RHS Get Growing: A Family Guide to Gardening Indoors and Out by Holly Farrell (Children's Nonfiction Book Review)

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

Get Growing:
A Family Guide to Gardening Indoors and Out
by Holly Farrel
with the Royal Horticulture Society
Published by White Lion Publishing
on April 7, 2020
Genre: Children's, Nonfiction
Length: 176 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Put the fun into gardening with this beautifully illustrated guide to growing plants indoors and out.

For parents and children who enjoy engaging with the outdoors and want to do more activities together, this beautifully designed book explains how plants work, describes the building blocks of gardening, and shows how to grow everything from cacti to cucumbers. With great facts and practical projects, giving the reader a lot of information it's an ideal introduction for complete beginners, designed to inspire a life-long love of gardening.

Our Thoughts:

RHS Get Growing is the perfect resource for families that want to start a garden or want to fit more educational activities into their family gardening time. It includes many aspects of gardening, from starting a compost to planting seeds to propagating!

This illustrated guide to gardening will help you find the most ideal location in your garden for plants depending on the sun, location, and rain. It covers different types of soil and how to test its acidity. It shares the differences and benefits of container gardening and raised beds and even indoor plants and how to care for them. There's tons of information on veggie gardening, as well as fruits and herbs and it covers friendly and not-so-friendly insects and other garden visitors.

This book covers tons of little things that you wouldn't even think to worry about like keeping dust off of your indoor plants' leaves and how to garden on a slope or with too much shade or very little space.  This book encourages families to get out and garden no matter what your circumstance, from little space to no space or maybe a too shaded yard or sloped yard.

There's tons of information in this book but also lots of educational experiments and how-to's that you can try out yourself! Learn how to start a terrarium and make a flower wreath or learn how to save seeds and grow kitchen scraps! There's plenty of hands-on material here to keep you and your children busy all year long! It even covers what to do in your garden within the four different seasons!

I personally love gardening and still learned a lot from this book. I think it's the perfect resource for families that want to begin gardening or spend more time outdoors. It's full of fun illustrations and photos that will help children understand everything that goes into gardening and how fun and rewarding it can be!

 More like this:

Forest Club: A Year of Activities, Crafts, and Exploring Natureby Kris Hirshmann

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Dewdrop by Katie O'Neill (Children's Picture Book Review)

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

Dewdrop
by Katie O'Neill
Published by Oni Press
on April 7, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 40 pages
Ages: 5 - 8 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
 From the author of The Tea Dragon Society comes Dewdrop, the delightful children's tale of an adorable axolotl who cheers on his underwater friends as they bring their talents to the pond's sports fair!

Dewdrop is an easygoing, gentle axolotl who enjoys naps, worm pie, and cheerleading. When the yearly sports fair nears, he and his friends--Mia the weightlifting turtle, Newman the musical newt, and three minnows who love to cook--get ready to showcase their skills to the whole pond! However, as the day of the fair gets closer, Dewdrop's friends can't help putting pressure on themselves to be the best. It's up to Dewdrop to remind them how to be mindful, go at their own pace, and find joy in their achievements.

Our Thoughts:

Everyone is excited to join in and participate in the Sports Fair. Mia the Turtle is going to join the pebble-throwing competition, three minnows will cook food to serve, and another friend is going to write a song for the event! Dewdrop the Axolotl is learning a new cheerleading routine to cheer on her friends and is determined to help them with their tasks as well. They all go their separate ways to practice but when Dewdrop's friends start to question their skills and abilities, Dewdrop drops in with her positivity, friendship, and good advice to save the day!

Dewdrop is a super cute picture book with a positive message about encouraging and helping others, not giving up, and doing your best, no matter what that means in comparison to others. Dewdrop not only says she will help, but she also follows through and checks up on everyone, showing what it is to be a good friend.

Dewdrop features a colorful and lively underwater world with lots of adorable creatures that make this book extra loveable! Its sequential art style makes it a unique picture book (a bit like a comic!) and so much fun to read!

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The Sunday Post - 2020 Week 14 - Time to Read

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

and is a chance to share news, both new and old!

Hey there, bloggers!

 Covid19 Thoughts
It's mostly been an uneventful week but the trauma of the situation is constantly wearing on me. I've spent a lot of time worrying and agonizing over every ache and pain as well as spending as much time as possible cleaning and disinfecting because it's difficult to keep a young child aware of what they're touching. Having an essential employee in the house is nerve-wracking. Knowing that my area is getting hit hard and our healthcare system can not handle bigger numbers is scary.

Positive Thoughts
I finished Station Eleven last week and then read a graphic novel and it really helped me with whatever reading block I was in. I'm trying to read and write more now, partly to normalize things a bit. I'm still keeping up with my yoga flows and I was able to grab a quick bike ride this week as well.

Our garden is growing really well. Our pole beans are already topping our bamboo teepees and we have got cherry tomatoes starting to grow! We spent the week fixing up an old garden bed for our pepper plants and another to plant sunflowers and pumpkins in for autumn!

How are you all doing? Any good happening during these difficult times?

Currently Reading:

Recently Finished:

Chapter Books We Are Reading:

We read an abridged version of The Secret Garden in March, which my daughter loved, and then she chose A Little Princess because we have the double film and she wants to read it so we can watch that movie as well. 

Recently Posted Reviews:

We read and reviewed Bo the Brave by Bethan Woollvin and My First 100 Science Words by Chris Ferrie for Netgalley.
I also got my review of Fred Fordham's graphic novel adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee posted!

Other posts:
March 2020 Reading Wrap Up
Stacking the Shelves 2020 #1

What I'm Watching:

I haven't had time for tv this week but ended up spending my Saturday night watching All the Bright Places. The book broke my heart.

