Feelu: Explore Your Feelings by Niloufar Shafiei

November 3, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Feelu: Explore Your Feelings by Niloufar Shafiei
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Feelu is a fun adventure that can improve children’s mental health.
It helps children to explore their feelings and handle them in a healthy manner.
Feelu also encourages children to be kind and mindful, and to relax their bodies and minds.
It also gives suggestions for how to react to bullying.
Feelu’s goal is to spread love, kindness and happiness by promoting the mental health of all children, including those with autism and special needs.

All feelings are valid.

This picture book went into a great deal of detail about what each emotion felt like. For feelings that could sometimes be difficult or overwhelming to deal with, it also gave practical suggestions of how to respond to them. I loved seeing how in depth all of this information was, especially considering the fact that this was written for toddlers and preschoolers.

As much as I appreciated the section on bullying, this was such a complex and important topic that I thought it should have been saved for a sequel. Understanding and accepting one’s own feelings as well as the feelings of others provided more than enough fodder for this tale. It would have been nice to have a comparable number of pages dedicated to explaining to young readers what bullying is, why it’s harmful, and how victims and bystanders should react if or when it happens to them in much more detail than what was presented here.

Our world needs more kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. It was refreshing to see so many examples of characters who were all of these things and more. The warm relationships between them all made me smile, especially in the section that talked about why humans come in so many different shapes, sizes,, and abilities. Once again, the narrator gave specific examples of ways to be kind to others and help make everyone feel like they belong. That was the perfect way to approach such abstract concepts with such a young audience.

Feelu: Explore Your Feelings was a heartwarming read that I’d recommend to kids of all ages.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

October 29, 2020 By 1 Comment


The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall
Publisher: Yearling
Genre: Contemporary, Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

This summer the Penderwick sisters have a wonderful surprise: a holiday on the grounds of a beautiful estate called Arundel. Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel’s sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts. But the best discovery of all is Jeffrey Tifton, son of Arundel’s owner, who quickly proves to be the perfect companion for their adventures.

The icy-hearted Mrs. Tifton is not as pleased with the Penderwicks as Jeffrey is, though, and warns the new friends to stay out of trouble. Which, of course, they will—won’t they? One thing’s for sure: it will be a summer the Penderwicks will never forget.

Deliciously nostalgic and quaintly witty, this is a story as breezy and carefree as a summer day.

How much trouble the Penderwicks get into?

The Penderwick’s Summer takes an unexpected turn when the place they had planned on vacationing at is unexpectedly unavailable. When Mr. Penderwick hears of Arundel cottage, he books it sight unseen. From the moment they arrive, the Penderwicks are awed by the beauty of Arundel and are itching to explore every inch of the estate. As I read, I shared their excitement. I could clearly picture the grounds and the mansion in my mind and couldn’t wait to find out what adventures awaited the Penderwicks! Even better, Jeffrey turns out to be a great friend. Despite a rocky start, the Penderwicks welcome him into their group with open arms.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Tifton, Jeffrey’s mom, is less than thrilled to see the sisters roaming around her property. She is determined to win a prestigious garden competition and wants the girls to keep to their side of the wall. However, the Penderwick sisters can’t turn down the possibility of a good adventure. Will their curiosity get them into more trouble than they bargained for?

The Penderwick sisters are certainly an entertaining bunch! Each sister has a distinct personality. Rosalind is the oldest and is the voice of reason and caretaker of her sisters since their mother passed away. Skye the next oldest. She is a bit of a tomboy and definitely the most outspoken of the group. She often doesn’t think before she speaks. Consequently, her mouth frequently gets her into trouble. Then comes Jane. She has an amazing imagination and has her heart set on becoming an author. She is very dedicated to her craft, and I have no doubt that she will be successful! Batty is the youngest. She has a way with animals and a special bond with their loveable dog, Hound. I like them all immensely and couldn’t possibly pick a favorite!

