"The Very Bad Day" & "Everywhere With You" demonstrate overcoming obstacles and bad day happenings [Review & Giveaway USA/CANADA]

Everywhere with You  by Carlie Sorosiak & illustrated by Devon Holzwarth

Ages 3 - 8 | Hardcover
ISBN: 9781536214970

My thoughts:  This is a sweet "girl meets dog, girl and dog love each other" story; but if you want to dig deeper into the story's meaning, you'll see a lonely little girl (she is old enough to read) and a lonely dog. Separated by an impenetrable fence, they bond by the little girl reading nightly while seated by her side of the fence whilst the dog listens on his side.

Adults can envision neglect or abusive  loneliness of both dog and child. And one can wonder what a young girl is doing reading outside at night when it is dark by a fence.  But I prefer not to wonder at their loneliness or possible abuse - this IS a children's book. I'll just delve on the story and illustrations.

We have a little girl that reads to a dog and they venture far and wide in their imaginary world of Everywhere With You and I shan't tell how it ends.

The book has sweet illustrations that flow vividly across the pages and a nicely written prose story. I think children will enjoy this story.

About the book: The heartwarming friendship between a girl and the dog next door tenderly evokes the power of stories to bring—and keep—us together.

Two houses stand side by side: one is home to a dog, the other to a young girl. Though a fence divides them, girl and dog build a sweet and sturdy friendship rooted in make-believe . . . and are lonely no more. Paired with moving illustrations and based on a true story, this endearing tale from the author of I, Cosmo testifies to the transformative power of creativity and inter-species friendship.

Author info: Carlie Sorosiak is the author of several books for young readers, including I, Cosmo—an acclaimed middle-grade novel told from the point of view of a golden retriever—Leonard (My Life as a Cat). She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Illustrator info: Devon Holzwarth is the author-illustrator of Found You and the illustrator of Papa, Daddy, and Riley by Seamus Kirst. She grew up in Panama with the jungle as her garden and parrots and iguanas as pets. She currently lives in Germany.

The Bad Day by Frann Preston-Gannon

Ages 2 - 7 | Hardcover
ISBN: 9781536223781

My thoughts:  This is a delightful story. Each critter proclaims how his day is bad and is, in fact, worse that theirs. Told in delightfully rhyming lines with a nice cadence and illustrated in a cheerful woodland, the story will resonate with the young child.

Though the critters are each having a bad day they find they can pull together to help each other overcome their difficulties. A superb lesson in community helpfulness.

I highly recommend this delightful book.

About the book: Squirrel is left hanging when a search for a tasty nut goes wrong. Meanwhile, Bird has his beak buried in a tree trunk, Snake is tied in a knot, Tortoise is upside-down, and Fox? Well, Fox has a suspicious stomachache. These animals are all having a VERY BAD DAY!

But soon it becomes clear that little Mouse is having the worst day of all, and his friends can only help him—and one another—if they work together.

Author/Illustrator: Frann Preston-Gannon is an illustrator, designer, and award-winning author-illustrator. She is the author-illustrator of By the Light of the Moon and Dave’s Cave and the illustrator of Sing a Song of Seasons and Out of the Blue. She was the first UK recipient of a Sendak Fellowship and spent a month learning from renowned illustrator Maurice Sendak. Frann Preston-Gannon lives in London.

GIVEAWAY

Begins December 24

Ends January 23 @ 12:00 a.m. ET

Open to USA & CANADA

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DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary copies to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winners' prize is provided and shipped directly to the winner by publisher or publicist. Chat With Vera is not responsible for lost or misdirected prizes.

Bei Bei Goes Home & Africa, Amazing Africa Country by Country (Non-fiction from Candlewick & Walker Books) [Review & Giveaway USA/CANADA]

Bei Bei Goes Home

My thoughts:  Who doesn't love the rolly polly Panda with their adorable antics and loveable cuddle-some-ness? Yes, to see them is to love them. A baby panda was born in the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Named Bei Bei, he has been gifted back to China which is the area of the world to which Pandas are native.

All this plus the gestational process, birth, and development are presented in this informative non-fiction book. A well written and excellently illustrated book that tells the charming story of Bei Bei is intended for children ages 6 to 9 (grades 1-4). And it is certainly within the scope of readability and educational interest.

I would, however, encourage parents to read through it for themselves prior to purchasing for their personal collection or before checking out of a lending library to ascertain for themselves if it is appropriate for their child. Some parents might find talk of fertilized egg, mother's womb, uterine wall, fetus, etc. beyond the scope of information they wish to expose their child. At some point it is fine. That is a parental decision.

