Summer time reads for Kids from CandleWick Press!

Reading is not only an important way to help keep your mind engaged, but it is always an amazing way to explore new worlds and beyond using your imagination and the words on the page. I am the type of person who gets excited seeing kids who want to read as many books as possible so I love buying and gifting books to my friends and loved ones. Today I wanted to share some great kids books with you!

Madame Badobedah; This book is by Sophie Dahl and it is available in hardcover for $18.99. I enjoyed reading this book with my kids, it was quite a fun adventure that will make you smile. The main character is a little girl named Mabel, her parents own a hotel and she loves pretending to be a spy learning about all the new guests. One day a extravagant older woman named Madame Badobedah moves in and she is very mysterious because she is a private woman who keeps to herself and often stays in her room. Over the course of the book Mabel gets to know her and they go on a lot of heart felt adventures together making their friendship grow as the book goes on. This is a great book that teaches first appearances aren't always as they seem.

One Mean Ant; This book is written by Arthur Yorinks and is available in hardcover for $16.99. My kids highly enjoyed this book, it is one of their favorites out of the batch of books we are featuring on this post. As you can guess this book is about a very mean ant, he is so mean that leaves fall off of trees when he walks by, and none of the other critters like being around him. One day ant is so busy being mean and telling everyone what to do that he gets lost, while he is lost he meets a fly that tries to be friends with him. The fly helps break down a bit of the ants rude demeanor and they do end up becoming friends.

Dot Unplugged; This book is available in hardcover for $16.99 and it is by The Jim Henson Company. Dot is a character in a great series of books that are colorful and entertaining to read for young children, each book holds a new adventure. In this book Dot, her friend and her parents have to figure out what to do to keep themselves entertained when the power goes out in her house due to a storm outside. What in the world are they going to do without any electronics to keep them entertained? They decided to celebrate a day of being "unplugged" and look for things to do at home that don't require electricity. Through out the day they play games, do crafts and more. I think this is a great book highlighting non-electronic activities to do!

The Blunders A Counting Catastrophe! This book is available in hardcover for $16.99 and it is written by Christina Soontornvat. This book is about a family that has ten children, the mom is trying to clean the house the children have made a mess and they are driving her a little nuts so she asks them to go play outside for a while but keep an eye on each other. The children go out to play and when it is time to come in they go to count themselves to make sure everyone is there, but one of them is missing! Each child takes a turn counting each of their siblings and they can only count nine of them. I like that the book not only counts in English but other language's as well as shown above. The children don't realize that when they are counting they are not including themselves in the count so they believe someone is missing and go home to tell their mom they lost a sibling, which is when she reassures them that they are all there.

Follow Me, Flo! This cute book is for younger children and it is available in hardcover for $16.99, written by Jarvis. Flo and her father are on their way to visit a family members new nest, her father instructs her to follow him otherwise she will get lost. While they are walking she entertains herself by singing and telling stores but she gets so wrapped up in her story telling that she wanders off and becomes a bit lost. The illustrations in this book are quite bright and the characters are darling, and the book has a happy ending of course.

Hazel and Twig: The Lost Egg. Written by Brenna Burns Yu and available in hardcover for $16.99. The sweet little mice in this photo remind me of a book that I read when I was younger so I really enjoyed reading this cute little book. Hazel and Twig are playing in a meadow one day when they happen upon a egg which they think is lost and they decide they'd like to hatch it themselves so they take it home. This book shows their adventure and what eventually pops out of the egg!

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Candlewick Press for review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Four great books from Candlewick press for toddlers!

It is never too early to start reading to your child, they absorb a lot even before they begin speaking and reading. Candlewick Press recently sent me four great books to check out that are perfect for reading to your infant/toddler or with them as they begin to read. Two of them are perfect for when they are learning new sight words and the alphabet, and the other two are just fun to read with them.

100 First Words By Edward Underwood (Retail $9.99)

This book has an assortment of easy to learn words, most are words used on an everyday basis such as spoon, fork, bowl, etc however they also include items found on farms, at the store and more. To help make the book more entertaining and help keep your toddlers attention you'll find several fun flaps to explore within the book. The thick board pages are sure to withstand your toddler putting it through quite a bit.

