Category: children

Author: Sheri Safran
Illustrator: Emma Brownjohn
Publisher: Insight Editions
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60887-161-2
Pages: 12
Price: $12.99

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Facing new or unpleasant circumstances can cause children to fear the experience. But when they don’t face the fear head-on, it can only make the problem worse. All Kinds of Fears presents some of these common childhood fears in a fun pop-up format.

Letting children know it’s okay to feel their feelings is important in dealing with those fears. And this book also provides resources and guidance in moving past the fear. Any child who is afraid of something would be helped by knowing that he’s not alone, and that others also suffer from and have successfully overcome similar fears.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Ariel Andrés Almada
Illustrator: Sonja Wimmer
Publisher: Cuento de Luz
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-8415619482
Pages: 24
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
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Annie is born blind, but soon discovers that she can navigate around the house using her sense of smell. Furniture shines with lemony wax, sweet-smelling roses sit on a tabletop, and the aroma of baking cookies leads her to the kitchen. As she grows older, she discovers she has a special way with cooking, always creating the most pleasant sensations in her meals.

Utilizing her unique talent, Annie is known throughout the village as the wise-woman who can use food to cure. But one man keeps coming back, hoping that Annie can soothe the loneliness in his heart. Will Annie see the same feelings lurking in her own heart?

Walking Through a World of Aromas is reminiscent of Like Water For Chocolate, in using food to evoke strong emotions. But in this sweet story, food is a cure, not a torment. Beautiful imagery in words and pictures fill this unique book. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Authors: Antonio Mugica & Hermann Mejía
Publisher: Multiple Personality Entertainment
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-9962-5524-1-3
Pages: 36
Price: $19.95

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The yellow dragon has agreed to a truce with the King and his townspeople, as long as he’s fed mountains of sweets. When a baking disaster turns his skin purple, the dragon demands that they either turn his skin back to yellow, or he will take his revenge.

Everyone turns to Hookitty-Tookitty-Tah to solve the problem, but the mischievous wizard has some tricks up his sleeves. First he plans to turn the dragon a few other colors, before finally returning him to his yellow hue. And in the process, the dragon learns some facts about food.

Hookitty-Tookitty-Tah is a cute rhyming story with wonderful illustrations. There is a subtle attempt to convince kids of the joys of healthy eating, as opposed to consuming lots of junk food, but it doesn’t come across too preachy. This is a fun and humorous read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: V.A. Boeholt
Illustrator: Nathaniel P. Jensen
Publisher: Little Five Star
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-58985-210-5
Pages: 36
Price: $11.95

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Farmer Green has cultivated his land in anticipation of planting seeds the following day. But instead, he suffers a broken leg and won’t be able to finish the job. Burton, the kind scarecrow, is worried that Farmer Green won’t be able to pay his bills and feed his family without the harvest.

Gathering the animals together, Burton lays out a plan. He and his friends will plant and care for the garden until Farmer Green is ready to return to work. When Farmer Green finally visits the garden, he is surprised and pleased that everyone has pitched in to help him.

Burton’s Friendship Garden includes a teacher’s guide to be used along with the book. Story concepts, glossary, information on gardens, reader and listener tips, activities, and internet links are all provided. This would be a great fall read for classrooms.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author: Sheri Safran
Illustrator: Emma Brownjohn
Publisher: Insight Editions
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-60887-158-2
Pages: 12
Price: $12.99

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Sometimes we feel happy. Sometimes we feel sad. Sometimes we feel friendly. Other times we feel lonely. Using contracts, this pop-up book expresses the many different kinds of feelings children may feel. The author reminds kids that feelings are normal, and it’s okay to show their feelings.

The last pages of the book include a “feelings game” where kids can spin the wheel and draw the feeling selected. Then someone else guesses what it is.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Author & Illustrator: Timothy Young
Publisher: Schiffer Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-7643-4225-7
Pages: 32
Price: $16.99

Author’s website
Schiffer Books
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“Creepy fiends that emerge at twilight are coming. Slimy things from the deep, dark waters are coming.” But where are they, and lots of others, coming to? My party!

This spooky Halloween book features dark shadows, glowing eyes, evil grins, scary tree branches, and an eerie full moon in its imaginative scenes. Kids will be held in suspense, wondering where these creatures are all going, and if they’re coming after them.

Dark and delightfully done, They’re Coming! is designed to put you in the mood for Halloween. It would make a great read-aloud book with the lights turned down and some spooky music playing.

Reviewer: Alice Berger