Doesn’t the name Princess Pudding Pie make you want to read about her adventures? I know it grabbed my attention. Thanks to Mascot Books for sending a review copy.
The Adventures of Princess Pudding Pie, written by Saureen Naik Desai, is the story of Princess Pudding Pie, a young girl who loves to travel, taste delicacies, and enjoy the different places she visits. With passport in hand, Princess Pudding Pie heads out to explore a variety of international locations.
What I Liked About This Book:
~ Princess Pudding Pie (I love that name)
~ Princess Pudding Pie has a pie (complete with pan, which frames her face) for her head. It’s not weird, but pretty cute.
~ Princess Pudding Pie tells how to say hello in the language of each place she visits (I was wishing for pronunciation on a few of them, but still loads of fun)
~ I love how Princess Pudding Pie wears a themed outfit for each country
~ Each spread for every country shows a famous landmark for that country
~ Told in rhyme, this book shares about delicious treats from international countries, but readers are encouraged to eat healthy foods first and then sample sweet desserts
Young readers will enjoy traveling with Princess Pudding Pie. I think it would be fun to choose a favorite treat and make that for the family. Yummy! Or, let’s dream big, travel to a favorite international location and taste the treats there!
Amazon Blurb:
Princess Pudding Pie is a smart, sassy, free spirited globetrotter! She loves visiting new countries and learning all about different cultures, traditions, and delicious delicacies. Princess Pudding Pie is excited to take you on an adventure around the world tasting new and interesting desserts, all while visiting symbolic landmarks, collecting neat souvenirs, and learning about traditional dress. She ll even teach you how to say hello in each country s native tongue. Join Princess Pudding Pie as she shows us how much beauty and elegance our world has to offer.
Now, I know this Throwback Thursday only goes back to last fall (October), but look at the beautiful book I received in the mail from Little Bee Books! I thought I would share the cover and a few inside pages again. Just because.
You can read the original posts (throwbacks) by clicking the links below.
***The Giveaway mentioned in the Author Interview post has concluded.
About Vivian Kirkfield (Author)
Vivian Kirkfield’s career path is paved with picture books. From shelving them in a children’s library and reading them with her kindergarteners, to writing them, her goal has always been to help kids become lovers of books and reading. She is the author of many picture books including: Four Otters Toboggan: An Animal Counting Book; Pippa’s Passover Plate; From Here to There: Inventions that Changed the Way the World Moves; and Sweet Dreams, Sarah. Her parent-teacher guide, Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking is a valuable resource for child-care facilitators. Vivian lives in the quaint New England village of Amherst, New Hampshire, where the old stone library is her favorite hangout and her ten-year-old grandson is her favorite Monopoly partner. Visit Vivian’s website.
About Alleanna Harris (Illustrator)
Alleanna Harris has been drawing for as long as she can remember. As a little kid, she would draw on every page of her mom’s legal pads, her notebooks at school, and on the programs at church. She graduated from the University of the Arts with a BFA in animation with honors, and it was during this time she realized her love for illustration. Alleanna finds inspiration in the beauty of everyday things. She seeks to create images that are immersive, rich in color, and have a sense of warmth. She lives in New Jersey. Find out more about her at alleannaharris.com.
I hope you’ll find a copy of Making Their Voices Heard and enjoy it yourself.
Yellow Jacket, An Imprint of Little Bee Books; 2020
Thank you, Yellow Jacket Books, for this review Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Boy Who Grew Dragons. I’m happy to announce that I totally enjoyed reading this middle grade novel.
Honestly, I can’t say enough about this fun read. Dragons with explosive poop, an unsuspecting boy and his friends, an interesting gardening experience, trouble with neighbors, and adventures galore provided a very entertaining read of The Boy Who Grew Dragons.
Why I Love This Book:
~ Dragons! Tiny dragons who bond with humans, drop explosive poop, and get into trouble. Books with imagination always catch my attention.
~ A mysterious tree in the garden grows funny (weird) fruit. Dragon fruit tree? Is there not a real life fruit called dragon fruit? Does that fruit also grow dragons? I digress.
~ Tomas is a believable, interesting main character. I enjoyed all of the characters, even the not-so-nice neighbor.
~ The cover and internal illustrations are fantastic and perfectly compliment the story. Yes, this middle grade novel is illustrated with funny, clever, and enticing artwork.
~ Great writing and engaging story
I think young readers will devour The Boy Who Grew Dragons.
Yellow Jacket Blurb:
This hilarious middle-grade novel with illustrations throughout sees Tomas discover that he can grow dragons in his own garden!
