Children’s Book Reviews

Review: Momster by Laura Jensen-Kimball

★★★★½ Momster by Lauren Jensen-Kimball

Momster is a delightful and instructive children’s book about the value of listening and doing your chores – the main value is not turning your mom into a Momster: a screaming, clawing beast with cloven feet and a dragon’s tail.

In spirited rhyme, Momster begins with a boy standing in a playground warning the other kids about the terrible Momster. When his mom asks him to help with the groceries, “It didn’t sound important so I finished the cartoon- Mom called a few more times and then she barked like a baboon!” things escalate from there. Eventually the boy […]

2016-03-04T03:58:06+02:00October 6th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: Olga by Ted Kelsey ★★★★★

Olga by Ted KelseyOlga, written by Ted Kelsey and illustrated by Dillon Samuelson, is an exciting novel for children that will captivate readers of all ages.

Jack and Sally are typical twelve-year-olds who experience the most extraordinary journey when they see a strange figure dancing in a dark field near their homes.  They decide to investigate, and are whisked away to a mysterious cloud castle where they discover unfriendly giants who are plotting to invade Jack’s and Sally’s world. Can they escape from the giants and stop their nefarious plan?

Ted Kelsey has done a marvelous job crafting a story that will […]

Review: Nick’s Very First Day of Baseball by Kevin Christofora ★★★★

Nick's Very First Day of Baseball (Hometown All Stars Book 1) Nick’s Very First Day of Baseball, a Hometown All Stars book, is a charming book for ages 3-7 about a baseball-obsessed boy’s first day at baseball practice. Leading up to the big day, Nick learns the basic about baseball, and sees baseballs wherever he goes. At practice he gets a jersey, picks a number, and learns some basic calisthenics. In this way Nick’s Very First Day of Baseball is a very thorough look at practicing a sport. It’s an important lesson in fitness as well as a book about baseball.

The illustrations are warm and spirited, and highly optimistic, […]

2017-03-24T10:52:14+02:00April 21st, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Rupert’s Parchment by Eileen Cameron and Doris Ettlinger ★ ★ ★ ★★

Rupert's ParchmentThe award-winning team of Eileen Cameron and Doris Ettlinger have collaborated once again to create Rupert’s Parchment: Story of Magna Carta. June 15, 2015 marks the 800th birthday of the Magna Carta and this story is a wonderful way to introduce and bring to life the momentous event to young readers.

Rupert’s father is the local parchment maker. When a bishop’s clerk requests some parchment from Rupert’s father, an unforgettable opportunity arises for Rupert. He’s given the chance to be a messenger. This allows Rupert to witness firsthand the sealing of Magna Carta at Runnymede meadow in England […]

2019-01-22T10:45:56+02:00April 1st, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: Sarah in the City of Moon by Fida Fayez Qutob and Dalia Qutob ★★★★★

Sarah in the City of MoonSarah in the City of Moon is a sweet story about friendship and curiosity. Five-year-old Sarah takes a class trip to the City of Moon (also known as Jericho, the oldest town in the world and the lowest point on Earth). She wanders away from her group and her bus departs, leaving Sarah to find help, which she does at a nearby mosque. It’s revealed that Sarah has come from a Catholic school and she befriends a young girl who lives at the mosque. In a time of great conflict in the Middle East, and religious turmoil, Sarah in the […]

2017-03-24T11:01:50+02:00March 28th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Ten Issues When Self-Publishing A Children’s eBook

kids readingAre you planning to self-publish a children’s ebook? Although it may seem like an easy prospect, there are many pitfalls that have actually seen a glut of unsuitable reading material coming onto the children’s market on Amazon and other book platforms.

1. The content is not the right level of readability for the age group you thought your story was for

You may have had kids, or have been a teacher, but unless you are a pedagogical expert on the age group you are trying to write for, you may end up alienating your audience by not acknowledging reading levels […]

2015-03-15T09:23:43+02:00March 15th, 2015|Categories: Features, Member Blog|Tags: |

Review: What to Do on a Rainy Day by Katie Tavella ★★★★

Screen Shot 2015-03-04 at 17.13.51What to Do on a Rainy Day by Katie Tavella is a charming children’s book about how kids can use their imaginations when it rains. Two kids trudge to the basement on a rainy day and imagine the cardboard boxes, chairs and other items are safari animals. First the kids imagine the box is a cave, with a bear inside, and their imaginations explode from there. In engaging rhyming prose, the kids realize there’s a whole lot to do even when there isn’t a lot to do outside.

In the age of smartphones and endless TV, it’s a good reminder […]

2015-03-18T11:05:11+02:00February 27th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Aoleon The Martian Girl – Part 1 – First Contact By Brent LeVasseur ★ ★ ★ ★★

aoleonAoleon The Martian Girl – First Contact is Part 1 of Brent Le Vasseur’s wonderfully illustrated Science Fiction Saga, which begins when young astronomy fan Gilbert wakes up in the night to witness a strange light sweeping across the crop fields of his next-door neighbor, Farmer Johnson’s farm in Nebraska.

Worries about his parents arguing make it hard for him to sleep, and so he ventures out – only to come face to face with the friendly Aoleon The Martian Girl, who is busying herself with making a crop circle in her flying saucer. As Gilbert makes first contact with […]

2015-03-13T03:04:29+02:00February 25th, 2015|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |
Go to Top