Mouse's Night Before Christmas by Tracey Corderoy (Children's Picture Book Review)

 

Mouse's Night Before Christmas
by Tracey Corderoy
Published by Nosy Crow Ltd
on October 13, 2019
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 2 - 5 years

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Synopsis:
It's Christmas Eve, and everyone is fast asleep except for a lonely mouse that lives in the grandfather clock. When Santa arrives, lost in a blizzard and called by Mouse's wish, it's Mouse who is there to show Santa the way. 

Our Thoughts:

This adorably illustrated picture book has many similarities to the classic  'Twas the Night Before Christmas' rhyme, but this gorgeously illustrated picture book but looks a little closer into the well-known story, at the mouse that lives at the bottom of the grandfather clock. This cute little mouse has a special Christmas wish and when Santa loses his way, Mouse knows just how to help!  

This is a sweet little Christmas Eve story with lovely illustrations that takes us on an adventure with Santa and has a heartwarming ending!

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Claris: Holiday Heist: The Chicest Mouse in Paris by Megan Hess (Children's Picture Book Review)

 We received a copy of this picture book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Claris: Holiday Heist
The Chicest Mouse in Paris
(The Claris Collection #3)
by Megan Hess
Published by Hardie Grant
on October 6, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 48 pages
Ages: 3 - 8 years

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Synopsis:
A sweet little mouse takes on a cheeky cat burglar with holiday cheer! Can Claris and Monsieur save the day - the New York way?


Our Thoughts:

Claris, the 'Chicest Mouse in Paris' is visiting New York City with her owners and their pet cat, Monsieur, for Christmas when they spot a holiday heist at the jewelry store! Claris and Monsieur are determined to stop the thief and ensure that everyone has a fantastic holiday, all while looking fabulous! 

The fourth book in the Claris: The Chicest Mouse in Paris series from acclaimed fashion illustrator, Megan Hess, is a beautiful picture book with a gorgeous, shiny cover and is filled with popular fashion brands and gorgeous dresses, winter coats, and more for those that love all things fancy! 

This book is especially perfect for the holiday season but this series is absolutely perfect for any fashion-loving Little!
My daughter loves to draw fashion and thought this was incredibly inspirational. She was astonished and 'tickled pink' to find out that the author is a fashion designer!

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Secret Santa by Andrew Shaffer (Adult Horror Book Review)

I won a copy of this book from the publisher in a giveaway on Instagram. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  

Secret Santa
by Andrew Shaffer
Published by Quirk Books
on  November 10, 2020
Genre: Adult, Horror
Length: 220 pages

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Literary Awards:
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Horror (2020)

Synopsis:
The Office meets Stephen King, dressed up in holiday tinsel, in this fun, festive, and frightening horror-comedy set during the horror publishing boom of the '80s, by New York Times best-selling satirist Andrew Shaffer. 

My Thoughts:

Lussi Meyer stumbles her way into a job as a senior editor at the old-fashioned Blackwood-Patterson publishing house after working in horror for years. She is tasked with finding the next Stephen King and is determined to find her place but the job starts out rough with an unexpected death, an injured intern, and what seems to be hazing from coworkers that includes a sinister Secret Santa gift that Lussi quickly recognizes. 

I'm not big on 'holiday reads' but this was quick and fun, with a hint of comedy, and perfect for the Christmas season in a spooky Krampus sort of way.
I don't want to give away any important plot but this story has some ancient German folklore that includes a certain terrifying Christmas witch that is said to remove the insides of their victims to replace them with rocks or straw or even garbage. I ended up doing a little research on it and that made the story that much more horrific! 

Many thanks to Quirk Books for the chance to read this!

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Pick A Pine Tree by Patricia Toht & Jarvis (Children's Picture Book Review)

 

Pick A Pine Tree
by Patricia Toht
Illustrated by Jarvis
Published by Candlewick Press
on September 19, 2017
Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Holidays
Length: 40 pages
Ages: 3 - 7 years

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Synopsis:
A festive read-aloud beginning with all the joy and excitement of Christmastime--beginning, of course, with picking out a tree! 