Alphabet Street By Johnathan Emmett (Retail $17.99)

Candlewick Press offers a ton of neat books that offer unique ways of reading and I think this is one of the coolest books I've reviewed with them. The Alphabet Street book helps your child learn their alphabet while seeming almost like a game. The book not only has interactive flaps through out the book, but it also unfolds like an accordion with illustrations and information on both sides of the pages. Instead of each page having a single letter and an image or two of words that go with that letter, the book is set up so that each page has an entire scene with multiple words to go with each letter.  Each page is full of color and creativity, I wish I had this book for my kids when they were younger and first practicing their alphabet.

Guess How Much I Love You By Sam McBratney (Retail $24.99)

This book is a classic and it is celebrating it's 25th Anniversary with a gift set that includes a hard covered copy of the book, a thick case and a beautiful print of the cover art that can be framed and hung up. I enjoy reading this adorable book and reading about how much the baby and mama rabbit love each other as it reminds me of my own mother and of my children as well. We enjoy playing a similar game with our children, one of us will ask "Guess How Much I Love You?" and then after that person asks how much we will give them an answer such as "I love you a billon times every grain of sand in the world". This book is a great addition to any collection.

The Little Snowplow Wishes For Snow By Lora Koehler (Retail $16.99)

This story follows along with a cute little snowplow who loves plowing snow. It can't snow all of the time so during the spring and the summer when there is no snow he keeps busy happily helping out the other work equipment around town as he enjoys being helpful. Although he enjoys helping out everyone he really wishes it would snow, because he loves when it snows. The weather starts to chill but there still isn't snow, so instead the little snowplow concentrates on having a good time with his friends for his birthday. It finally snows on his birthday! So he rushes off to go plow the snow and then head back to enjoy his party. We all thought this book was cute, and enjoying to read.

Along with these four wonderful books, Candlewick Press also offers dozens of great books for kids of all ages.

♡ Which of the four books do you like the best? Do you recall any books that were a favorite of yours when you were a child?

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Candlewick Press for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others. My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Four great books that celebrate Grandparents!

Some of my favorite memories from when I was a child are with my grandparents, I fondly remember baking cookies with my grandmother and going out to look at holiday lights for a few hours after sun down while listening to holiday tunes. I am grateful my children have my mother/step-father and their fathers dad/step-mom to spend time with and create memories that will last a lifetime. Grandparents Day was on September 8th but that doesn't mean you can't still celebrate the grandparents in your life! Today I am going to share four great books with you that are about grandparents.

Around the Table That Grandad Built (Retail $16.99)

This book features a family that is enjoy a meal together around a table built by the Grandfather of the family, and it concentrates on all of the items placed on the table from different people of the family to make the meal and table whole. It shows napkins sewn by the mother, and more which shows you that each person in the family has something important to add. The pictures in this were bright and what stood out to me the most is that this book features a multi-cultured family.

My Grandma and Me (Retail $16.99)

Out of the four books, I liked this book the most as my great grandmother was one of the people I was closest with growing up. This sweet book follows along with a little girl who's grandmother lives with her family in Iran. Each day the little girl wakes up excited to spend the day with her grandmother doing their daily routine such as picking out fresh bread, visiting their neighbor, praying and more. You can truly feel the love between the two while you are reading through the book. 

Grandpa's Top Three (Retail $16.99)

This book I was a bit on the fence about, it starts off with a little boy named Henry wanting to chat with his grandfather but his grandfather is doing yard work and doesn't say anything to Henry the entire time. The mother of Henry encourages him to keep trying so finally his grandpa responds hesitantly with his top three sandwiches and Henry goes and makes them for him. From there the Grandpa opens up a bit and Henry starts asking his other top threes, and they share about what each of them loves while eating the sandwiches that were made. 

