Jill's Book Blog

Title: ‘Twas the Night Before Kickoff
Author: Harry Caminelli, Dhamma Cake (illustrator)
Genre: Board book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Source: Publisher
Format: Board book
Release Date: October 1, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Santa Scores a Touchdown in This Holiday Football Adventure!

What happens when a big storm keeps a football-loving family from attending the Christmas Day game? Santa steps in to save the day―with the most magical, action-packed football game ever played… right in their own home!

’Twas the Night Before Kickoff (Football) is a festive and hilarious twist on the holiday classic, packed with touchdowns, tackles, and a whole lot of Christmas cheer. Santa trades his sleigh for shoulder pads as he brings the gridiron to life, proving he’s not just the MVP of Christmas―he’s the ultimate football star, too.

✔ Perfect for football fans of all ages
✔ Filled with festive fun, epic plays, and holiday magic
✔ A must-have read for game day AND Christmas Eve

This story is the perfect way to combine the excitement of football season with the wonder of the holidays. Whether you’re tailgating or trimming the tree, Santa’s big game will have you cheering until the final whistle!

About the ’Twas the Night Before
The ’Twas the Night Before series from Taffy Tales began with the beloved holiday classic The Night Before Christmas―and then grew to include seasonal stories, sports, and more! From hockey rinks to soccer fields to spooky Halloween nights, every book brings a new twist to the timeless rhyme. Taffy Tales creates best-selling children’s titles that families read, love, and remember year after year.

Review:

This is an adorable adaptation of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, with a football twist. The family has tickets to a football game on Christmas Day, and on Christmas Eve they watch a game through their balcony window! Santa plays a game of football (with Santa as quarterback) with many famous NFL players. This book is a fun football themed Christmas book for sports-loving families!

Thank you Taffy Tales for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Thanks for reading!

Title: At the Zoo
Author: LeeAnn Dominick
Genre: Board book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Source: Publisher
Format: Board book
Release Date: June 30, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

This lift-the-flap book takes the reader through a trip at the zoo. Each page shows a different area with animals in their natural climate. The flaps give a little puzzle for readers to find an animal on the page. I loved the vibrant illustrations of the zoo animals! This book is great for kids who love animals!

Thank you Taffy Tales for sending me this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Thanks for reading!

Title: At the Aquarium
Genre: Board book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Source: Publisher
Format: Board book
Release Date: 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

This cute board book takes the reader through an aquarium. There are lots of sea creatures in the illustrations. The fun flaps have trivia behind them. This is such an adorable book for kids who love the aquarium!

Thank you Taffy Tales for sending me a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Thanks for reading!

Title: Trick or Treat
Author: LeeAnn Dominick
Genre: Board book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Source: Publisher
Format: Board book
Release Date: August 18, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

This board book is about kids dressing up for Halloween! There are lots of different costumes on every page. The flaps show an object to find on the page or a fun fact about something on that page. This is a great book to introduce kids to Halloween!

Thank you Taffy Tales for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Thanks for reading!

Title: Don’t Pat the Bunny
Author: LeeAnn Dominick
Genre: Board Book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Source: Publisher
Format: Board book
Release Date: August 25, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

In this book, the reader is supposed to help Old MacDonald on his farm, but he tells you not to touch the animals. Each time you touch one of the animals, things go wrong. I liked how each of them had a completely different texture. This is a fun board book!

Thank you Taffy Tales for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Thanks for reading!

Title: Petting Zoo Animals
Author: LeeAnn Dominick
Genre: Board Book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Source: Publisher
Format: Board book
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

This board book shows different baby animals. Each animal has a page with a textured piece to show how their bodies feel to touch. It was so cute and realistic! There were bunnies, chicks, and even a tortoise. This is such a fun interactive board book!

Thank you Taffy Tales for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Thanks for reading!

Title: Don’t Open the Barn Door!
Author: Elena Sturgess
Genre: Board Book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Source: Publisher
Format: Board book
Release Date: September 2, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

In this board book, the farmer tells the reader not to open the barn door and various other doors at the farm. When you open the flap on the page, it allows the animals to run loose or things to spill everywhere. It becomes a huge mess that you’ll have to clean up. I love the detailed illustrations in the book! 

Thank you Taffy Tales for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Thanks for reading!

Title: Don’t Tickle the Unicorn
Author: LeeAnn Dominick
Genre: Board Book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Source: Publisher
Format: Board book
Release Date: August 25, 2025
Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

In this board book, the reader has to rescue the kingdom, but a wizard warns not to tickle anyone. Each page has a spot to “tickle” each creature by touching the textured part of the page. I loved the different textures like sequins, sparkles, and hair. It’s a fun book to read and interact with!

Thank you Taffy Tales for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Thanks for reading!

Title: Don’t Poke the Bear
Author: LeeAnn Dominick
Genre: Board Book
Publisher: Taffy Tales
Source: Publisher
Format: Board Book
Release Date: August 25, 2026
Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

In this board book, each page features a different animal in the forest. They each have a textured piece that you’re not supposed to poke (but really you should). I liked seeing the different materials for each animal, like the skunk and the beehive. There was even a porcupine, which is much softer than it would be in real life!

Thank you Taffy Tales for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign!

Thanks for reading!