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Posts by Rebecca M

The magic of baking

Cover of A Wizard's Guide to Defens
A review of A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

Yes, Mona is a wizard, but her specialty is bread. Which is wonderful for keeping muffins from burning or convincing biscuits that they are not overworked, but significantly less so for defending the her city from an internal coupe and foreign invaders. Mona is a reluctant hero, who very rightly points out that she wouldn't have needed to BE a hero if the people in charge had just done what they were supposed to.

Dec 14, 2021

Forever Fall

Cover of Bella's Fall Coat
A review of Bella's Fall Coat by Lynn Plourde

It's fall! And Bella, like so many four and five year olds, CANNOT sit still. All she wants to do is be outside. She whirls and twirls and crinkles and crackles in the leaves, she stretches and reaches, picks and plucks fall apples, but her favorite fall coat is becoming too small. Thanks goodness for grandmas. This beautifully illustrated picture book will have your toddler whirling and twirling with it's vivid language, but also might help start a conversation about how sadly, not all things like favorite coats and seasons last for ever.

Sep 24, 2021

Refugee Life

Cover of Where will I live?
A review of Where will I live? by Rosemary A. McCarney

People all over the world are often forced to leave their homes. Sometimes they leave because of war, hunger, or disaster. Sometimes they leave to find better opportunities. But the question that comes next is always “Where Will I Live?” In this photo-story children from all over the world are depicted as they leave their old homes and journey to find new ones. No matter where someone comes from we all need the same things: a place to sleep, food to eat, and someone to love us.

Jul 15, 2021

Plenty of chickens

Cover of Tyrannosaurus Rex vs. Edna
A review of Tyrannosaurus Rex vs. Edna the Very First Chicken by Douglas Rees

Have you ever wondered why there are plenty of chickens and no Tyrannosaurus Rexes in the world today? The answer is Edna, the very first chicken. She is small and brave and won’t let the big and fierce T. Rex bully her or the other dinosaurs. In Douglas Rees’ fun and colorful book Tyrannosaurus Rex vs. Edna the Very First Chicken readers find that it doesn’t take powerful jaws and a roar to be brave. Filled with dinosaur antics, cluck-worthy excitement, and feathery heroics, this is read is fun for everyone (except Tyrannosaurus Rex).

May 29, 2020

Clucky Birthday!

Cover of I Got a Chicken for my Bir
A review of I Got a Chicken for my Birthday by Laura Gehl

Ana asked her Abuela Lola (3 times!) for tickets to the amusement park for her birthday, but all she got was a chicken. Lucky for Ana… it isn’t any ordinary chicken. Her chicken isn’t interested in normal chicken things like laying eggs or pecking at chicken feed. Oh no! This chicken has PLANS. It has a list. It has blueprints. It has a bulldozer. This hysterical story told in simple sentences, brilliant illustrations, and funny little side notes “Sorry, no time for cake!” will keep you and your little one giggling over and over.

Feb 22, 2019

Can-Do Panda

Cover of Chengdu Can Do
A review of Chengdu Can Do Chengdu Can Do by Barney Saltzberg

Chengdu is back! Barney Saltzberg’s adorable panda from Chengdu could not, would not, fall asleep can do so many things all by himself. He can jump! Push, pull, climb, stretch, swing… but he just can’t quite reach the tasty bamboo at the top of the tree. Just like all little pandas, there are some times when Chengdu can also use a little help.

Jun 1, 2018

April Showers!

Cover of Water is Water
A review of Water is Water by Miranda Paul

A perfect book for spring! In this non-fiction book, Wisconsin author Miranda Paul weaves a brilliant and accurate account of the water cycle through the seasons in whimsical and engaging rhyming verse. With awesome full page, water color illustrations following a family of kids jumping in a lake in the summer, splashing in puddles on their way to school in the fall, and having a snowball fight, your Wisconsin family will see themselves and their adventures reflected, while still learning all the forms water takes and all the places we encounter it around us.

Mar 30, 2018

Grumpy Bear

Cover of Those Pesky Rabbits
A review of Those Pesky Rabbits by Ciara Flood

Bear lives alone, and that's just the way he likes it. But when a family of pesky rabbits moves in next door, knock knock knocking on bears door... his whole life is about to change. Fantastically told, Ciara Flood pairs her minimal text with illustrations that add layers to bear's grumpy responses to his neighbors. Bear tells the rabbits he is "too busy to help them chop wood!" when in the next page turn we see him snoozing in front of the fire while all the rabbits work together just outside his window.

Mar 12, 2018

Fearsome! Ferocious! Fake?

Cover of Alan's Big, Scary Teeth
A review of Alan's Big, Scary Teeth by Peter Jarvis

Alan the Alligator LOVES being scary. He and his big, scary teeth make all the animals in the jungle run for cover. Snap, Snap, SNAP! But Alan has a secret... his big scary snappers... are FAKE! What will Alan do when his secret is revealed? How will he ever overcome his embarrassment and dismay that he is no longer scary? A hilarious read aloud for preschool and school agers alike, this book gets better and better on every read.

Oct 3, 2017

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