Our Favorite Day (Retail $16.99)

I like the unique approach to the illustrations in this book, it looked like a layered paper effect was used and I enjoyed looking through all the pictures with my kids. This story follows along with a Grandfather while he goes about his daily actives, which are pretty much the same daily expect for one very special day - Thursday! Why is Thursday so special? It is the day he stops to pick up craft supplies to do with his grandchild when they come to spend the afternoon with him, he also stops to pick up their favorite meal to enjoy together. Overall we enjoyed this book. 

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Candlewick Press for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others.My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Adventures with a bear & a Dinosaur!

Ready to learn about two new fantastic children's books? I am back with two more wonderful titles from Candlewick Press and I think they would make a great addition to the summer reading list for beginning to moderate readers.

Bear's Book

Written by Claire Freedman

Retail Value $16.99

This book is about a bear and his favorite story book, sadly his favorite book started falling apart after he read it so many times. So what is a bear to do after his favorite book falls apart? Write one of his own of course, while going on an adventure with his friends. This is a cute book, we had a lot of fun following the adventures shown in this book, the illustrations were colorful and helped make you feel as if you were with bear as well. It makes for a great short story before bedtime or just a quick book to read together during the day.

How to Take Care of Your Dinosaur

Written by Jason Cockcroft

Retail Value $15.99

Almost every child I've known has loved Dinosaurs, there is so much to learn about them and the thought of seeing one is exciting. If you did happen to find a way to hatch a Dinosaur egg, how would you take care of it? There isn't a lot of information out there on how to take care of a dinosaur, but you don't need to worry because this book will help teach you everything there is about taking care of a dinosaur. My kids thought this was a fun book, they had a few laughs along the way and can't wait to read this book again.

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by CandleWick Press for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others.My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Three interesting reads for summer!

My kids and I always get so excited when we see a new Candlewick Press package at our door at the end of the day because we know it means we have new books to explore. Candlewick Press has so many amazing books, their books capture our imaginations, satisfy our curiosity and leave us yearning for more. I have another bundle of three books to share with you that would make a great addition to any summer reading list. All three are brand new publications that just became available for purchase this month.

Sea Glass Summer

Written By Michelle Houts

Retail Value $16.99

This sweet book is about a little boy who goes to visit his grandmother at her seaside cottage for the summer. On his trip there he is given an old magnifying glass that belonged to his grandfather and he discovers the beauty of finding sea glass. His grandmother explains to him that over the course of years at sea the glass that once held a different past, gets shaped into a beautiful piece of seaglass. Each night after finding new pieces of sea glass the little boy dreams of what the items may have been in their past life. I thought this book was quite lovely, and it reminded me of my own grandmother. The artwork in this book is stunning, I love how on one page you'll find a beautiful sunset and on the next it will be a black and white image of the past.

Waiting for Chicken Smith

Written By David Mackintosh

Retail Value $16.99

This is a story about about childhood friendships, anticipation, and magic moments that happen while you’re waiting for something else to happen. Follow along with a little boy who is visiting his summer cabin, waiting for his friend who always stays next door to arrive and come play with him. This year things are a little different and Chicken Smith hasn't shown up yet, where is he? While the little boy is remembering the times the two shared together in his past, his younger sister keeps trying to get his attention. In the end of the book you are able to figure out what his sister was trying to show him. I thought this was an interesting book, it was easy to follow along with and it made you picture relaxing near the beach.

The Good Son

Written By Pierre-Jacques Ober

Retail Value $22

This book is a story about the first world war told in miniatures. I think this book is perfect for both history lovers and those who may not like history as much, because the miniatures are so well done that you could just sit and look at the photos while still feeling the ambiance the book wants to achieve. The story is short and the book is loaded with photos that are very realistic, I highly enjoyed reading the book. I am amazed by the amount of work that went into each of the miniatures! In the back of the book you get a behind the scenes look at how the book came to be and it is mind blowing.

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by CandleWick Press for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others.My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Candlewick Press Review!

My kids and I always jump for joy when we spot a package from Candlewick Press on the porch because it means new books to read together! We recently received a box and have a few great titles to share with you with more book reviews on the way plus a fun giveaway next month for Poetry month. All of their titles can be purchased directly on their website or can be purchased via inbound, amazon or Barnes & Nobles.

