Tag: Picture Book

The Snitch, the Witch, and the One Who Was Rich – Joe Spraga

After Dorothy learns she’s not in Kansas anymore, she follows the yellow brick road in the magical Land of Oz to find the Wizard of Oz, who she hopes will be able to help her return home. Along the way to the Emerald City she meets the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, all of whom could also benefit from the Wizard’s help. After a long journey and some drama concerning flying monkeys and a meltable witch, the new friends are either granted their wish or learn they had the magic within them all the time.

Oh, wait. Wrong story. Let me start again.

Snitch lives in town and follows the purple moonlit trail on their way to see Father Time, who they hope to get help from. Along the way to Father Time’s place, Snitch meets the nasty old Witch. The two then form a line to wait for Father Time to open the door and help them. The One Who Was Rich then joins the line, followed by a good portion of the townsfolk, who make their needs known. While the nasty old Witch does look a lot like meltable witch from Oz, unfortunately there are no flying monkeys in this book. Finally the Wizard Father Time opens his door, offers some sage advice about the value of time and grants some their wishes. Others learn they had the magic within them all the time and make the necessary changes to their lives themselves.

So, totally different story. Sort of.

Ignoring the fact that this story is essentially a reboot of a classic that’s over a century old and wasn’t ‘broke’ in the first place, the rhymes are quite cute and the townsfolk learn valuable lessons or get what they want given to them. The Celtic font looks nice but I’m not sure it’s the most sensible choice for young readers who may have trouble with the legibility of some letters.

The clock goes backwards between the Candlestick Man arriving and the Drummer who arrives later when it’s significantly darker. There’s also a picture where the clock is missing entirely. Father Time opens his door at midnight and then he starts his speech with “It’s nearly midnight”. To emphasise this point the next illustration shows him pointing to the clock that was midnight previously and it is now almost 11:55pm. It looks as though the midnight illustration of the first half of the line up has been recycled which would have worked if the time had been changed. Harry, who was a shy guy and didn’t speak (probably because he had no mouth) is no longer a shy guy after seeing Father Time, possibly because Father Time gave him a mouth. Yes, I know I’m being picky about the attention to detail but kids pick up on stuff like that.

I was interested in this book because of the inviting cover design. I still love it, I liked the design of most of the characters and I enjoyed the rhyming. Overall though, it just wasn’t for me. There were other whinges I had as I went through the book a second time but I’m sure you get the idea by now. It did make me want to watch The Wizard of Oz for the billionth time though.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity to read this book.

P.S. I’m in the minority with this one. There are a number of 4 and 5 star reviews for this book so please don’t just take my word for it. Check some of those out too before you decide if this book is for you or not.

Update

It turns out if you post a review on Amazon that this author doesn’t like they feel free to spew paragraphs of abuse at you. There was so much more I could have told you all that was negative about this book but I tried to find positives instead, like the fantastic front cover art. I guess the fact that I explicitly stated that I was in the minority and encouraged people to check out other reviews means nothing.

Once Upon a Blurb

Welcome to Moonwood, a modern day nursery rhyme about how to use your time wisely and be a better you! 

Follow these quirky townsfolk in a beautifully illustrated picture book, as they gather outside the clock tower and seek Father Time’s wisdom on achieving personal goals, and getting along with each other in their magical community. 

What will they discover? Time is the only true commodity. This story shows both children and adults, that we must use what little time we all have to be good to each other. 

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I am a Warrior Goddess – Jennifer Adams

Illustrations – Carme Lemniscates

I love this book! Written with 4 to 8 year olds in mind but empowering for all ages, this warrior goddess is a young girl with gorgeous red flowing hair. The reader is taken through her day from morning when she greets the sun to bedtime.

Our warrior goddess is connected to nature and keeps her body and mind strong. She’s loving and fierce. She helps others and is a leader. She’s self reliant and confident.

My favourite illustration is of our warrior training her mind for battle in her school library. She’s surrounded by books and is in her own world as she reads. She has this serene, blissed out look on her face that mirrors how I feel when I’m happily held captive by book world.

