Children – Page 11 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Karen’s Witch (Baby-Sitters Little Sister Graphic Novels #1)

Title: Karen’s Witch (Baby-Sitters Little Sister Graphic Novels #1)
Author: Katy Farina, Ann M. Martin
Genre: Children’s, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Graphix
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: December 26, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A fresh and fun graphic novel series spin-off of The Baby-sitters Club, featuring Kristy’s little stepsister!
Karen Brewer lives next door to Mrs. Porter, who wears long robes and has wild gray hair. Mrs. Porter has a black cat named Midnight and always seems to be working in her garden. Karen isn’t supposed to spy on her neighbor, but she’s determined to prove that Mrs. Porter is a witch named Morbidda Destiny!
Mrs. Porter is getting ready to have a special meeting at her house, and Karen is sure the meeting is for witches. Are they going to cast a spell on Karen? Or will she be brave enough to send them away — once and for all?

Review:

Karen Brewer’s father lives next door to Mrs. Porter. Mrs. Porter has a black cat named Midnight, she grows an herb garden in her yard, and she rides a broom at night. Karen thinks that Mrs. Porter is a witch called Morbidda Destiny. When she finds out that Morbidda Destiny is planning a gathering at her house, she is sure that it is a witch meeting. Karen has to be brave and stop the witches from meeting to save her neighborhood.

I loved the Baby-Sitters Little Sisters stories when I was a kid. Karen Brewer is an imaginative girl who often misunderstands things and gets into trouble. This story was so nostalgic for me.

The illustrations were so cute and represented Karen perfectly. The only thing that I think could have been improved is introducing all of the characters. Karen has a large blended family, which can be confusing if you haven’t read the other books. It would have been helpful to describe their relationships for readers who are unfamiliar with the characters, but it was still a great adaptation.

This is a fun story! I highly recommend it!

Other books in the series:

Karen’s Roller Skates
Karen’s Worst Day

Have you read Karen’s Witch? What did you think of it?

Review: Cone Cat

Title: Cone Cat
Author: Sarah Howden, Carmen Mok (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Owlkids
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 15, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

One day, Jeremy wakes up at the vet’s with a giant cone around his head. In a momentary existential crisis, he resigns himself to his new role as clumsy, smelly Cone Cat. That is, until the cone becomes instrumental in lapping up the last few bites of cereal on the breakfast table.
Surprisingly, Cone Cat can do a lot of things old Jeremy couldn’t. He can hunt spiders with ease, collect stuffing from the couch, and disguise himself as a bowl to steal a scoop of ice cream at a birthday party. When the cone is removed the next day, Jeremy starts to miss it. Will he ever get another chance to indulge in the tricks he pulled off as Cone Cat? It doesn’t take him too long to find out …
With lively illustrations and plenty of wit, this hilarious picture book about adapting to seemingly im-paw-ssible situations is sure to please kids and cat-lovers alike.

Review:

When Jeremy wakes up at the vet’s office one day, he is wearing a cone. He realizes that he is no longer Jeremy. Now he will be known as Cone Cat. He can’t do the things he’s used to doing, like hunt bugs around the house, scratch the furniture, or eat from his dish. He feels strange in the cone, until he realizes he can do things differently with the cone. He can tip a bowl into the cone to eat inside it. He can scoop the bugs into his cone so that he doesn’t have to hunt them. Life is different with the cone, but he figures out a way to adapt to it.

This is such a cute picture book! Anyone who has a dog or cat who has had surgery or an injury, has probably had to use the cone, or as we call it in my house “the cone of shame.” It’s sad to see how depressed the animals get while wearing the cone, but it is for their own good so they can heal.

Jeremy the cat learns to adapt to his new life wearing the cone. He had to look on the bright side and figure out how to live his normal life. For example, he couldn’t drink from the cereal bowl on the table, but he could tip it into his cone and drink it like that. Jeremy didn’t know that the cone wouldn’t last forever, so once he got used to it, his owner was able to take it off and he could return to his old life as Jeremy.