A terrific book about an adorable panda and a real plug for the need to be proactive in the preservation of endangered species.

About the book: Two nations and a mother panda work together to nurture a “precious treasure” in the remarkable true story of a celebrity panda cub and his life at the Smithsonian National Zoo—and beyond.

In August 2015, zookeepers at the National Zoo in Washington, DC, were thrilled to spot a tiny shadow on an ultrasound. For a species as rare as the giant panda, every new cub is cause for celebration. Zoo staff monitored mother Mei Xiang, and within days a newborn appeared, weighing in at just one third of a pound. While Mei Xiang cradled her vulnerable infant, zookeepers monitored the pair day and night through cameras in the panda den, and some two million viewers logged on to the zoo website. First Ladies Michelle Obama and Peng Liyuan hosted a ceremony to announce the cub’s name: Bei Bei, meaning “precious treasure” in Mandarin Chinese. An instant celebrity, the cub captured hearts all over the world. But pandas in zoos are considered emissaries from the People’s Republic of China, the only country where they live in the wild. Four years after his birth in America, Bei Bei would embark on an important new mission.

Graphically arresting, packed with stunning full-color photographs, and vetted by the Smithsonian National Zoo, Bei Bei Goes Home paints a vivid picture of global conservation efforts—and international collaboration—in the guise of an ever-popular and beloved black-and-white ambassador. 

Africa, Amazing Africa Country by Country

My thoughts:  This is an interesting book that children (and their parents) will enjoy meandering through. We (I mean myself and a lot of folks) tend to think of Africa as a country. But it isn't. Africa is a Continent comprised of 55 countries. Each distinct in its history and current culture.

As I wandered through Africa, Amazing Africa I gleaned a small bite of information on each country. So don't plan on research paper quality information. This is nibbles and tiny bites of information just great for ages 7 to 12. The pages are colorfully illustrated in a  somewhat primitive art style.

I found the information on religions in Africa interesting. Stating, "Christianity and Islam are the most popular organized religions in Africa, but there are traditional religions, too." Further, the author elaborated on Christianity and Islam spreading and building some of the oldest mosques and churches in the world. Africans took their traditional religions with them as enslaved Africans hundreds of years ago.

The book's information is divided into North, South, East, West, and Central Africa and the countries within those areas. Special information is provided on African Religions, African Hairstyles, and Football. Authored by Atinuke who is Nigerian-born one would expect the information to be accurate and reflect well on Africa past and current.

I think this book of special interest to children of African heritage and would provide a much needed look at the African continent to children everywhere.

About the book: Discover the amazing diversity of the African continent in this beautiful book, with words by Atinuke and lively illustrations from Mouni Feddag.

Atinuke’s first non-fiction title is a major publishing event: a celebration of all 55 countries on the African continent! Her beautifully-written text captures Africa’s unique mix of the modern and the traditional, as she explores its geography, its peoples, its animals, its history, its resources and its cultural diversity. The book divides Africa into five sections: South, East, West, Central and North, each with its own introduction. This is followed by a page per country, containing a delightful mix of friendly, informative text and colourful illustrations. The richest king, the tallest sand dunes and the biggest waterfall on the planet are all here, alongside drummers, cocoa growers, inventors, balancing stones, salt lakes, high-tech cities and nomads who use GPS! This is non-fiction at its most exciting, exhilarating and energetic, illustrated with passion and commitment by a great new talent, Mouni Feddag.

GIVEAWAY

Both books to 2 winners

Begins January 16, 2022

Ends February 8, 2022

Open to USA/Canada

No P.O.Boxes | Canadian Phone Required

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DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary copies from the Candlewick Press to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winners' prizes are provided and shipped directly to the winner by publisher or publicist. Chat With Vera is not responsible for lost or misdirected prizes.

Madame Badobedah by Sophie Dahl & illustrated by Lauren O’Hara - Walker Books US [Review & Giveaway USA/CANADA]

ISBN: 9781536210224
Hardcover $18.99
Ages 5 - 8
Walker Books US
A Division of Candlewick Press

My thoughts:  This is sheer delight to read. You must read it aloud to a child or group of children who will certainly listen with rapt attention. Mabel is a precocious child and is the daughter, only child, of the owners of the Mermaid Hotel.

The hotel is Mabel's home, her playground, her fascination. And Mabel is fascinated or consumed with being a quirky, vocal, spying imp that is everywhere finding things and doings that fascinate her and of which she forms far-flung opinions of who, what, when, where.

