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Second Chance (Baseball Buddies, 2)
by Aaron Derr
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction / Sports
ISBN: 9781643713922
Print Length: 160 pages
Publisher: Red Chair Press
Reviewed by Toni Woodruff
Pleasant and fun—a lighthearted story of baseball and teamwork
The Manatees are back! Thanks to Coach Joe and an unexpectedly excellent captain (newcomer Luis), this little league team has the best attitude around. They’re pretty good at baseball—which definitely helps!—but the reason the Manatees shine is because of their teamwork and the lack of pressure. Sure they want to win, but they want more than anything for their teammates to have a great time and do their best. And without that pressure, they end up hitting those homeruns, throwing those strikeouts, and winning some of those games.
In this second installment in the Baseball Buddies series, their number one attribute hits a snag. Two new kids—Ty and Savannah—have been kicked off of every other team in the league for their poor behavior, and Coach Joe thinks they might finally hit their stride on the team with the best sportsmanship in the league: the Manatees.
Only problem is—they might just be monsters from outer space. Luis wants to give them a shot, but even in their first practice, they’re being total downers. They bring tension and bad attitudes to make everybody flounder. It’s even clear to Coach Joe that these two are just not the right fit for this team. But they won’t be able to play in the league if they’re kicked off of their team—it’s their last chance. Coach Joe thinks they’re too troublesome to bring on board.
But Luis—the most kindhearted, good-natured captain you’ll find—thinks otherwise. Everybody deserves to play and have fun, even monsters from outer space. The Manatees have high hopes for this year, but they may not stand a chance if their team isn’t firing on all cylinders against superteams like the heavy-hitting Dragons. Ty and Savannah are good players; they could help. But will they?
Second Chance is a charming book about a dynamic group of goodhearted kids featuring plenty of great baseball gameplay. If you’ve got a baseball-loving young middle schooler at home, they’re going to love how much baseball is played in this series. And parents will love how it teaches them to manage their anger and tension while playing. It’s always such a pleasure to read a sports book that includes enough sports to keep young ballplayers happy.
Another thing your kid will love is just how easy and entertaining it is. We’re not venturing through a full season here; we’re going through a few important (and fun!) games while building that loving, caring community of a team in just an episode.
This is a story about not giving up and trying your best—even against the seemingly indomitable Hideki. We already love the Manatees. It’s so great that we have the chance to love the Dragons too. Hideki is a homerun-hitting beast on the other team. He should be the bad guy in this story. But in Second Chance, he’s a good one. He’s so skilled and strong, but he’s a kind kid too. He seems like an amazing player you’d be proud to wear the jersey of.
Ty and Savannah’s stories offer another glimpse into the human behind the players. It’s a great reminder for kids that those monsters from outer space are probably just people, struggling with whichever situation’s been handed them.
This book rules. Keep your“eyes up” for the next inevitably stellar installment.
Thank you for reading Toni Woodruff’s book review of Second Chance (Baseball Buddies, 2) by Aaron Derr! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.
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]]>by Toni Woodruff, Joe Walters, and Jaylynn Korrell
Kids’ books are like windows to a new world.
These little people are just trying to figure out this life on earth thing. They know only what they know, and we see why they know what they know, even how it differs or connects with our own understanding of the world.
That’s only one of the reasons why it’s so important to read kids’ books.
Sometimes it can be difficult to talk about certain subjects. Other times, they just never arise naturally enough for our little one to grow curious about it. Some books include topics we don’t even want to talk about to our kids yet, like death or brattiness, so which books are the ones you should get for your little one and the little ones around you?
This list includes picture books and board books, some suitable from ages 2-9. Some are nonfiction while others are about as fantastical as they come (I’m looking at you, Rainbow Goblins!).
If you’re looking to expand your little library or give an awesome kids’ book for your best friend’s baby shower, this list has you covered. And in true IBR fashion, they’re all indie books!
Here are 13 kids’ books that little ones love.
1. The Rainbow Goblins
Gorgeous paintings, creepy goblins, and a story of nature fighting back
Author: Ul de Rico
Subgenre: Fantasy & Magic
Print Length: 32 pages
ISBN: 9780500277591
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Recommended by: Joe Walters
Welcome to my absolute favorite purchase of 2024!
My daughter picked up The Rainbow Goblins in the Odyssey Bookstore in Ithaca, NY, and I was amazed with her quality control. And once you pick this thing up, you’ll see why.
The paintings are breathtaking, and it tells an oddly creepy (but not scary!) story about goblins who are trying to drink up all the colors of the rainbow until there’s nothing left. Everyone lives in fear of them, except for the Valley of the Rainbow. But when the goblins gather up their lassoes and set their sights on that, the roots of the trees and plants communicate to the nature around them that it’s time to fight back. And how!
