Category: Children

Title: Counting in Mi’kmaw / Mawkiljemk Mi’lmawiktuk
Author: Loretta Gould
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 30, 2018
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

One is Ne’wt, for one bear. Two is Ta’pu, for two women at the sacred fire. Counting from one to ten in English and Mi’kmaw, baby is introduced to both the ancestral language of Mi’kmaki and to Mi’kmaw culture and legend, through beautifully rendered illustrations of important animals, like turtle, bear, and beaver, to concepts integral to the Mi’kmaw world view, like the Four (Ne’w) Directions, and the Seven (L’luiknek) Mi’kmaw teachings. Features bright and detailed illustrations from celebrated Waycobah-based Mi’kmaw illustrator, Loretta Gould.

Review:

I read this book as part of the Toronto Public Library reading challenge for 2019. It is a great children’s book!

This book teaches children how to count to ten in English and Mi’kmaw. The numbers and words that describe the illustrations are written in both languages.

The illustrations are beautiful. They contain images from the natural world in the Native style. They were detailed and a wonderful addition to the story.

I really liked this book. I’m glad to see a children’s book that is an introduction to Native Canadian culture, which is an important part of Canadian history.

What to read next:

Have you read Counting in Mi’kmaw? What did you think of it?

Title: Our Big Little Place
Author: James A. Conan, Nicolle Lalonde
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Annick Press
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 10, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Big or small, apartment or house, they’re all home.

Come inside one boy’s high-rise apartment complex, where his backyard is the space between his neighboring apartment buildings, and his basketball net is tucked into a bedroom. His parents sometimes complain their home is too small, but the boy’s balcony view of the city and the extended play space of the hallways are a few ways that make the boy’s house feel just the right size.

Our Big Little Place is a charming child’s-eye-view tribute to the power of imaginative play and the diversity of the living spaces we call home.

Review:

This is an adorable children’s book about a boy who lives in an apartment.

The little boy in this story lives in an apartment building. His parents think their home is too small, but he has never known anything different so he loves it. Since he’s small, it is just the right size for him. He is able to use his imagination to turn their living room into different things, like a pirate ship.

It was so cute to see this home from the boy’s perspective. He saw things differently from his parents. While they wanted more space, he liked that his friends lived down the hall and he had a whole park as his backyard. I loved that he lived in an apartment because most children’s books show kids who live in houses, even though many children live in apartments.

I really enjoyed this book!

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

What to read next:

Have you read Our Big Little Place? What did you think of it?

Title: Classic Munsch Moods
Author: Robert Munsch, Michael Martchenko
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Annick Press
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

All the feels, Classic Munsch-style

Your favorite Classic Munsch characters are back, here to help young Munsch fans understand and articulate their feelings. Elizabeth and other familiar friends are joined by new faces to demonstrate the wonderful range of emotions we can experience in a day. With three new illustrations by Michael Martchenko, Classic Munsch Moods is the latest in the Classic Munsch board book series designed to help toddlers grasp important primary concepts in fun Munsch style.

Review:

This is an adorable Robert Munsch book!

In this book, there are a variety of illustrations of his famous characters. Each character illustration shows a different emotion that they were feeling at that time in their story. I recognized almost all of the illustrations from his famous stories.

I was surprised to see such a variety of emotions represented in all of his books. This book is very relevant today since there is a large focus on different emotions today, especially depression and anxiety. Children have these emotions as well, which is important to recognize.

I loved this story! It’s short, but great for young kids.

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

What to read next:

Have you read Classic Munsch Moods? What did you think of it?

Title: The Very, Very Far North
Author: Dan Bar-el
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Atheneum
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

An inquisitive polar bear named Duane befriends an array of animals as he discovers where he belongs in this charming classic-in-the making that’s reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh.

In the Very, Very Far North, past the Cold, Cold Ocean and just below the hill that looks like a baby whale, you’ll find Duane and his friends.

Duane is a sweet and curious young bear who makes friends with everyone he meets—whether they’re bossy, like Major Puff the puffin, or a bit vain, like Handsome the musk ox, or very, very shy, like Boo the caribou. For these arctic friends, every day is a new adventure!

Review:

This book is a bunch of stories about a polar bear named Duane, who lives in the very far north of Canada. He meets a variety of friends in his adventures, such as a pelican and a musk ox. They all have names based on how they look or act. For instance, the musk ox loves looking at himself and refers to himself as Handsome. 