Jeffrey had no idea how much his life was going to change when the Penderwicks arrived! Jeffrey seems very lonely to me. He has no close friends and his mother has future all planned out. Mrs. Tifton wants Jeffrey to go to a military academy. Jeffrey wants to study music. Despite her stiff and strict exterior, Mrs. Tifton means well. She truly loves her son and he loves her, but she doesn’t see how unhappy Jeffrey is. However, their relationship is not broken beyond repair! They just need to have a long, honest conversation. I kept my fingers crossed that they would make the time to talk. Fortunately, with a little help from his new friends, Jeffrey just might find the courage to talk to his mom about his dreams.

The Penderwicks is such a sweet story. While it is definitely character driven, the plot is interesting, if a bit slow at times. In the space of a few weeks, the Penderwicks find themselves experiencing heartbreak, running from a bull, tracking down lost rabbits, and facing the wrath of Mrs. Tifton!

I truly enjoyed reading The Penderwicks. It is a heartwarming tale perfect for young and old alike. I’ve grown attached to the sisters and look forward to reading more about them in the next installment of this charming series!

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler

October 28, 2020 By Leave a Comment


The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
Samurai Detective #1
Publisher: Puffin Books
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant’s son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of kabuki actors in eighteenth-century Japan.

One night in the Tokaido Inn will change Seikei’s life forever.

I recommend this book for the young adult age group if they are reading this tale on their own for a couple of reasons. First, there is quite a bit of discussion about seppuku. This is when a samurai commits suicide rather than suffer dishonor. This is significant and essential to understanding Japanese culture, but it is a heavy topic. I believe the book can be read aloud to younger children, but again I would recommend plenty of discussion on what seppuku is and why it was viewed positively in Japanese culture during this period in history. Second, there is also some gore surrounding a death near the conclusion of the book. It isn’t overdone, but there is enough detail that younger readers might be sensitive to that material.

Seikei is a very likable boy. He’s smart, curious, and honest. He tries to live his life according to the samurai ideals. In fact, he dreams of being a samurai, but as the son of a merchant he knows he can never be one. His future is already laid out for him, or so it seems. Everything changes when Seikei witnesses the crime at the inn. Seikei soon finds himself working side by side with the samurai magistrate, Judge Ooka. Not only will Seikei help solve the crime, but he’ll also have the opportunity to learn more about the ways of the samurai. For Seikei it is the experience of a lifetime. His excitement is palpable, and I admired his fierce determination to do his best. However, can Seikei ever go back to the life of a merchant after tasting the life of a samurai?

It becomes apparent about midway through the book who the thief is, but the motive remains a mystery. It soon becomes clear that there is much more to the thief’s plan than the theft of a jewel. As Seikei digs for the truth, he uncovers a plot that has been years in the making. As I raced through the pages, I found myself asking if the thief was indeed the true villain!

There is a lot of historic detail packed into this exciting mystery! Japanese customs, etiquette, class structure, religious views, etc are all explained within the context of the story. As a result, the pacing never suffers. It is all simply part of Seikei’s life. This is can spur some great discussion on Japanese class structure in the 1700’s under the rule of the shoguns, and dare I say, make learning about history fun!

I had a lot of fun reading The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn. Seikei is a likable character, the mystery is compelling, and the conclusion is gripping. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a mystery with a good dose of historic detail!

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

A Sanfranciscan Dream by Saad Aman Sayyed

October 2, 2020 By Leave a Comment


A Sanfranciscan Dream by Saad Aman Sayyed
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When the adults are away, the kids will play.

Six kids: Aman Forbes Ultraviolet, Tina Gates Ultraviolet, Zee Edward D’Souza, AFN Siddharth Dikshit, John Kim Lufthaver and Heather Kim Lufthaver- differently aged, and of different ethnic identities face weird problems as they are stuck in San Francisco.

Will they make it alive back?

Aman, Tina, Zee, AFN, John, and Heather were good friends even before this adventure began. I enjoyed seeing the way all six of their personalities worked together, or clashed in some cases, as they figured out how to spend their time until they could go home again. Someones one of them would say something that lead to the most amusing conversations. Even the best of friends don’t always agree, so it was interesting to see how they handled conflict, too.