Watch in absolutely gorgeous color as nature fights back against the rainbow goblins and ensures that rainbows are safe from their wrath once and for all.
It’s creative and long but not too long, and the pictures are a wonder to look at. A particularly good choice for book-loving, imaginative 3-year-olds all the way up to 9-year-olds.
–Joe Walters
2. My Father Once Told Me
Stellar! A Native Nations creation myth told with poetic language, magical illustrations, and love passed down
Author: Blas Telleria
Subgenre: Native American
Print Length: 54 pages
ISBN: 9798218417253
Recommended by: Joe Walters
Not often do I encounter kids’ books quite as beautiful as this one. I don’t want to exaggerate; don’t want to overdo it, make you think I’m being untrue for the sake of hyperbole. I just really want you and your kids to read this book.
It’s a creation story that’s passed down from father to son about how the Great Spirit reached into the nothing of the universe and turned it into a Something. A big blue ball that his children—the animals of the sky—are enamored of. Oh, please, please, can we go in?
Salmon and Whale are the first to dive into the unknown blue. They are followed by Eagle and Crow taking to the skies, Tortoise and Turtle carrying mud on their backs from the ocean to build land to stand on. Moose, Water Snake, Wolf, beyond—the animals play and form the land in ways that are natural to them. Who else but Water Snake would form the rivers; who else but Beaver would create lakes and waterfalls?
My Father Once Told Me is poetic but not in the sing-song way you’ve come to expect of children’s books. There are no rhymes here. But the story that the unnamed narrator father tells uses poetic techniques like repetition—“little” on the first page to contrast the one human against the big world—and personified language that floats through fire and air, up to sky, and moves stars around.
The illustrations are equally magical. The animals and the land are freely flowing, like fluid movements akin to moving water, and the trees rise high and tall. Imprints of the animals’ bodies are even long like the trees. The water and the land and the lifeforms all flow together in soft palettes and pleasing tones of blue and green. And on the off-chance it’s not blue or green, orange and reds pop in eye-catching, still-fluid contrasts.
ut this isn’t all. It’s also got a deep conversation going on about myth as history. This story is passed down like all important stories are. It’s a father talking to a son like his father talked to him. Kids can gain access—maybe with a little help from their mom or dad—to the understanding of how history works.
–Joe Walters
3. Fly High, Baby Dragon
A brave baby dragon and an encouraging yet patient mother star in Fly High, Baby Dragon—an easy choice for all-the-time reading.
Author: David Klochko
Subgenre: Dragons
Print Length: 26 pages
ISBN: 9798989991013
Recommended by: Toni Woodruff
Fly High, Baby Dragon checks all the boxes. It has a good story, good kids, good parenting, a good moral, great eye-popping illustrations, and, most importantly, it has actually captivated my little one. She wants to read it, and I’ll gladly open it again, knowing she’ll be learning about something relevant and encouraging while getting pulled in by the story.
A baby dragon emerges from his shell excited to learn that he will soon be able to fly. But not before a little practice and a lot of patience after flying doesn’t come easily. Baby Dragon jumps off a cliff and falls and kerplunks and splats. He’s frustrated—he wants to give up—but he’s got one cool mom on his side, cheering him on when he gets back up again and taking him away to give him space and distract him from the problem at hand. She’s wonderfully patient, dances with him, feeds him delicious, big-bellied breakfasts, and allows him to make the decision to get back out there. To keep trying.
Riding a bike. Steering a scooter. Jumping at the trampoline park. Climbing the rock wall at the playground. My kid experiences failure at first attempt all the time. All I’ve ever wanted to communicate with her is in this book. Yes, you’re going to fall. Yes, it hurts to get hurt. But also yes, it can be worth it if you keep trying. And yet at the same time, it’s not worth panicking over. If you’re not ready to conquer it, try something else. Dance, eat. But don’t be afraid to try again when you feel ready.
–Toni Woodruff
Need more space for kids’ books? Here are our favorite kids’ bookshelf ideas!
4. Alphabreaths
A calming, fun tool to teach young’ins the power of breathwork
Author: Christopher Willard
Subgenre: Mindfulness / Alphabet
Print Length: 32 pages
ISBN: 9781683641971
Publisher: Sounds True
Recommended by: Joe Walters
It’s easy to take breathing for granted. It comes naturally and happens without us even thinking about it. But what about our little ones?
Breathing is one of my favorite parenting techniques: showing my babies that I’m focusing on breathing while they’re crying. This book brings the physical activity of breathing to the forefront and makes an alphabet game out of it.
