Book Review #120

 Balloons Over Broadway: The Inspiring True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Author: Melissa Sweet

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

ISBN: 9780547199450

Genre:

Biography / Informational Non-Fiction

Topic:

The life and inventive work of Tony Sarg, the puppeteer who created the giant Macy’s parade balloons.

I Gave This Book 5 Roars!🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁 

Why 5 Roars?

It brings history to life with joy, color, and creativity. Kids not only learn about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but they also get to see how one person’s imagination and persistence can spark a beloved American tradition. The artwork is dynamic, detailed, and fun to explore.

Critical Analysis:

Melissa Sweet blends biography with art in a way that feels fresh and inviting. Her mixed-media illustrations, collages, watercolors, sketches, and newspaper clippings mirror Tony Sarg’s inventive spirit. 

Each page introduces a small step in Sarg’s journey, from his childhood curiosity about how things work to his later experiments with marionettes and float designs. 

Accuracy:

The book is well-researched and grounded in factual historical content about Tony Sarg, Macy’s, parade development, and early balloon engineering. Sweet includes archival materials and author notes that clarify sources and confirm the accuracy of events and design details.

Organization:

The story unfolds chronologically, following Sarg from curious child to accomplished puppeteer. The clean structure helps young readers understand how his ideas grew over time. Bonus endnotes and visual extras extend learning without overwhelming the main narrative.

Design:

The layout is lively and engaging. Sweet uses layered images, colorful typography, and interactive elements that draw the eye across the page. The artistic choices echo Sarg’s own playful style, making the book feel like a visual celebration.

Style:

Friendly, upbeat, and imaginative. Sweet writes with a tone that invites curiosity and wonder, balancing information with charm.

Awards:

• Sibert Medal Winner

• Orbis Pictus Honor Book

• NCTE Notable Children’s Book

• Multiple starred reviews

Connections:

This book pairs beautifully with November lessons on Thanksgiving, parades, American traditions, invention, and STEAM concepts. 

It can lead to classroom or library activities such as:

• designing your own parade balloon

• exploring simple puppetry

• learning about engineering challenges

• discussing how traditions evolve over time

Book Review #119

Thank You, Omu!

Author: Oge Mora
Illustrator: Oge Mora
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 9780316431248
Reading Level: Ages 4–8

Main Character:
Omu, a kind woman whose delicious stew draws her neighbors to her door.

Plot:
Omu makes a pot of thick stew. The smell drifts through her community, and one by one, neighbors come knocking. She generously shares a portion with each visitor until the pot is empty. When dinner time arrives and Omu has nothing left for herself, the neighbors return, this time bringing food for her.

Settings:
A lively urban neighborhood filled with people who look out for one another.

Genre/Theme/Style:
Realistic fiction celebrating gratitude, generosity, community, and the joy of giving.

I Gave This Book 4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 4 Roars?
It is a great November story. Kids see kindness in action, feel the warmth of community sharing, and learn that giving often circles back in unexpected ways. The collage-style artwork brings the scenes to life with texture and color that feels comforting and rich.

Critical Analysis:
Mora’s storytelling is gentle and rhythmic, making it easy for young readers to follow. The repetition of neighbors arriving at the door builds anticipation, while the final act of gratitude teaches kindness. Her collage illustrations, layered paper, paint, and patterns to create a vibrant visual world that mirrors the book’s theme of gathering and togetherness.

Connections:
This book pairs well with November lessons on gratitude and thankfulness. It can lead to classroom or library discussions about helping others, sharing what we have, and noticing the kindness in our own communities. Children can create their own “acts of kindness” lists, write thank-you notes, or even design collages inspired by the artwork.

Halloween Poem

🎃 A Halloween Reading Poem

In a pumpkin patch of stories,

Where the moon glows soft and bright,

Books turn into broomsticks

And words lift off in flight.

Witches read their black cookbooks.

Ghosts whisper tales of fun,

Cats curl up with chapter books

Till the night is almost done.

So grab a book this Halloween—

Let your imagination zoom!

Because the best kind of magic

Always starts inside a reading room. ✨

Book Review #118

 The Little Broomstick

Author: Mary Stewart
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books
Publication Date: April 5, 2018
ISBN-13: 978-1444940190
Reading Level: Middle Grade (approx. ages 8–12)

Main Character: Mary Smith, a lonely girl who discovers a magical flower and a broomstick with a mind of its own.

Plot: Mary Smith, bored in the countryside, stumbles across a strange glowing flower called “fly-by-night.” Soon afterward, she finds an old broomstick that magically awakens and sweeps her into the sky. It takes her to Endor College, a school for witches where spells, animals, and strange experiments take place. But the magic is not as charming as it first appears, and Mary must use her courage and her newly found powers to set things right.