Duane and his friends reminded me of Winnie the Pooh and his friends. Duane is figuring out life in the Arctic, just as Winnie the Pooh is learning about life in the Hundred Acre Woods. Both bears have a youthful, innocent way of looking at life because they are both still learning. 

This book paints a beautiful image of life in the north of Canada. There aren’t many children’s books that are set in that cold climate. This book is a fun way to learn about the animals and environment in northern Canada. 

I loved this book! I highly recommend it for young and older readers. 

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of thia book in exchange for an honest review. 

What to read next:

Have you read The Very, Very Far North? What did you think of it?

Title: A Study in Scarlet
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Arianna Bellucci (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Sweet Cherry Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 25, 2019
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Body thought to be that of E.J. Drebber discovered last night in empty London house. No obvious cause of death. Address given as Cleveland Ohio. Any information would be appreciated. 
After a mysterious murder leaves the police baffled, the world’s best amateur detective is asked to investigate. 
Along with his fellow lodger, Dr Watson, Sherlock Holmes sets about uncovering a quest for revenge that runs far deeper than anybody suspected. 

A simplification of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, perfect for young fans of mystery books. A great introduction to classics for children aged 7+.

Review:

I love Sherlock Holmes stories! A Study in Scarlet is the first story about Sherlock Holmes. It is a great introduciton to the character. 

This is a simplified version of the story for young readers. There were definitions of some words that kids may not have encountered before, which is a great way to help them understand the story. The story was also shorter than the original, with lots of illustrations for easier understanding. 

This is a great Sherlock Holmes story for young readers!

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

What to read next:

Have you read A Study in Scarlet? What did you think of it?

Title: The Upper Case: Trouble in Capital City
Author: Tara Lazar, Ross MacDonald
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Source: Publisher
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 15, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Just when Private I thinks all is calm-now that he’s cracked the case of 7 Ate 9-Question Mark storms into the office.
Mark is worried. All the uppercase letters are M-I-S-S-I-N-G! But that’s absurd. This is CAPITAL City!
Private I is the last letter standing. Will he solve his BIGGEST mystery yet, the UPPER CASE, before it’s too late?!
Filled with the same humor, wit, and quirkiness of the hit 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story, comes another laugh-out-loud whodunit.

Review:

This is a hilarious new children’s picture book.

Punctuation marks and letters walk around in this city. It was so funny to see these symbols brought to life. They sometimes acted out their function, such as periods holding up a stop sign. This is a fun way to teach children letters and punctuation.

I loved the puns in this book. There were so many clever ways that phrases were played with in this book. For example, the phrase “mind your p’s and q’s” was turned into an illustration of an ampersand (&) babysitting or “minding” a baby p and q. These puns were so clever!

I loved this book! It is hilarious for children and adults.

Thank you Disney-Hyperion for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What to Read Next:

About the Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads 

Giveaway:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE UPPERCASE, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/14/2019	Twirling Book Princess	Excerpt
10/14/2019	Jill’s Book Blog	Review
10/15/2019	BookHounds YA	Review
10/15/2019	Little Red Reads	Excerpt
10/16/2019	Southern Girl Bookaholic	Review
10/16/2019	Lisa-Queen of Random	Spotlight
10/17/2019	Character Madness and Musings	Spotlight
10/17/2019	Ficticiouswonderland	Review
10/18/2019	The Try Everything / jenifer_reads	Excerpt
10/18/2019	I Read Kid’s Books Journal / Ireadwhatuwrite	Excerpt

Week Two:

10/21/2019	YA Book Nerd	Review
10/21/2019	Wonder Struck	Review
10/22/2019	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review
10/22/2019	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt
10/23/2019	books are love	Review
10/23/2019	Books a Plenty Book Reviews	Review
10/24/2019	Savings in Seconds	Review
10/24/2019	Lifestyle of Me	Review
10/25/2019	two points of interest	Review
10/25/2019	A Gingerly Review	Review

Instagram Tour Schedule:

Week One:

10/14/2019	Fictitious Fox	Review
10/15/2019	Ficticiouswonderland	Review
10/16/2019	BookHounds YA	Review
10/17/2019	Character Madness and Musings	Spotlight
10/18/2019	Savings in Seconds	Review

Week Two:

10/21/2019	I Read Kid’s Books Journal / Ireadwhatuwrite	Review
10/22/2019	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review
10/23/2019	books are love	Review
10/24/2019	Storiesandplottwists	Review
10/25/2019	Little Red Reads	Review

Thank you to Rockstar Book Tours for letting me participate in this blog tour.