Children – Page 6 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Pablo and Splash

Title: Pablo and Splash
Author: Sheena Dempsey
Genre: Graphic Novel, Children’s
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 3, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

‘Irresistibly funny’ Guardian

Join time-travelling penguins Pablo and Splash on an unexpected adventure to the time of the dinosaurs in this brilliantly funny full-colour graphic novel. Perfect for fans of Bunny vs Monkey or Bumble and Snug.

Antarctic penguins Pablo and Splash are polar opposites and besties for life. Pablo is a home-bird and a careful planner. Splash is easily bored and hungry for adventure. Sick to her flippers of the harsh, freezing weather, Splash persuades Pablo to go on a holiday with her. But far from the luxury beach destination that Splash has in mind, the pair end up in a time-travel machine that takes them back to the age of the dinosaurs! Suddenly their icy homeland doesn’t seem so dull …

‘Joyful, fun and very silly indeed’ Louie Stowell, author of A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good

This is the first book in a series and further time-travel adventures await for Pablo and Splash.

Review:

Pablo and Splash are two penguins who live in Antarctica. Pablo likes his life on the ice, but Splash wants to go on an adventure somewhere hot. They end up escaping to a scientist’s lab and jump in a time machine that takes them to a beach. However, they have gone back in time to the age of dinosaurs. Pablo and Splash must find their way back to their safe, comfortable home.

This was such a cute graphic novel. I liked how Pablo and Splash were best friends but they were opposites in many ways, which gives two perspectives. This story taught them to love their home.

Pablo and Splash is a cute children’s graphic novel!

Thank you Bloomsbury Children’s Books for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read Pablo and Splash? What did you think of it?

Review: Tongue Teasers

Title: Tongue Teasers
Author: Dr. D.W. Knight
Genre: Children’s, Poetry
Publisher: Giggle Spoon
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: July 24, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Tongue Teasers is a collection of illustrated poems written in rhyming verse with hilarious wordplay and outlandish inventiveness imbued with wit, life-lessons and wisdom that transcend age but equally entertain children with zany, memorable characters, making this book a favorite for all ages!

Written and illustrated by Professor D.W. Knight, Tongue Teasers is the foundational body of work that inspired GiGGLE SPOON Laugh-Along Songbooks which is the artistic collaboration of two brothers – one a poet and artist, the other a composer, singer-songwriter and musician. Combining their talents, the brothers create laugh-along songbooks using rhyming verse and catchy original songs, serving up laughter to the kid in all of us!

Review:

This book is a collection of illustrated poems for kids. Some of the poems teach lessons, such as the importance of washing your hands, while others are silly. I think kids would love these funny, rhyming poems.

At the beginning of the book there is a QR code that leads to a website with songs that go along with some of the poems. Those were really fun to listen to while I read the poems because they gave the poems a specific rhythm. That would be great for kids who are reading the book on their own, because it would teach them how to read the poem.

Tongue Teasers is a great kid’s book!

Thank you Dr. D.W. Knight and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Have you read Tongue Teasers? What did you think of it?

Review: The Raccoons: The One That Got Away

Title: The Raccoons: The One That Got Away
Author: Iain McLaughlin
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Candy Jar Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 27, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

“One look at this place and you’ll fall in love… The unspoiled beauty of nature.”Bert Raccoon, Cedric and Bentley have a secret fishing spot — a beautiful wild lake, home to a legendary catfish called Old Tom.

This secret spot is so precious that even Cyril Sneer, now an environmental crusader, loves it and won’t trade it for a big net profit.

But it doesn’t remain a secret for very long. Soon, industry wants a bit of the pond, and all of the Evergreen Forest will suffer. But will anyone face the scales of justice?

This is a story of a community coming together to fight for what’s right.

Review:

Bert and Cedric have a secret place that they show to their young friend Bentley. It’s a pond where they go fishing and no one else knows it exists. They insist on keeping it a secret, but the wealthy businessman Cyril ends up using it for a new environmental business idea.

This is a great story in The Raccoons series. Each of the books can be read as a stand-alone. You also don’t have to be familiar with the TV show that inspired these books to read them. I love how interactive these books are, with QR codes that lead to clips from the TV show, a fun crossword puzzle, and pig themed jokes!

The One That Got Away is a great children’s chapter book!

Thank you Candy Jar Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Other books in the series:

Cry Wolf
Blast From the Past

Have you read The One That Got Away? What did you think of it?

Review: The Poop Factory

Title: The Poop Factory
Author: Lori Patterson, Daniel Limon (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Blue Balloon Books
Source: Author
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 17, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Inside the poop factory on Hummingbird Lane was a big, giant poop–Barry was his name.

Barry and his friends have spent enough time in the poop factory and now they must venture their way out. While his friends are light and airy, Barry’s large size calls for extra effort to squeeze him through the tunnel. Luckily, with the help of healthy foods Barry makes it out!

This playful story teaches readers how to deal with constipation in a fun-loving manner. With education and entertainment woven together, The Poop Factory is an excellent story for any young reader to enjoy.