I loved this adorable cat picture book!

Thank you Owlkids for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Duck Days

Title: Duck Days (Slug Days Stories #3)
Author: Sara Leach, Rebecca Bender (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Contemporary
Publisher: Pajama Press
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: October 13, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis:

The third title in the collection that began with USBBY Outstanding International Book Slug Days. Lauren, a third-grade student who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, takes on the challenges of sharing her best friend and persevering when a classmate mocks her bicycle’s training wheels.
Irma is Lauren’s best friend. Irma knows all the strategies Lauren uses when her Autism Spectrum Disorder makes it hard to “go with the flow.” Lauren helps Irma learn English words and understand unfamiliar customs. So why does Irma suddenly want to introduce Lauren to her mountain-biking, litter-dropping neighbor Jonas? Why is Irma calling Jonas her friend?
As if sharing Irma weren’t bad enough, Lauren also has an alarming new problem at school. Their teacher has announced a mountain biking day when the students will learn to ride their bikes on an obstacle course. But Lauren still uses training wheels. She just can’t face the teasing she will get when her classmates see them. She isn’t brave like Irma. She can’t go with the flow like Dad. How can she possibly face this challenge?

Review:

Irma is Lauren’s best friend. Irma has immigrated from Sweden, and she is still learning to speak English. Lauren is on the Autism Spectrum, so while she helps Irma with her English, Irma helps Lauren with techniques to cope with her Autism. One day, Irma introduces Lauren to her new friend, Jonas. Lauren gets upset that Irma now has a new friend. Jonas wants to teach them some bike riding tricks, which intimidates Lauren because she still uses training wheels. When her teacher schedules a bike riding activity, Lauren has to find the courage to ride her bike with training wheels in front of her class.

I loved the Autism representation in this story. Lauren had a lot of visual techniques to help figure out the world around her. She would make hand signals with her father to signal how she was coping with the current situation. Her teacher taught her with flash cards with emotional cues in facial expressions so she could try to read the emotions on the faces of other people. Lauren’s Autism also meant that she liked to have everything scheduled, so when Irma brought another friend over to play with them, it threw her off. Lauren ended up liking Jonas too, so the experience wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be, even though it changed her planned schedule.

Lauren helped Irma with her English, which showed some representation of the immigrant experience. Irma had to go to school and learn a language that she wasn’t familiar with, but she had the courage to do it every day. Lauren would correct Irma’s language, but at least Irma was trying to speak, even when she got it wrong. They were both brave little girls.

This is a great children’s book!

Thank you Pajama Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Other books in the series:

Slug Days
Penguin Days

Have you read Duck Days? What did you think of it?

Review: Willa the Wisp (The Fabled Stables #1)

Title: Willa the Wisp (The Fabled Stables #1)
Author: Jonathan Auxier, Olga Demidova (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Fantasy
Publisher: Puffin Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 20, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The first book in a magical chapter-book adventure series by the Governor General Award-winning author of Sweep.
Auggie Pound is eight years old and has the greatest job of all time: he cares for all the animals in the Fabled Stables. The Fabled Stables house the rarest creatures in existence–all of them one-of-a-kind. Auggie’s job is to care for these creatures, as well as track down and safely capture endangered magical beasts in the wild. Some mornings, he arrives to find an empty stall with the name of a new creature to rescue. One day, the Stables rearrange themselves out of the blue, creating a new stall. The sign over the gate says, “Wisp.” But what is a wisp and where is it? All Auggie can see is a moonlit swamp stretching out before him. Then a hungry HOWLLLLLLL rings out in the darkness. It’s up to Auggie to go into the swamp to find the wisp before it’s too late.

