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Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated The Cycling Wangdoos in Books
Jun 18, 2018
The Cycling Wangdoos by Kelly Pulley is a beautifully illustrated story about the value of teamwork. The rhyming is tastefully done. I read this book to my students ages 7-12. They really liked this book.
The Wangdoos learn about the importance of teamwork the hard way. Throughout the story the Wangdoos learn that each person has to do their part to keep the bike and success going. The message of the story is evident, which causes young readers to think about the overall message.
This book teaches a great lesson, that no matter how small one contributes to the group as a whole-the group is only as strong as its weakest member. Kids will appreciate the careful, fun illustrations. When one is part of a team, one has to do one’s part no matter what. The rhyming text will surely hold the attention of children and is perfect for reading out loud. I would love to add this book to my classroom library.
I give this book 5/5 stars
Thank you to Schiffer Publishing Ltd. and Shaffer Kids via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of The Cycling Wangdoos.
The Wangdoos learn about the importance of teamwork the hard way. Throughout the story the Wangdoos learn that each person has to do their part to keep the bike and success going. The message of the story is evident, which causes young readers to think about the overall message.
This book teaches a great lesson, that no matter how small one contributes to the group as a whole-the group is only as strong as its weakest member. Kids will appreciate the careful, fun illustrations. When one is part of a team, one has to do one’s part no matter what. The rhyming text will surely hold the attention of children and is perfect for reading out loud. I would love to add this book to my classroom library.
I give this book 5/5 stars
Thank you to Schiffer Publishing Ltd. and Shaffer Kids via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of The Cycling Wangdoos.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated Trail Blazers: An Illustrated Guide to the Women Who Explored the World in Books
Jun 18, 2018
Trail Blazers: An Illustrated Guide to the Women Who Explored the World by Lisa Graves is a picture book full of famous women explorers. I found it interesting and educational. There’s not a great amount of information, but what’s here is enough to give a sense of these women’s accomplishments, as well as their determination, in just enough detail to whet the reader’s curiosity.
Graves introduces readers to thirteen women who were influential explorers. Each woman gets one spread with a column about their life and most famous accomplishments. Further textboxes on the spread highlight major accomplishments, places travelled, etc. Some of these women are well known names, like Nellie Bly, Amelia Earhart, and Sacagewa, others are not so well known like Ida Laura Pfeiffer, Harriet Chalmers Adams, and Gertrude Bell. They explored any time between the mid 1700s to mid 1900s, used different methods of transportation, explored different areas of the world, but all were intrepid adventurers and left their marks in society, literature, science, archeology, geography, and more.
I received an ARC from Xist Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Graves introduces readers to thirteen women who were influential explorers. Each woman gets one spread with a column about their life and most famous accomplishments. Further textboxes on the spread highlight major accomplishments, places travelled, etc. Some of these women are well known names, like Nellie Bly, Amelia Earhart, and Sacagewa, others are not so well known like Ida Laura Pfeiffer, Harriet Chalmers Adams, and Gertrude Bell. They explored any time between the mid 1700s to mid 1900s, used different methods of transportation, explored different areas of the world, but all were intrepid adventurers and left their marks in society, literature, science, archeology, geography, and more.
I received an ARC from Xist Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kristin (149 KP) rated Waffles and Pancakes in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is such a charming story about bullying and its effects, as told through the pictures and words of hamsters. Waffles and Pancakes haven't been acting themselves ever since a certain trip to the vet, where they met a guinea pig named Oscar. He bullies them and makes them feel bad and afraid. Once their owners figure out what's wrong, they talk to the boy who owns Oscar, and he's mean to them for coming to his house. The boys learn he doesn't have many friends, and he's a bully to make up for his hurt feelings at being alone. They all decide to be friends, including Oscar, Waffles, and Pancakes, and the story has a very happy ending.
This would be a great book to share with younger kids and older ones alike. Everybody has been involved in bullying in some way, either as the bully, the one being picked on, or the friend of either. It's time to put a stop to bullying, and I believe this story would be an excellent starting point to have that discussion. Wonderfully written and illustrated!
5 stars
This is such a charming story about bullying and its effects, as told through the pictures and words of hamsters. Waffles and Pancakes haven't been acting themselves ever since a certain trip to the vet, where they met a guinea pig named Oscar. He bullies them and makes them feel bad and afraid. Once their owners figure out what's wrong, they talk to the boy who owns Oscar, and he's mean to them for coming to his house. The boys learn he doesn't have many friends, and he's a bully to make up for his hurt feelings at being alone. They all decide to be friends, including Oscar, Waffles, and Pancakes, and the story has a very happy ending.
This would be a great book to share with younger kids and older ones alike. Everybody has been involved in bullying in some way, either as the bully, the one being picked on, or the friend of either. It's time to put a stop to bullying, and I believe this story would be an excellent starting point to have that discussion. Wonderfully written and illustrated!