When Tomas discovers a strange old tree at the bottom of his grandfather’s garden, he doesn’t think much of it. But he takes the funny fruit from the tree back into the house and gets the shock of his life when a tiny dragon hatches! The tree is a dragon fruit tree, and Tomas now has his very own dragon, Flicker!
While Tomas finds out that life with Flicker is fun, he also finds that it is very…unpredictable. Yes, dragons are wonderful, but they also set fire to your toothbrush and leave your underwear hanging from the TV antenna. Tomas has to learn how to look after Flicker—and quickly! And then something extraordinary happens: More dragon fruits appear on the tree! Now it’s official, Tomas is growing dragons.
Foo-Foo. Not technically our rabbit. Though I have recently informed my honey that this is my rabbit. Not rabbit soup. (No guarantees for others in the bunny market, as it were…coyotes, hawks, eagles, and other larger predators who roam freely. Like the playground cougar sighting at the school where 3 of my grands attend.)
Poor bunny Foo-Foo. Someone released him. Or he escaped. He is quite the digger, as evidenced by the ditch beneath our Mabel Gate. Or she. I feel like it is a he though.
Charcoal. Again, not our pet. I can’t even claim him, because he really belongs to the neighbors on the east side of the pasture. They would know if we adopted this funny guy. Also thought he was a she and hoped for a random egg now and then. But she began crowing all hours of the day. This daily visitor will either help our garden grow (by eating pests and fertilizing) or keep it from growing (by nibbling greens and digging up tender shoots). Either way, not our chicken.
Speaking of…just as I was finishing this post, who trots in from the pasture with a fresh snack?
Monet. This one is really our pet. She adores pasture life and voraciously hunts other pasture pets of the rodent and avian varieties. By our pet, I mean she sleeps in at night (to avoid cat/dog/coyote fights in the wee hours), we feed her on a regular basis, and pay her worming and vet bills. We used to have her twin sister, Mabel, until a pack of dogs decided she was snack worthy. Those dogs were definitely NOT our pets. And they are the reason we now have a Mabel Gate.
Ginger. Not our pet. Though we are doggy grandparents. She loves visiting us in the pasture. More for chasing the ball and occasional cat (Monet) or jumping in the ditch filled with mud and water. But still. If we would let her, she would visit inside the RV. What fun that would be! So. Though she is not our pet, technically, we have adopted her as a family member. Neighbor. Just over the fence.
Other “not our pets” include (but not restricted to) hawks, eagles, coyotes, skunks, goats, ducks, quail, geese, voles, mice, rats, woodpeckers, blue jays, magpies, doves, cats, dogs, frogs, snakes, water rats (I really don’t know what they are…but they are big and swim in the irrigation ditch), crows, worms, slugs, song birds, and lots and lots of insects.
Need a trip to the pasture zoo? Come spring, we will be open for business. I mean, the hibernators will be out and about, the frozen will thaw, eggs and litters will hatch, and who knows what else will spring to life. Bring a lawn chair and a camera. We’ll treat you to the habitats and adventures of Pasture Pets.
Write a Valentine story for these little ones? You bet!
Hey, writer friends! OR Hello friends who would love to try their hand at writing a short Valentine story for young readers!
This is your opportunity to join Susanna Hill’s Valentine writing challenge contest. Lots of fun, new friends and connections to be made, and a neat way to share your story. Or if you just love to read, join the adventure and read what other writers dream up. We are a crazy, creative, imaginative bunch.
Head on over to Susanna’s blog for the details.
Until then, I’ll be dreaming of Valentine’s Day and something fun to put in a story.
Ribbon’s Traveling Castle was gifted to me for review for Multicultural Children’s Book Day. Thank you, Elizabeth Godley, for sharing your book with me!
Ribbon’s Traveling Castle is an imaginative picture book about a young girl who faces the changes that come with moving (and life). Through creative situations, Ribbon explores what is going on in her life. Each imaginary person Ribbon encounters joins her in this tale as they play together.
Why I Like This Book:
~ imagination is KEY to enjoying this story
~ the story explores change, which is pretty scary to most people
~ clever illustrations, gradually transforming from mostly monochromatic to color
~ the fun story
~ the focus on play, which is pretty important to young readers
~ Ribbon’s trust in her dad to take care of her
Amazon Blurb:
This heartwarming, silly story with a dash of magic, illustrates that a big heart grants you tolerance. And it’s okay if things change, they’re supposed to shift. Change happens to everyone and the solution to the struggle is love, love for yourself and others.
Ribbon, traveling with her father, encounters a group of bizarre individuals in need of simple guidance. Ribbon rises above the worries of the day to day with the joy of play and love as her compass. Her example is an inspiration to everyone.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 (1/31/20) is in its 7th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.