And Mabel spies on Madame Badobeday and determines that she is an ancient (hint - old lady) spy who is currently hiding from those whom she has spied upon. The conclusion is simply she awaits her next assignment.

The story is in three sections and would make great read aloud sessions to build the suspense. Or your older youngish reader will be enthralled to read it all by themselves. It is a lot of fun reading about just who Madame Badobedah is (or was) and discovering about all the fascinating, odd, and beautiful items she has. Meanwhile, quirky, inquisitive Mabel is a darling going about in her inquisitive manner ferreting out information.

The real charm of the book is the multi-generational friendship that forms between the two. How a child can grow to like (even love?) an older, non-family person who is at the sunset moment of their life and needs someone to care is a gold nugget to pass along to children.

This book is a winner.

About the book: There’s a strange new guest at the Mermaid Hotel — a very old lady with a growly voice, bags stuffed with jewelry and coins and curiosities, and a beady-eyed pet tortoise. Mabel, whose parents run the hotel, is suspicious. Who is this “Madame Badobedah” (it rhymes with "Oo la la") who has come to stay indefinitely and never has any visitors? To find out, Mabel puts on her spy costume and observes the new guest. Conclusion? She must be a secret supervillain hiding out from the law. The grown-ups think Madame Badobedah is a bit rude — and sad — but when she invites “dahlink” Mabel for a cup of forbidden tea and a game of pirates, the two begin a series of imaginary adventures together, and Mabel realizes that first impressions can sometimes be very wrong. Conjuring two quirky heroines that young readers will love, Sophie Dahl adds her talented voice to a grand tradition of books that celebrate the alliance of the old and young in the face of humdrum adults, while Lauren O’Hara’s illustrations are as packed with intriguing details as Madame Badobedah’s suitcases.

GIVEAWAY - 2 Winners

Begins May 19

Ends June 15 at 12:01 a.m EDT

Open to USA & CANADA addresses only.

NO P.O.Boxes & Canadian winners must provide phone number.

a Rafflecopter giveaway DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winner's prize copy is provided and sent directly to the winner by publisher or publicist.

Suffragette: The Battle for Equality by David Roberts from Walker Books [Review & Giveaway USA/CANADA]

Walker Books
Hardcover $25.00
ISBN: 9781536208412 - Ages 7-12

My thoughts:  This is a great book to have in libraries - school, public, private. It is written in a tone that is easy to understand yet is not scaled down so much that the information is not of value to the older student.

While a picture book that engages the reader visually and helps to maintain that interest the illustrations generate, the information itself captivates the reader. It is not simply about the movement in the United Kingdom and United States to permit the vote to women nor is it a group of just mini-biographies about the involved individuals. It is a well-done mixture of historical information about women's voting (or voice) in politics from centuries prior to the actual Suffragette movement, leading up to the actual movement that resulted in women legally being able to vote in elections.

Example: On page 14 the author presents that in 1832 Women's Vote was Lost. Then further details the involvement of propertied women who were involved in the decision making and vote governing affairs of the people for centuries prior to 1832. I found that particularly interesting.

The harshness and forceful behavior on the part of those men and women who rallied for the cause of women's voting privilege as well as the forceful reaction of the police was not pretty then. This type of behavior has continued be the the plan and focus of groups seeking change in government or other movements. Rhetoric transformed into upheaval and violence seems to be the method of choice. I personally would hope that teachers and parents point out that this is not necessarily the choice method to utilize to achieve change.

Suffragette: The Battle for Equality is well done, covers a lot of very good material, is a good teaching source that is as good to look at as it is good to learn by.

About the book: A New York Times best-selling illustrator turns his talents to a lavish history of the women’s suffrage movement in the U.K. and the U.S. just in time for the hundredth anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment.

Imprisonment, hunger strikes, suffrajitsu — the decades-long fight for women’s right to vote was at times a ferocious one. Acclaimed artist David Roberts gives these important, socially transformative times their due in a colorfully illustrated history that includes many of the important faces of the movement in portraiture and scenes that both dignify and enliven. He has created a timely and thoroughly engaging resource in his first turn as nonfiction author-illustrator. Suffragette: The Battle for Equality follows the trajectory of the movement in the U.K. and visits some key figures and moments in the United States as it presents the stories of Millicent Garrett Fawcett, Emmeline Pankhurst, Ida B. Wells, Susan B. Anthony, and many more heroic women and men — making it a perfect gift for young readers of today. Dr. Crystal Feimster of Yale’s Department of African American Studies contributes a foreword that speaks to the relationship and differences between the British and American suffrage efforts.