Open your arms like an alligator on the in-breath, snap those jaws shut on the exhale. Flap your wings like a butterfly and breathe your way around the room. Envision you’re blowing out your birthday cake.
A great book to start your day with, one or two or three breathing and imagination activities to remind us that we are here on this earth and capable of conquering anything as long as we just keep breathing.
–Joe Walters
5. A Very Chilling Mystery
A creative and fun story that tests the limits of our imagination
Author: Steve A. Erickson
Subgenre: Cooking & Food
Print Length: 52 pages
ISBN: 9781639882519
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Recommended by: Jaylynn Korrell
There’s a party going on in the fridge, and Erickson lets you in on it. It starts with an illustration of a little girl eyeing up the fridge from afar as the narrator invites us on a journey of confirmation that those delectables aren’t just lying around waiting to be enjoyed in there.
Soon we’re taken through the shelves as foods and beverages go about their daily business, which includes things like playing baseball with a carrot bat, potatoes watching tv on a meatloaf couch, and beets rocking out on a drum set. In fact they’re doing everything but the nothing most people assume, and it’s awesome!
The illustrations are what truly bring the book to life. As it takes place predominantly in the fridge, readers can look forward to a colorful display of fruits, vegetables, leftover dinners, and mysterious forgotten foods on each page. The illustrations are so inviting and professional but also look as if they’ve been done with crayon or colored pencil, giving them a youthful touch that matches the reading level perfectly.
Children will enjoy Erickson’s rhythm and rhyme style of storytelling while adults will appreciate some of the more detailed aspects of the vegetable characters, like the half and half who can’t make up their mind or the beet who plays in a band called “The Beets,” written in the same font as “The Beatles.”
–Jaylynn Korrell
6. Over and Under the Pond
Take a dip beneath the boat in this calming and informative book on aquatic life.
Author: Kate Messner
Subgenre: Nature
Print Length: 48 pages
ISBN: 9781452145426
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Recommended by: Toni Woodruff
Part of a wonderful series, Over and Under the Pond follows a boy and his mother as they kayak over the water and talk about the life going on underneath them.
Talking about frogs, turtles, fish, beavers and even the animals who visit the water to get their meals and wash up (like moose!), this book is a trove of helpful information for kids who like to kayak and swim in natural waters.
While it can be enjoyed by younger audiences like 3 year olds, it can stay relevant in your bookshelves for years to come, maybe even as old as 12. Since it follows a mom and her son, it gives your story-loving little one something to cling to as they learn the nature lessons of the book.
–Toni Woodruff
7. The Boogie Barn Band
A fun, instructive tale about the impact that music has on people
Author: William Nephew and Natalie Neal
Subgenre: Music & Instruments
Print Length: 28 pages
ISBN: 9798989779727
Recommended by: Jaylynn Korrell
To me, the best kids’ books are the ones that entertain and teach. The Boogie Barn Band does both. On top of that, it gives kids the opportunity to be vocal and active. It’s a positive, upbeat story about musical barn animals and how they bring their community together.
In the beginning, music beckons animals from all around town to a local farm. Soon the Boogie Barn has quite an audience on their hands—all excited to jam out.
To get the concert underway, readers are introduced to each member of the band and the instruments they play. Each character has their own flare, and they do a great job explaining the role they play and the sounds each instrument makes.
The vibe is upbeat, exciting, and fun, and it’s reflected well in vivid illustrations and an array of your kids’ favorite animals. The happiness exudes off each character so the positive experience can be had by all. You won’t be able to resist smiling after witnessing how much fun they’re having and the audience is having. Backed by a beautiful barn on a bright sunny day, this book seems the epitome of positivity.
The authors of The Boogie Barn Band do an excellent job of adding in informative bits about the technical pieces of each instrument as well as its role in the music-making process. The drummer of the band, Reggie the dog, is described as the one in charge of keeping the beat with his instrument. From guitar to piano to bass, we learn about how the instruments are played and are given examples of the sounds they make. It inspires an activity too—I can just imagine how many kids will be laughing as they try to sound out how the instruments are supposed to sound.
–Jaylynn Korrell
Celebrate your kids’ love of reading with some of the best gifts for kids who love to read.
8. Blink and Glow
A shining & bright kids’ book about the natural magic of real-life glowing animals
Author: Raven Howell & Ann Pilicer
Subgenre: Nature
Print Length: 36 pages
ISBN: 9781738219377
Publisher: Tielmour Press
Recommended by: Joe Walters
Leo and Lilly have show-and-tell at school tomorrow, and they want to have the best things to show off. And what better items than living ones!
Leo bottles up a firefly. While Lilly can’t catch her own, she spots another glowing creature—a salamander—near the pond! If you didn’t know that salamanders can glow in the dark, you do now.