Our Thoughts:

Pick a Pine Tree is the perfect picture book to start off the holidays in a festive and joyful mood or to learn more about the beloved tradition of choosing and decorating a Christmas tree! 

From picking out a special tree to stringing lights and hanging bulbs to topping it with something special, this whimsically illustrated picture book covers everything about this bright and merry tradition.

We had 'tree issues' for the first time this year and didn't get our tree up or LIT right away even though the festivity was much needed, so this was extra fun to read and get us into the spirit as we waited! 
I think this would be a wonderful addition to any Christmas or winter-themed shelves. It has a nostalgic quality that I believe will make it a favorite for years to come! 

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The Greatest Gift (Heartwood Hotel #2) by Kallie George (Children's Fiction Book Review)

The Greatest Gift
(Heartwood Hotel #2)
Written by: Kallie George
Illustrated by: Stephanie Graegin
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
on July 3, 2017
Genre: Children's, Fantasy, Animals
Length: 176 pages
Ages: 7 - 10 years

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Synopsis:
Mona the mouse has finally found a place to call home, the cozy Heartwood Hotel, where she works as a maid and sleeps snuggled up in a room with her best friend. Following the festive St. Slumber celebration, most of the guests have settled in to hibernate, and the staff is looking forward to a relaxing winter. But disruptions abound, from a difficult duchess to a mysterious midnight snacker. As the snow stacks higher, Mona will have to gather friends both old and new to keep the peace, finding help in some of the most unexpected places. 

My Thoughts:

Mona the Mouse has settled into her daily routine as a maid at the Heartwood Hotel and winter has come, meaning most of the animals are hibernating, but a demanding duchess appears, food keeps disappearing, and Mona is determined to find the perfect gift for her friends at the Heartwood.

The Greatest Gift is the fantastic and heartwarming sequel to A True Home, in which we were introduced to Mona the Mouse, an orphan that is swept away in a storm and ends up at the Heartwood Hotel, where she is taken on as a maid. There, she finds her place in the busy oak tree hotel and makes a few friends along the way.

In this sequel, Winter has descended upon the Heartwood, and a majority of its patrons are hibernating, but there's always plenty of work for Mona, Tilly the Squirrel, and the others. Mona is determined to make the perfect gift for the Heartwood but with the extra patrons and sneaky night-time snackers, she has her work cut out for her. But when her friends are in danger, Mona steps up and makes big sacrifices to save them and others in need.

This series is a quartet set in each of the four seasons and has plenty of adorable woodland creature characters to fall in love with! We've enjoyed the first two very much and can't wait to continue! 

See our thoughts on 'A True Home'!

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Little Mole's Christmas Gift by Glenys Nellist (Children's Picture Book Review)

Little Mole's Christmas Gift
Written by Glenys Nellist
Illustrated by Sally Garland
Published by Beaming Books
on October 6, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 3 - 6 years

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Synopsis:
While Little Mole is bringing home a beautiful mushroom as a Christmas gift for his mother, he encounters woodland friends in need and shares the mushroom with them. 


My Thoughts:

Little Mole picks a big beautiful mushroom as a gift for his mother for Christmas, but he runs into friends that need help and by the time he gets home his gift is not quite what he had hoped it would be.  

Little Mole's Christmas Gift is about a sweet little mole with a huge heart and a helping hand that can't leave a friend in need, no matter what. 

This is a wonderful book for nurturing empathy and kindness and has adorable illustrations that makes this a wonderful story for any time of year but is especially perfect for Christmas! 

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Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake (Children's Chapter Book Review)

 

Skunk and Badger
(Skunk and Badger #1)
Written by Amy Timberlake
Illustrations by Jon Klassen
Published by Algonquin Young Readers
on September 15, 2020
Genre: Children's, Chapter Books
Length: 126 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
Wallace and Gromit meets Winnie-the-Pooh in a fresh take on a classic odd-couple friendship, from Newbery Honor author Amy Timberlake with full-color and black-and-white illustrations throughout by Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen. 