Review:

Auggie is a little boy who is in charge of The Fabled Stables. The Fabled Stables holds many one-of-a-kind creatures. One day, a new stall appears for an unknown creature. Auggie ventures into the swamp in the new stall and discovers a Wisp named Willa. He has to protect her from hunters, who are trying to capture Willa before she disappears when the sun rises.

I loved the variety of magical creatures in this story. There were some creatures who were based on things in real life, such as a tarantula who was as big as a person named a Garantula. There was a stick-in-the-mud named Fen, who could transform into any item that Auggie needed at the moment, such as a rake. There was also Willa who was a wisp, a creature that is born one day but disappears when the moon sets.

In an author’s note at the beginning of the book, the author says that he wrote this book to be read out loud to children. Some books may read well, but don’t sound the same when they’re read aloud. Sometimes in stories with magical creatures, their names can be complicated and difficult to pronounce. Though there are made-up creatures in this story, their names are easy to say. Some of the dialogue rhymed, which makes it fun to read as well.

This is the great first story in the Fabled Stables series!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Princesses Versus Dinosaurs

Title: Princesses Versus Dinosaurs
Author: Linda Bailey, Joy Ang (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 15, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two popular storybook titans, princesses and dinosaurs, battle to determine who should star in this laugh-out-loud picture book for fans of Shark vs Train and The Book With No Pictures.
This is a princess book!
No, it’s a dinosaur book!
No, it’s . . . a T. rex book? A dragon book? A rubber ducky book?!
From Linda Bailey, award-winning and critically acclaimed author, and Joy Ang, Adventure Time-artist and illustrator of the Mustache Baby series, comes an irresistibly irreverent picture book in which plucky princesses and determined dinosaurs have a battle royale over whose book this is. When they start calling in the big guns — or rather, the big carnivores — and decide to build a wall to resolve their differences, princesses and dinosaurs alike learn a thing or two about open-mindedness and sharing.

Review:

This book starts out with some princesses singing and dancing. The next page has dinosaurs roaring. Is it a princess book or a dinosaur book? They can’t decide so they have to bring in their friends to figure out what kind of book it is. Eventually they separate the book with a wall, but it may be more fun for everyone if they can all play together.

As soon as I saw the title of this book, I knew it would be adorable. The characters break the fourth wall by talking about what the book is about. It was also funny when they brought in some friends who took over the story.

This book defies the stereotypical gendered children’s stories. Princess stories are usually targeted towards girl readers, while dinosaur books are targeted towards boys. This book has both princesses and dinosaurs, so it is for everyone. There was also a princess who looked like a boy, so any child can see themselves in the princess characters.

This is a fun picture book!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Cracking the Case of the Missing Egg (Farm Crimes!)

Title: Cracking the Case of the Missing Egg
Author: Sandra Dumais
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 15, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A peaceful day on the farm turns to panic when Hen discovers her egg has been stolen! The only one who can crack the case? Billiam Van Hoof, the world’s number one goat detective (at least, that’s what he calls himself).
As Van Hoof questions the animals and collects clues—a piece of eggshell, a yellow feather, and some tiny footprints—the answer to the mystery becomes obvious to everyone except the bumbling inspector.

Review:

When Hen wakes up to discover that her egg is missing, goat detective Billiam Van Hoof has to investigate. He interviews the other animals and searches for clues, on his search for the missing egg.

I loved the details in the illustrations. All of the animals were wearing clothes. Hen had just woken up and was rushing around, so she was wearing bunny slippers and pearls. The detailed images added to the humour of the story.

Billiam van Hoof wasn’t a very good detective. He found a cracked shell, a feather, and tiny footprints, but he still couldn’t guess what happened. Even though he couldn’t solve the mystery very quickly, young readers will figure out what happened to Hen’s egg.

This is an adorable children’s book.