But their light starts to diffuse the longer they’re kept in the jar. With the help of their grandmother, they learn that these animals, including the lunar moth flapping nearby, need to be free in order to shine their brightest light.
So while it feels special to have their own little bottled-up magic, they discover how important it is to let them live their own lives out in nature. Grandma keeps the fun going by showing them how they can make art inspired by these amazing critters. The book even lets you in on the fun by walking your kids through the steps of making their very own firefly suncatcher with tissue paper and a picture frame.
The art is lovely, natural, and magical. Parents who like to pair their books with art activities will relish what Blink and Glow has to offer.
–Joe Walters
9. Purple Ina
Myth, magic, culture, and color, Purple Ina is a sparkling gem of a picture book.
Author: Rafael Arzuaga
Subgenre: Fantasy / Culture
Print Length: 30 pages
ISBN: 9780692270516
Recommended by: Toni Woodruff
Ina lives on a beautiful purple island. It’s all she knows, until a fierce gust of wind sends her flying to new islands, all splashed in their own color. And along with the new colors, she meets new people, all appreciative of the way they do things on their island and sharing some of the magic with Ina before she takes off for the next.
Each page is clean with a minimal art, and yet there’s still so much beauty to look at. It entertains with just enough magic and fully-fleshed characters in a short amount of time. Experience a forever summer with Adonis on the pink island, shine bright at night with Light on the orange island, and play music with Esteban on a land draped in color.
It’s a subtle story of the lives of other people and other cultures, and it doesn’t state any morals overtly. Just shares the truth that there are other people and other places out there to love.
–Toni Woodruff
10. Ricky, the Rock That Couldn’t Roll
A caring, warmhearted book about supporting your friends no matter what obstacle stands in their way
Author: Mr. Jay
Subgenre: Rocks / Disabilities
Print Length: 28 pages
ISBN: 9780578198033
Recommended by: Joe Walters
I don’t know how you make being a rock look so fun, but this rhyming picture book does it in droves. Author Mr. Jay and illustrator Erin Wozniak team up to turn this group of rocks into personality-rich critical thinkers who see a friend being left out for the make-up of his body and do something about it.
While all his friends are rolling up and down a hill, Ricky can’t join in on the fun because one of his sides is flat. I absolutely love the parallels being discussed in this book of a rock and kids with disabilities of any kind.
This book is a stellar introduction to showing kids what they can do to help their friends, and it’s a warmhearted reminder to those with disabilities that people care about them and that they can achieve their goals.
–Joe Walters
Surprise your kids’ teachers with this handy list of great gifts for English teachers.
11. Immune Heroes
An entertaining, useful book to help kids learn about cuts, scrapes, and the healing process
Author: Namita Gandhi, PhD
Subgenre: Science
Print Length: 36 pages
ISBN: 9781917095211
Recommended by: Jaylynn Korrell
In Immune Heroes, siblings Mayu and Nimi are out riding bikes and enjoying the day when Mayu suddenly hits a rock and tumbles to the ground. His sister runs to comfort him while reminding him that the pain he’s currently feeling is a good thing, as it signifies the beginning of the healing process. And the beginning of the healing process couldn’t be cooler than the way that Gandhi tells it.
This book packs in a lot of action in its 30 or so pages, as the process of healing isn’t always completed on the first try. Bacteria find their way in despite the tacky platelets creating a protective seal. Macrophages are called in to devour said bacteria as new intruders find other ways to wreak havoc. Gandhi’s story transforms healing into an epic battle that is sure to entertain.
Parents who want to introduce big concepts like immunology to their kids in a way that they’ll understand will love this book. Gandhi writes about the experience in such a fun way that kids may not even realize they’re being taught a valuable, relatable science lesson. She explains things in an accessible way and pairs the prose with beautiful graphics that will keep little eyes glued to the page. I loved watching each new group of characters rush to the scene whether it be to attack or defend Mayu’s wound.
–Jaylynn Korrell
12. Baby Loves Science (The Five Senses)
5 brightly colored, easy to understand kids’ science books in one neat package
Author: Ruth Spiro
Genre: Board Books / Science
Print Length: 110 pages
ISBN: 9781632890580
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing
Recommended by: Toni Woodruff
Bombarding your kids with fun stories is a good thing. But no children’s library is complete without this resourceful & relevant 5-book series.
The five senses—hearing, sight, smell, touch, and taste—are a wonderful kid-friendly science topic. Not only can they count the senses on one tiny hand, but they have experience with each of them, whether they’re equipped with it or not.
This series does an excellent job of including those kids without the ability to see or hear in addition to discussing the science of how each of them work. From tiny molecules to their big, developing brains, this series could stick with your little one for years. Even by the time they hit school-age, they’ll be able to return to these educational resources in their bookshelf.