Favourite Sentence –

“I fill my heart with kindness, the most powerful weapon there is.”

This is the type of book I wish I’d had in my grabby book hands as a kid. I would have wanted to read it every day. While there aren’t many words in this book they’re awesome ones.

I particularly adore that this isn’t a “when I get older I’m going to…” book. No. This book is about the here and now, about what kids can do today to make a positive impact in their world. I feel empowered after reading it and would recommend it to all warrior goddesses regardless of age.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

You don’t have to be a grownup to be a hero! I Am a Warrior Goddess shows how in the empowering tale of a little girl with big aspirations. Through the clever play between illustration and text, readers see that each day is full of opportunities for little people to make a big impact with ordinary actions. As our heroine connects with the earth, takes care of her body, and finds strength in kindness, she discovers her inner warrior goddess and inspires young girls everywhere to do the same.

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There’s a Monster in My Fridge – Caryl Hart

Illustrations – Deborah Allright

This is such a fun and quirky book! Not only is there a monster in the fridge but there are all sorts of weird and wonderful creatures to find, including a vampire who’s wearing underwear with bats on it! There are split pages so you’re asked what’s behind the door or under the sheets or in the bath as you make your way through this spooky house and on the other side of the split page, all is revealed.

At the beginning of the book a hairy hand holding a sign for a party pops out of a top hat which is walking on skinny legs. You follow the top hat creature through the book until the surprise ending behind the secret door.

The illustrations are everything in There’s a Monster in My Fridge, with so much wonderful use of colour and so many things to look at. Each page is full of detail and practically everything has a face, from the cutlery to the hairbrush.

While I loved all of the illustrations there were certain elements that tickled my fancy, like the dancing toast, the green monster riding an electric beater with a colander on its head (safety first!) and the witch on roller skates. I need to read this again!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

There are monsters hiding everywhere, with pointy teeth and tangly hair! Can you find them? Dare you look, between the pages of this book? 

Monsters, monsters, everywhere – but not as scary as you think! Every room in this house has a monster hiding behind a fun split page. But are you brave enough to peek behind – and are you ready for what you find? Each turn of the page in this book is filled with delightfully charming monsters who just happen to be doing super silly things.

Who knew that monsters crave raspberry jelly? Or that witches love glitter glue? There are lots of funny, giggle-worthy revelations for children, including one at the very end that puts them right in the middle of the action. 

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The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes – Mark Pett & Gary Rubinstein

Illustrations – Mark Pett

This book is just what both young and practiced perfectionists need. As a recovering perfectionist I know the struggle Beatrice goes through in this book, making sure everything is done just right. As a perfectionist she fears making mistakes and in living her ‘perfect’ life, she misses out on fun activities like ice-skating with her friends.

When the inevitable happens and Beatrice finally makes a mistake she learns that maybe making mistakes isn’t such a bad thing after all. After all, there’s less stress and more fun to be had when you learn to let go and remember you’re human like everyone else.

With a great message and engaging illustrations, I highly recommend this adorable picture book.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once!) made a mistake …

Meet Beatrice Bottomwell: a nine-year-old girl who has never (not once!) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, Beatrice holds the record of perfection in her hometown, where she is known as The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes. Life for Beatrice is sailing along pretty smoothly until she does the unthinkable; she makes her first mistake. And in a very public way! 

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Everything is Mama – Jimmy Fallon

Illustrations – Miguel Ordóñez

I’m sorry but this was terribly boring. By now you all probably know how I hide Clifford and Grug books at random times for my Mum to find. On Mother’s Day I’ll usually try to find her a really sweet kid’s book about how wonderful Mum’s are. I was test driving this book for this Mother’s Day’s selection and while the cover is so sweet, it quickly became a big fat ‘no’.

I guess Jimmy Fallon warns us with his title that everything is gonna be mama this, mama that, but after the second or third time I was wondering if this book would ever end. I can see the marketing potential for it and am sure plenty of Mums to be are going to receive this at baby showers around the world but if you’re looking for a baby shower book, you can do so much better!

