The Friendly Mouse by Sophia R Tyler

This is a cute book.  The mouse lives in the country and has to walk to work.  When he gets there, he's already worn out.

Tiger Lily Publishing and PR by the Book Sent me a copy to read and review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

He sees a seagull flying and asks him for a ride but is turned down because he weighs too much.  He continues walking to work.  

His boss is mad at him because sometimes he's late and sometimes he almost falls asleep.  The mouse notices his boss is frustrated with all the paperwork in his office.  When his boss is gone, he files it all for him.  His boss returns and sends him home.

The next day, he finds a car outside his house.  His boss bought it for him.  As he drives to work he notices the seagull walking.  He hurt his wing.

The mouse offers him a ride and the seagull is astounded!  After he turned the mouse down, the mouse is still being nice.  Soon they are best friends.

A Garden for Grace by Ellen Mainville

If you like poetry or flowers, you will love this book.  It has poems about all the different flowers that grow in a garden.

ABCarlson shared this book with me for a review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

The flower illustrations are beautiful, and the poems are easy to read.  You'll learn the names of the flowers and about their attributes.

It's a very enjoyable book to read.  It will cheer you up on rainy days!

Kuma-Kuma Chan, the Little Bear by Kazue Takahashi

This is a cute book that takes you through a day with the little bear.

Museyon and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

He gets up when the sun is up and has salad for breakfast.  He does many different things during the day.  He even takes a nap.  

It's fun to watch what he does.  He's happy by himself.  

Your little one will be fascinated by this book and might even mimic the bear...

Upon Her Shoulders editted by Mary Ann Jacobs, Cherry M Beasley, Ulrike Wiethaus

Southwestern Native Women Share Their Stories of Justice, Spirit, and Community.

Blair sent me a copy of this book to read and review (thank you).  It has been published and you and get a copy now.

This is an interesting book.   You learn about fear, prejudice, and strength of the Indian women.

They tell stories about what they have seen and what they experienced.  The stories are interesting and the thing to keep in mind is:  Never give up!

There are poems, too.

You won't forget these stories after you've read them.

Jacqueline in Paris by Ann Mah

This is a novel about Jacqulin Bouvier and her time in Paris.  She was young, attended school, and learned a lot about communists.

Mariner sent me a copy of an ARE to read for review (thank you).  It will be published on September 20th.

Jackie has a lot to learn about the people she meets there.  They aren't all they appear to be.  She falls in love with one young man but eventually finds out more about his life than he told her. That ends that.

Even her girlfriends aren't safe.  Things are scary, there is danger there, and her mother wants her to marry a man who can keep her in money.

As she lives there and learns how to get around, she finds more facts out all the time.  

Will she survive?  Will her life be happy?

Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo

This is a graphic novel.  It's nicely done and the story touches your heart.

Scholastic sent me an ARC of this book to read (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

Sue doesn't want to visit her relatives in the Honduras because it's way behind the rest of the world.  But she has no choice.  And then she finds her mother is planning surprise Quinceanera for her.  She doesn't want to wear the pink dress she's picked out.  She doesn't know how to dance, she's never worn heels, she's never had to make a speech.  None of that matters.  It's the right time and her mother is making her do it.

She goes to her grandmother and tells her troubles.  Her grandmother listens, calms her down, and eventually offers her the dress she wore for this occasion.

Despite her protests, she is forced into it.  And that is when she finds it is kind of fun. She hasn't had time to write her speech.  But when her grandmother dies, she speaks from her heart about her.

She manages to get through it and do well at it!

The Do-Over by Jennifer Torres

Their mom and dad got divorced and they want them to get back together.  But dad already has a new lady in his life, with another child their age.

He wants them to come visit them, but they refuse without their mom.  So he invites her, too. 

Scholastic sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

The sisters have different attributes so they argue.  The new girl is nice but they aren't sure about her.  And her mom is nice, too.

It takes a bit of time with problems here and there that make things difficult.  Everybody has to change a bit but it ends happily.

Horse Country: Can't be Tamed by Yamile Saied Mendez

Carolina has grown up on a horse ranch and she loves horses.  She has her pets and is excited to see who bought the ranch.  The new owner has a girl her age.  But she is not friendly...

Scholastic sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

When the newcomer starts to do her chores and not very well, she gets defensive.  What's worse is that they both have their eye on a new horse.  Carolina goes out in the middle of the night to help the horse adjust.

Then she finds that Chelsie is doing the same thing...

When Chelsie is told she has to muck stalls and Carolina will show her how, she's not happy.  They exchange words and become enemies.  But things change.

They find that working together is easier.  As time goes on, they become friends.  After all, everyone deserves a second chance.

Join the Club, Maggie Diaz by Nina Moreno

Seventh grade is not fun for Maggie.  Her friends are busy with extra-curricular activities, her Mom is going to school, her older sister has her own interests.  If she could only figure out what she's good at.

