Reviewed by Toni Woodruff

A friendly, uplifting children’s book about working together and looking out for each other

Peter the Pelican is having a great day. The weather is nice. The flying is good. The friends are… Wait.

Has anybody seen Kevin the Crab? Sammy the Sea Bass is wondering. So is Willie the Whale. So is Magnolia the Mermaid, Sherri the Shrimp, Octavius the Octopus, and a whole lot of other alliterative sea creatures.

In the last book, Sherri the Shrimp was the hero. A tiny friend on a brave adventure to start believing in herself. This time, it takes the whole gang to travel the ocean and save Kevin from the (kinda) scary situation. Kevin is stuck in a net, far off at the shipwreck in Pirate’s Cove. Sherri’s muscles aren’t enough this time, but lucky for all of them, they come together.

This series, just two books long, is already looking like a great addition to bedtime storytelling. The characters are fleshed out and funny to say and remember, and they carry this uplifting tone that guide the narrative. The alliterative characters all look out for each other, creating a real sense of community and friendship. Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day is a meaningful story that teaches you to work together with your friends to accomplish huge feats. It’s not Magnolia’s story exactly—it’s everyone’s.

Octavius the Octopus steals the show more than anyone in this story. He’s long and strong and wiggly and able to squeeze into tight spaces. If your kid doesn’t already love octopuses, they’re about to start. Willie the Whale is another standout. The ocean is a big place, but large creatures like whales can move across it quick enough to save the day. He’s a pretty sturdy anchor for their rescue operation too.

The illustrations of Magnolia the Mermaid… are light and buoyant and, despite the apparent danger Kevin is in, never set too scary a tone. Where book one used a purposefully scratchy, messy look, this one fits more uniformly into the illustrations on your Disney+ home screen. Nemo lovers will have a lot more friends after finding this series.

The language is smooth and playful, always easy to read. It sounds fun and playful without rhyming, acting as a good in-between pick for your kid who’s just getting out of board books. It’s a story you’ve probably heard before in multiple variations, so it’s helpful that the language is fun and the characters are easy to remember for your own storytelling.

Magnolia the Mermaid and the Gang Save the Day give you more of what you loved in the first book in the series while teaching a new lesson: work together with your friends to make the dream work. This is a great, ocean-exploring read-aloud pick for both librarians and parents.

Thank you for reading Toni Woodruff’s book review of Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day by George J. Linsenmeyer, III! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell

A surprising story about friendship, an evil frog, and the last mosquito on earth

The Kingdom That Never Existed is a classic princess-on-a-mission story with an unusual twist. Supercharged with fun rhymes, this book follows two girls on a quest to save the last mosquito on Earth.

When we open this story, Julia is living her everyday whimsical life in a magical kingdom, but then her father gifts her a most precious gift—the last mosquito in the world—and everything changes. It is a gift that she doesn’t expect but gladly accepts. Not only does she cherish the mosquito, she’s also enticed by the promise her dad makes. He tells her that if she can keep this precious gift safe, he’ll know that he can trust her. And he’ll buy her anything she wants!

With a unicorn on the brain, the princess attempts to keep this little bug safe, but evil is lurking around the corner in the form of an evil mosquito-killing frog. Princess Julia and her best friend Jessi set off to save their stolen mosquito keep it safe.

Luckily, the girls are up to the challenge. These nobles aren’t just sitting around waiting on other people to solve their problems. No army is sent out to retrieve the princess’s lost pet. The two girls team up and start to investigate this mystery, climbing trees, fighting off bad guys, and doing their best.

Their friendship is a true highlight in this story, as it exemplifies the power of working together to accomplish a common goal. Jessi, who is a very smart monkey, is the best counterpart to Princess Julia. Her intellect is always moving them forward to their goal, and she continues to be a great friend.

Stonecastle’s storytelling keeps things light, even in the tensest situations. You’ll be reading this cutely rhyming book with a smile on your face, I’m sure of it. I never thought I’d feel so invested in the wellbeing of a mosquito and an evil frog.

The villain, Queen Warticia Frogpee, is as evil as they come and also quite fashionably dressed. She mimics the evil queen from Snow White in some ways, while still showcasing her own unique evil abilities. The parallels to the story will feel familiar to readers, but the fun illustrations keep things light and not too scary, unlike how the evil queen can feel in Snow White. Sometimes the rhyming takes us to some unexpected, kind of random places, but we always return back to the story in the end.

The Kingdom That Never Existed is a great book for young readers who appreciate the silliness of the world as much as the power of friendship.

Thank you for reading Jaylynn Korrell’s book review of The Kingdom That Never Existed by Alicia Stonecastle! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell

A fun concoction of silly words and wild adventures through the Noodleverse

My mood was immediately lightened after reading The Zoodles Strike Back! You can’t possibly keep a straight face while reading this book of wonky characters and goofy language. 