My Thoughts:

Badger lives a quiet and lonely life in his Aunt Lula's brownstone in North Twist and fills his days with 'Very Important Rock Work' until the day that Skunk shows up with permission from Aunt Lula to live there. Badger doesn't want a roommate, especially not a skunk that might spray or mess with his things or invite one hundred chickens to tea, but Badger soon learns a lesson in humility, sacrifice, and friendship.

This is a humorous but heartwarming story about two rather different creatures forced into rooming together, with some funny and not-so-funny consequences. Badger is rather fond of his solitude and isn't at all thrilled by the new houseguest and his rather exuberant cooking or his need for more space. But Badger soon realizes that his way isn't the only way and a true friendship is born.

With the fantastic message of unity mixed with Jon Klassen's lovely illustrations, this story has a truly classic feel to it and I wouldn't mind coming back to it in the future! I hear this is the start of a series as well and am looking forward to reading more about these two!

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November 2020 Reading Wrap Up

 Goodbye November!

This month has flown by despite that we seemed to be sitting in limbo concerning the election. I'm definitely not ready for the holidays but thank goodness that this year is almost over!

We filled our month with lots of home learning, hikes, and gardening, as usual. We've been a little obsessed with mushrooms thanks to a rainy autumn and a little extra time for morning hikes.

 I also finally branched out from my bookstagram @lazydaylit by starting @lazydaykidlit to share more of the picture books and other kidlit that I read with my five-year-old. I love blogging but an insta post is the way to go when pressed for time and that seems to be the case quite often, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up on what we're up to!

I didn't make a TBR for this month because I have quite a few books I've started and haven't gotten around to finishing yet and I wanted to catch up. Here's what I did get to, plus my pitiful challenge progress for the month!


Books I Read in November

Started But Haven't Finished

Books Read to my Daughter

Challenge Progress


ABC Challenge
17/26
Oct: +1
Nov: x

Beat the Backlist / Tackle My TBR
Oct: +4
Nov: x

New Release Challenge
Oct: +3
Nov: x

PopSugar Challenge
Sept: +0
Oct: 

Read Harder Challenge
Sept: +
Oct:

1001 Children's Books to Read Before You Grow Up

Oct: 171/1001 +7
Nov: 173/1001 +2

The Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack
Peter in Blueberry Land by Elsa Beskow

Thanks so much for reading all of that! You rock!
Have a fantastic end of the year, readers!
Happy Holidays! 

Thanksgiving in the Woods by Phyllis Alsdurf (Children's Picture Book Review)

 

Thanksgiving in the Woods
Written by Phyllis Alsdurf
Illustrated by Jenny Lovelie
Published by Sparkhouse Family
on October 17, 2017
Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Holiday
Length: 40 pages
Ages: 4 - 8 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Thanksgiving in the Woods is based on the true story of a family in Upstate New York who has hosted an outdoor Thanksgiving feast in the woods on their farm for over twenty years.

My Thoughts:

Thanksgiving in the Woods is a beautifully illustrated picture book about a real family in upstate New York that hosts a big outdoor dinner in the woods for family, friends, and locals every year. 

Told from a child's point-of-view, we see what goes into the setup and execution of 'Thanksgiving in the Woods' for this family, from stacking hay bales for chairs and wooden planks for tables, to bonfires, and even fun forts. There are marshmallows and music, food and fun, and a sense of unity and community.

Thanksgiving can look different for so many people and I tend to see a focus on turkeys and Pilgrims in picture books so it was refreshing to find one more focused on family and togetherness. Bonus points for being set in nature! 

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The Scary Book by Thierry Dedeiu (Children's Board Book Review)

 We received a copy of this board book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Scary Book
by Thierry Dedieu
Published by Prestel Junior
on September 15, 2020
Genre: Children's, Board Books
Length: 20 pages
Ages: 3 - 6 years

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Synopsis:
A perfect blend of silly and scary, this oversized lift-the-flap board book shows children what's hiding inside some creepy creatures!


Our Thoughts:

The Scary Book is perfect for kids that like scary, gross, and disturbing things! 