Stardust (Retail $16.99) - Written by Jeanne Willis. Have you ever felt overshadowed by a sibling, a friend, a co-worker or just overshadowed in general? The main character of this book often feels overshadowed and this book follows along with her journey to realizing that she is special and a star in her own way. She feels like her sister is the star and she gets over looked but to her grandfather she is a star so they gaze out at the stars together as he tells her a story about everyone and everything being made from stardust and that each and every person shines in different ways.

I found this book to be quite heartwarming and relate-able to people of all ages because most of us at one point have felt overshadowed, or just felt plain ignored/forgotten. This book helps remind everyone that we are all unique, we all shine in our own ways and just because we might not think that we shine or have a spark it doesn't mean that someone else doesn't think that about us. I also loved the illustrations through out this book,  the colors used and the way the book was illustrated is beautiful.

The Whole Wide World and Me (Retail $15.99) -  Written by Toni Yuly. This is a title aimed towards younger children between the age of 2-5, it is a picture book that showcases the world of wonders around us. This book has simple yet captivating imagery through out the book as it follows along with the adorable little girl above as she talks about various aspects of the world such as a leaf falling from a tree and that both herself and the leaf are a small part of something bigger, that we are all part of something bigger. If you are looking for a quick read with your children before bed this is it, and it would make a perfect book for children practicing their reading skills.

Disclaimer- The products mentioned above were provided by Candlewick Press for the review free of charge no other compensation was provided. However, no product compensation will influence the outcome of any review. My honest opinions are used in all reviews, they are solely my own & they may vary from others.My reviews are posted for readers in order to provide an informed decision before purchase.

Three very unique books from Candlewick Press

**This was not a paid post. My honest opinions were used, they are solely my own and they may vary from others.The products mentioned below have been provided by Candlewick Press for the review  free of charge.**

I've worked on and off with Candlewick Press over the last year and I am always excited to receive books from them because they have so many innovated books. I own dozens of books so you'd think I've seen it all right? Wrong! I am constantly surprised by the books Candlewick Press sells and I am going to be sharing three of them with you here today.

 A World Of Cities (Retail $25); Normally the books I receive all get get sent in one box, however this one was sent on it's own due to it's size. The book measures 10 5/8" x 14 9/16" which is larger than most infants! Along with it's large size this book is a bit different than your every day book because you have to hold it horizontally in order to read it. The book allows you the chance to visit dozens of cities around the world learning about what makes each one special all while sitting in your living room. I enjoy the amount of information and illustrations they included for each city. The colors and fonts on each page are eye catching and help keep the reader drawn to the book. My children seem to enjoy looking through this and learning more about each city. The only downside to this book is that it is hard to fit on the bookshelf.

Where's Waldo? The Spectacular Spotlight Search (Retail $18.99); When you first open this search book it may look it would be a little difficult to find Waldo since the pages are black, however this book has a magic search tool to help you out. The wand has a white star on one end and a smaller circle on the other end, when you slide the wand between the pages it highlights the characters above the white start/circle. The book makes it to where it takes a little bit longer to locate everything since it takes longer to search the page, this way the kids get more out of it. Along with Waldo each page has several other icons and characters for you to locate. Not only did the kids have a blast looking through this book, but I've had a great time looking through it as well. Where's Waldo was a favorite book of mine when I was growing up, it was always fun seeing all of the different characters and situations hidden in each image so I adore that they sent this book.

Ten Horse Farm (Retail $29.99); Almost all of us have either owned a pop-up book or have seen one sometime in our lifetime, but this pop-up books surpasses any I've ever seen. The scene on each page the most detailed and biggest pop-ups I've ever seen in a book. My kids love this book as well, and have a lot of fun flipping through it seeing all of the horses. Only one of the pages have had an accident where a horses foot came apart from the page so he no longer stands up but the kids don't seem to mind. This book is perfect for children learning how to read, it will keep them entertained and each page only has a few words on it so it will be easy for them to read. Want to see a short video featuring some of the pages being shown? Check out my Instagram to see the video I shared.