Seven years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues.
MCBD 2020 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board
We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.
Butterfly and Five Little Children at the Zoo are two books I was gifted to review for Multicultural Children’s Book Day (#MCBD). Thank you, Elvy P. Rolle, for sharing your books with me!
Butterfly
Written by Elvy P. Rolle
Illustrated by Maksym Stasiuk
Nature’s Pages, 2nd Edition, 2016
Butterfly is a beautifully illustrated picture book about butterflies. Geared towards young readers, the simple text shares the movement and exploration of butterflies and the enjoyment of boys and girls as they interact with these flowers of nature.
What I Like About This Book:
~ the simple text and poetic form
~ the wonder of butterflies enjoyed by children of many cultures
~ the nature focus
~ the “Find the Butterflies” page
~ the butterfly glossary
~ the hidden butterfly found on each page
~ the peaceful, quiet, beautiful book
Five Little Children at the Zoo
Written by Elvy P. Rolle
Illustrated by Max Stasuyk
Aspect Books, 2016
Five Little Children at the Zoo is the tale of an adult taking five young children for a walk through the zoo. One by one, counting down from five, each child stays with a specific animal. And then, one by one, counting back up to five, each child is gathered into the group. A happy day at the zoo is enjoyed by all.
What I Like About This Book:
~ any trip to the zoo is an adventure
~ fun rhyming words
~ counting down and counting up
~ animal sounds
~ colorful illustrations
~ lots of parent/guardian support and suggestions in the backmatter
Amazon Blurb:
It’s always a great day to visit the zoo! In this delightful counting book, your child will meet playful kangaroos, colorful peacocks, gentle doves, and inquisitive cows while learning number concepts. The book was inspired by author Elvy Rolle’s field trips to the zoo while she worked with preschool children as a speech-language pathologist. “As I observed the children, it occurred to me that an interactive book on this theme would be a fun way for them to revisit the zoo,” she says. “I hope that Five Little Children at the Zoo will inspire the imagination and creativity of young children, as well as enhance their oral language and early literacy connections, as they listen to and interact with the story.”
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 (1/31/20) is in its 7th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.
Seven years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues.
MCBD 2020 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board
We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.
Friends, this book is gorgeous! Being a bit of a Beatrix Potter fan, England fan, and general nature and caring for the planet fan, this book hits the trifecta for matching all three interests.
Well written, beautifully illustrated, and chock full of Beatrix Potter, I recommend grabbing yourself a copy.
Why I Love This Book:
~ Well written and interesting
~ Gorgeous and colorful illustrations
~ I learned so much about Beatrix and England and Peter Rabbit-perfect!
~ The backmatter fills in additional information
~ The setting, the history, and the tone of the times were spot on
~ Great read! This is a book I will reread over and over. It’s like a little trip to England without leaving my RV.
~ Gardens. I adore gardens. English gardens. Just ask my husband and son, who were in trouble more often than not when they tried to “tidy up” the edges of my flower beds.
Congratulations to Linda Elovitz Marshall, Ilaria Urbinati, and Little Bee Books for a job well done!
Amazon Blurb:
“Fans of Beatrix Potter will delight in this tribute to her dedication and talent, encapsulating a legacy that reaches far beyond the pages of her beloved books.”-Foreword Reviews in a STARRED REVIEW
“Empowering and fresh.”-School Library Journal
“The life of the British picture-book author and illustrator makes a serendipitous subject for an engaging and attractive picture book…A well-told tale that makes the life story of the renowned author accessible to children.”-Kirkus Reviews
“Perhaps Peter Rabbit needs no introduction, but even children who know Beatrix Potter’s name probably know little about her. This appealing picture book fills that gap…. Recommended for young Beatrix Potter fans.”-Booklist
“In forthright language, this picture book biography recounts her boundary-breaking life as she grows from a nature-loving child with a menagerie of pets…into a successful artist and canny entrepreneur. An attractive introduction to an iconic creator.”-Publisher’s Weekly
“An exceptionally accurate portrait of Beatrix Potter told with humor and surprise. Beautifully done.” Linda Lear, author of Beatrix Potter: A Life in Nature
Through she’s universally known as the creator of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter did so much more. This is the true story about how she helped save the English countryside!
Growing up in London, Beatrix Potter felt the restraints of Victorian times. Girls didn’t go to school and weren’t expected to work. But she longed to do something important, something that truly mattered. As Beatrix spent her summers in the country and found inspiration in nature, it was through this passion that her creativity flourished.