–Toni Woodruff
13. Hummingbird
A touching little story of familial connection over the wonder of hummingbirds
Author: Nicola Davies
Genre: Picture Book / Birds
Print Length: 32 pages
ISBN: 9781536205381
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Recommended by: Toni Woodruff
Any parent in love with the beauty and magic of hummingbirds will adore this children’s book. The lush green, natural surroundings of each page make for an eye-popping viewing experience, but it’s the sheer number of unique hummingbirds flying around that make it stand out most.
It’s about a young girl who hand-feeds hummingbirds with her grandmother in Central America, but she soon departs for New York City. And while she believes she leaves the magnificent little creatures behind, Granny tells her to keep an eye out. That they travel north too. Maybe even to Central Park for the very first time.
Hummingbirds emit a special type of magic. Bring the wonderment to your bookshelf with this gorgeously illustrated, moving story of connecting through generations by way of these amazing migratory birds.
–Toni Woodruff
What are your favorite kids’ books of all time? Let us know in the comments!
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Trixie the Three-Legged Deer
by Jeffrey Lebowski
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
ISBN: 9798989489701
Print Length: 36 pages
Reviewed by Toni Woodruff
Brightly shining and filled with love—a beautifully illustrated children’s book about an inspirational three-legged mama deer
In most cases, a children’s book is only as good as its illustrations. The text is important, sure. We need to be reading to our children, telling them stories, teaching them things, but to foster their reading comprehension, we also need to get our children matching up some words with images on the page. But the illustrations have to captivate in order to catch and keep our little ones’ attention.
Luckily, Trixie the Three-Legged Deer is filled with vibrant colors and artful nature scenes that will engage anyone. This book’s art is beautiful.
The story is about Trixie, a three-legged deer living in the magical Forest of Whispers. She’s got squirrel friends and butterfly friends and rabbit friends and passes the time with stories and food until she finds a tiny, orphaned fawn lost in the forest. She takes her in, calls her Meadow, and proves to her that anyone is capable of overcoming adversity, whether it is being orphaned or thriving with only three legs.
As the seasons change, Trixie and Meadow seek food, shelter, friendship, and surprisingly, even venture into the city.
My little one has asked to read Trixie nearly every day since we got it. The gorgeous illustrations definitely play a part in her wanting to snuggle up close with me to hear this adventurous story. But it’s also got such a great backbone in being about courage and love, an inspirational message rooted in the power of togetherness.
The book goes in some surprising places, and it also has some surprising lines. The surprises are nice, but at times they can feel like they don’t always fit the story we’re hearing, like when they inspire their fellow critters for being courageous even though they’re kind of just doing their own thing. The venture into the city is unexpected and welcome, but making human friends with a family is another piece that feels out of place.
The book is a little lengthy, but since the art is so nice, my toddler and I gladly ventured through the whole story more than a few times. Trixie’s having three legs doesn’t play too big a role in the plot, but perhaps that’s because Trixie doesn’t let that define her—a great attribute to this colorful nature-based story.
This would be a great pick for those who enjoy reading to their kids about wildlife, disabilities, and building community.
Thank you for reading Toni Woodruff’s book review of Trixie the Three-Legged Deer by Jeffrey Lebowski! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.
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A Kite for Melia
by Samuel Narh and Freda Narh
Genre: Children’s Picture Books
ISBN: 9781734789706
Print Length: 32 pages
Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell
An uplifting tale of a young girl who won’t take no for an answer
There are plenty of ways to teach kids about perseverance but none quite as effective as a beautifully illustrated story. A Kite for Melia is just that. In it, a young girl is given the task of creating something brand new with little to no help, and her experience is one that most kids will end up having in one way or another. With beautiful illustrations and a simple but heartwarming story, A Kite for Melia is a book that kids will enjoy learning from.
Melia is a spirited child sitting on the sidelines of life but ready to get back in the game. After reminiscing about the good times she had with her dog Ginger, she works up the courage to ask to play with the older children and their kites. Unfortunately, their response isn’t what she was hoping for.
Rather than be discouraged, she decides to take their unfriendly advice and make her own kite despite not knowing how to and not knowing anyone who can teach her. This begins her journey of making something that she can be proud of as she copes with the loss of her beloved dog and the sting of not being included.
Perseverance is the major takeaway from A Kite for Melia, and it’s a lesson that shows up in a few ways. Not only does Melia have to figure out a way to not be discouraged by her lack of kite-making skills, she also has to overcome the feelings of sadness from being turned away by potential friends. There are numerous roadblocks that Melia encounters throughout this story, and each one would be an understandable reason to move on and find another activity to partake in. I love that she just keeps pushing through. After each setback, she moves closer and closer to achieving her goals and even closer to finding that joy she had with her dog.