Review:

In The Poop Factory, Barry hangs out with his friends. Barry is made of candy and cheese puffs, while his friends are made of healthier food. When Barry tries to follow his friends down a slide, he gets stuck. He needs the help of berries, beans, and peas to pass through.

This book is hilarious and informative. I think kids would love that it’s about poop, but at the same time it teaches kids how their body works. If there is too much unhealthy food in your system, it can’t function properly and allow the food to pass through you like it should. I have IBS, so I’m always trying to manage my symptoms and get my digestive system to function. This book is a great way to open a digestive or healthy diet discussion with children.

The Poop Factory is an entertaining picture book!

Thank you Lori Patterson and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Have you read The Poop Factory? What did you think of it?

Review: I Want to Read All the Books

Title: I Want to Read All the Books
Author: Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 17, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

An insatiably curious girl decides the only way to answer all her questions is to read all the books in this funny and charming picture book in the spirit of The Library Fish and Tom Chapin’s The Library Book.

Hana wants to know everything about the world around her. When she starts asking questions, her mother gives her a book. She learns so much, but now she has even more questions! She also has a big she will read all the books—every single one! She reads every book in her house…and then her friends’ houses…and then the whole block. Nonfiction, fiction, romance, mysteries, and science fiction. But when her mother takes her to the downtown library, she realizes there are a lot more books than she thought…way more. Maybe she can’t really read all the books—now what?

Review:

Hana is a curious girl. When she asks her mom where rain comes from, her mom suggests she find the answer in a book. Then, Hana makes a list of questions and challenges herself to find all the answers in books. She loves reading books so much that she declares she wants to read ALL the books. Eventually she must find another way to share her love of books when she learns that she will never be able to read all the books in the world.

This is a beautiful picture book! I loved the vibrant illustrations. There was even a picture of Hana reading this picture book on her quest to read all the books! This is a fun book that encourages children to read!

I Want to Read All the Books is a beautiful picture book!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read I Want to Read All the Books? What did you think of it?

Review: Pierre’s Promise of the Deep (The Adventures of Pierre and Penny LePockets)

Title: Pierre’s Promise of the Deep (The Adventures of Pierre and Penny LePockets)
Author: James-Scott Wong, Nino Aptsiauri
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Hasmark Publishing International
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: August 30, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

This rhyming picture book features the spirited Pierre LePockets in his signature oversized jacket, baggy shorts, and magical pockets overflowing with toys and trinkets. When one of Pierre’s beloved toys falls into the deep ocean, he dives after it and finds himself in a vibrant underwater realm filled with extraordinary creatures.

He befriends Finn who bemoans the treasure that has gone missing when Gill had promised to safely guard it. Pierre is determined to recover the treasure and restore trust in the ocean world.

Will his plan work to set things right? Dive into this little adventure and you will discover a story that is sure to make a splash with young readers and inspire them to embrace the integrity of keeping promises.

This book is from the series The Adventures of Pierre and Penny LePockets, which strives to teach children life lessons and build their self-esteem through fantastical adventure stories.

Review:

Pierre LePocket keeps lots of toys in his pockets. When one falls out into the ocean, he dives in after it. Pierre meets a fish named Finn, who tells him that another fish named Gill promised to guard their treasure but now he’s gone missing. Pierre helps Finn and his friends get their treasure back.

This is another great story from The Adventures of Pierre and Penny LePocket series. This story teaches young readers the importance of keeping promises. Pierre told Gill he shouldn’t have taken the treasure, but he can make it right by giving it back. Even if someone has made a mistake, they can fix it by owning up to it and doing what is right. I loved the vibrant and detailed illustrations that accompanied this story!

Pierre’s Promise of the Deep is a great picture book!

Thank you James-Scott Wong and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign!

Other books in the series:

Penny’s Day on the Farm

Have you read Pierre’s Promise of the Deep? What did you think of it?

Review: Cry Wolf (The Raccoons)

Title: Cry Wolf (The Raccoons)
Author: John Peel
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Candy Jar Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 28, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Why Scaeffer, what big teeth you have!Why Bert, what big fibs you tell…”

There’s been a tornado in the Evergreen Forest! Schaeffer the sheepdog has gone wild! And there are gangsters at Cyril Sneer’s mansion!

Or maybe Bert Raccoon’s imagination is getting the better of him. Perhaps his quest to become the best (and only) news reporter in the forest means fiction sounds better than fact. It’s certainly not Sneer’s three Pig henchmen making the young Raccoon cry wolf.

Nope, no one will believe Bert’s crazy tales anymore.

But Bert really does have a the biggest thing to ever hit the Evergreen Forest. Cyril intends to pave paradise and put up a parking lot…

The classic TV series returns in these brand new storybooks!

Review:

Bert Raccoon is a reporter in the Evergreen Forest, but he wants to be the best reporter. He wants to write a front page news story, but he has trouble finding one. He thinks he sees a tornado, a wild dog, and gangsters going into a mansion, but none of those stories turn out to be what he expected. Bert doesn’t give up though, and he eventually goes undercover to find his biggest story yet.