Thank you Owlkids Books for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen Children’s Stories)

Title: Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen Children’s Stories)
Author: Jane Austen, Gemma Barder
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Sweet Cherry Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: July 9, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mrs Bennet is desperate to find rich husbands for her daughters, so the arrival of a charming new neighbour is welcome indeed. Sadly, the friend he brings with him is not. Mr Darcy seems to have even more pride than money. Nobody likes him – least of all Elizabeth Bennet. But not everyone is who they seem.
A beautifully illustrated adapted classic that will introduce children to the works of Jane Austen.

Review:

Mrs. Bennet wants to marry each of her five daughters to rich men. When Mr. Bingley moves into their town, she thinks he will be perfect for one of her daughters. Mr. Bingley brought his wealthy friend Mr. Darcy, who is very proud. Elizabeth Bennet instantly doesn’t like Mr. Darcy, when she overhears him speaking about her and her family. However, people aren’t always what they seem at first sight.

This story is an abbreviated version of Pride and Prejudice for children. It tells the story in simpler language that children would be able to understand. All of the major plot points were in the story. Many of the memorable quotes were also used, though in different places in the story, including the famous first line.

There were some beautiful illustrations to go along with the story. Most of the girls were drawn in the same style, so they all looked the same. Since the pictures usually illustrated the current scene, I could figure out which characters were in the picture. It would have been easier to differentiate if the five sisters had different appearances.

This is a great children’s version of Jane Austen’s classic novel.

Thank you Sweet Cherry Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Catkwondo

Title: Catkwondo
Author: Lisl H. Detlefsen, Erin Hunting (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Capstone
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 1, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Kitten wants to a break a board, and she wants to do it now. But Tae Kwon Do is not easy. Kitten must focus. She must practice. And above all, she must be patient. Will Kitten’s determination and dedication pay off when it’s finally time to break a board? Author Lisl Detlefsen delivers a turbo-charged story filled with action, fun, and encouragement. Korean phrases are intermixed throughout Catkwondo, and the Tae Kwon Do Oath and a Tae Kwon Do glossary complete this energetic picture book.

Review:

Kitten goes to a Tae Kwon Do class. She wants to break a board right away. Before she can break the board, she has to practice and learn the rules of Tae Kwon Do. With practice and determination, Kitten can break the board.

I have never done Tae Kwon Do but I had friends who did when I was a kid. I remember how they were so excited about breaking a board. It was one of their biggest goals, and they were so proud when they could finally do it.

There was a great glossary of Korean terms at the back of the book. There were Korean terms that are used in Tae Kwon Do in the story. I wasn’t familiar with these words, so it was great to see this glossary with pronunciations.

I loved the message of this story. Kitten was able to reach her goal of breaking a board through lots of practice and focus. Even though Kitten wanted to break the board immediately, she came to realize that she needed to do the work before she could break the board. This can be applied to any goals you may have, which is an inspiring message for children.

This is a great children’s book!

Thank you Capstone for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Monsters 101

Title: Monsters 101
Author: Cale Atkinson
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 4, 2020
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Readers who loved Unicorns 101 will love this laugh-out-loud picture book that finally sets the record straight about monsters!
Monsters! They’re so much more than just that scary thing under your bed. Join Professors Vampire, Blob and Werewolf, and their trusty lab assistant–a zombie named Tina–as they reveal eerie and frankly ridiculous monsters facts never uttered outside a crypt! For example:
– Monsters love competitive board game nights!
– Favorite monster foods include clam pudding with fish heads and pickled ant ice cream!
– In addition to cauldrons and spider gardens, monster homes often include homemade collages!
– Werewolves hate the sound of vacuum cleaners!
– Monsters aren’t all scary! Try being nice to one for a change! Offer them a compliment!
Full of eye-popping illustrations and a story with nonstop sidesplitting laughs, plus a removable Professor of Monstrology diploma at the end of the book, Monsters 101 will have children–and adults–eager to enroll, time and time again!

Review:

This is a reference book about monsters. It talks about different kinds of monsters, and includes sections on what monsters eat and what they do in their day to day lives.