I love how this book addresses grief. Losing an animal can be a tough experience for children, but finding ways to remember them and remain joyful are lessons we can all benefit from. The authors (Samuel & Freda Narh) do a magnificent job of incorporating grief into a story that doesn’t focus solely on the subject.
The cover of A Kite for Melia immediately captured my interest and would make it stand out among the other kids’ books in a bookstore. Luckily, the cover is just the beginning of what turns out to be some of the most beautiful children’s book illustrations I’ve ever seen. The illustrator, Valeria Suria, uses a wide range of colors and soft tones to help tell the story of Melia and her kite. The characters are wide-eyed and expressive but it’s her visual depictions of nature that gripped me most. Fireflies in a nighttime sky, tall baobab trees, and friendly animals grace the pages of this book and incorporate a wonderful natural element to this story. The images are what made me go back to the beginning and start again after finishing it.
Thank you for reading Jaylynn Korrell’s book review of A Kite for Melia by Samuel Narh and Freda Narh! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.
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Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea
by Miki Taylor
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
ISBN: 9781998816958
Print Length: 46 pages
Reviewed by Toni Woodruff
A gorgeously illustrated, animal-friendly kids book for those with furry best friends
Betty has two best friends—Bentley the dog & Mr. Bee the Bumblebee—but on this sunny day, she isn’t feeling much up to playing. She has a project she has to complete, and it’s all she can think about. If she doesn’t take pictures of her friends having fun, she won’t be able to complete it.
Luckily, Bentley is right there to offer the most obvious and fun-filled solution that’s been sitting there waiting for her all along. Bentley poses for a picture first, jumping up and down and singing, “Pick me, pick me! It’s easy peasy! Just pose and grin a little cheesy!”
And after that, they’re off to the races! After snapping Bentley & Mr. Bee’s cheesy photos, they take a little adventure to see all of their favorite animal friends in the area—up to 19 more!—and snap pictures of them having fun. The only caveat here is that Betty & Bentley must keep an eye out for each specific animal’s predators lurking in the background (like birds & sharks & cheetahs) to make sure their friends are safe. Including the predators is a great way to teach little ones about the circle of life and which predators seek out which prey in the natural world.
In addition to being a smiley picture book filled with vibrant colors and gorgeous illustrations, the book also employs a few different seek-and-find games. Readers are encouraged to find a cardinal (which isn’t too easy to find!) and then to share their favorite memory with a grandparent because of the idea that cardinals show up in your life as loved ones watching over you. Some hide-and-seek games in picture books can get a little easy and on the nose, so it’s refreshing that the cardinal and the African violet (the other seek-and-find object) end up being pretty hard to find. I had to flip through the book a second time to see where they appeared instead of the first go-round!
What stands out most in Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea has got to be these illustrations! The book’s illustrator, Eunhye Shin, brings such bouncy, colorful, and friendly characters to life. Each page is filled to the brim with memorable animals and settings. It will make for a fun reading experience for the little ones who are expanding their knowledge of animals. With 21 of them, your child has a lot of opportunities to learn about the different animals, their predators, their appearances, and maybe even their musical prowess. I’m looking at you, drumming meerkat!
This is a fun kids book with a lot to look at and learn. It is fairly simple, with each page differing largely from illustrations and the alliterative names given to the characters, but most pages do read fairly similarly, as Betty & the crew mostly just have the characters say the “grin a little cheesy” line before moving on to the next one. While I longed for a bit more adventure and variety on each page, I still found it a cute way to spend time with my two-year-old.
Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea would be a gorgeous addition to any child’s bookshelf, especially those with animal best friends.
Thank you for reading Toni Woodruff’s book review of Bentley’s Fantabulous Idea by Miki Taylor! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.
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]]>The post Book Review – The Antidotes: Pollution Solution appeared first on Independent Book Review.
]]>Reviewed by Andrea Marks-Joseph
Five determined kids become secret public health detectives, helping local scientists to save their community from contaminated water.
This story is educational, empowering, and easy to understand. The scientific knowledge shared feels accessible, and the messaging behind the science—the need to eliminate plastic and hold corporations accountable for their toxic waste—will motivate readers of any age.
Author Dr. Patty Mechael does a fantastic job of showing that children are capable of helping in serious situations. The Antidotes: Pollution Solution shows how we can benefit from including children, and learning from their perspective, even in situations that require specialized skills. The group of young scientists in this book follow the same steps as the official adults in charge of research, using their youthful initiative and innovative ideas to bring the study to life—and to save lives.