Steven Joseph tells this funny story with meaningful lessons about doing the right thing even when it’s hard. Each page in Zoodles Strike Back is chock-full of noodle-inspired tongue twisters and rhymes. You’ll have a great time reading this laugh-out-loud book with your little jokesters and gigglers.

At the start of this story, the Zoodles are out for revenge. They failed to take all the noodles from Noodleham in the last book. Two young kids were given keys to the city after saving the day and all was well in the town. That is, until recently. 

Now, after his business begins to fail, a new villain emerges. When the son and daughter of the Groodle empire falls from grace, they think their reputations are soiled for good. They have no more wealth to spoil them, a bad reputation, and have made a dismal move to the other side of the tracks.

But everything changes when they hear of an evil plan pitched to their father by the villainous Evil Kadoodle from planet Zoodle! Now they have an opportunity to restore their family name and maybe save their world from a grool-filled existence. Zoodles Strike Back is a wacky ride, and the stakes are high.

The Groodleman children are put in a difficult situation. Should they warn their friends Briana and Ricky about the evil plan and their potential involvement in it? Not doing so will restore their family’s wealth and status, but telling the truth will keep the town’s water from become polluted with grool, and they could save the town from being brainwashed into Willy Nilly’s. It’s a sticky situation indeed, and I like that these two unlikable characters have such a decision to grapple with. They have a clear choice between good and evil, and their decision ends up affecting everyone around them. Joseph manages to effectively keep the mood light while demonstrating that it’s always a good idea to do the right thing.

Zoodles Strike Back is the kind of kid’s book that insists you let yourself be silly for a while. This feels nice in my hectic world of parenting and adult responsibilities. When read out loud, you’ll be forced to smile at the ridiculous words on the page. Joseph doesn’t hesitate to be over the top with his word choices—more is more when it comes to tongue twisters. Get ready to hear from characters named Whimpy Whiny Woodle and Frimpy Frumpy Froodle. Learn about inventions like the Prickly Peppered Purple Propulsion Powered Pickle. You’ll like spending time in the Noodleverse.

This is an easy recommendation for kids at the peak of their silly era. Just beware: you and your kid might just end it in a laughing fit.

Thank you for reading Jaylynn Korrell’s book review of The Zoodles Strike Back by Steven Joseph! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Toni Woodruff

Bright & intelligent—a kids science book about caring for this big, mostly blue planet

The earth is made up of 71% water. Phytoplankton are tiny ocean superheroes who feed blue whales and help us breathe. Starfish vacuum the floor, and octopuses have 9 brains. If you and your kid want to dive deep into marine science, there’s no resource more vibrant and fun-fact-filled than Wave Makers.

The book is narrated by a young girl who is lucky enough to sit in class with Dr. Sylvia Earle—an oceanographer, scientist, and explorer. The young girl is so inspired by the appearance and influence of Dr. Earle that she ventures off to the beach to experience the magic of the ocean herself and to help however she can.

“I call individuals who help WAVE MAKERS.”

The ocean is full of fascinating, inspiring, and shocking creatures. But Gabrielle Raymond McGee makes some great decisions with the ones she includes in this book. The phytoplankton might seem like an elevated concept at the start—I mean, look at that word!—but the concept is easy to grasp thanks to McGee’s surefire & friendly prose. And it’s absolutely amazing what these little plants do. 

The octopus section is about as fun as it gets! There’s nothing quite as visual as this stretchy, agile, flexible creature. It also doesn’t hurt that they’re so incredibly smart. It’s an easy task to get your kid interested in marine life after reading and seeing these amazing animals.

I could see this book as a kids’ science resource in your library for years to come. If you’re homeschooling and your 4-7 year old is being drawn toward the water, you’d better get your hands on this book. There is a ton of great marine science knowledge packed into these 40 pages.

Each page gets the most of its space. This means that not only are there enough colors and illustrations to focus on, but there are also often multiple short paragraphs. Sometimes this can feel like too much and like the book could have been a quicker read than it ends up being.

Full of awesome and interesting marine science, Wave Makers would make a top-notch addition to classroom and homeschool libraries. Reading it through might take a while each time, but having this book around as a resource will inspire kids to pursue projects related to the ocean—whether it be taking care of it or (scuba)diving deep into the incredible world going on beneath us. 

Thank you for reading Toni Woodruff’s book review of Wave Makers by Gabrielle Raymond McGee! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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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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Reviewed by Toni Woodruff

A tearjerker of companionship & pride

Kids’ books come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. Board books, picture books, rhyming books, not-rhyming ones; funny, informative, fables. Our kids are unique and smart and ready to explore topics their parents haven’t even thought of yet. 