5 stars
ClareR (5603 KP) rated In at the Deep End in Books
Mar 2, 2019
A funny, honest book
The first quote in the blurb on the cover of this book says:'Every woman should own a copy of this book' (Erin Kelly). Well. Perhaps not if you're easily shocked.
Julia lives with her best friend Alice and her boyfriend, Dave, and after yet another night of listening to their enthusiastic sex life through the wafer thin walls of their flat, Julia decides it's time to end her three year sex-drought. Except I don't think that she expects to learn that her drought might be because she has been looking in the wrong places.
After a disastrous experience with a one night stand where she's accused of 'breaking' the man's penis (!!), she meets a female artist - and learns that she's much happier and more fulfilled with a woman.
This book is sexually graphic, and definitely not for the faint-hearted. Julia is rediscovering her life, and is on a mission to make radical changes - she wants to be happy.
It's a great story. I laughed, I felt sad and sorry for Julia in some places. It illustrated complicated relationships really well.
It's a great debut, and I'll be interested to see where the author goes next.
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for choosing another great book to read along to.
Julia lives with her best friend Alice and her boyfriend, Dave, and after yet another night of listening to their enthusiastic sex life through the wafer thin walls of their flat, Julia decides it's time to end her three year sex-drought. Except I don't think that she expects to learn that her drought might be because she has been looking in the wrong places.
After a disastrous experience with a one night stand where she's accused of 'breaking' the man's penis (!!), she meets a female artist - and learns that she's much happier and more fulfilled with a woman.
This book is sexually graphic, and definitely not for the faint-hearted. Julia is rediscovering her life, and is on a mission to make radical changes - she wants to be happy.
It's a great story. I laughed, I felt sad and sorry for Julia in some places. It illustrated complicated relationships really well.
It's a great debut, and I'll be interested to see where the author goes next.
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for choosing another great book to read along to.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Adulting Manual in Books
Jan 26, 2021
First of all, I love the gold foil on the cover. It is shiny and very nicely illustrated. The journal itself is very colourful, fun and informative. There are many various topics discussed in this journal, such as body image, mental health, mindfulness and many more. It has many many fun tasks in every section, to help the reader explore themselves, helps to deal with mental health struggles or stress in general. 🙂 This journal has a very fun balance between adulthood and childishness. The topics are serious and grown-up oriented, but the illustrations and colours remind of something from my teenage years. 🙂 At the end, this journal has a couple of pages of fun stickers and a couple of postcards as well, that made me extremely happy. 🙂
So, to conclude, I love this journal! It is very well designed, it helped me to relax and to explore myself and my view about me and my mental health. I am from the generation where no one discusses their mental health, so this journal helped me to see things differently. I strongly recommend this journal to anyone who has low self-esteem or needs a fun emotional outlet. It has boosted my mood, and I hope it will help someone else as well.
So, to conclude, I love this journal! It is very well designed, it helped me to relax and to explore myself and my view about me and my mental health. I am from the generation where no one discusses their mental health, so this journal helped me to see things differently. I strongly recommend this journal to anyone who has low self-esteem or needs a fun emotional outlet. It has boosted my mood, and I hope it will help someone else as well.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Bailey's Day in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Bailey's Day by Robert Haggerty, illustrated by Bobbi Switzer
Genre: Kids
Rating: 1
I loved reading Bailey's Day, it was really cute and funny, had fun illustrations, and fun animals. I loved Bailey's character. She was a perky little dog who spent all day running around the neighborhood with her friends and having a good ol' time… until the end.
At the end of the story… Bailey get's scolded for going out and running around the neighborhood all day. I expected her to be sad and say "yes master" to her owner, and then realize that having fun wasn't worth it if she disobeyed her "daddy," or maybe that obedience was more important… or something... she didn't. She laid down on her bed, perfectly at ease, and knew her "daddy" (owner) was a "softie" and that he'd get over it, and that she'd have fun tomorrow too. My jaw dropped as I read that last page.
This totally ruined an adorable story. Kids fiction should have good examples to follow, and bad examples to learn from with the lesson clearly stated, but this one makes it look like disobedience and disregard and disrespect are perfectly ok if you can get away with it. I am sorry to say that I cannot recommend it to anyone for this reason.
Genre: Kids
Rating: 1
I loved reading Bailey's Day, it was really cute and funny, had fun illustrations, and fun animals. I loved Bailey's character. She was a perky little dog who spent all day running around the neighborhood with her friends and having a good ol' time… until the end.
At the end of the story… Bailey get's scolded for going out and running around the neighborhood all day. I expected her to be sad and say "yes master" to her owner, and then realize that having fun wasn't worth it if she disobeyed her "daddy," or maybe that obedience was more important… or something... she didn't. She laid down on her bed, perfectly at ease, and knew her "daddy" (owner) was a "softie" and that he'd get over it, and that she'd have fun tomorrow too. My jaw dropped as I read that last page.