The only thing that prevented me from giving this the much higher rating I wanted to give to it were all of the grammatical errors I kept finding as I read. There were simply too many of them for me to ignore. With another round or two of editing, this story could become a true modern-day classic. It had everything else it needed to appeal to middle grade readers and anyone else who enjoys books written for that age group.

This tale has a wonderful sense of humor. Honestly, what else could anyone expect while reading about six children who were accidentally stranded in San Francisco with a few thousand dollars in their pockets and no adult supervision? The possibilities for hijinks in that scenario are almost endless, and the author did a nice job of finding the humorous side of how the average preteen would react to that scenario.

Anyone who wants to read something funny and cheerful should check out A Sanfranciscan Dream.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Violet Shrink by Christine Baldacchino

October 1, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Violet Shrink by Christine Baldacchino
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Violet Shrink doesn’t like parties. Or bashes, or gatherings. Lots of people and lots of noise make Violet’s tummy ache and her hands sweat. She would much rather spend time on her own, watching the birds in her backyard, reading comics or listening to music through her purple headphones. The problem is that the whole Shrink family loves parties with loud music and games and dancing.

At cousin Char’s birthday party, Violet hides under a table and imagines she is a shark gliding effortlessly through the water, looking for food. And at Auntie Marlene and Uncle Leli’s anniversary bash, Violet sits alone at the top of the stairs, imagining she is a slithering snake way up in the branches.

When Violet learns that the Shrink family reunion is fast approaching, she musters up the courage to have a talk with her dad.

In this thoughtful story about understanding and acceptance, Violet’s natural introversion and feelings of social anxiety are normalized when she and her father reach a solution together. Christine Baldacchino’s warm text demonstrates the role imagination often plays for children dealing with anxiety, and the power of a child expressing their feelings to a parent who is there to listen. Carmen Mok’s charming illustrations perfectly capture Violet’s emotions and the vibrancy of her imagination. A valuable contribution to books addressing mental health.

Not everyone likes loud parties, and that’s perfectly okay.

Introversion and social anxiety aren’t the same thing, but some kids do fit into both categories. I liked reading Violet’s descriptions of how overstimulated and overwhelmed she felt by even the most well-meaning parties due these factors. They were exactly how I felt about parties as a kid, and they’re not always easy emotions to put into words at that age.

Some of the best scenes to me were the ones that showed how Violet used her imagination to cope with gatherings that were too much for her. She has such a creative way of explaining how she was feeling and what she wished could have happened instead in those moments. I’d love to read a sequel someday to find out if she grows up to be a poet or something. She certainly had the artistic flair for it!

The only thing better than those scenes were the ones that explored how Violet’s father reacted to his daughter’s strong dislike of parties. He already knew they were something she was trying to avoid, but he didn’t know why. I couldn’t wait to see how his approach to parenting her might change once he realized that this was a much bigger deal to her than he’d originally thought. Honestly, his reaction alone was enough to give this book a five-star rating. That’s how perfect it was for Violet and for anyone reading this who wonders how to help shy or anxious children adapt to overstimulating environments.

I’d heartily recommend Violet Shrink to kids who struggle with parties for any of the reasons mentioned above in this review. This was such a warm, reassuring book about children’s mental health and how the adults in their lives can help them cope better.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

What Grew in Larry’s Garden by Laura Alary

September 30, 2020 By Leave a Comment


What Grew in Larry’s Garden by Laura Alary
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Historical
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Grace thinks Larry’s garden is one of the wonders of the world. In his tiny backyard next door to hers, Larry grows the most extraordinary vegetables. Grace loves helping him – watering and weeding, planting and pruning, hoeing and harvesting. And whenever there’s a problem – like bugs burrowing into the carrots or slugs chewing the lettuce – Grace and Larry solve it together. Grace soon learns that Larry has big plans for the vegetables in his special garden. And when that garden faces its biggest problem yet, Grace follows Larry’s example to find the perfect solution.

It takes more than soil and sunlight to make a garden grow.