When I’m picking out books for my kids, I want variety. Sometimes we want to learn, sometimes we want to laugh; other times, we should break new ground, widen the world, help them understand (or at least start to) how important certain things are to certain people. In the case of the orphans in the Bundu Bunch, the things that are most important are finding water nearby and owning their identity.

Every day Sipho, his sister Jabu, and their fellow orphan Monica have to walk far down the hill to get to the river, where they fill up their buckets and return them to their hut on the far side of the village. It’s a long trek under a scorching sun, and, unfortunately, they have to pass by groups of other kids who insult them. 

“Can a donkey write its name?”

When the kids return to their hut, their kind caretaker Aiyasha talks to them about the incident but relays what the orphans already know: it’s just too difficult to have a lesson at the end of their long, hot, arduous days. 

But this book is a story of success. 

One of the orphans, Jacob, adopts an injured mongoose as a pet and ventures over to a nearby mountain, only to discover a clean water source and a miraculous way to get back their hours spent trekking down the hill. Saving time means making time for something new—something to be proud about.

This is the type of book to clutch to your chest after reading. You’ll want to hug it (and them) after knowing all they’ve gone through and what they can still achieve in the face of it.  Sure it might be a quiet achievement to some, but how important is a name to those who feel like they have no control of their identity?

I appreciate the conversation this book inspires, but it is a conversation you should be prepared for. I don’t know how often you’ve spoken with your children about kids losing their parents to a disease like AIDS, but if you’re going to have a conversation about weighty material like that, you’re going to want to choose the right book. 

You’re going to want to choose this one.

The Bundu Bunch… also does a great job discussing how claiming community, even just a small group like the three of them, can bring people closer together. When Jabu decides that they will be called the Bundu bunch, it’s a random thought in the middle of a hot working day. It’s a revelation, saying, “This is not great! But at least we have each other.” I love the idea of my kid becoming part of their own bunch thanks to this book.

This story is replete with specifics that make the setting come alive. From un-translated Zulu words to native food like mealie pap, readers from the area will feel catered to while readers unfamiliar with the area will feel like they’re spending time in a real world adjacent to their own.

This kids’ book is about as impactful as it comes for those kids and parents ready to talk about loss, aloneness, togetherness, and the importance of claiming a name. 

Thank you for reading Toni Woodruff’s book review of The Bundu Bunch Get to Write Their Names by Allan Low! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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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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Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell

A one-eyed cat makes a huge impact on the lives of others, simply by being kind.

In his latest installment of the Tabitha Fink series, Rick Felty takes Tabitha on an experience through the wild wild west. The message behind the story, conjured up by Felty’s lighthearted sing-song writing style, will make children both glad to meet Tabitha & excited to dive into whatever she gets up to next. 

In a little western town, Tabitha Fink takes on the role of sheriff. There, with her deputy Bartholomew Blink, they keep order in a community that is known for their kindness to others. Each person there plays a special part in the town and helps each other out through their profession. The blacksmith, barber, and school teacher are just a few characters who have a special role in this story. 

When a lone outlaw comes strolling into town, they don’t know what to think. This stranger is unlike them, boasting his unfriendliness and his contentment on staying that way. It doesn’t take long for Tabitha Fink to offer her assistance, and after a few days of receiving help from the friendly people in the community, it seems this outlaw might just change his tune. 

Felty takes us through a range of emotions in Tabitha Fink and the Cowboy Code. This book succeeds in its message of being kind to others and illustrating the ripple effects it can have on all of us.The residents of the town offer their services to the outlaw willingly, teaching him new skills and assisting him with tasks he couldn’t complete on his own. With each act of service the outlaw’s new friends perform, the chip on his shoulder starts to disappear. I love how it showcases the benefits of being part of a community and how much better it feels to not be mean.

I also like how the book takes its time in arriving at the outlaw’s transformation. He becomes a little more open each time he makes a new friend, and that openness to change lightens his disposition noticeably. At just under 100 pages, I questioned if a children’s book should be so long, but by the time I finished, I felt reassured that the story worked well at its page count.

As the outlaw experiences these changes, his physical appearance also changes, which is wonderfully illustrated. Each page is illustrated with bright-eyed smiling characters, a big contrast to Ornery the Outlaw’s angry appearance. Over time, he loses his scruffy unkept look, begins to smile more, and just becomes an overall friendlier presence. He begins to match the faces of the other friendly townspeople (and animals) who come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. 

