Happy Hanukkah!

Happy Hanukkah!

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas! 

Book Review #85

 Sounding Joy

Author: Ellie Holcomb
Illustrator: Laura Ramos
Publisher: B&H Kids, 2022
ISBN‏: ‎978-1087747828
Reading Age: ‎2 - 6 years

Genre/Theme/Style: Children’s Christian Books, Children’s Christmas Books, & Children’s Music.

I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 5 Roars? I love the song! It's a great addition to the holiday classics that children can easily learn and follow. The book is an illustrated version of the song.  

Critical Analysis: The book is based on the song written by Ellie Holcomb. It is about the joy at Christmas time that everyone can find. Everyone, from the youngest to the oldest member of the household, is invited to lift up their voice and sing along. 

Appeal: A modern, snowy hillside, a Bethlehem manger, and shepherds in the fields are all found in the joyful illustrations.

Children can easily learn the words and enjoy the music as they read the book. This would be a great song for a Christmas children's choir to sing or a nice addition to a family sing-along.

Connections: "Sounding Joy" by Ellie Holcomb

Book Review #84

The First Notes: The Story of

Do, Re, Mi

Authors: Julie Andrews & 

                   Emma Walton Hamilton

Illustrator: Chiara Fedele

Publisher: Brown Books for Young 

                       Readers, 2022
ISBN: 978-0316265904

Reading Level: 6 to 12 Years

Genre/Theme/Style: Picture Book, Biographies, Performing Arts, Music.

I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

 

Why 5 Roars? This is a great book for both fans of Julie Andrews and music lovers. The artwork is perfectly appropriate for the book, and it encapsulates the feeling of a monk’s life in an uplifting style.

Critical Analysis: This is the story of Guido d’Arezzo’s development of musical notation. A monk of the Benedictine order from the Italian city-state of Arezzo, he was known for introducing a system that was easier to understand.

Appeal: This book will appeal to both younger readers and older readers that enjoy the study of music. Even younger children can learn to sing Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do along with the book.

"A charming collaboration that strikes just the right notes."―Kirkus Reviews

Connections: "Do-Re-Mi" - The Sound Of Music (1965).

Book Review #83

 The Giving Snowman

Author: Julia Zheng

 

Illustrator: Graziella Miligi

Publisher: Qinghong Zheng, 2021

ISBN: 978-1737514695

Reading Level: 2 to 6 Years

Main Characters: Snowman and his new friends.

 

Plot: Snowman offers his help to his new friends when they need it. Snowman melts, but his new friends help rebuild him. 

Settings: Outside 

 

Genre/Theme/Style: Winter, Winter Sports, Giving Thanks, Kindness, Weather, Snow.

I Gave This Book 4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

 

Why 4 Roars? This is a cute book that teaches children the meaning of sharing and taking care of one another. 

 

Critical Analysis: The book is simple and easy for young readers to follow along. It would be a great read during the busy holidays that emphasizes the need to take care of others.

Connections: The Giving Snowman Read-A-Loud.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

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Halloween Treats

 Happy Halloween!

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Book Review #82

 Snowmen at Halloween 

Author: Caralyn M. Buehner

Illustrator: Mark E. Buehner

Publisher: Dial Books, 2019

ISBN: 978-0525554684 

Reading Level: 3 - 7 years 

 

Main Characters: A boy, his sister, and snowmen.

 

Plot: It begins to snow in Autumn. A boy and his sister dress up five snowmen for Halloween. The kids go off to a party and trick-or-treating. When they return, their imaginations come to life and the snowmen go on a Halloween parade, carve pumpkins, and more.  

Settings: A small town covered in snow.

 

Genre/Theme/Style: Halloween, Children's Seasons, Picture Books, and Snowmen.

  

I Gave This Book 4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

 

Why 4 Roars? It was cute, but it might confuse younger readers that do not live in places where it snows in Fall. The snowmen also melt in the story, which might upset some younger readers.

 

Critical Analysis: The book is a rhyming book and is not scary for small children. The illustrations are great fun and my favorite part of the book.  

 

There are hidden pictures on each page and the answers are in the book jacket. Children will love finding those, and it adds another element to the story.  

 

The snowmen melt in the end and leave the children a message of Happy Halloween.

 

"Someone will be telling tales about a snowman ghost. I’ll bet spooky stories is what snowmen like the most!" 

 

Connections: Snowmen at Halloween Read-A-Loud