Review Round-Up

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2012

This is the sweet and funny tale of a young girl named Candy and her Cankersaurus Rex! Candy receives a dinosaur as a gift and is determined to train him to be a good pet. This playful homage to Syd Hoff will make all dinosaur-crazy boys and girls happy!
Jason Sandberg, born in Minneapolis in 1971, acquired a love of drawing after discovering the artwork of Jacob Kurtzberg. His paintings have been exhibited in Minneapolis and Manhattan. Art Historian Scott McCloud classified his work as uncategorizable. “I’m a Fine Artist who also wants to produce the ‘missing books’ from my childhood, the books I wished I’d had.”

Emily's Review:  

A cute story about a girl and her pet dinosaur.  There are lovely illustrations and many valuable lessons contained within the book.  It will provide a lot of great talking points between child and parent.  4 stars

About: 

This is a pack of pre-printed frames for children's art. Just draw, crayon, or paint in the frames and you have a framed masterpiece to hang or give to Grandma. London artist Emma Rios created the bold decorative frames.

Mrs Mommy Booknerd's Review:

My son had a great time creating masterpieces on these paper frames.  There are a variety of designs and sizes (but they are all still quite small)...so the child's imagination can run wild.  They are made of sturdy paper, which is nice.  I do feel the price point is quite high considering what you get. *I received these frames for a review purposes and provided an honest review.     

3 stars

About the Book:

Contemporary public schools focus intensely on academic success. Social-emotional development is given only incidental attention. Families must be prepared to take up the slack. Otherwise students' emotional growth may be impeded, resulting in diminished social skills, motivation, and ability to cope with stress. This book describes how public schools have changed and provides strategies for helping your child to thrive.

Yvonne's Review: book is a parent resource. I think it is important to know that public education has changed since the 1970 and yes parents do need to take on a more active role in the emotional growth. I guess if you need a book on how to do that then this is a resource. Unfortunately the parents that probably need to read this never will. Many of the references to modern movies tend to get long and over take the true reason for this book. 

Most children, especially children on the autism spectrum, accept adults' friendliness at face value. Sometimes it can have tragic consequences. Written by a Deputy Sheriff, this book is credited with foiling at least 22 stranger abductions. Characters Bobby and Mandee explain stranger danger in a way that is accessible, but not frightening, for children. Read it to your child and role-play different scenarios. Create a password only you and your child know, label backpacks on the inside (so strangers won't know your name). Strangers can be men or women, old or young. Adults should not touch, give gifts to, or ask for help from children. If they do, don't keep it a secret! Tell an adult! Arm your child with the knowledge that may save his or her life.

Bullies, Beware! This is a little book is going to have a big impact! In this moral-driven story, Mandee tells big brother Bobby how a bully took all her money. Bobby stresses that she needs adult help, and explains what to do if it happens again. Don't argue; just walk or run away; tell a trusted adult, or call 911. If the adult doesn't believe you, tell another adult until you find someone who understands. A quiz at the back of the book helps the reader remember what to do, and there's a place to write the phone numbers of ""safe grown-ups"" to call.

Yvonne's Review: Both of these books address very important issues, I feel they would be best read and discussed by parents or if done in the school setting with a school counselor. They are both written very directly regarding strangers and bullies. They do contain many helpful procedures that all children should practice. Each book does conclude with tips for parents regarding talking to your child about 911 and a safety test that would be a great springboard for reviewing safety procedures.

FEATURED BOOK HIGHLIGHT:

Angel Castle

by Rita Mery 

Angel Castle is a magical place where tiny fairies and angels live side by side. Each year, seven tiny fairies are chosen to go to earth on a very important mission. Although every tiny fairy wishes they could be part of such an important mission, some feel as if their turn may never come.

Such was the case with this year’s lucky seven tiny fairies. Right from the beginning, it was clear that they needed a lot of help getting ready for their big mission. These fairies were said to have a wandering mind (especially when it came time to focus and learn the lessons needed for a successful mission). However, thanks to the guidance of their teacher Papa Fairy, the various creatures and characters met on their travels, and even the angels themselves, the tiny fairies soon realized that they may just have what it takes to get the job done.