This is a fun and unique 'lift-the-flap' style board book that is full of spooky little surprises, such as the slimy innards of a frog or the dead victims of a hungry spider, and much more!

The bold colors and big text make this a great board book for little listeners and the extra big format and double-folded flaps make it all the more fun.

It's definitely an unconventional book but my little 'monster' loved how creepy it is and was full of questions about the critters and their lift-the-flap surprises.

There's also a few Halloween-themed surprises, such as a ghost, a skeleton, and a jack-o-lantern which makes this a great addition to any spooky-story shelves! 

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The Monster In My Basement by Dave Preston (Children's Picture Book Review)

 I received an ecopy of this book from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Monster In My Basement
Written by Dave Preston
Illustrated by Heather Lynn Harris
Published by CrissCross AppleSauce
on September 1, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 40 pages
Ages: 5 - 7 years

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Synopsis:
There's a monster in Dave's basement! His name is Howard and he's very hungry. Howard invites Dave to dinner. But will Dave eat dinner or BE dinner? The thought makes Dave shake a little bit, shake a little bit, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake.
Has Dave made a big mistake?


My Thoughts:

   A little boy named Dave finds a monster in his basement! When the monster invites Dave along for dinner, he isn't quite sure what to do! When he ends up in the monster's cave, he wonders if he's made a BIG mistake!

This is a fun picture book about hungry monsters that can be read by itself...

but

this book is also a song!

The song and the story behind The Monster In My Basement can be found on howardthemonster.com!

While this picture book can be read easily without listening to the song, it really does make it a lot more fun and interactive!
The repeating chorus bit is a lot of fun and the story has colorful and descriptive text to go along with the illustrations! 
 

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October 2020 Reading WrapUp - Happy Halloween!

 Happy Halloween, readers!

I hope you all had a fantastic month!
We love Spooky Season so we filled October with extra festive activities (at home). My Little Monster and I made paper mache pumpkins, bats for our tree, a spooky wreath, and even some cardboard tombstones! We've been watching lots of spooky films and tv shows (probably more than I've watched all year even considering that we've been home all year!)
Our homeschool focus ended up being on the constellations and the moon this month since there were two full moons in October but we didn't read any spooky chapter books since we were already caught up in three different series. 

I'm still attempting to catch up from my little Blogger update hiatus so you may see my spooky book reviews well into November! 

Here's my reading stats:

Books I Read in October

Started but haven't finished

Chapter Books I Read to My Daughter

Challenge Progress


ABC Challenge
17/26
Sept: +2
Oct: +1

Beat the Backlist / Tackle My TBR
Sept: +4
Oct: +4

Craven Manor
The Graveyard Book
The Dead House
Brother

New Release Challenge
Sept: +5
Oct: +3

Mary: The Adventures of Mary Shelley's Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Granddaughter
Harrow Lake
Skunk & Badger

PopSugar Challenge
Sept: +0
Oct: 

Read Harder Challenge
Sept: +
Oct:

1001 Children's Books to Read Before You Grow Up
Sept: 164/1001   +5
(adding late to Sept)
Angelina Ballerina

Oct: 
Molly Goes Shopping by Eva Ibottsen
Rosa Goes to Daycare by Barbro Lindgren
Possum Magic by Mem Fox
Jamela's Dress by Niki Daly
Freight Train by Donald Crews
My Father's Dragon by Ruth Gannett Stiles
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

Thanks for reading!
Have a great November! 

The Little Ghost That Was A Quilt by Riel Nason & Byron Eggonschwiler (Children's Picture Book Review)

We received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Little Ghost That Was A Quilt

Written by Riel Nason

Illustrated by Byron Eggonschwiler

  Published by Tundra Books

on September 1, 2020

Genre: Children's, Picture Books

Length: 48 pages

Ages: 3 - 7 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:

When you're a quilt instead of a sheet, being a ghost is hard! 
An adorable picture book for fans of Stumpkin and How to Make Friends With A Ghost!

Our Thoughts:

    Once, there was a little ghost who was a quilt instead of a sheet. Because of his thick layers, he couldn't fly as fast or as freely as the ghosts in his family that were sheets, but the little ghost that was a quilt still wanted to see the world and join in, so he did! 