The only saving grace of this book for me was illustrator Miguel Ordóñez who probably won’t get the credit they deserve for their lovely, age appropriate illustrations. They are the sweet I was looking for. It’s a shame the words didn’t work for me.

Reason to love your library #586: You can test drive books that you think you’ll love but don’t without having the regret of spending money on something you wouldn’t be happy with.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Jimmy Fallon, one of the most popular entertainers in the world, was on a mission with his first children’s book to have every baby’s first word be DADA. And it worked! A lot of babies’ first words were DADA. However, everything after that was MAMA.

So take a lighthearted look at the world from your baby’s point of view as different animals try to teach their children that there are other words in addition to MAMA for familiar objects and activities. 

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The I’M NOT SCARED Book – Todd Parr

This is a colourful book aimed at young kidlets to help them acknowledge and face their fears. Throughout the book common childhood fears including the dark, dogs, what’s under your bed, storms, arguments and getting lost in a store are addressed, along with ways to overcome fear in those situations.

Encouraging children to tell someone about their fears, this book offers some easy solutions and different ways of thinking about fears to help overcome them. A nightlight can help if you’re scared of the dark. Building a fort during a storm is a great distraction tool.

I wasn’t aware that shopping for new underwear was scary as a kid (I know the price tags are scary for adults) but if it helps to wear your new undies on your head, more power to you!

I loved the bright, cheerful illustrations and that there’s no judgement about having a fear in the first place. By offering suggestions of ways to overcome fears it empowers children to face their fears and perhaps even come up with some ideas of their own. I just wish our caped crusader on the cover image featured inside as well.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Sometimes I’m scared of dogs.
I’m not scared when they give me kisses.

Sometimes I’m scared I will make a mistake.
I’m not scared when I know I tried my best.

With his signature blend of playfulness and sensitivity, Todd Parr explores the subject of all things scary and assures readers that all of us are afraid sometimes.

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I Love You More Than the Smell of Swamp Gas – Kevan Atteberry

Welcome to 💔 Achy Breaky Heart Month! 💔

I’m kicking off my love inspired bookfest with this fun Kevan Atteberry book for quirky adults and their kidlets, who are going to be quirky too, like it or not! 🤪 If I was the type of person to get all gooey over Valentine’s Day, this is the book I’d want my Valentine to buy me.

Papa monster and junior monster are chasing a skink through the stinky swamp under the gaze of a full moon. The young monster sees Papa enjoying himself so much and wonders if Papa loves him as much as the purple-horned skunk, the ghost bats and other wonderful creatures and creepy crawlies that they encounter along the way. Papa’s answer is always an enthusiastic ‘yes!’, and that he loves him more.

This is so much fun to read aloud, with rhymes of the “bubbling slime” and “thick gooey grime” variety, a perfect bedtime story with laughs and reminders of how big a parent’s love is for their child. If I had a kidlet I’d be making up my own “I love you mores” to accompany this book and would use it to increase the silly in our home. However a calming story may be needed after this one if you expect your child to go to sleep because this one has the potential to increase both excitement and decibels.

I really enjoyed the illustrations, with some left of centre takes on familiar animals. My personal favourites were the purple bloodsucking ducks with green wings, fangs and kind of dopey expressions.

I was also very partial to the spider parade, all of whom also had fangs. My favourite headstone was the one for Edgar Allen Potato. 😃

I smiled my way through this book and would happily do so over and over … and over …

P.S. It may be a small bookfest because I’m allergic to romance. 🤮

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Little monster wonders: Does Papa love the swamp more than he loves his little monster?

Papa and little monster are on a skink chase in a dark, stinky swamp. 

Do you love me as much as the skink that you chase … or the smell of the swamp … or the beasts in this place? 

From the author-illustrator of Bunnies!!! and Puddles!!!, as well as the illustrator of Tickle Monster, Kevan Atteberry, comes a monstrously tender and silly tale guaranteed to elicit lots of giggles and monster hugs. 