GIVEAWAY

2 Winners

Begins October 31

Ends November 21 at 12:01 a.m. ET

Open to USA & CANADA addresses. NO P.O. Boxes

(Canada winners require a phone number)

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DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Prize is provided and sent directly to the winners by publisher or publicist.

Great group of fun books for kids from Walker Publishing & A Giveaway Celebration! 2 Winners Each a 4-Book Prize [USA/CANADA]

Book companies have branches in various countries tapping into an innovative and varied plethora of authors and illustrators. This provides the reader a grand assortment of reading materials from which to choose.

Today we celebrate Walker Publishing UK's new beginnings - or expansion - to the US by offering four Walker Publishing children's books to you......

 

Vivid storytelling and instant reader appeal in fiction, graphic novels, and illustrated books. A bold new direction for the bear! Walker Books U.S. is a division of Candlewick Press.

If you thought the walking bear with a candlestick looked familiar, you're right! Walker Books and Candlewick Press are now "joined-at-the-hip," friends, co-companies. Whatever their joint venture is called - it is a grand, workable set up. And the result is more, more, more books for your kiddies.

Angry Cookie by author: Laura Dockrill, illustrator: Maria Karipidou

Oooohhh . . . not you again!

AGGGHH It’s so bright! . . . Close this book this very second, you nosy noodle!

Cookie has woken up on the wrong side of the bed and is very angry. You want to know why? Well, you’d have to keep reading to find out, but now Cookie’s calling you annoying and telling you to mind your own business. If by chance you do stick around, you might hear about a certain roommate’s terrible musical skills, why you should never let your barber try out a “new look,” how it’s impossible to find a hat that fits a cookie, and why an ice-cream parlor that’s out of your favorite treat can be a source of desolation. Then there’s the matter of a hungry bird who tries to snack on you. . . . Propelled by quirky humor and woes that every young child can relate to, Angry Cookie suggests that sometimes the best way to cheer up a grumpy lump is simply by being there — and lending your ears.

Famed spoken-word poet Laura Dockrill's hilarious read-aloud about an outraged baked good!

Into the Jungle: Stories for Mowgli author: Katherine Rundell illustrator: Kristjana S. Williams

This wise and witty companion to Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 classic is likewise a series of connected stories about the man-cub Mowgli and his adventures among the animals in the Indian jungle. It includes all the original favorites like Baloo and Bagheera and gives female characters, like Mother Wolf, a more prominent role in Mowgli’s upbringing. The timely theme of the possibility of understanding and empathy across species, cultures, and genders will resonate with contemporary readers.

Costa Children’s Book Award–winning author Katherine Rundell pens Kipling estate–approved Jungle Book origin stories.

Soccer School Season 1: Where Soccer Explains (Rules) the World authors: Alex Bellos; Ben Lyttleton illustrator: Spike Gerrell

At Soccer School, every lesson revolves around one thing: soccer!

Coaches (and authors) Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton cleverly use the lens of soccer to immerse kids in math, geography, biology, and more. Loaded with awesome true stories and science, the first book in the Soccer School series is illustrated throughout with cartoons that will have young soccer fans laughing out loud. Quizzes at the end of each chapter keep readers on their toes as they learn some truly weird trivia, like the hidden meaning behind a team’s uniform colors, how you might play soccer on Mars, or even the most opportune time for players to go to the bathroom. Entertaining and informative, this book is sure to score a goal with soccer fanatics everywhere (when they’re not on the field, of course).

Soccer School Season 2: Where Soccer Explains (Saves) the World authors: Alex Bellos; Ben Lyttleton illustrator: Spike Gerrell

Coaches Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton return with even more proof that soccer can be used to teach kids about pretty much anything. The second book in their funny, fascinating series is full of facts about the most popular sport in the world, from history to language, design to psychology. When did women begin playing soccer? Why do lefties have an advantage on the field? Which soccer stadium was built in the shape of a crocodile? Perfect for soccer players, fans, or just plain curious kids, this series is packed with information and amusement in equal measure. Goal!

Welcome Walker Books US Giveaway

Set of 4  Books Prize Pack

2 Winners Each Get A Prize Pack

Begins January 19

Ends February 18 at 12:01 a.m. EST

Open to USA/CANADA addresses

NO P.O. Boxes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: I received a set of 4 Walker Books to facilitate this post. Any opinions expressed herein are mine, alone and are freely given without compensation. Prize Packs of books are provided and sent directly to the winner by the publisher or publicist.