This book switches between the perspective of five classmates who have very different home lives, but who are connected through the school they attend, and through the devastating COVID-19 pandemic which they all recently experienced. When we meet them, they’ve just returned to classes on campus. Not everyone in their lives made it through, though.
Each child has suffered losses that weigh them down and have changed their lives forever: Grandparents have died, parents have divorced, one child lost a father and grandmother to COVID-19. They share the truth of this loss and ever-present ache with us, the readers, but mostly struggle to articulate it to each other in person.
Some of these kids have been best friends for years, while others are newer to the group. This dynamic—and the complex situation they face—keeps the conversation interesting and creates room for the characters to grow. As these five children work together on a secret project to understand and solve the problem of their local water making people (children specifically) very sick, the group decides to call themselves The Antidotes.
We’re introduced to the multi-cultural Antidotes cast through alternative points of view as the story progresses: Izi is Japanese, Olu is Nigerian, and Gir’s parents are Danish and Egyptian. Gir’s dad is a marine biologist studying how plastic is destroying life in their local bay, and his mom is a professor of public health. Leo’s been Gir’s best friend since first grade. Olu is the class social media star. Their parents are all wonderful, and trying their best to demonstrate love and raise responsible children in a challenging situation. I particularly enjoyed the firm, pragmatic way Gir’s mother made sure to rectify the “gender bias situation” of his feeling threatened by Izi once he realized she is smarter and faster at solving science problems than he is.
Izi, who lost her grandmother and father during the pandemic, found herself too uncomfortable to speak in class once they returned to in-person schedules. She felt lost and unsure of how to make friends again, spending most afternoons alone at home with only the company of 24-hour TV news reporters for comfort. Izi shares many vibrant memories with the reader from before things turned upside down with COVID-19—one of them a mysterious secret identity that could help strengthen the group’s project. But before she call tell her fellow Antidotes, she must rebuild the courage she lost in the period of isolation.
The last to join The Antidotes is Suzie, the class bully, whose dad is the big boss of a corporation that is shamelessly polluting the environment. She’s obnoxious and rude and insistent that her dad couldn’t be in the wrong, despite the facts her classmates present. The Antidotes struggle with how to talk to her, when to avoid her, and when it’s best to include her to mitigate potential drama caused by her overreacting to being left out.
There is a lot of pain and hesitance held within these kids’ hearts. As someone who didn’t interact with kids their age (they’re ten-years-old and in fifth grade) during the pandemic, it broke my heart and opened my eyes to the depth of their trauma. I feel enlightened and saddened by how the repercussions of what they’ve been through will echo into their daily lives for years to come. I’d recommend this book to anyone who knows and loves kids around this age for its tremendous authentic representation of their emotions and struggles alone, but it is so much more than that.
One of the most difficult points of the story is when the water begins to make children so sick that they are hospitalized (one of their group is hospitalized, and a student from their school even dies from it). The Antidotes, their teachers, and their parents collectively panic that “It’s happening all over again.” The children are consistently worried—terrified, really—that the situation may escalate to COVID-19 pandemic levels, and are frequently told that it’s not their concern.
“But it is our concern if it’s going to affect us,” Gir says.
At times, this is a very difficult and disheartening read, but it’s rooted in the powerful, hopeful idea that if good people can work together, it’s possible to save the world. “I can’t be s-s-s-stuck in my house with my sisters with another year!” Leo shouts, “I bet you every kid on the planet would help if they knew something like this was going on again.” Then he builds an online video game to inform and engage kids all over the world about the plastic problem contaminating their water.
The Antidotes’ fierce fight for public health, and determination to prevent another debilitating pandemic is deeply inspiring and often made me tear up. Their behavior is reflected in the author’s dedication: “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world.” They learn to cooperate, and understand the logistics of scientific experiments, but they’re still kids. The moment that conveys this best is when Gir notices that there’s something wrong in the local bay because it’s started to smell strange: “It smells especially bad today,” Gir tells us, “like the time Leo and I had a farting contest and made my bedroom stink for a month. I won, of course.”
The Antidotes: Pollution Solution is an informative, inspirational story that would suit readers of any age who can empathize with the difficulties that kids have faced since being reintroduced into classrooms after the isolation of COVID-19 quarantine. It would also serve as a comfort for children to see they aren’t alone in the struggle to get back to a routine from pre-pandemic life. (I’d suggest parents of anxious kids read ahead, because the water toxicity illness scenes could be triggering for certain people.)
This story will invigorate a fascination with testing water quality and a protective, anti-pollution, plastic-free stance in all readers. I encourage parents to buy some water-testing kits and create a bonding moment out of the passionate environmental scientist this story is sure to bring out in your kids.
