Grandma Mable Are You Able

Grandma Mable, Are You Able? by Willie Etta Wright

Reviewed by Teri Davis

Jacob has a life that is different from his classmates. It seems to him that he is the only one without a mother and a father. His grandmother acts as his parent. Purchase Here.

His teacher, Miss Green, announces that the students are to participate in a Family Exercise Day this Saturday. While his classmates are excited, Jacob feels depressed. How can he possibly spend a day exercising with his grandma? She is old and deaf, wears false teeth, with white hair and glasses, and sometimes needs to walk with a cane. Grandma Mable wants Jacob to consider exercising her way. Somehow this does not brighten his prospects of a fun day. His only hope for a good day is bringing his dog, Friendly, with them. Of course, his grandmother agrees to the day. Jacob would much prefer to stay home and play video games.

The illustrations are bright and perfectly correlate with the text making this book enjoyable for most reading levels. The recommended reading level is for ages eight to eleven and grades three, four, and five.

“Grandma Mable, Are You Able?” has the prospect for vocabulary enrichment using words such as raucous, steady, mishap, and knack, as well as the past tense verbs of spotted, whirled, dangling, topped, splattered, chuckled and darted. What a great way to introduce verbs and suffixes!

The story uses some of the frequently challenging words: though, thought, and through, creating an excellent opportunity for continually practicing the tricky words.

The two characters speak to each other, frequently creating a perfect teaching opportunity for continuing the use of quotation marks correctly.

For more advanced elementary students, lessons could also extend with similes and even idioms.

“Grandma Mable, Are You Able?” is a delightful lesson of each of our flawed perspectives of other people. Appearances, past experiences, and personal prejudices often determine how each of us judges a person. That is often deceptive and flawed. Multigenerational-families are not uncommon, but to any child, the feelings of isolation as the only one without their natural parents distinguish the oddness of the situation.

Problem-solving is also apparent with the constant need for solutions throughout the story.

This book is best as a read-aloud teaching opportunity. The life lessons of expectations, perspective, and problem-solving are necessary for everyone’s life. The grammar and vocabulary lessons perfectly blend naturally into the story.

The author, Dr. Willie Etta Wright, is a retired teacher who has also been a journalist and written other books.

“Grandma Mable, Are You Able?” is an essential book for every parent, grandparent, and teacher.

The Bubble

The Bubble by Joseph Patenaude

Reviewed by Teri Takle

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to experience the freedom of complete weightlessness and to float on gentle wind currents? Unfortunately, to experience total relaxation as if you were a bubble can only be imagined if you were a bubble. The Bubble is that story. Purchase Here.

Blowing bubbles is a delight for people of all ages. It is hypnotic to follow their paths as they maneuver through the air. This thought captured Joseph Patenaude’s thoughts as he observed his children blowing bubbles and developed those memories into a children’s book, The Bubble.

The Bubble is a read-aloud book for children aged two to eight. The basic setting is a coastal environment, so it is an excellent opportunity to enrich different types of places people live.

Lush illustrations match each text word perfectly, emphasizing the environmental settings such as autumn leaves, new springtime life, mountainous regions, stormy seas, colorful marine life, forests, lakes, and fields.

For example, as a storm approaches, the reader experiences the sheer fear of being a bubble encaptured inside its surroundings, being pushed by the wind, crashing into waves, and even hiding in the water. This picturesque perspective is an illustration of the story.

There are numerous opportunities for vocabulary development with terms such as shimmering, currents, gusts, seafoam, swelled, and crest. Many of the sentences begin with prepositional phrases and complex sentence structure, with longer sentences, enriching language growth opportunities.

Even though the intended audience is young children, teachers and parents could easily use this book for older children due to the vocabulary level, longer sentences, and illustrious language.

Also, for older children, The Bubble could be an example book for perspective since the entire story is from the bubble’s point of view.

The author, Joseph Patenaude, is from Vancouver, British Columbia. He is an I.T. professional and the father of two children who were his inspiration for this book.