With the help of Tabitha Fink, Ornery the Outlaw not only becomes more open to being kind himself, he becomes remorseful of the way he’s treated his friends in the past. Creating positive relationships in this little western town shows him that he’s capable of being loved and accepting it, which gives him the idea that maybe his future isn’t set in stone and he can still right some of this wrongs. Felty does an excellent job of not rushing the process and showing that people don’t change right away. 

There are many lessons to be learned in this book, and Felty’s patient approach will allow children to get well-acquainted with Tabitha, a truly interesting and inspiring cat character.

Thank you for reading Jaylynn Korrell’s book review of Tabitha Fink and the Cowboy Code by Rick Felty! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Toni Woodruff

It’s rocket science! It’s brain surgery! It’s Snoodles in Space here to save the planet!

Sour Croodleman was a booming businessman once, responsible for providing fuel and energy to townspeople in the form of sauerkraut. 

But then his brother came along—Herbie Snoodleman—the man responsible for switching the source to noodles. Now the sky is always blue, the air is always clean, and the people are always happy.

This metaphor for clean fuel is a strong one, especially when the planet turns out to be at risk by aliens dead-set on vacuuming up the planet’s noodle resources. Who is it up to to save the day? The feuding innovators themselves: Sour Croodleman and Herbie Snoodleman. Along with their nephew and niece, they travel into space by way of a super-speed pickle in efforts to save their relationship, family, and maybe even the planet.

Snoodles in Space gives young readers interested in science and space a whole bunch of fodder for entertainment, laughs, and energy. The metaphor for clean energy gets me all sorts of excited at the prospect of talking about this with kids. Not only do we get to talk about something deeply important—taking care of our planet—but they can get giddy in the goofy names and wackadoodle plotline. It also gives me much hope and happiness that Sour and Herbie find ways to mend their issues in order to look out for the planet and their family. It’s a children’s story with heart, mind, and an abundance of powerful noodles.

The book is fairly long—about 60 pages—and there are quite a few characters too, so I’d slip this one past your very little ones and instead have your fun with 4-7 year olds. There are also a lot of words on each page, which can clutter up the art and lose some of its whimsy. While I like a long children’s book, this one doesn’t always seem necessary.

Snoodles in Space will definitely fill your child’s silliness quota (for the time being). That’s a big win in my book! Unafraid to talk DooDoo in space, this book pages is bursting with humor that kids will love, and it talks about an important, graspable topic that adults will appreciate. It may be a bit long, but that means there’s more time for you and your little pal to get goofy and learn a thing or two in the process.

Thank you for reading Toni Woodruff’s book review of Snoodles in Space by Steven Joseph! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell

A butterfly goes on an epic adventure to find the highest number, but he ends up discovering much more.

Pebbles wants to know more about numbers. After a day of counting the same tedious things in his surroundings, Pebbles goes flying to places near and far to ask other creatures what’s the biggest number that they know. 

To Pebbles’ surprise, there are bigger numbers than he ever imagined, and there are unique reasons why each creature knows that this number exists. Joey Benun has created a fun & unique learning experience with Pebbles. Kids are going to love this book. 

Pebbles and the Biggest Number is filled with interesting tidbits that both children and adults can learn from. I learned more than a few things about numbers and animals that I wasn’t previously aware of, like what comes after a trillion and beyond. It feels special to learn alongside a book made for children.

Benun goes above and beyond when it come to educating his readers. Each page is equipped with facts about animals and insects, about how many zeroes are in the number, about natural disasters and the environment, and so much more. While it can be a bit of information-overload depending on the reader’s age, Benun suggests that readers either read everything at once or save the fun facts (typically located on the right-hand-side of the pages) for the end. This could create a more digestible reading experience for younger readers.

Benun does an excellent job of creating realistic reasons for why each creature is aware of such a great number. For instance, a crab gets their highest-known number from the amount of grains of sand on the earth. A dolphin gets their largest number from the amount of cups there are in the oceans around the world. Benun incorporates interesting facts from different categories and ties them together in a way that will give readers a better chance of remembering it all. 

The pages in Pebbles and the Biggest Number are accompanied by bright illustrations featuring varying natural landscapes and animals. All of Pebbles’ newfound friends sport friendly smiles and bright eyes as they enthusiastically share the information they know. With each page taking us to a completely different location, no two illustrations are very much alike. The variety of gorgeous scenery will keep readers anxious to turn each page. 

Of all the things I liked about this book, Pebbles’ curiosity and the places it takes him could be the most memorable. Pebbles starts this journey off with a bit of curiosity, and when he follows it through, he’s taken on an adventure he never imagined possible. Not only does Pebbles learn bigger numbers, he also make friends and learn more about the world around him in the process. I loved watching his curiosity turn into a treasure trove of new information and experiences. 

Thank you for reading Jaylynn Korrell’s book review of Pebbles and the Biggest Number by Joey Benun! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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