Noah Webster's Fighting Words Book Review

Noah Webster's Fighting Words

Tracy Nelson Maurer (Author)

Mircea Catusanu (Illustrator)

Millbrook Press

Children’s Nonfiction

Publication Date: April 1, 2017

Noah Webster's Fighting Words is a fun mix of interesting history and facts coupled with a fictionalized ghost of Webster who inserts his opinion by occasionally editing or rewriting sections of the text.

Kids will appreciate Webster's aim to simplify spelling but may be glad that his idea to create new letters for an American alphabet didn't catch on. Catusanu's collage-style illustrations are the perfect match for the story combining modern graphic design and historical images which match the blend of historical nonfiction and whimsical ghost editing.

If you’re interested in reading Noah Webster's Fighting Words, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon.  

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

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Lost Girls Book Review

Lost Girls

Merrie Destefano (author)

Entangled: Teen

Young Adult, Thriller, Fiction

Publication Date: January 3, 2017

After being missing for two weeks Rachel wakes up in a ditch, crawling up to the road for help. And even though she's only been gone for a few days, she can't remember the last year of her life, a life that has changed drastically. A former Taylor Swift loving ballerina, Rachel is now popular, dating her long time crush, dresses in black, and knows how to fight.

As her memories come back and as she tries to navigate this new life she doesn't remember, Rachel starts to piece together how she went from a ballerina to a raver who loves to fight.

Lost Girls is the perfect teen read! Fast-paced and thrilling, it will keep you reading - can Rachel stay safe as she pieces together her past?

If you’re interested in reading Lost Girls, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

10 Books For Boys

Here is a list of books for boys with some classics and some new favorites!

1) The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka

2) Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg

3) Beekle by Dan Santat

4) Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty

5) The Guinness Book of World Records

6) Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance by Keith Graves

7) Too Much Glue by Jason Lefebvre

8) The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak

9) The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka 

10) Whose Poop Is That? by Darrin Lunde

Do you have other favorites?  Let us know in the comments section!

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Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands Book Review

Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands

Tamara Levitt (Author, Illustrator)

Wisdom Publications

Children’s Fiction

Publication Date: April 4, 2017

Leela and her best friend Lyle love to do yoga! They practice every week and can do a lot of different yoga positions. But there is one position Leela can't do: a headstand. No matter how hard she tries, it is impossible even when Lyle helps her! When Leela gets frustrated, Lyle reminds her of all the great things she can do. So instead of focusing on what Leela can't do, she focuses on what she can and she finds a lot of happiness along the way.

Written as an alternative to The Little Engine that Could, Happiness Doesn’t Come from Headstands focuses on finding happiness within ourselves rather than from achieving an external goal.

As one who likes setting and achieving goals, I was worried how the message of Happiness Doesn’t Come from Headstands might come across. Was it going to be an "everyone gets a trophy for trying so hard" type book? Thankfully, no! Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands helps build the mindset that just because we cannot do something *yet* doesn't mean we have to be so frustrated that it ruins our day.

Rather than an alternative, I think Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands would make a great paired text with The Little Engine that Could. It's important to set goals and work toward them, but it's sometimes not as simple as practicing and "thinking you can." Sometimes, even with a lot of hard work, we don't achieve a goal. It's important to have a healthy perspective on failure and challenges. Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands helps provide that perspective.

If you’re interested in reading Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

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If You Were the Moon Book Review

If You Were the Moon

Laura Purdie Salas (Author)

Jaime Kim (Illustrator)

Millbrook Press

Children’s Non-Fiction

Publication Date: March 1, 2017

If You Were the Moon is a beautifully illustrated combination of descriptive prose and interesting facts. It's a nonfiction text with a fiction flare that will hook kids in and make them think about how important the moon is.

If you’re interested in reading If You Were the Moon, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

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Whose Poop Is That? Book Review

Whose Poop Is That?

Darrin Lunde (Author)

Kelsey Oseid (Illustrator)

Charlesbridge

Children’s Non-Fiction

Publication Date: January 10, 2017

Poop is a perennial favorite of little kids and Whose Poop Is That? will be too! Funny and informative, Whose Poop Is That? gives factoids about different animals' droppings along with accurate yet not gross illustrations. With a wide range of animals, kids are sure to have fun guessing whose poop that is!

If you’re interested in reading Whose Poop Is That?, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

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I Feel Worried: Tips for Kids on Overcoming Anxiety Book Review

I Feel Worried: Tips for Kids on Overcoming Anxiety

Nadine Briggs and Donna Shea (Authors)

Ryan Flynn (Illustrator)

How to Make and Keep Friends, LLC

Children’s Non-Fiction

Publication Date: September 28, 2016

More and more often teachers are facing challenging issues in their classrooms with fewer and fewer resources to help. One issue that I've seen a lot of in recent years is childhood anxiety. I Feel Worried: Tips for Kids on Overcoming Anxiety is a great resource for teachers (or parents) to help students who struggle with anxiety. The book gives background information about "worry" and provides ideas to help children identify what they're feeling, why, and how to deal with it.

In a time when teachers are also expected to be social workers and counselors, I Feel Worried can be a useful individual or whole class resource to address how students are feeling.

If you’re interested in reading I Feel Worried: Tipsfor Kids on Overcoming Anxiety, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

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Dalmatian in a Digger Book Review

Dalmatian in a Digger

Rebecca Elliott (Author, Illustrator)

Capstone Young Readers

Children’s Fiction, Picture Book

Publication Date: February 1, 2017

This picture book combines two things little kids love: animals and machines! A fun story with great illustrations, sounds, big machines, and a variety of animals. What are these animals building?

My son and I both loved it!

If you’re interested in reading Dalmatian in a Digger, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.

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The Girl Before Book Review

The Girl Before

JP Delaney

Ballantine Books

Adult Fiction

Publication Date: January 24, 2017

Then: After a burglary Emma needed a home she would feel safe in, a home that would give her a fresh start. She and her boyfriend Simon find that refuge in One Folgate Street, a minimalist stone structure infused with technology to make life simpler. But the modern house comes with a long list of rules created by its austere architect.

Now: After a tragedy, Jane needs to start over. She's instantly drawn to the minimalist stone look of One Folgate Street and is ready to declutter her life. Intrigued but not put off by both the rules of the lease and the house's architect, Jane readily moves in.

The Girl Before shifts between these two women as Jane tries to uncover the secrets that surround Emma - a previous tenant of her house. As Jane dives deeper into the past, her and Emma's lives entangle. Is she bound to follow Emma's mistakes and misfortune?

The Bradbury-esque house at One Folgate Street immediately caught my attention, and while I was interested in how the story would end, middle sections of the novel weren't as intriguing. That being said, I'm glad I read through to the end.

If you’re interested in reading The Girl Before, you can purchase a copy here on Amazon. 

*A copy of this book was provided free of charge for an honest review.