Publisher: Bold Story Press
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction / Environment
Print Length: 242 pages
ISBN: 978-1954805248
Thank you for reading Andrea Marks-Joseph’s book review of The Antidotes: Pollution Solution by Patty Mechael! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.
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]]>The post Book Review: A Very Chilling Mystery appeared first on Independent Book Review.
]]>Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell
A creative and fun story that tests the limits of our imagination
What goes on in your refrigerator after you close it?
As an adult, I can say that it’s crossed my mind a few times throughout my life. This is why I was so pleased to pick up Steve A. Erickson’s new children’s book A Very Chilling Mystery.
In it, he pairs vivid and fun illustrations with a captivating take on what goes on behind the scenes in your fridge, and it’s nothing like you’d expect.
There’s a party going on in the fridge, and Erickson lets you in on it. It starts with an illustration of a little girl eyeing up the fridge from afar as the narrator invites us on a journey of confirmation that those delectables aren’t just lying around waiting to be enjoyed in there.
Soon we’re taken through the shelves as foods and beverages go about their daily business, which includes things like playing baseball with a carrot bat, potatoes watching tv on a meatloaf couch, and beets rocking out on a drum set. In fact they’re doing everything but the nothing most people assume, and it’s awesome!
One of the coolest aspects of this book is that not only did Erickson write it, he also illustrated it. And the illustrations are what truly bring the book to life. As it takes place predominantly in the fridge, readers can look forward to a colorful display of fruits, vegetables, leftover dinners, and mysterious forgotten foods on each page. The illustrations are so inviting and professional but also look as if they’ve been done with crayon or colored pencil, giving them a youthful touch that matches the reading level perfectly.
Children will enjoy Erickson’s rhythm and rhyme style of storytelling while adults will appreciate some of the more detailed aspects of the vegetable characters, like the half and half who can’t make up their mind or the beet who plays in a band called “The Beets,” written in the same font as “The Beetles.”
I loved this story for many reasons, one being that I think it will spark an imaginative flame in young readers. If they’ve never considered what happens behind this closed door before, they definitely will now. They may even begin to question what goes on behind others and make up creative stories of their own to support their ideas. I’d recommend this book to most children and families who read together. I know I’ll be reading it to my own.
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Genre: Children’s Books / Cooking & Food
Print Length: 52 pages
ISBN: 978-1639882519
Thank you for reading Jaylynn Korrell’s book review of A Very Chilling Mystery by Steve A. Erickson! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.
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]]>The post Book Review | Winter and George: A Path Across the Sea appeared first on Independent Book Review.
]]>Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell
An exciting story of two siblings adventuring into the unknown
The first installment of the Winter and Georgeseries, A Path Across the Sea introduces us to a dynamic sibling duo. This inviting story features two children who burst out of their comfort zones and get rewarded in a major way. Author Natasha Nelson takes us on an adventure that children will be sure to remember.
Looking out at the skyline from the pier, Winter and George have no idea where their imagination can really take them. But as the sun sets and the moon begins to rise, they are presented an opportunity that they just can’t pass up.
With a little bit of convincing, Winter is ready to follow George down a moonlit path across the ocean and into an adventure that includes conquering fears, meeting new friends, and blossoming sibling bonds.
The relationship between the two siblings Winter and George will be a highlight for any parents with multiple children. These two siblings take turns leaning on each other to overcome the fears of their new experiences, promoting sibling trust and bonding in a positive way.
While the siblings help each other in many ways, they also are a good example of how conquering personal fears can sometimes have some really positive results. One instance of this is when Winter is afraid to follow the path that was magically laid out before them across the ocean. Not long after stepping on the path with eyes shut does she find the courage to open them. She then finds that the path is lined with moon blossom flowers, a sight that opens up new images and smells that she soon finds out she loves. George doesn’t exactly have the same reaction, which illustrates how they can have different interests and still have fun on the same journey. There are a lot of helpful lessons hidden within this story.
While the first few pages draw readers in with a tranquil illustrated scene with faceless characters and a beautiful ocean view, we’re soon introduced to two wonky and bright eyed children. The book gets sillier and sillier from there as we meet a giant baby squid who, wanting to be friendly, guides them from the sea to the stars. Each page features beautiful deep blue and purple tones are a gorgeous backdrop for the story.
Children will love the bright pictures, fun characters, and overall idea of this book. It beckons the imagination to open wide while remaining silly and fun. I feel confident that readers of A Path Across the Sea will be invested in finding out what happens in the next book of this series.
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Genre: Children’s Books / Imagination
Print Length: 40 pages
ISBN: 978-1639882359
Thank you for reading Jaylynn Korrell’s book review of Winter and George: A Path Across the Sea by Natasha Nelson! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.
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