There, she crafted The Tale of Peter Rabbit. She would eventually move to the countryside full-time, but developers sought to change the land. To save it, Beatrix used the money from the success of her books and bought acres and acres of land and farms to prevent the development of the countryside that both she and Peter Rabbit so cherished. Because of her efforts, it’s been preserved just as she left it.
This beautiful picture book shines a light on Beatrix Potter’s lesser-known history and her desire to do something for the greater good.
Happy Book Birthday to Oh, The Places You’ve Been! (February 4, 2020)
Thank you, Mascot Books, for this review copy of Oh, The Places You’ve Been.
I don’t know about you, but I’m one of those people who will stoop to pick up a forgotten coin, no matter the value. Pennies seem to be the most popular coins to leave behind, most likely due to the low value. BUT only 99 more, and I will have a dollar.
The appearance of these dropped or discarded pennies does make one wonder. How did it get here? Why does it look like this? Where has it traveled?
Oh, The Places You’ve Been is told from the viewpoint of a lost penny. With great imagination, the penny tells a young girl about many of the places it has traveled, rested, stayed, and escaped. This story is told in rhyme.
BE SURE to READ all the way to the bottom for an INTERVIEW with Ben Everard.
What I Liked About This Book:
~ the imagination! I love considering where my coins have been.
~ the periods at the end of the sentences are tiny pennies! Very cute.
~ the story of the coin. I mean, if only we could have all of the same experiences, life would be grand.
~ the illustrations are mostly at the eye level of the penny
~ this story is told from the viewpoint of a penny. Now that is unique and fun!
~ lovely colors and a variety of illustrations
~ the ending page asks the reader to consider “Where has your penny been?” I love thinking about this. Great job!
Amazon Blurb:
Where has your penny been?Oh, the Places You’ve Been is a delightful picture book following the life of a small penny. From city sidewalks to snowy mountaintops, fields full of fireflies and all the way to the Moon, a young girl learns this little coin has traveled far and wide to end up in her pocket. But how can something so small have traveled so far? This playful rhyming tribute to Dr. Seuss explores how even small, long-forgotten things have amazing stories to tell.
Welcome, Ben Everard! Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois, went to college at the University of Miami, then attended law school at The George Washington University Law School. I met my wife, Mary, in college and we were married right after I graduated law school. I began my career as an attorney at Quinn Emanuel in Los Angeles. After three years as a corporate litigator, I left the active practice of law to pursue a path producing films. I’ve been very fortunate to work on a few wonderful films, including LIGHTS OUT and THE LAUNDROMAT. Currently we are filming an upcoming movie called YES DAY with Jennifer Garner, which will be a Netflix original film. We are very excited by it! I have three beautiful children and live in Manhattan Beach, CA.
That’s exciting, Ben!
What was your inspiration for Oh, The Place You’ve Been?
Oh, The Places You’ve Been is inspired by a number of things. I have to give credit to my Grandmother, who taught me at a young age that finding a penny off the ground should be interpreted as someone you’ve lost in your life saying hello to you. Obviously it’s not a literal interpretation, but a metaphor that I think highly of. Because of that lesson, I’ve always picked pennies off the ground when I see them. I remember finding a penny that was from the 1940s one time, and it made me pause and think of all the places that penny must have been in its existence. Once I had children, I started reading children’s books regularly. I love the classics – Dr. Seuss’ Oh The Places You’ll Go is the first book I read to each of my children. And while I am a big fan of quality children’s books, I certainly came across a large number that I didn’t think had a great message and felt like noise more than anything else. Instead of complaining about that, I set out to see if I could do one myself. Whether or not I’ve succeeded others will decide, but it certainly was a more lengthy and complicated process than one might think. I also did it in part as a lesson to my children – if you set your mind on a goal or objective, work hard at it until you accomplish it. I was rejected by MANY publishers, but the book exists. Failure is a part of the journey.
That’s neat that your grandmother inspired this book. I totally agree with you about picking up pennies.
What was the writing journey you took as you wrote this book?
Hard work, editing, more editing, soliciting feedback, then rejection, rejection, rejection, and finally publication. It took well over a year.
Rejection. It’s a part of the process. You just have to keep going forward. And you did!
What special plans do you have to celebrate the birthday of Oh, The Places You’ve Been? (February 4, 2020)
I’d be thrilled to hear that a child or two enjoys the books.
That would be great news!
Surprise us! What else would you like to share?
YES DAY, our upcoming movie, comes from a children’s book by Amy Krause Rosenthal. I hope it helps bring more picture books to the big screen.
I’m very excited to hear this! Fantastic news!
Thank you, Ben, for visiting with us. Congratulations and best wishes with Oh The Places You’ve Been and YES DAY.
Love, Laughter, and Life 