This totally ruined an adorable story. Kids fiction should have good examples to follow, and bad examples to learn from with the lesson clearly stated, but this one makes it look like disobedience and disregard and disrespect are perfectly ok if you can get away with it. I am sorry to say that I cannot recommend it to anyone for this reason.
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Daisy Doodles in Books
Jun 6, 2019
Daisy Doodles by Michelle Robinson, and Irene Dickson is an illustrated book for kids, which combines a clever mixture of fun drawings and actual photographs to provide a real sense of creating a new, magical world in which Daisy slips into to become a drawing version of herself.
Yes, magical things happen when Daisy Doodles!Daisy Doodles
On a rainy day with nothing to do, Daisy doodled a mouse, Pipsqueak, who sneezed itself right off the page and into Daisy’s life. From there Daisy gets busy doodling and cutting out a magical land and suddenly her room disappears and adventures with Pipsqueak begin!
I wanted to review this book because I love rodents, (fancy rats in particular), and if you ask me this so-called mouse, is actually a bare-tailed rat! And as a fancy rat owner, this makes Daisy Doodles an even greater treat for me.
This is a fun, cute story which should appeal to children who love to use their imagination to draw and make things. If they don’t already, this should encourage them to do so!
Daisy is just like any normal little girl bored on a rainy day, and Pipsqueak, well, he’s an endearing character of whom Daisy brings to life through her drawings. A magical blend of colourful photos and beautiful illustrations, make this a super creative, kids picture book for all to enjoy!
Yes, magical things happen when Daisy Doodles!Daisy Doodles
On a rainy day with nothing to do, Daisy doodled a mouse, Pipsqueak, who sneezed itself right off the page and into Daisy’s life. From there Daisy gets busy doodling and cutting out a magical land and suddenly her room disappears and adventures with Pipsqueak begin!
I wanted to review this book because I love rodents, (fancy rats in particular), and if you ask me this so-called mouse, is actually a bare-tailed rat! And as a fancy rat owner, this makes Daisy Doodles an even greater treat for me.
This is a fun, cute story which should appeal to children who love to use their imagination to draw and make things. If they don’t already, this should encourage them to do so!
Daisy is just like any normal little girl bored on a rainy day, and Pipsqueak, well, he’s an endearing character of whom Daisy brings to life through her drawings. A magical blend of colourful photos and beautiful illustrations, make this a super creative, kids picture book for all to enjoy!
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Princess Bride in Books
Feb 1, 2018
I had never read the Princess Bride before, but I was quite familiar with the movie. The director did such a wonderful job translating this book into a movie, that every scene was familiar. I listened to it via audiobook and it was the version narrated by the director himself. It was interesting because he inserted a number of asides during his narration that illustrated the effect the story had on him as a young boy and the changes that his father made in the retelling.
This could be considered a spoiler, so ignore the next paragraph if you want to avoid any possible spoilers.
My biggest qualm about the story is that it does not have an ending. As interesting as it is to decide for yourself what happens, it's never quite as satisfying as reading the entire story from start to finish and knowing what the conclusion is. It feels abrupt and that is the only thing that isn't perfect about it.
The characters, action and adventure, and story hit all of the right notes. It has become a classic for a reason and I'm so glad that I finally got a chance to read it. I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook, as it was an enjoyable way to experience the book.
This could be considered a spoiler, so ignore the next paragraph if you want to avoid any possible spoilers.
My biggest qualm about the story is that it does not have an ending. As interesting as it is to decide for yourself what happens, it's never quite as satisfying as reading the entire story from start to finish and knowing what the conclusion is. It feels abrupt and that is the only thing that isn't perfect about it.
The characters, action and adventure, and story hit all of the right notes. It has become a classic for a reason and I'm so glad that I finally got a chance to read it. I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook, as it was an enjoyable way to experience the book.
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Pepper the Salt Potato in Books
Feb 24, 2021
Pepper the Salt Potato was a lovely, illustrated book that was fun to look through, plus, the feel of the paper and overall look of the book was beautiful. The pages had cool eye-catching colors, transporting scenes, and easy to read words. I enjoyed reading about Peppers trip to the State Fair in New York and all the places he and his friends went on the way. I also enjoyed the authors history note in the front and the recipe on the back which added an interactive aspect I like seeing in children’s books. The overarching message of the book is good as well “I am who I am”, is a great reminder to just be yourself.
The only thing that would have made the story better was that the storyline itself seemed to be missing scenes. From one page to the next, there was not always a clear flow or thought process to lead the reader. However, it was still enjoyable, and I think Lenora Riegel and the publisher Siphre Books did a great job with the overall look and feel of the book. I give it 4 out of 5 stars and look forward to reading more books from Lenora Riegel.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
The only thing that would have made the story better was that the storyline itself seemed to be missing scenes. From one page to the next, there was not always a clear flow or thought process to lead the reader. However, it was still enjoyable, and I think Lenora Riegel and the publisher Siphre Books did a great job with the overall look and feel of the book. I give it 4 out of 5 stars and look forward to reading more books from Lenora Riegel.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