The friendship between Larry and Grace was lovely. I always enjoy reading children’s books about adults who are kind, patient, and helpful, especially when those adults are senior citizens. There’s something so wholesome about seeing two people in such different stages of life pursue the same goal and have a great deal of fun while doing it.

It would have been nice to see more time spent on solving the biggest problem that Grace and Larry had faced with their garden. The other problems they had with it earlier were solved with straightforward solutions. The fuzzier ending to their final conflict left me with more questions than I had answers. I liked the fact that they included something that couldn’t be fixed as easily, but I do wish it had been given more time to develop.

On that note, I did appreciate the example this story set of how to handle conflict and set-backs. Like any other hobby, gardening can be frustrating at times for novices and experts alike. There’s only so much control someone can have over how their plants develop, so it was lovely to see Larry and Grace keep persevering even when everything didn’t always turn out the way they hoped it would. That’s exactly the attitude that anyone should have when learning a new skill or practicing an old one.

Gardeners of all ages should give What Grew in Larry’s Garden a try.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Ghastly Ghosts by Teresa Bateman

September 29, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Ghastly Ghosts by Teresa Bateman
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Old Dave inherits a lonely old house from his uncle―a nice enough place, if a bit lonely. One cold night he hears a voice: Ghastly ghosts in the old coal shed! At first he tries to ignore it, but he hears it again and again―Ghastly ghosts in the old coal shed! And when the fireplace runs out of coal, Dave has no choice but to brave the dreaded coal shed…and whatever dwells within. But Old Dave’s got an idea that just might work out for him AND the spirits.

Do ghosts make good roommates?

Old Dave’s reaction to the first possible hint that the house he inherited from his uncle made me giggle. Was he scared? Of course not! He could think of a rational explanation for every weird sound an old home might make. This sensible reaction showed off his practical personality so well that I couldn’t wait to get to know him better and see what was really going on behind the creaky scenes of this noisy place.

I adored this story’s approach to creative problem solving. Most people will never live in a haunted house, but all of us have to deal with occasional conflicts with friends, family members, or whoever else is part of our lives. Old Dave demonstrated how to use humor and cooperation to find solutions that not only work for everyone but might actually make everyone’s lives a little better than they were before, too!

Speaking of humor, this was one of the funniest paranormal stories I’ve ever read. The ghosts were friendly enough to appeal to readers of any age, and their interactions with Old Dave only grew more amusing with each repetition of them doing something that he was sure could be explained away without admitting that there might be spirits on his property after all.

Loneliness can be a heavy emotion to deal with, especially when describing it to small children. I appreciated the way Old Dave’s wish for companionship was addressed. He was given time to show why he didn’t particularly enjoy living alone, but everything was explained in ways that would appeal both to preschoolers as well as to any older kids or adults who may give this book a try.

Ghastly Ghosts was a heartwarming tale that included just the right amount of spookiness for the Halloween season.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Ollie’s Garden by Riya Aarini

September 17, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Ollie’s Garden by Riya Aarini
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Ollie is king of his garden. Animals and insects of all colors, shapes, and sizes live among its grasses, flowers, and trees. When the garden creatures fight, Ollie is left to sort out the mess and return peace to his garden kingdom. Will Ollie’s garden become a place of acceptance and tolerance? Find out when you pick up this lively garden tale!

Ollie loves his garden and enjoys seeing so much of nature’s beauty in it. This is a fun and well illustrated children’s story with plenty of colour and vibrancy to help young readers recognize all the wonderful things in the world surrounding them.

I enjoyed how this story was short enough to read to youngsters, but still had a solid plot and a lesson for adults to help impart to children. I feel this gentle but important moral should help teach children about being fair, showing tolerance and not taking revenge when others treat them wrong. This lesson was repeated a few times – shown with the red and orange ladybugs, the toads and the frogs, then the squirrels and the chipmunks.