Mauro Lirussi beautifully illustrated this short book with beautiful scenes that appear to be watercolors to match and illuminate the story perfectly.

The Bubble is a book that parents and teachers can often reread to assist the listener in picturing the rich text and the picturesque details in detail.

The Extraordinarily ordinary Life of Pince

The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince: Everybody’s Good at Something by Prince A. Sanders

Reviewed by Timea Barabas

Several things make a children’s book iconic, like addressing pressing social issues, speaking to adults and children alike, and the test of time. The only box that “The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince: Everybody’s Good at Something” has left to tick is the test of time. Freshly out of the press, Prince A. Sanders’ book continues building a magically creative universe. Purchase Here.

This is the second piece of a puzzle that reflects the author’s childhood. The series is infused with a strongly personal note that immediately disarms the reader, leaving them open to the full magnitude of the experience. The short book is more than just a read; it is an experience of how the world of adults and children intersect.

Seven-year-old Prince is at an age driven by exploration. He spends many recesses chasing after the secrets and wonders of nature. It soon dawns on his classmates that Prince does not follow the script. While his older brother is a star athlete at the school, Prince fails to prevail at sports and live up to his brother’s reputation. Shortly, Prince starts feeling more of an outsider and, worst of all, a stranger to himself.

Prince grows to accept that his path is different from his brother’s and what others might expect of him. But he is yet unaware of where his own path will take him. The road ahead is cleared when he least expects it, at a ballet performance. When the whole family goes to watch a show, Prince becomes entranced by the organic movements of the performers and longs to be part of the magical universe.

While the path may be visible to him, not everybody shares his view. It is common for parents and other adults to build up certain expectations and lay out a life course for children. Yet, when they make their own decisions, it is essential to respect their validity and offer support to fulfill their dreams. The truth that Prince lays out in front of us is that one may see their own path clearer than anyone else. However, societal expectations and norms may cast a shadow, threatening the fulfillment of one’s dream and destiny.

The images that bring vibrant colors to the pages of the book deserve a special mention. The artist takes vivid snapshots of some of the more crucial moments in the life of Prince. It is certainly worth stopping at each picture to take in the events depicted. True to the mark of a genuine artist, these depictions don’t act as a distraction in the storyline but rather build on it, adding a new fun dimension.

Just like the previous book, “The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Prince: Everybody’s Good at Something” is accessible to early readers (ages 6 to 8) but it can be read to children of all ages. In fact, parents or any adults who are immersed in the world of children somehow could benefit from this moving story told by Prince A. Sanders. It is a wonderful tale that can inspire children to follow their dreams and adults to shelter the often-fragile dreams of childhood.

Reece's Vintage Tales

Reece’s Vintage Tales by N. Reece Ho-Sheffield

Reviewed by Teri Davis

Today’s children need relevant fables teaching values. Many of the older fairy tales, along with many of Aesop’s fables refer back to an era with where farming and gardening were standard for most people. We now do not expect women to be helpless damsels in distress who need rescuing or is marrying a prince. As society progresses, so must our perspectives. Purchase Here.

Reece’s Vintage Tales, comprising of twelve short stories, is a new approach to short stories for children from seven to thirteen with lessons to be learned along with thoughtful discussions. These stories each have a message which reveals the integrity of the characters while interjecting Christian values.

Each story is short and ideally would be a great read-aloud between a parent and their child. At the end of each is a glossary with a list of the more difficult vocabulary words included. The range is from two to eleven words per story. Parents should discuss these words ideally before reading and unquestionably during the story. The words are added to understand the meaning of the text as the reading proceeds.

The illustrations perfectly match to the stories assisting the reader in visualization. As an example, The Farting Bunny is a delightful story about a bunny who uncontrollably passes gas and is an outcast from his group, The Puffy-Tails. What child wouldn’t want to repeat parts of this tail while laughing? However, the author masterfully changes his problem into a solution, permitting children to view life as gifts rather than hindrances.