This was such a great chapter book. It is based on Canadian 80s The Raccoons TV series. The story can be read as a stand-alone without watching the TV show first. The story was great, and there were some fun additions to the book as well. The book had 7 chapters, meant for children to read one chapter a day for a week. There were also QR codes in the book, including one in the middle of the book that leads to a cooking scene from the TV show that also appeared in the story. It was fun to see a scene played out on the TV show after reading it in the book.

Cry Wolf is a great children’s book!

Thank you Candy Jar Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Other books in the series:

The One That Got Away
Blast From the Past

Have you read Cry Wolf? What did you think of it?

Review: Breaking News (Frankie and Friends #1)

Title: Breaking News (Frankie and Friends #1)
Author: Christine Platt, Alea Marley (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Walker Books US
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 10, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a charming new chapter-book series by a social-change advocate, young Frankie emulates her journalist mama by reporting on household news with the help of her sister and an unlikely news crew.

Frankie’s mama is leaving to cover a breaking news story. Frankie, Papa, and Frankie’s teenage sister, Raven, are all proud of Mama, even though they miss her when she’s away. But Frankie has a great idea: she can make her own news show! After all, Mama has told her that news is happening around her all the time. With a little assistance from her friends–including her doll Farrah, Robert the toy robot, and her tabby cat, Nina Simone–Frankie prepares for her first “broadcast.” And when she hears someone crying in the house, she knows that’s the developing story she must cover. With humor, empathy, and imagination, Frankie gets the scoop–and learns that even mature older sisters can miss Mama sometimes. With sweet illustrations throughout, this engaging new series embraces communication and compassion and is a refreshing portrayal of Black women in journalism. Young reporters will learn the terms of the trade, which are clearly presented in the text and reinforced in a glossary at the end of the book.

Review:

Frankie’s mom has to leave home suddenly to cover a breaking news story. Frankie, her sister Raven, and her dad all miss her mom when she travels for work. Frankie decides to create her own news station with her toys including her doll Farrah, toy robot Robert, and cat Nina Simone. When Frankie hears some mysterious crying in her house, she decides to investigate it for her own breaking news story. She discovers that her older sister misses her mom just as much as she does.

This is a great early chapter book. Like Frankie, my dad travelled a lot for work, so I had to get used to that at an early age. I liked how she coped with it by trying to learn more about her mom’s job and making her own newsroom. The story was accompanied by vivid illustrations. I’m excited to read the next book in the series!

Breaking News is a great chapter book for young readers!

Thank you Walker Books US for sending me a copy of this book!

Other books in the series:

The Big Protest (Frankie and Friends #2)

Have you read Breaking News? What did you think of it?

Review: Into the Goblin Market

Title: Into the Goblin Market
Author: Vikki VanSickle, Jensine Eckwall (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: July 30, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A picture book ode to Christina Rossetti’s classic poem and a clever homage to familiar fairy-tale villains, this story about two sisters will enthrall readers with its beautifully detailed art and enchanting writing.

Millie loves her quiet life on the farm, but Mina longs for adventure. When the Goblin Market comes to town, Millie knows visiting it is a bad idea. They’ve been told stories their whole lives about the dangers of the Goblin Market. But Mina just can’t resist.

When Mina doesn’t come back, it’s Millie’s turn to brave the market to bring her home. She will use all her smarts and courage to try to outwit the goblins and save her sister… but will it be enough?

Review:

Millie and Mina are young sisters who live together on a quiet farm. Millie is happy with their life, but Mina wants to go on an adventure. One night, Millie wakes up to discover that Mina has run away to the Goblin Market. Mille must try to outsmart the goblins to save her sister.

This beautiful picture book is based on Christina Rossetti’s poem Goblin Market. This adaptation was a simpler form of the poem for young children to understand. This book was also not as dark as the original poem. The black, white, and red illustrations that went along with the text were beautiful and detailed.

Into the Goblin Market is a beautiful picture book!

Thank you Tundra Books for providing a digital copy of this book.

Have you read Into the Goblin Market? What did you think of it?

Review: Walter the Woogobee: The Vortex to Vidza

Title: Walter the Woogobee: The Vortex to Vidza
Author: Brenda Beckelman
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Seld Published
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

An otherworldly adventure awaits us all!

Join Walter in this amazing journey as he space travels through a Vortex to strange new worlds where Elephants Fly and the Wind Speaks.

The local village is being destroyed. Walter and his new friends set out to save the village and find unusual animals, a valley full of gold and of course monsters. Will they be able to save the village? Will Walter find his way home?

Review:

Walter is a Woogobee from space. He lands on Earth via a World Vortex Locator after his planet was hit by an asteroid. He makes a friend named Bayron, and together they travel to the planet Vidza. Walter and Bayron join together with their new friend Kian and try to save her village from the Windmaker Monsters.

This was a cute picture book. I really liked the illustrations. There was a 3D quality to them with background images slightly blurry to create perspective. The characters were well developed in a short amount of time. This story is a great start to a new series!

Walter the Woogobee is a cute picture book!

Thank you Brenda Beckelman and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a paid campaign.

Have you read Walter the Woogobee: The Vortex to Vidza? What did you think of it?