The Painted Porch Bookshop

 Bastrop, Texas

While out and about exploring new places, I happened upon a lovely little bookshop. It looked very unassuming from the outside, but I was pleasantly surprised by the inside. 

The shop has a cute "Southern" feel that is charming and insightful. 

It turned out to be a nice place to take the whole family. There is a small reading nook for the kids and a play area.

The tractors are a nice touch! The kids in the store loved them. 

It opens up into another area with lots of records. (A blast from the past!)

A fireplace made from books! (Worth seeing!)

 And a cute tree to round things out nicely!

If you have a little time to kill, love books, and are somewhere in the area, this might 

be a fun adventure! 

If you aren't in the area, you can always find them online at 

The Painted Porch Bookshop

Book Review #94

 I Want To Be Spaghetti!

 

Author: Kiera Wright-Ruiz

Illustrator: Claudia Lam

Publisher:‎ Kokila, 2023

ISBN: 978-0593529874

Reading Level: 4 to 8 years

Main Character: A package of Ramin noodles.

Plot: Ramin wants to be Spaghetti. Why does Ramin want to be like Spaghetti? Because Spaghetti is everywhere.

Genre/Theme/Style: Picture Book, Children’s Books, Self-Esteem, Cooking.

I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁 

Why 5 Roars? My Ramin wants to be spaghetti?! NO WAY, I say! I love my Ramin! 

A great, subtle message for kids about self-esteem. Kids love it, and it goes great with a big bowl of...you guessed it—Ramen!

Critical Analysis: The ideas are clever, and the story has a great message for kids about learning to be yourself. The story revolves around Ramin, who aspires to be Spaghetti, an unconventional desire that sparks kid's curiosity. 

The illustrations are a nice touch. They add to the charm of this book. They enhance its uniqueness and appeal, adding an extra layer of visual engagement that complements the written content.

Connections: This is a great story to read on a Ramin night! Making Ramin with the kids after reading this cute book makes eating Ramin so much more fun! Making Ramin noodles with kids.

4th of July

 Happy Independance Day!