I thought it quite important how even though Ollie got frustrated when the garden animals wouldn’t listen to him and get along, Ollie persevered until playing with his own friends gave him an idea on how to sort his own problems out. While Ollie admittedly showed a maturity and wisdom well beyond his young years – I feel the delivery and lesson showcased throughout the story is a vital one for youngsters and is one well-deserved on repeating over and over.

The brightly colored pictures and easily-relatable style of the story should hopefully keep kids both entertained – but also help them learn the important life-lesson being portrayed here.

Fun and a lovely short read, this is an excellent book with a great moral.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Dragon’s Mist by Randy Cruts

September 16, 2020 By 1 Comment


Dragon’s Mist by Randy Cruts
Publisher: Markosia
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Middle Grade/Young Adult (8+)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Nothing lasts forever . . . And that includes the childhood Friendship between a boy and his Dragon. Throughout the years they boldly tackle many adventures. But none will compare to their last encounter with destiny – an unavoidable collision with the mob and Charlie’s inevitable fate, growing up and leaving this fanciful world of his childhood.

He loves to go sit by the sea and imagine things. When one day a big blue dragon shows up, he can’t believe it. The dragon invites him to go for a ride. He does and he loves it! Now he’s a regular visitor so they can have more fun together.

The boy is an orphan and lives with his aunt. She can’t see the dragon. The dragon tells him he has a special talent. He and the dragon do things every day together.

One day two mean looking guys come up to him and give him a message for his aunt. They want her to stop what she’s doing. If she won’t, they’ll be back again and they won’t be nice. He tells her, she refuses to quit and the mob boys return.

One thing they didn’t count on was his dragon. Everything they try to do to scare them backfires. The dragon gets tired of them and runs them off. No more mob trouble.

This is a graphic novel so all the characters are illustrated. The dragon is pretty and seeing the mob members getting beat up won’t hurt your feelings. The dragon protects the boy and his aunt from any trouble. He finally lets the aunt see him and she’s astonished.

Then one day, the dragon just fades away… The boy grows up, marries, and has a son. When the boy goes down to the sea, he finds a big surprise. He discovers the dragon again! His father smiles and watches his son ride the dragon. What fun!

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Evelyn Illustrated by Philip Hoy

September 15, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Evelyn Illustrated by Philip Hoy
Evelyn Hernandez Book 3
Publisher: Evernight Teen
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Suspense/Mystery/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Around school, Evelyn Hernandez is known as the Revenge Artist, or la bruja, the witch. She’s the girl who out-bullied her bullies. The one with the long dark hair and blunt cut bangs who only wears dresses and is forever drawing in her mysterious black book. People say she can help you with your own bully problems … for a price.

Evelyn is content to ignore the gossip. Let people think what they want. She won’t be a thug for hire. But when a little girl is found running down the middle of the street late at night in only her nightgown, the police enlist Evelyn to sketch a mugshot of her suspected abductor.

What happens next sends Evelyn into a downward spiral of self-doubt. She makes bad things happen by drawing them, but does it always have to be this way? Can she use her abilities to create and not destroy? Can she be a voice for the voiceless without losing herself in the process?

Art can be a double-edged sword.

The first two books in this series were heavier on character development, and it paid off in a nice way. While there was additional character development to be found here, I liked the way the narrator spent more time focusing on plot development this time around. It was exactly what I was hoping to find at this point in Evelyn’s life.

There were some pacing issues, especially in the beginning. As interested as I was in finding out what was new with Evelyn and her friends, I did have trouble staying focused on the plot until it picked up speed. The storyline simply moved a bit too slow for me to really get into it until much later on, especially when it came to the main character’s attempts to make good things happen with her art instead of what her previous experiences with it had been like.

Speaking Spanish definitely isn’t a requirement for enjoying this tale, but anyone who does understand that language will get a little something extra in the bilingual scenes. I enjoyed the way the author included these sentences as a bonus while still ensuring that the main storyline was perfectly understandable for anyone who couldn’t or didn’t translate them. It was a lot of fun to figure out those extra layers of meaning.

This was the third installment of a series. I’d recommend reading all of them in order.

Evelyn Illustrated should be read by teens and adults who love art.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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