Scholastic sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

She tries a lot of different things, but nothing jumps out as her best skill.  Her school work isn't the best.  Her mother punishes her for bad grades.

Will she be able to make her grades better, find her secret talent, and finally get a mobile phone?  She will have to try hard and not get caught up in school drama...

Karma's World: The Great Shine-A-Thon Showcase by Halcyon Person

Everyone is excited because MC Grillz is coming to town.  They are practicing dance steps, singing his sons, and dressing up for it.  Then the show is cancelled.

Scholastic sent me an ARC to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

The kids decided to put on their own show.  Karma is the director.  She's pleased until she realizes she has to make all the decisions.  And they only have two days to get ready...

The boy she wants to open the show has bad stage fright and can't sing.  She takes him out of the show.  Then where they were going to perform develops a bad water leak and ruins the work done on the set.  Poor Karma, how can she salvage the show?

They decide to perform on the roof.  She gets the boy she removed from the show to come sing again and everybody sings with him, so his stage fright is gone.  The show goes on, but they have a big surprise.

Can you guess what it is?

Because of You, John Lewis by Andrea Davis Pinkney

John Lewis was a great man.  He fought long and hard to let everyone vote, no matter their color.  He did all he could to make everyone equal.

Scholastic sent m an ARC of this for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

He was friends with Martin Luther King Jr.  He chose a young boy to walk the Edmund Pettus Bridge and inspired him.

He leaves behind a powerful legacy and inspiration for tomorrow.  We are all human.  Let's be kind to each other and not look at color.  Together we could accomplish a lot.

I Color Myself Different by Colin Kaepernick

Colin was adopted by a white family.  They love him and treat him as one of their own.

Scholastic sent me an ARC to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

He knows he's different from the rest of his family, but he likes that.  He is his own individual.

A school they are told to draw a picture of their family.  He does but he colors himself brown.  When they show their pictures to the class, he gets some criticism from other schoolmates for being different.  He explains why he likes that, and other classmates stand with him.

As long as you are loved, it doesn't matter what you look like.  Be your own unique self and enjoy life!

Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare

Her mother left, her father died, and now she has to make it on her own.  At least she can sing and that gets her a job.

Berkley and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

Lena is biracial and passes for white.  She gets tangled up with the Abernathy family which is unfortunate.

She's on the Queen Mary and she sees husbands having affairs, murders, and snotty women.  As she tries to stay out of trouble, she just gets more drawn in.

The cops ask questions about the murders.  Lena wonders who is killing them.

There's lots of drama, another death, and the killer was a real surprise to me.

Another surprise was that Lena finds her mother on board...

Pet That Cat! by Nigel Kidd & Rachel Braunigan

This is a very good guide to a cat's behavior.  If you have not had a cat before, this is a good resource.  Or if you don't understand your cat, this book will help.

Quirk Books sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can buy a copy now.

The different sections teach you about what they like and what they don't.  They talk about kittens, adult cats, and senior cats so you can pick which would fit the best in your life.

I grew up with a cat.  He slept with me in my crib and he let me do things to him most cats wouldn't put up with.  I still have a cat and he thinks he owns me.  We're best friends.

This is a guide that will enable you to be best friends with you cat!

Greta Thunberg School Strike by Tracey Turner, illustrated by Tom Knight

A book like is a treasure.  Greta is at the front lines of climate change trying to make a difference.

Abrams Books for Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has ben published and you can get a copy now.

Greta is shy but she doesn't hide when something is important to her.  She knows what is coming and wats to stop it.

This book is full of facts about climate change and about Geta's life.  It's a great way for your children to learn about climate change.

Then maybe they can join Greta in her quest.

Marvel Big Book of Fun and Games

This is a great book for children.  All they need is a pencil, and it will keep them busy for a while.

Abrams Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

There is a variety of challenges in the book.  Mazes, crosswords, top-secret codes, word searches, spot-the-differences, word scrambles, drawing tutorials, posters, trivia and more.

As they tackle these puzzles, they learn.  It's fun though and they don't think about that.

The Prisoner of Siverstone by Linette Moore

This is a fantasy graphic novel.  A young girl finds herself on an island that mad scientists are sent to.

Amulet books sent me this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

She has gone to the island to save her grandfather.  She becomes a captive of the guards.

She has many adventures on the island and she's quite often in trouble.  But she keeps searching for her grandfather.

Will she find him?

A Cat About Town by Lea Decan

This is about a cat that has made friends with several people.  He travels about the town calling on his friends.  He has a routine.

Tate sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

He loves his owner but he likes his friends, too.  He goes to one place because Grandma feeds him when her grand daughter comes to visit.  He visits men and women both.  He likes being a subject for an artist to draw.  But he goes home on Sunday to be with his owner.