This would be a great book for kids who love monsters. There were tons of fun facts about different monsters, including vampires, werewolves, and zombies. This would also be a great book to teach kids not to be afraid of monsters. It shows what monsters do when they hide under a bed, and they are actually more afraid of humans than humans are of them.

The book ends with a diploma to show that the reader has completed the Monsters 101 book. This is such a cute book for kids.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Terry Fox and Me

Title: Terry Fox and Me
Author: Mary Beth Leatherdale and Milan Pavlović
Genre: Children’s, Nonfiction, Picture Book
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 4, 2020
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope, this picture book biography tells the story of a friendship defined by strength and love.
Before Terry Fox become a national hero and icon, he was just a regular kid. But even then, his characteristic strength, determination and loyalty were apparent and were the foundation for his friendship with Doug. The two first met at basketball tryouts in grammar school. Terry was the smallest – and worst – basketball player on the court. But that didn’t stop him. With Doug’s help, Terry practiced and practiced until he earned a spot on the team. As they grew up, the best friends supported each other, challenged each other, helped each other become better athletes and better people. Doug was by Terry’s side every step of the way: when Terry received a diagnosis of cancer in his leg, when he was learning to walk – then run – with a prosthetic leg and while he was training for the race of his life, his Marathon of Hope.
Written from Doug’s perspective, this story shows that Terry Fox’s legacy goes beyond the physical and individual accomplishments of a disabled athlete and honors the true value of friendship.

Review:

When the new boy, Terry, wants to befriend Doug after he didn’t do well at basketball tryouts, Doug is reluctant to hang out with him. Doug quickly learns that Terry is willing to work hard to get better at the sport. Terry becomes a great basketball player and athlete, though he won’t run cross-country with Doug. Everything changes when Terry is diagnosed with cancer and has 80% of his leg amputated. Suddenly Terry is motivated to start running, creating the Marathon of Hope to raise money for cancer research. His best friend Doug stays by his side the whole time.

Terry Fox is a Canadian icon and hero. Every year, Canadians across the country participate in the Terry Fox Run in September. The run that Terry started in 1980 is honored every year with donations to cancer research. Unfortunately, Terry had to stop his run halfway through his cross country marathon. He started in St. John’s, Newfoundland and ended in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He passed away the following year though his memory lives on today.

I wasn’t familiar with Doug’s story before reading this book. He was a wonderful friend to Terry, who encouraged him throughout his recovery and training.

This is a great story for children because it teaches about the power of friendship. It could also teach young children who Terry Fox was and why he is such an important historical figure that we continue to honour today.

I loved this Canadian story!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Karen’s Roller Skates (Baby-Sitters Little Sister Graphic Novels #2) by Katy Farina and Ann M. Martin

Karen’s Witch (Baby-Sitters Little Sister #1) by Ann M. Martin

Other books in the series:

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Cracking the Case of the Missing Egg (Farm Crimes!) by Sandra Dumais

Catkwondo by Lisl H. Detlefsen, Erin Hunting (illustrator)

Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Slug Days by Sara Leach

Megabat by Anna Humphrey and Kass Reich (illustrator)

Other books in the series:

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Review:

What to read next:

Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur by Linda Bailey, Colin Jack (illustrator)

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, Oliver Jeffers (illustrator)

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Review:

What to read next:

Cone Cat by Sarah Howden, Carmen Mok (illustrator)

Do Lizards Eat Ice Cream? How Animals Beat the Hear by Etta Kaner

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What to read next:

Emma (Jane Austen Children’s Stories) by Jane Austen, Gemma Barder

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

1, 2, 3 Jump! by Lisl H. Detlefsen, Madeline Valentine (illustrator)

Cone Cat by Sarah Howden, Carmen Mok (illustrator)

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Unicorns 101 by Cale Atkinson

Goodreads Synopsis:

Review:

What to read next:

Terry Fox: A Story of Hope by Maxine Trottier