Halloween ABC

The rumpled rabbit is ready to rest, the spooky skeleton is sleepy.

The tiny tiger is terribly tired - from too much trick-or-treating!

Does  your little one love Halloween? If so, they'll love Halloween ABC from a Little Golden Book. This adorable picture book teaches kids the alphabet in a fun way with illustrations of children going trick-or-treating, dressed in various costumes, from ballerina and a cowboy to a dentist, dinosaur and kangaroo. The book not only teaches children their ABCs, it also teaches them about animals they may not have ever seen or heard of, including an iguana, kangaroo and a yak .If your little one hasn't yet decided what he or she wants to be for Halloween, this is a great book that will give them many fun, cute ideas.

This book is also worth reading for two more reasons: it reminds kids of the importance of brushing and to not eat too much candy as they can get sick, AND it features a great representation of children of several races and cultures, promoting unity in friendship. 

The cute illustrations, along with the fun Halloween story, non-preachy lessons, and an ending that has the children getting ready for bed makes Halloween ABC a great book any young child would love. It's also a great book to help put your little one to sleep after a fun night of trick-or-treating. 

Halloween ABC

Author: Sarah Albee

Illustrator: Julia Woolf

Available at: www.amazon.com. 

Gazpacho for Nacho

September is Hispanic Heritage Month and to celebrate, won't you read this delightful story to your little one! Gazpacho for Nacho is a fun and educational picture book that children and adults alike will love. It is about a picky little boy named Nacho, who wants only to eat a certain food - Gazpacho, a cold tomato-based vegetable soup that originated in Andalucia, Spain.

The story begins with Nacho refusing to eat anything but Gazpacho - not meat, not fish, not even helado (ice cream)! He wants to eat Gazpacho all the time - for lunch and dinner and even for breakfast! He even tells him mother that he thinks leche (milk) and churros, a Latino pastry is for the burros (donkeys)!

Nacho's mother eventually gets fed up with Nacho's pickiness and takes Nacho to the market where she introduces him to all the veggetables that go into making Gazpacho, so that Nacho can help her to make the soup, because she's worn out from making it all the time by herself. The trip to the market brings on a love of other vegetables by Nacho, which helps him to realize that there is more to life than Gazpacho. Once he's back at home cooking Gazpacho with his mother, Nacho also realizes that he enjoys cooking!

Gazpacho for Nacho is a fun picture book to read to a child who wants to learn Spanish, and features a Spanish-English glossary at the back of the book to help parents and children who need assistance pronouncing the Spanish words. It is also a great book for parents dealing with a stubborn child that wants only to eat certain food.

The illustrations by Carolina Farias, are simply beautiful, adding to the book's humorous and fun rhyming prose. Gazpacho for Nacho is sure to be enjoyed by children and parents of all cultures. It's positive, promotes healthy eating, as well as mother and son time, and will keep you smiling throughout.

Author: Tracey C. Kyle
Illustrator: Carolina Farias

B is for Bulldozer: A Construction ABC

I spy an I beam made out of steel,

and a Jackhammer making a noise you can feel.

Hear that Ka-boom? What a loud sound!

Look! That huge Loader scoops dirt from the ground.

Is your little one fascinated by big trucks and construction sites? If so, he or she will love B is for Bulldozer: A Construction Alphabet, a wonderful book that teaches children the alphabet by referencing construction site tools!

This adorable board book, also available in paperback, explains what asphalt is as well as a crane and a forklift, as well as their functions and so much more! For example, it explains why a hard hat is important, the name of that noisy and vibrating tool called a jackhammer, and what mallets and a loader is.

What I like most: the book is that it features diverse characters, including ones of different races, and doesn't just limit the characters to males; it includes a female welder, making it even more educational and inclusive. It's a book that can be enjoyed by both young boys and girls and children of color who don't often see themselves in picture books. For me, that makes it an A+.

B is for Bulldozer: A Construction ABC

Author: June Sobel

Illustrator: Melissa Iwai

Available at: Target, Amazon

Dancing in the Wings

Sassy makes her mark in this lovable story that proves when you aren't afraid to be yourself and go after your dreams, they can come true! Dancing in the Wings is a wonderful picture book by actress, dancer, and writer Debbie Allen, with equally wonderful illustrations by Kadir Nelson.

Since she could walk, all sassy wanted to do was dance. Unfortunately, she has unusually long legs and large feet, and is constantly teased by her big brother, who calls her "Big Foot. "She also gets teased by her fellow ballet dancers who one day call her "Tyrannosaurus."

Despite being the butt of jokes from others, Sassy pushes toward her dream of being a dancer - with the support of her mother and her Uncle Red who encourages Sassy to focus on how her differences can help her; such as her ability to jump higher and spin faster than anyone else in her ballet class.

Sassy takes Uncle Red's advice when she hears that a famed ballet instructor is going to come to her ballet class to choose one dancer for a prestigious summer dance festival in Washington, DC. At first, Sassy is worried that she is too awkward and would never be chosen, but then she remembers Uncle Red's advice, puts on her brightest leotard, and auditions for the spot in the dance festival - and is chosen to participate. Throughout the story, you are cheering for Sassy and the ending is so feel-good, you don't want the story to end.

