Review: What If Marty Doesn't Like My Party? by Katie Arthur

Anticipating his upcoming birthday party, Henry finds himself overwhelmed with worry about what his classmate Marty will think. With so many thoughts going through his mind, his big sister Sam, comes to the rescue by helping him work through his anxiety. With the knowledge that comes with a big sibling, Henry is shown the possibilities of having the opposite thoughts inspiring a more favorable outcome. 

The story told through graphic style was sweet and captures the warm relationship between siblings and how children deal with anxiety. His sister’s reaction to his worries gives the book a comforting feel that would be a great example to show children who struggle with anxious thoughts that things will be ok. 

This would be a wonderful book for young readers finding their way through their own anxieties and seeing the outcome of opening themselves to positive assurance.

This book has 32 pages and is recommended for readers 5-8 years old. 

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Review: Happy Birthday, Little Mouse! by Guido Van Genechten

Happy Birthday, Little Mouse! is a wonderful and interactive lift-the-flap book that brings this beautiful day for Little Mouse to life. With beautiful illustrations and a heartwarming story, this book captures everything wonderful about birthdays with an endearing message of the joys of giving.

One of the highlights of the book is the importance of friendship that brings a teachable moment that giving is just as good as receiving. The book complement with the adorable illustrations brings a warm, inviting feel to keep reading the book. This is a wonderful book to add to the collection that I’m sure will invite several visits.

The book is 32 pages and the recommended age is 2-6 years old.

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Review: Akash and Mila and the Big Jump by Anthony Delauney and illustrator Chiara Civati

Akash and Mila and the Big Jump, the fifth book in the Owning the Dash Kids' Book series, deals with a topic that many kids will connect with and hopefully open the door for conversation that encourage empowerment and support.

When best friends Akash and Mila start their first gymnastics class, they were excited and couldn't wait to participate and do as good as everyone else. When Akash took his turn and it didn't go as planned, the fear of not being successful and what others thought about him overwhelmed his optimism and he and Mila lose their desire to continue.

When two other classmates stepped in and tried to support and encouraged him, he gained the strength to face his fears and try again. Surprised by the outpouring of support and encouragement from the class of his accomplishment, this inspired Mila to jump right in and land perfectly.

What I love about this book is the message that it's alright not to succeed when you try something new. Even though it's natural to fear and give up, the best part of having supportive people around to encourage you is to show that you aren't alone. Fear and self esteem can influence each other especially with kids and their perspective of themselves. What a great story to share to teach them the importance of lifting each other up rather than tearing them down.

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Review: There's a Yeti in My Tummy by Meredith Rusu and Martín Morón (Illustrator)

Synopsis: What happens when your inner yeti comes out to play?

Matthew is a young boy with BIG, BIG feelings—so big it sometimes feels like there’s a YETI just bursting to get out! And when Mathew’s yeti comes to play, he’s bound to stay all day. That silly yeti comes out of Matthew’s feet, his nose, his hair, his burp, and even his BUTT!

Bound to make any child roar with laughter, There’s a Yeti in My Tummy teaches kids that strong feelings are okay, and so are their inner yetis. Along with Matthew, kids learn to channel those feelings in constructive, positive, and loving ways. And parents will pick up a few tips on language to help children understand when and how to rely on their inner yeti.

An imaginative and fun story told in delightful rhyme by Meredith Rusu and crazy-fun illustrations by Martín Morón, There’s a Yeti in My Tummy is a big, bold, instant classic.

There’s a Yeti in My Tummy is the first book in The Mighty Moods series from 4U2B Books & Media, where we strive to create resources that enable children to become joyful, compassionate, and brave, and that empower parents and adults to instill those qualities in children.

Review

There's a Yeti in My Tummy is a wonderful book that validates the big feelings that children have inside. Relatable with colorful illustrations, the book will make them laugh but give them a great takeaway that will help them understand how to navigate those emotions when it gets too big. It doesn’t matter whether at home or school, there’s nothing wrong with our inner yetis, just sometimes, we have to show them some love so things can be channeled differently.

Reading Age: Preschool - 2nd Grade

Pages: 40

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Review: Michael and Hannah and the Magic Money Tree by Anthony C. Delauney and Chiara Civati (Illustrator)

Michael and Hannah and the Magic Money Tree is the fourth book in the Owning the Dash Kids Book series by Anthony Delauney. In this book, the kids gain a wonderful lesson on money management. As Michael, Hannah and their friends get wowed by the magical money tree, they soon discover that it’s not all what it seems. With some teamwork and compromise, the children gain a wonderful lesson about the value of and earning money.

Another wonderful book in the series. I enjoyed this one because kids generally see money as something that is easy to get but don’t understand the hard work that goes into earning it or how it affects you when there’s not enough. There is a great message that they will get from this and wonderful characters that they can connect with.

If you haven’t read the series, this is a great one to add to your reading list.

Pages: 40

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Review: First Words of Christmas by Worthy Kids and Illustrated by Madeleine Marie

About the Book

Share the Nativity story one inspiring word at a time with this simple and engaging board book for babies and toddlers.

Perfect for curious little ones, this book tells the story of Christmas in bite-sized pieces to encourage word learning. Short sentences and colorful illustrations guide children through that beloved night—from Mary and Joseph's journey all the way to the arrival of the wise men—while each page highlights a new word found in the biblical account—such as star, manger, and angel. Whether you use this book to encourage language development or to introduce the story of Christmas to a special little one, it's sure to make a great gift.

Review

First Words of Christmas is a beautiful book that introduces the young reader to the story of Christmas. I love how with each major point of the story, there’s a word with a picture for them to see and learn what it is. This is a great way to identify their meaning by visually understanding them. This would be a great addition to your collection and revisit and reflect upon.

Pages: 20

Baby - 3 Years

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