I wonder if that classic was mentioned within Jane Eyre. I'd have to look up when each was written.

So, get these for your baby? They won't teach your kids to love the great classics, but they will be educational and eye catching just the same. Your little ones will enjoy them. Just ask Ivan, who is pulling me away from the computer as I type begging me to read them again, which I am now going to do!

Up Cat and Up Dog

by: Hazel Hutchins and illustrated by Fanny

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble



Synopsis:
Up Cat
You'd be surprised at what a cat gets up to all day!

A cat can get tangled up in all kinds of fun and mischief between wake-up time and nap time. Follow along with the playful text as Cat laps up milk, messes up the house, gets up to no good, stands up to a visiting dog, and finally curls up for a nap in the sun.

The expressive, energetic illustrations against simple backgrounds mirror the spare but rhythmic text that teaches about "up" actions while leading the reader through a day in the life of a cat.

Together with Up Dog, this board book will soon be a favorite of toddlers and preschoolers who adore animals.

Up Dog
A little dog can get up to big things!

Uh-oh! Look out, house! This little dog is very busy cheerfully digging up and chewing up everything in sight. It's a sad little dog who's locked up in the pen while the house and garden are tidied up. But all is not lost, as he's cautiously welcomed back up the steps and into the house to snuggle up at the end of the day.

Readers will have fun watching the antics of this little dog, and interpreting the animated facial expressions that range from determination and dejection to joy. While readers follow the dog from bad to good in rhythmic two- or three-word panels, they'll also learn how to use "up" phrases.

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I requested this from the publisher at a new website for reviewers - Net Galley...seriously great website for anyone looking to do book reviews.

So onto the books. It's a board book for toddlers, but I am reviewing an e-copy. Full disclosure, right? Well I think the artwork is adorable and the words are easy to get through. In fact, I'm going to make my 6 year old work on reading them. Lots of "UP" usage.

Toddlers will love it, and probably up to the age of 4. Ivan (age 3) sat while I read them, Christopher (age 6) leaned in to listen and look at the pictures. In fact, Ivan wants me to read them again. He keeps seeing the picture as I'm writing this, so I bid you adieu.