I had a cat that wandered once, too.  But he always came home for love and food...

Monsters in the Fog by Ali Bahrampour

It's a foggy day but the donkey is going up the mountain to take a sweater he knitted to his friend.

Abrams Books for Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

As he goes, he runs into a goat who informs him there are monsters on the mountain.  He doesn't let that slow him down.  

Each animal he meets is carrying something and in the fog does resemble a monster.  He waits until he can see them clearly and then carries part of their load.

This is a good lesson:  Wait until you can see things clearly before you form opinions.

We Have a Dream: Meet 30 Young Indigenous People and People of Color Protecting the Planet by Mya-Rose Craig (Author), Sabrena Khadija (Illustrator)

This book is a good teacher.  It has 30 perspectives of young people who think we need to save our planet.  I agree with them.

Magic Cat Publishing sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

The sad part is that greed and convenience run the planet.  Resources don't last forever.  We should have been looking for new ways to do things long ago.  And those replacements should not be too expensive.

Reading this book tells you just how bad things are.  Let the little ones think of ways to make it better.  They are our future.

Chasing Rainbows by Gabby Grant

This is a cute book that gives you ideas on where to find signs of the rainbow.

Tate books sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

It's rained almost all day and the little girl wishes she could see a rainbow.  So her father suggests they go out and look for it.

As she steps through down leaves, he picks up the bright ones and tells her they just missed it.  They wander around town, letting all the bright things tell them they are chasing the rainbow.

After they take a break, they head for home.  As they turn a corner, you'll be surprised by what she sees!

I Like This, You Like That by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Eve Coy

This is an interesting comparison of opposites.  Whatever she likes, he doesn't and vice versa.

The illustrations are done very well.

Abrams Appleseed sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

As they go through the book disagreeing, they finally come to the question:  "Do we agree on ANYTHING?"

What do you think?

Biking with Grandma by Chris Santella, illustrated by Vivienne To

This is no little bike ride; Grandma takes him all around the world.

Abrams Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

The grandson writes to his parents about where he's been and what he's learned.  He learns a lot from the places he travels.

What an adventure!  He sees strange animals, meets different people, and enjoys himself.  His grandmother even gets involved in some of the activities.

This is a great way to learn about different parts of the world.

Pool Party by Amy Duchene & Elisa Parhad, art by Anne Bentley

This a cute book about several children going to the public pool and having a great time.

Cameron Kids sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

When I was small, I couldn't swim.  We had a creek on our property and when the opportunity came up, my Mom sent me to swimming lessons.  I could hold my breath longer than anyone else in class, and I learned how to swim.  It was great fun!

As you read this book. you can introduce your child to the idea of swimming and help them learn, too!  As they see the children have fun, they will want to also.

Puppy Bus by Drew Brockington

He's a new student at this school.  He's not enthused.  Then he finds that he's on the wrong bus!

Abrams Young Readers sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

He finds himself on the puppy bus.  Then he's at the puppy school.  He goes to the principal to explain what happened but it's a dog.  He spends his day at the puppy school and has fun at recess.  He decides it's not so bad.

The next day he plans to go back but he gets on the wrong bus again.  Can you guess which bus it was?

The Rainbow Hunters by Andrea Farotto, Martina Tonello (Illustrations)

This is a fun book to read. A boy decides to go catch a rainbow.  As he walks through the neighborhood, he picks up his other friends...

Milky Way Picture Books sent me this book to read and review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

They go in all four directions before finding a rainbow.  Then they try to find the end of it for the pot of gold.

Do they succeed?

Spring Parade by Camelia Kay, art by Allyn Howard

This is a good way to welcome Spring.  It shows all the plants and animals that grow in Spring.

Camron Kids sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

The bunny rabbit finds all kinds of wonders in the woods.  He gathers them all together and they become a parade.

Show all the wonders to your little one and they'll want to welcome Spring, too!

The Flower Garden by Renee Kurilla

This is quite an adventure!   Two little girls plant a flower garden so bees will have a place to eat.

Amulet Books sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published so you can get a copy now.

The little red-haired girl is the most adventurist.

As they wait for the seeds to grow, they take a nap.  While they are napping a gnome comes up and makes one plant grow.

The red-haired girl has a dream where she and her friend are small and the plants are big, It's quite exciting.

This is a graphic novel and the illustrations are luscious.  

Children will like reading this!

Slow Down in the Park illustrated by Freya Hartas

This is a good way to learn things about nature.

Abams Young Readers sent me a copy of this book to read for review (thank you).  It has been published and you can get a copy now.

You see ducks, squirrels, mushrooms, woodpeckers, lilies, and learn about thunder and lightening.

It offers facts it would be good for your child to know.  They won't just follow a trail in the woods anymore, they will be observing.

I've always loved nature.  My parents taught me that.  

Teach your child to love nature, too!