What I'm Listening To:

 "Phoenix" by Rhye
(This one is an upbeat oddity but I love Milosh's music.)

Have a great week! Stay home and stay safe!

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Stacking the Shelves 2020 #1

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews & Reading Reality


Hello readers!
I haven't done a Stacking the Shelves in forever but realized I really should have kept up with them! They help me keep track of what I've received and have to read so I'm going to try to make it a habit again from time to time.

In My Mailbox

Purchased

I made a BookOutlet order at the end of Feb/beginning of March when Covid19 was just starting to get around the US, and I kind of wish I had made it a bigger order because I'm a little nervous to order again at this point but I made this order half for me, half for my daughter. We got some picture books, activity books, journals, How to Draw books, etc (some not pictured) to keep us a little busy through all the self-isolation.





Goodreads Giveaways

Many thanks to Farrar Straus Giroux & Celadon Books!
Review Copies

Special thanks to Tailwind Publishing, Amulet Books, Abrams Books, and National Geographic Kids!! 


Amazon Freebies

These are the popular authors / books I've come across in the past couple of days but I don't keep up with the freebie lists very often so I don't know what's new and what's been free for a while! 


That's it for now!
What did you get in the mail this week?

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To Kill A Mockingbird: A Graphic Novel adapted by Fred Fordham (Graphic Novel Book Review)

To Kill A Mockingbird:
A Graphic Novel
Written by Harper Lee
Adapted/Illustrated by Fred Fordham
Published by Harper
on October 30, 2018
Genre: Graphic Novel, Classics
Length: 288 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A portrait of race and class, innocence and injustice, hypocrisy and heroism, tradition and transformation in the Deep South of the 1930's, Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird remains as important today as it was upon its initial publication in 1960, during the turbulent years of the Civil Rights Movement.

Now, reborn as a graphic novel, Scout, Jem, Boo Radley, Atticus Finch, and the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, are all captured in illustrations by artist Fred Fordham.

My Thoughts:

I read To Kill A Mockingbird at least twice in middle or high school as required reading. I remember thinking it was a good book with an important message. I remember the debates and discussions it brought up in my small town classroom. I remembered the popular characters, too, but I couldn't really remember the story itself. It's been over a decade, after all.

I'd been planning to reread this book for quite some time when I came across this. It's a full-length graphic novel that is very true to the original prose. Most graphic novel adaptations I read seem to summarize the story into a short story-sequence but this one followed the entire story, giving us all the details and dialogue paired with lovely illustrations that brought the story to life and reminded me very much of the film adaptation that I also remember seeing in high school.

I won't go into detail about the plot or my thoughts on it but I'm glad to have revisited this important read in this particular format. Fred Fordham has done justice to this classic. I especially enjoyed the soft color palette and well-done characters' expressions and body language. If you like To Kill A Mockingbird or graphic novels, I would definitely recommend this!

 

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My First 100 Science Words by Chris Ferrie (Children's Nonfiction Picture Book Review)

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

My First 100 Science Words
(My First STEAM Words)
by Chris Ferrie
Illustrated by Lindsay Dale Scott

Published by Sourcebooks Explore

on April 1, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 1 - 3 years


Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:

The perfect primer from the #1 science author, Chris Ferrie, to get your little genius ready for their first words related to all things STEAM!

Chris Ferrie's latest offering is the perfect way to introduce basic concepts to even the youngest STEAM-enthusiasts. After all, it's never too early to become a scientist!

Our Thoughts:
This cute educational book will give your toddler/s a head start on everything science, from astronomy to zoology! 

My First 100 Science Words has bright and colorful illustrations with simple smiley faces added to nearly every illustration to make them extra friendly and interesting for little listeners.
This fun book is grouped into categories that include physics, biology, geography, astronomy, chemistry, sociology,  geology, ecology, thermodynamics, zoology, medicine, and climate. Each of these categories includes a handful or more words paired with illustrations to help littles recognize and understand science.

It's never too early to learn! If you're looking for vocabulary-boosting books, look no further!

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Bo the Brave by Bethan Woollvin (Children's Picture Book Review)

Many thanks to the publisher for providing an ecopy of this book via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bo the Brave
by Bethan Woollvin
Published by Peachtree Publishing Company
on April 1, 2020

Genre: Children's, Picture Books

Length: 32 pages

Ages: 5 - 9 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:

A feisty little girl learns who the real monsters are in this brilliantly funny medieval adventure. Once, there lived a little girl called Bo. Bo wanted to be just like her brothers and capture a fearsome monster. Bo is small, too small to catch a monster--or so her brothers say. But Bo isn't one to take no for an answer, so she sets off on a quest to catch a monster of her own. 

Author-illustrator Bethan Woollvin, the creator of the New York Times Best Illustrated Little Red, employs her signature style in this original fairy tale with a clever twist. Readers are sure to fall in love with Woollvin's newest vibrant and sassy protagonist.

Our Thoughts:

Bo is a little girl who lives with her two older brothers in a medieval land of forests and mountains. Her brothers, Erik and Ivar, go hunting for monsters but won't allow Bo to join them. They say she is too small, but Bo says otherwise. She sneaks out to look for monsters all by herself but soon learns who the real monsters are. 

I've had the pleasure to read a couple of Beth Woollvin's picture books before and love the message to girls that they can do anything they put their mind to and can certainly save themselves rather than wait for someone to come along and save them. 

In Bo the Brave, Bo is told she is too small to do what she wants to do, so she bravely goes out in search of adventures and monsters anyway. She soon encounters the creatures of the forest, learning that they aren't monsters at all, and then sets out to help and protect them. 

We really enjoy Woollvin's bold but cute illustration style. The color schemes are often a little strange (not basic colors) but it makes the artwork really stand out. I especially loved all the extra detail in Bo's room and in the natural elements in the story!

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