I recently acquired a bunch of children’s books because I wanted to read them first and then pass them on to our friend’s that have a small child. I’ll go through and give some brief thoughts on each one to let you know how each on was!
Cristobal Bull
Synopsis: Cristobal Bull is a fun story of perseverance on the journey of finding one’s identity. It shows us if we continue to pursue our dreams, we will reach a point where we know this is what we were meant to be. That point is a place of power for each of us in our lives, including your children.
I enjoyed this one a lot. It tells the journey of a bull trying to find more to life because he is always bored. Then he meets the moon and goes on a journey to follow her across the world. It has fun illustrations and a good message in the end. I think kid’s would enjoy this one a lot.
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/467UstA
Book Rating: 4/5
A Story Of Whoa
Synopsis: WHOA loves his dad but can’t handle the emotions he feels when they listen to the nightly news together.
One day, his father explains what Whoa is seeing on the news. That gets Whoa thinking. He doesn’t want the injustice, tragedy, and cruelty in this world.
He comes up with a plan of how to beat them all. With his father at his side, Whoa handles his
emotions, beats these three scourges in the world – and makes his father proud.
This book was really heartwarming. The child’s inherent need to do what he can to fight back against the harsh world is really adorable and I like that he tried to do this by learning different fighting styles. The book shows the good side of humanity and what it means to help one another when in need. It also shows a beautiful bond between a father and a son. Would definitely recommend this one.
Buy this book: https://amzn.to/3Xgc2aA
Book Rating: 5/5
The Food Quest: Adventures Through A Windy City
Synopsis: Embark on an adventure to find great food! Tommy Watkins is on a quest to find great food around the world. In a windy city full of obstacles, finding the perfect hot dog may be difficult. Obtaining the perfect hot dog is the mission, and that’s why Tommy Watkins is on The Food Quest!
This one made me hungry! We follow a young boy who is on a journey to find the best hot dog and they travel to Chicago to get it. It tells a bit about Chicago and how they are known for their hotdogs. I will say that there could have been a bit more to the story since some pages were all illustration with like one line of text but it definitely made it a very fast read. Even kids will go through it fast. I will be looking forward to see what food quest he goes on next!
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/43LcZud
Book Rating: 3/5
The Sparkly Bun
Synopsis: Join Emme as she navigates the tricky world of schoolyard fashion. Emme loves her clothes and accessories, but she especially loves one item in particular. When she wears it to school two days in a row, her friends start to tease her. Will Emme be able to learn the valuable lesson that being an individual is more important than fitting in with the crowd?
I thought this one was a great way to show how to express yourself to a kid. It teaches them that they are unique and to embrace that uniqueness. The daughter wants to try and fit in and be like the others and then realizes that it is okay to be different and to love yourself for who you are. It’s all done with fun hamburger costumes too which was fun.
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/3NCncUf
Book Rating: 4/5
Be Like Me From A To Z
Synopsis: Be Like Me from A to Break Barriers and Achieve Your Dreams explores Black history through the stories of people and movements that remove obstacles, create opportunities, fulfil dreams, and pave the way for progress for all people.
This alphabet book for children will interest readers through its stories of the past and present and descriptions of people and events that are well known and not very well known. The authors have years of experience strengthening relationships, leveraging diversity and recognizing our collective humanity and mutual interdependence. The book is written in rhythmic verse with the addition of a complimentary beat so that the words can be read, rapped and/or sung. The short stanzas are followed by more in-depth descriptions of the celebrated people, movements, and concepts. This allows adults to introduce and deepen the learning for younger readers.
This was a really cool book that teaches kids (and adults) about black history and the amazing role models and figures from the past that fought back against racism and injustice. It goes through the alphabet and highlights someone for each letter. There is more information about each one in the back of the book (like a glossary). I learned a lot and think this would be a great book for anyone to read and learn more about how these people broke barriers.
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/445Rmo1
Book Rating: 5/5
The Tooting Rabbit and the Enchanted Forest
Synopsis: The wonderful Waggle family goes on an epic camping adventure. As they explore the “Enchanted Forest” they encounter a very interesting rabbit. Full of many twists and turns and is explosive at times. I hope you enjoy this story as much as my family does when I tell it on our campouts. May the laughter it brings haunt your homes and firesides.
I never thought I would read a book about a tooting bunny but here I am and it made me giggle quite a bit. This is a fun book that kids will love since it has lots of toots in it. Fart jokes were the most hilarious thing as a child (still are sometimes). This one brings a family together for a camping trip where they encounter a rabbit that just smells awful because it uses toots as a defense mechanism. Quite hilarious and will have your kids laughing.
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/3NA0gVk
Book Rating: 4/5
I Drink Water
Synopsis: How can we influence the attitudes and mindsets of our children to foster health and wellness for generations to come? It is never too early, or too late for that matter, to instill healthy lifestyle habits in children. No one can deny that drinking water is a core principle of wellness. I Drink Water introduces young Ryan, whose reluctant views about water are changed by some special people in the town’s community.
This is a good book to use to teach kids the importance of staying hydrated. It’s very informative and teaches it in a way that is relatable and easy to understand. I felt that some of the pages were a bit text heavy for kids but if the parent is reading the book to them, then it wouldn’t be an issue. Fun illustrations that demonstrate a healthy lifestyle.
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/3NcUWpx
Book Rating: 3/5
Nice post, Eric! I frequently review children’s books before I pass them on to my grandkids and the libraries. I’m surprised many times by how much I learn from reading kid’s books.
There were a lot of great messages in these ones!
Please do more reviews like this. Sometimes the synopsis doesn’t do a book justice and I’m just going off the cover. This is perfect