The Little Ghost That Was A Quilt is an adorable story about a ghost that doesn't quite fit in. He is saddened by his differences but still yearns to experience the world, especially as Halloween, his favorite holiday, nears! The little ghost's adventures don't always go as planned, but he finds joy in them nevertheless, making this a hopeful story perfect for the autumn season.

I think this heartwarming little story will stick with me for some time. The story has such a cute message to it and a happy ending!

I adored the traditional-style illustrations. They have a slightly gloomy look that the bright patchwork ghost that was a quilt stood out on quite well and I especially loved all of the detail in settings, from the unique wood grain to the spooky shadows and spiderwebs!

I grew up with a lot of Halloween picture books that I adored and this one gave me a little bit of nostalgia for those old obscure stories! This is one I will definitely be adding to our shelves!

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The Girl Who Owned A City by O.T. Nelson & Dan Jolley (YA Graphic Novel Review)

 

The Girl Who Owned A City
Written by O.T. Nelson
Adapted by Dan Jolley
Illustrated by Joelle Jones
Published by Graphic Universe
on January 2012
Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel, Post Apocalyptic
Length: 125 pages
Ages: 10 - 17 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
A deadly virus killed every adult on earth, leaving only us kids behind.
My parents are gone, so I'm responsible for my little brother, Todd. I have to make sure we stay alive. Many kids are sick or starving, and fierce gangs are stealing and destroying everything they find. Lots of people have given up, but here on Grand Avenue, some of us are surviving, because of me. I figured out how to give the kids on Grand Avenue food, homes, and protection against the gangs. But Tom Logan and his army are determined to take away what we've built and rule the streets themselves. How long can we keep fighting them? 
In a world like this, someone has to take charge. 


My Thoughts:

Lisa and her little brother, Todd, are trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world where a deadly virus wiped out everyone over the age of twelve. Lisa uses her wits to find supplies to live on but a local children's gang is quick to steal from them, leading Lisa to gather the neighborhood kids together to form their own militia. As Lisa's city grows and grows, the outlying gangs become more and more desperate for their supplies. Can Lisa build an army big enough to protect her city from attack?

This middle-grade graphic novel is based on the original novel with the same title that was published in 1975. It's not one I'd heard of or seen before but I needed a graphic novel to read to keep up with my one-per-month goal and this was what was available.  

This graphic depiction is an interesting look at how children and groups of children would react and survive in such a situation. I think the age of the original novel makes the content a little predictable with all the post-apocalyptic and/or zombie media that has been rather popular in the past decade, but the illustrations definitely made this worth the read anyway. 
There's tons of emotion, attitude, and even body language with proportional and life-like characters and the coloring was amazing as well!

I would definitely recommend to young readers that enjoy dystopian or post-apocalyptic reads. 

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If You Were Night by Muon Thi Van & Kelly Pousette (Children's Picture Book Review)

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If You Were Night
Written by Muon Thi Van
Illustrated by Kelly Pousette
Published by Kids Can Press
on September 1, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 3 - 7 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
A poetic and evocative exploration of the natural world at night illustrated in illuminating paper-cut dioramas. 


Our Thoughts:

This wonderful picture book features a night-time romp through uniquely illustrated scenes made up of layers and layers of intricately cut and folded paper in plant and animal shapes! 

The narrator poses questions about what you would do if you saw the moon outside your window, saw the critters scamper about, heard the sounds of the forest, and more, while the layered scenes show a child doing exactly what the narrator asks us. We follow along on a beautiful night journey into the wild, spotting flora and fauna in abundance and soaking in the sights and sounds as we were there too!

A fantastic nature-based picture book all about the nighttime! 
We loved all the nocturnal creatures featured and the obviously 'handcrafted' paper scenes are both amazing and inspirational. It absolutely gives me ideas for homeschool craft projects.
We're always on the look-out for a bedtime story perfect for nights camping or stargazing and this one didn't disappoint! 


Similar picture books:

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