Also magnificently enjoyable is the story, Persinette. Persinette, as an empty nester, decides to pursue her dreams. Living in a neighborhood, she viewed others’ successes and decided to join the work force similar to her neighbors. She quickly discovered that what worked for one neighbor did not work for her. Persinette learns that life is more fun following your path.

With more stories like these, it is obvious the value of these educational and entertaining tales based on legends, historical events, Christianity, and creativity.

The author, N. Reece Ho-Sheffield, has written these delightful Christian stories for children. She is well-qualified as a retired pediatrician and geneticist in both the United Kingdom and the United States. She has won the USA Mom’s Choices Award for “The Firefly Story.”

These stories are unusual in their creativity, promoting Christian values, vocabulary, personal integrity, as well as short enough to keep a child’s attention and engagement.

Monsters are Babies

Monsters are Babies by Nicholas Tana

Reviewed by Teri Davis

Living in a home with a big brother can be difficult. The older sibling expects a playmate who obeys their older sibling. There is usually a disappointment when the baby does not fulfill this role. Instead, the family member is a screaming, messy, smelly creature who demands all of the attention. The parents now are more tired and cranky than before the baby appeared. Resentment is common. Purchase Here.

Now someone brilliantly discovered a way to enjoy the babies for older siblings. The baby keeps all the monsters and things that make noise in the dark away. With quiet nights, a cry frequently annoys everyone in the household. What if those screams scare away all the monsters hiding either in the closet or under the bed?

Wouldn’t you almost welcome those loud noises to cover the usual thumps and bumps in every house? What sounds are unnoticeable during the day, seem to draw attention at night. From a dripping water faucet to the warmth of a furnace, clicking to turn on the night seems mysterious with noises. Due to natural occurrences, monsters hiding in the dark crevices are believed to be creating the sounds of those creaks and bumps in the night. They hide under beds and in dark closets. This reality has been a problem for eons. Darkness and house sounds scare small children, especially ones who don’t fall asleep quickly. Young children tend to believe in monsters making the noise of a furnace clicking on or a clock ticking. Can you imagine the response to a baby’s cry when being abruptly awakened in the dark?

Monsters Are Afraid of Babies is an enchanting story about a young boy adjusting daily to a baby sister into a family. The few words along with a story that perfectly matches the illustrations makes this an intriguing read for children of all ages, particularly three-year olds. The book is perfect for pre-readers because the story can be easily followed through the colorful pictures. Author, Nicholas Tana is a writer in every sense. From writing feature documentaries, comedy-horror series, songs, comic books, a movie, commercials, and now this special children’s book. The illustrations are phenomenal. The night with shades of blue and olive green is perfect with the monsters colorfully hiding in the closet. The warmth of family love penetrates each page enriching everyone’s lives.

When Dog Pals Fly Across America

When Dog Pals Fly Across America by Rob Kortus

Reviewed by Suzanne Odom

Travel along with Sophie, Wallace, and Sulley; three intelligent dog friends, as they embark on an unforgettable journey across the United States. Sophie and Wallace are border collies and Sulley is a chocolate lab mix. They fly their personal and colorful helicopter making stopovers in every state to visit cool and unique places. Purchase Here.

The book is sure to pique the interest of all ages. It provides a truly imaginative look into America’s geography and encourages readers to dive deeper into the sites each state provides. Our country has many little known places so reading this book will have educational benefits as well.

The use of dogs to tell the story is a great idea. What child doesn’t like the idea of dogs flying a helicopter? The colorful illustrations really tell the story and the narrative encourages readers to investigate each state and the attractions it has to offer. Each page has a picture of the state where the attraction is located, which helps kids learn geography. Reading the book is educational and may even prompt some to learn how to fly.

My 11-year old son also enjoyed the book. He was amazed at all the different places to visit in our country and asked if we could visit some of them. This book is a great read-along book and really makes learning fun for children. Adults will enjoy it too. I look forward to more adventures with Sophie, Wallace, and Sulley!