Dancing in the Wings is a great story with a great message: Don't be afraid to be yourself AND when you're confident and do your best, you can make your mark on the world.  The book is a great story for a child who loves to dance but also for every child who has ever felt like they don't fit in. Sassy's story is also for any child who has dared to dream to make their mark on the world - whatever that dream may be.

Good Night Sleep Tight: What a Wonderful Flight

Vrooom! Hummm! Nnneeaoowww! What's that sound? It's Fire Plane Jake, Passenger Carrier Clay and others in the wonderful picture book  Goodnight Sleep Tight: What a Wonderful Flight by Louise Lintvelt. Take a fun ride and learn all about the different roles that various aircraft play.

If your little one talks of being a future pilot, he or she will love will love "Goodnight." Not only does it teach children about different types of aircraft, it does so with fun, whimsical rhyme and sound.

"Goodnight" tells the story of four different types of aircraft including carrier planes, but also aircraft that children may not often hear about, such as rescue helicopters and crops dusters. In a fun educational style, "Goodnight" tells the stories of the various jobs that aircraft perform, from putting out fires and carrying patients to hospitals, to helping to fertilize crops.

In addition to being a great book to teach children about the many uses of aircraft,  Goodnight Sleep Tight: What a Wonderful Flight is the perfect picture book for bedtime, sleepovers, or any time of the day for young children who love watching planes, helicopters or other types of aircraft. Available on Amazon.com, iTunes or Google Play.

Nelson Mandela

Today is International Nelson Mandela Day, celebrated in honor of Nelson Mandela, the beloved civil rights leader of South Africa, who became president after 27 years in exile. In honor of this day, I am re-posting my February review of the children's picture book Nelson Mandela by Kadir Nelson that tells the story of his life. It is one of the most beautifully illustrated children's books I've ever seen, and beautifully told.

Nelson Mandela wasn't always a man who fought to end injustice. Like all men, he was once a boy, who happened to learn that injustice lived, and decided to fight against it. The beautifully illustrated picture book tells Mandela's life story beginning with his childhood, when at age 7, upon his father's death, he is sent to live with a famous African Chief. The Chief tells young Mandela stories of old Africa, where Africans of all colors and creeds lived together in harmony. The story explains how Europeans invaded Africa and began apartheid, where Africans were forced to live separately, based on their race.

The story then chronicles Mandela's journey from college to being a lawyer, and  then a leader of the people, speaking out against apartheid. He organized rallies and the people loved him, but the state hated his defiance, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Mandela then went into hiding, and visited free African nations - Liberia, Morocco, and Egypt. On his attempt to return home to South Africa to continue his work fighting discrimination, he was arrested and jailed for 27 years. But Mandela stayed strong, and upon his release from jail, he was greeted and cheered on by the people of South Africa, who he told to forget the pain of the past, but to continue to fight for justice. Mandela was later elected by the people of South Africa to lead their nation.

Nelson Mandela is told as beautifully as an old spiritual, and the illustrations are so beautiful, they could be hung on a museum wall. What makes this book great is that it tells Mandela's story in a way that children can understand, even if read on their own. It's ability to emote sadness, anger, and in the end victory and joy, is what makes it so great. It is a story of freedom that all children should know, no matter their race or nationality, and one that could easily become an American classic.

Dress Up Day

Come with us as we dress up!

Be a princess, pilot or chef. Maybe you think a policeman is best.

Farm the land, sing in a band, or fight fires like a fireman.

See a teacher, a doctor, an artist too and learn about the jobs they do.

Just like that, with a few things, it's easy to do - just start imagining!

Does your child talk about what he or she wants to be when they grow up? If so, they'll love Dress Up Day, a fun picture book about a little girl who makes a day of fun by dressing up with her friends. The kids try on several different outfits and to visualize all the different careers they could have when they grow up.

Dress up Day has fun rhyme and is a great book for giving children ideas about all the different options they have for their future. With beautifully colorful illustrations depicting both girls and boys of diverse backgrounds, the kids dress up from everything from a doctor, judge, and soldier to a farmer, pilot and firefighter.

Dress Up Day is a great book for encouraging young children to dream and to also create positive, fun, ways to play.  It is written by Tina Marie Kaht and illustrated by Hatice Bayramoglu, and available at Amazon.com.

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes...

 

Want to take a trip to fun land? Then you must read Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes...by Annie Kubler. In the spirit of the children's song "If you're Happy and You Know it, Clap Your Hands", Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes... is a fun board book that toddlers and adults will both love.

As a supporter of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign, I was impressed by the illustrations of toddlers from different cultures. Not only does the illustrations show babies moving different parts of the body, the illustrations also show various animals - pigs, rabbits and kittens mirroring the baby's actions finding each body part, a cute addition that will cater to the humor of any young child.

It's an excellent book for teaching very young children about the parts of the body in a fun way. It is also great for teaching toddlers coordination skills which can be a challenge for some children with special needs. For adults who know how to read music, the music for the song is featured on the book's back cover.

If you want to introduce your young one to a fun, musical book, you can go wrong with this one!