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The Way I Feel – Janan Cain

This book has all the feels! Well, a lot of them anyway. If I had a kidlet this is the book I’d be choosing to explore feelings with them to help them distinguish one from another. 

I love that there’s no judgement about having a specific feeling and that no feeling is labelled either good or bad. Taking us on a poetic journey through silly, scared, disappointed, happy, sad, angry, thankful, frustrated, shy, bored, excited, jealous and proud, Janan Cain has created a wonderful tool to help kidlets to be able to identify their own and others’ feelings. 

Janan’s illustrations really exemplify what each feeling can look like. From the colours used in the scene to the expressions on the kid’s faces and the font used to name the feeling, along with the scene itself, each illustration captures the feeling brilliantly. 

I think my favourite illustration is the excited one. You can see the person “bouncing like a rubber ball”, with starbursts where they’ve landed. The colours are bright and the excited word with its multicoloured letters and funky squiggles looks like it too wants to jump off the page. Maybe I like this one because I’m well known for my jumping up and down excited moments, but it’s a fun feeling and like all of the other illustrations it’s gorgeous.

There’s even a page for parents at the end of the book to help guide discussions with their child about their feelings.

I found this book at my local library (yay libraries!). I’m definitely going to make a point of telling my librarians how cool this book is.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Feelings are neither good nor bad, they simply are. Kids need words to name their feelings, just as they need words to name all things in their world. The Way I Feel uses strong, colourful and expressive images which go along with simple verses to help children connect the word and the emotion. Your child will learn useful words, and you will have many chances to open conversations about what’s going on in her/his life.

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Grug and His Kite – Ted Prior

🎵 “Let’s go fly a kite

Up to the highest height!

Let’s go fly a kite

And send it soaring” 🎵

Now that I’ve successfully transferred the Mary Poppins song that’s been playing on repeat in my head ever since I first saw this book (you’re welcome!), I’ll tell you what I think about Grug and His Kite.

I loved it!!! I bet that was a surprise since I love all Grug books!

I was disappointed that Cara didn’t make an appearance in this one as I would have loved to have seen her expression when Grug and his kite become airborne and do some pretty impressive aerial acrobatics. The eagle was well drawn but spent the book looking kind of cranky. I suppose sharing the sky with a kite that looks like Grug may have been slightly outside of its usual routine, but with Grug around you never know what’s going to happen! While it’s not my favourite Grug book, it’s still awfully cute and fun to read.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

Startle the birds and touch the sky with Grug! 

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Clifford’s Spring Clean-Up – Norman Bridwell

Clifford as a self help book? Allow me to explain.

I’ve had Clifford’s Spring Clean-Up waiting patiently to be read since well before Christmas and I have noticed an interesting phenomenon. Each time I pass by and glance at the cover my brain automatically wanders into ‘what can I clean/tidy/organise?’ territory. My Pavlovian ‘I watched a Hoarders episode’ response has been replicated and I’ve been on a dusting, reorganising and purging kick ever since. So, thank you, big red dog!

In Clifford’s Spring Clean-Up, Emily Elizabeth’s family (including Clifford) spend the day spring cleaning. First they work on their home and yard, where Clifford helps as only he can, with plenty of oops moments and the cutest expressions when things don’t quite go according to plan. Then Emily Elizabeth and Clifford help out her friends with their Earth Day Project before returning home so Clifford can clean his kennel.

As usual, Clifford is gorgeous, the story and illustrations are wonderful, and Emily Elizabeth’s parents are saintly as nothing Clifford accidentally destroys is a problem. They just get on with it and fix or clean up Clifford’s ‘helpful’ messes. Clifford books are always winners and this one’s no different! ❤️

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Once Upon a Blurb

In this all-new adventure, he’s hard at work getting the house clean. When Emily Elizabeth airs out some throw rugs, he grabs the living room carpet and gives it a good shake – in fact, he shakes it to pieces! What Clifford does best is help clear out the weeds for the vacant lot on Earth Day.

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