Category: Children

Title: Penny’s Day on the Farm
Author: Eugenie Gloria Wong, Juliana Castro (illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Hasmark Publishing
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: June 4, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Are you looking for a captivating picture book that instills confidence in your child and models how to make friends?
Look no further than Penny’s Day on the Farm by author Eugenie Gloria Wong.

This rhyming picture book follows Penny, a little girl with a room full of stuffed animals who are her friends. On the evening before her first day of school, the words on a mysterious note whisk her away into a magical realm where animals talk and unexpected friendships blossom.

With a newfound friend by her side, Penny navigates how to reach out to others through teamwork, kindness, and embracing new experiences. She discovers the magic ingredient that makes friends flock to her and learns that moments of adventure can begin with a simple wish … and an open heart.

Penny’s Day on the Farm is filled with heartwarming and humorous illustrations by Juliana Castro. 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:

Penny is excited for her first day of school tomorrow. Before she goes to sleep, she finds a note with a spell that transports her to a farm. She meets all kinds of animals on the farm, and teaches a group of pigs how to play soccer. After making friends with animals on the farm, Penny is ready to make new friends at school. 

This was such a fun picture book! I liked that it showed how easy it was for Penny to make friends with animals, so then she can use those skills to make friends with kids on her first day of school. I loved the illustrations! They were vibrant and colourful. I would have loved reading this book when I was a kid. 

Penny’s Day on the Farm is a beautiful picture book!

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

Have you read Penny’s Day on the Farm? What did you think of it?

Title: The Little Books of the Little Brontës
Author: Sara O’Leary, Briony May Smith
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 10, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The inspiring true tale of young siblings who loved to make stories — and grew up to be among English literature’s finest writers. A picture book for fans of Mary Who Wrote Frankenstein.

Many years ago, the four motherless children of the Brontë family — Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne — lived in a windswept house by the moors with their father. Although their lives were often filled with sadness and their world was only as large as the distance they could walk, their INNER worlds were bound only by their imaginations. Hungry for stories, these children devoured novels and poetry, history and fables. And with the gift of a group of toy soldiers, they were inspired to make their own stories, and their own tiny books . . . a passion that would last them a lifetime. 

A moving and atmospheric story about the power of imagination, the joy of storytelling and the love of books, The Little Books of the Little Brontës will enchant both those who love these literary sisters and those who are learning about them for the first time. Includes an author’s note, timeline of the Brontës’ lives and a fun craft with instructions on creating your own little book.

Review:

In 1820s England, Charlotte Brontë made a miniature book for her younger sister Anne. The three Brontë sisters, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne, along with their brother Branwell, love to tell stories. They had tragic childhoods, losing their mother and older sisters suddenly, but they find joy through storytelling. They grew up to become artists and storytellers. 

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë are two of my favourite classic novels. They’re both tragic love stories, which makes sense after hearing about the tragedy the authors experienced in their young lives. However, this picture book doesn’t delve into that too much. This story shows the Brontë siblings as playful children, making up stories with the toys and writing mini books. There were even instructions at the back for how to make your own mini book, which I would have loved doing as a kid!

The Little Book of Little Brontës is a great children’s book for kids who love to read!

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

Have you read The Little Books of the Little Brontës? What did you think of it?

Title: Only a Trenza Away: A Tale of Trust and Strength
Author: Nadine Fonseca, Camila Carrossine
Genre: Picture Book, Children’s
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: August 8, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A little girl feels her father’s love as he takes time to braid her hair each night and share imaginative bedtime stories.

Every night, Xiomara’s (zee-oh-MA-da) papa delicately braids her hair before bed. As he gently tugs and twists and tightens her hair, father and daughter embark on imaginative and fun adventures as he makes up stories about Xia and her trenzas, or “braids” in Spanish.

In one story, her trenza becomes a sturdy twisted vine that she uses to bravely swing through the jungle. In another, her trenzas are jump ropes as she catches the beat to play double Dutch with the best players in the neighborhood.

But Xia worries what she would do if Papa was not there to help her in a real adventure—like starting a new school. Could the strength Xia needs already be woven into her braids?

Review:

Every night before bedtime, Xiomara’s father braids her hair and they go on imaginative adventures together. He makes up stories about Xiomara and her braids (or trenzas). One night, her father wasn’t there to braid her hair and she felt lost without having her trenzas in her hair. Xia must learn that the strength from her trenzas is already within herself. 

This is a beautiful picture book. I loved the ritual that Xiomara had with her father braiding her hair every night. It reminded me of when I was a child and my dad would read me bedtime stories. I also liked that it was her father that braided her hair, which would stereotypically be considered a “female job” to braid her daughter’s hair. The time her father spent braiding her hair was nice bonding time for Xia and her father. 

Only a Trenza Away is a beautiful story!

Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing for sending me a copy!

Have you read Only a Trenza Away? What did you think of it?

Title: Cone Dog
Author: Sarah Howden, Carmen Mok
Genre: Children’s, Picture Book
Publisher: Owlkids Publishing
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: September 12, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A pesky cone becomes a doggie dream come true in this canine companion to Cone Cat One day, Emma the dog leaves the vet with a giant plastic lampshade on her head. It cuts off her corners, dulls her digging, and makes Garson the greyhound gawk. One thing is clear―the cone is not good, and the only thing left to do is sulk. When Emma’s human tries to cheer her up with a game of fetch, Emma discovers that the cone miraculously catches every ball she fumbles! Emma realizes the cone has other surprising advantages too, from serving as a helmet during her hallway hurtles to helping her dig at triple-speed. Best of all, the cone plays a pivotal role in Emma’s master plan to scare off the sneaky neighborhood squirrel, Keith. Eventually, the cone comes off and Emma is free, but the important lesson she learned from her cone days cone or no cone, it’s Emma’s inventive spirit that make her the Best. Dog. Ever. This fresh and funny follow-up to Cone Cat is a charming ode to ingenuity and making the best out of a ruff situation.

Review:

When Emma the dog leaves the vet’s office with a giant plastic lampshade around her neck, all she wants to do is sulk. She can’t run around freely, or dig, and other dogs stare at her. However, after playing fetch with her owner one day, Emma realizes she can use the cone to her advantage to play and pull a prank on a sneaky squirrel. 

I loved the book Cone Cat in 2020, so I was excited to read Cone Dog! Anyone who has had a pet who wore the “cone of shame” knows what a struggle it is for their animal to wear it. It’s for their own good, so they don’t hurt themselves, but they can’t go about their daily lives in the same way. Emma, the dog in this story, figured out how to use the cone to her advantage. This is a great way to teach children that something you think is a bad situation can be turned around into a positive one. 

Cone Dog is an adorable picture book!

Thank you Owlkids Publishing for providing a digital copy of this book.

Other books in the series:

• Cone Cat

Have you read Cone Dog? What did you think of it?