Love, Laughter, and Life

Adventures With a Book Lover


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Book Review: The President of the Jungle

The President of the Jungle

Written and Illustrated by Andre Rodrigues, Larissa Ribeiro, Paula Desgualdo, Pedro Markun

Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018 in Brazil, 2020 in America

Let me introduce you to the perfect book for elections, whether they take place in the jungle or the, er, human jungle. Meet The President of the Jungle, a tale translated from Portuguese by Lyn Miller-Lachmann. Thank you so much, Linda Ashman and Picture Book Builders, for sending me a copy!

I totally loved reading The President of the Jungle! Humorous, funny, heartfelt, and perfect for showing a simple explanation of the democratic process. The illustrations are spot on, colorful, and bring this story to life. Pick up this book and read it with your littles. Or just yourself. All of you will enjoy it.

What I Loved About This Book:

~ humorous, tongue-in-cheek

~ well written

~ cleverly explains the democratic process in a fun, engaging way

~ vocabulary and glossary

~ jungle animals!

~ the story itself

~ colorful, captivating illustrations

Amazon Blurb:

In this fabulous and funny introduction to how elections work, the animals decide they are tired of their king and that it is time to vote for a president.

Lion may be King of the jungle, but lately he only seems to care about himself. His subjects are fed up, so they decide to try something new–hold an election! Once Owl explains the rules, the fun begins, and Snake, Sloth, and Monkey all announce they will be candidates. But oh no, Lion is going to run too! It’s a wild campaign season as the animals hold rallies, debate, and even take a selfie or two, trying to prove why they’d make the best president of the jungle.

This funny, non-partisan story features lively illustrations, a helpful glossary, and colorful characters who have an infectious enthusiasm for the election process.


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Sunday Inspiration

Photo by Angie Quantrell, Peoh Point overlooking Cle Elum, Washington

Text by God


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Sunday Inspiration

Photo by Angie Quantrell

Text by God


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Sunday Inspiration

Photo by Angie Quantrell

Text by God


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Sunday Inspiration

Photo by Angie Quantrell

Text by God


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Haiku Moment

luring pollen feast-

creep, wobble, feed, gather, fly-

bumble! bumble bee

bumble by Angie Quantrell

photo by Angie Quantrell


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Drawn to Help: Children’s Books to the Rescue!

Check out this wonderful program Tara Lazar shared on her blog today. Kidlit authors and illustrators are visiting sick children in the hospital, sharing books, and giving art lessons. What a great way to help someone who is going through a tough time! Way to go!

Thank you, Tara for sharing this!

Click the link below to read more about Drawn to Help: Children’s Books to the Rescue!


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Sunday Inspiration

Photo by Angie Quantrell

Text by God


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Book Review: The Ocean Calls, A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Tina Cho

The Ocean Calls, A Haenyeo Mermaid Story

Written by Tina Cho

Illustrated by Jess X. Snow

Kokila, An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC; August 2020

I was super excited to win a copy of The Ocean Calls, A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Tina Cho, illustrated by Jess X. Snow, from Kathy Temean’s Writing and Illustrating website. You can read more from Kathy and check out her post at https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2020/07/21/book-giveaway-the-ocean-calls-by-tina-cho/ . Thank you, Kathy and Tina!

The Ocean Calls, A Haenyeo Mermaid Story is the fascinating story of women divers who use the skills passed down from generation to generation to dive and gather the fruits of the sea. Living on Jeju Island in South Korea, the mostly mature and elderly women dive into waters off the island, up to 30 meters deep. They do not use breathing equipment and can hold their breath up to two minutes! I am amazed!

The story focuses on Dayeon, a young girl, and her grandmother, one of the diving mermaids. Grandma is trying to encourage Dayeon and teach her the skills necessary to become a Haenyeo Mermaid. I love the way the young girl struggles with the fear of jumping into the wild ocean, even as she dreams of being able to do what she sees her grandmother doing.

This engaging story is delicious! I loved learning more about a new subject, one I had never heard about before. What an encouraging picture book, one that invites readers to explore a new world with their eyes, ears, and hearts!

Why I Love This Book:

~ The story is wonderful

~ The fascination I felt as I read about Haeynyeo Mermaids

~ The underwater world of women divers

~ The illustrations bursting with color and extra details

~ The setting on and off an island of South Korea

~ The history and the traditions of generations of courageous women

~ Fabulous backmatter

Amazon Blurb:

A breathtaking picture book featuring a Korean girl and her haenyeo (free diving) grandmother about intergenerational bonds, finding courage in the face of fear, and connecting with our natural world.

Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast of Jeju Island to pluck treasures from the sea–generations of Korean women have done so for centuries. To Dayeon, the haenyeo are as strong and graceful as mermaids. To give her strength, Dayeon eats Grandma’s abalone porridge. She practices holding her breath while they do the dishes. And when Grandma suits up for her next dive, Dayeon grabs her suit, flippers, and goggles. A scary memory of the sea keeps Dayeon clinging to the shore, but with Grandma’s guidance, Dayeon comes to appreciate the ocean’s many gifts.

Tina Cho’s The Ocean Calls, with luminous illustrations by muralist Jess X. Snow, is a classic in the making.


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Sunday Inspiration

Photo by Angie Quantrell

Text by King Solomon