Settings: Shady countryside house and garden, Enchanted forest, Endor College for witches (floating, mysterious, and slightly eerie)

Genre/Theme/Style: Fantasy, Magic, Adventure, Courage, Classic British Children’s Literature.

I Gave This Book 4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁 

Why 4 Roars? 

A magical, broomstick-fueled adventure that feels like an early bridge between The Worst Witch and Harry Potter. Perfect for kids who enjoy longer chapter books, cozy fantasy worlds, and brave young heroes. Not a picture book. It would be best for confident readers who want depth and mystery. (Might be difficult for some readers—slow read.)

Critical Analysis: Mary Stewart blends atmospheric writing with old-school fantasy charm. The story is slower than modern children’s fantasy, but it rewards patient readers with vivid description, strong worldbuilding, and a heroine who grows braver with every chapter. The witches are more unsettling than silly, so this book works well for children who like a little suspense but not horror.

Connections: Pairs well with The Worst Witch (younger readers) or Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (older readers)
Can be used in a Halloween reading unit focused on witches and magic without being too scary.

Tie-in option: the 2017 Studio Ponoc animated film Mary and the Witch’s Flower is based on this book.

Happy Halloween!

Book Review #117

 Essential Succulents: The Beginner's Guide

Note: This is a nonfiction companion pick to go along with Sutton the Succulent Finds a Home, a way for kids and families to take the story one step further by learning to actually grow succulents themselves.

Author: Ken Shelf
Photographer: Rachel Weill
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Publication Date: November 13, 2018
ISBN: 978-1984856562
Genre: Nonfiction
Topic: Succulent care and design

I Gave This Book 5 Roars!🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁 

Why 5 Roars?

This guide makes succulents simple and approachable for beginners, including older children who are inspired by Sutton’s story and want to try growing their own. The photography is inviting, the instructions are clear, and the projects range from very easy to creative challenges.

Critical Analysis:
Shelf’s writing is straightforward, encouraging even the most hesitant beginner to get started. The strength of this book is how it balances plant care basics (light, soil, irrigation) with creative design projects (terrariums, outdoor water-saving gardens, wreaths). The photography by Rachel Weill adds visual appeal, which makes it easier to follow instructions while also sparking inspiration.

Accuracy:
The book provides practical advice for growing succulents indoors and outdoors, from watering techniques to container tips.

Organization:
The layout is clean and logical: plant-by-plant guides, followed by DIY projects that grow in difficulty.

Design:
Bright photographs and step-by-step layouts make this a hands-on guide rather than just a reference book.

Style:
Accessible, upbeat, and beginner-friendly, perfect for families, classrooms, and anyone who wants to bring a little greenery indoors.

Connections:

• Ideal to pair with Sutton the Succulent Finds a Home in a Classroom Unit: read Sutton’s story, then try growing a real succulent.

• Can be used in science lessons (plant biology, water conservation, adaptation).

• Encourages responsibility and patience in children caring for plants at home.

Reminder for Readers: While Essential Succulents is not written for children, it is best suited for adults ages 18 and up who want to support children in learning about succulents. Parents, grandparents, teachers, and caregivers can use this guide to confidently introduce kids to plant care, creating a hands-on extension of Sutton the Succulent Finds a Home.

Book Review #116

 

Sutton the Succulent Finds a Home

Author: Madison Alexander
Illustrator: Victoria Mikki
Publisher: Little Succulent Press
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
ISBN-13: 979-8218802936
Reading Level: Ages 4–8

Main Character: Sutton, a little succulent with a big heart.

Plot: Sutton longs to find where she belongs. Along her journey, she discovers that being different doesn’t mean she doesn’t fit in; it means she has her own special place to grow.

Settings: The different places Sutton tries to grow before discovering the perfect home.

Genre/Theme/Style: Picture book / Themes of resilience, confidence, patience, and self-acceptance.

I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 5 Roars?
The message is timeless yet especially fitting for September, when children are navigating new classrooms and friendships. Sutton’s story provides comfort and courage, reminding readers that their uniqueness is their strength. It also speaks to us about learning to grow wherever you are at in life.

Critical Analysis:
Alexander’s narrative gently affirms the struggles kids feel when they don’t quite fit in. Using a succulent as the central figure is a brilliant metaphor: a plant known for resilience and thriving in surprising conditions. Victoria Mikki’s art enriches the text with expressive illustrations that make Sutton feel alive, tender, and hopeful. The balance of text and imagery ensures accessibility for read-alouds or independent reading.

Excerpt:
"On a warm, golden morning, the wind whisked a lonely leaf through the air and dropped it right into Ruth, the gardener’s blooming flower bed. The leaf wasn’t just any leaf. It was thick and smooth, with a dewy green surface that glistened in the sunlight."

Connections:

• Perfect back-to-school read to foster discussions about differences and belonging.

• Can tie into science lessons about plant diversity and adaptation.

• Pairs well with other picture books on self-acceptance, such as The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson or Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell.