All Around Bustletown: Spring by Rotraut Susanne Berner (Children's Picture Book Review)

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

All Around Bustletown: Spring
by Rotraut Susanne Berner
Published by Prestel Junior

on November 12, 2019
(first published 2004)

Genre: Children's, Picture Book 
Length: 14 pages 
Ages: 2 - 5 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
It's springtime in this charming, busy town and there is a lot going on! A house gets a top-to-bottom spring cleaning and farm fields are being prepared for planting. People are shopping, commuting to work, constructing buildings, and meeting friends. If you look closer, you'll recognize the same characters appear on every page, each with their own story. There's Wilfred the jogger slipping on a banana peel and his friend Erica who comes to help him. Three cheerful nuns shop, chat, and share a snack at the cafe. A stork surveys all the activity from the sky while a mischievous fox scampers through the streets. In the tradition of Richard Scarry and Where's Waldo, this book encourages kids to return again and again to each spread, following along with the characters and inventing their own stories. They'll recognize parts of their own world, while also learning about the endless ways we live, work, and play in the spring.

Our Thoughts:

Spring has come to Bustletown and all of its inhabitants are eager to be outside! It's no wonder with all the beauty of blooming trees and fields of flowers. Some stroll, some run, some have a destination, and others enjoy the day and wander. From rural farmlands to the bustling town center, you can follow the many characters through the pages of this book and see all that is going on in Bustletown!

The All Around Bustletown quartet is a unique look-and-tell board book series that spans from season to season in one bustling little fictional town. These illustrated books are wordless but the back of the book prompts you to meet some of the people within the book and tells you what they are doing so you can follow their story throughout Bustletown! 

These books are quite unique, being a mixture of a look-and-find and a chance to create your own story kind of book depending on who you choose to focus on and follow throughout the pages. Both human and animal characters can be found with their own stories, sometimes crossing paths with the other characters. There's no end to the fun you can have with these books!

The illustration style is tons of fun with plenty of detail on each page to get lost in even if you aren't searching for or following the characters. There are cutaway buildings that give us a peek into all the inner workings of the homes and businesses, which reminds me of the old Richard Scarry books so much. There's also a lot of depth to each page, with plenty of characters and buildings in the forefront but if you look beyond, you will see a whole world progressing around this quaint little town!

This cute and original series will keep you and your children busy for hours. They are the kind of books that you can come back to time and time again and still find new little details to amaze and interest. This is a great introduction to the world around us, how it works, and the types of people in it as well! Even better, you can learn about the people of Bustletown throughout the four different seasons! 

Be sure to check out the entire series!

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The Sunday Post - 2020 Week 16 - Veggies & Stuff

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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

Hey there, bloggers!

I can't believe it's already Sunday again.

Anyone interested in how my garden is growing?!
 It's really all I have to talk about.
I have blossoms on my pole beans, peppers, and squash. There's a variety of green tomatoes and baby cukes at the moment and I think my radishes are ready to pull! We successfully started some pumpkin seedlings this week as well.
Other than the veggies, my 8yo hibiscus is blooming a few flowers a day and the star jasmine is covered and smells lovely. We've been in a drought but had a nice heavy storm the other day so we've had a few wild lilies pop up in the yard! I'm really looking forward to them blooming!

On the covid front, I'm still trying to figure out how to tackle the extra workload and keep my active and social 5yo entertained all day long, as usual. Everything else seems to fall to the sides and I try to pick it up at night when I should be sleeping. I really need more time in the day.

Memes that seem appropriate:



Currently Reading:

I've been in a bit of a slump lately and decided to dig into this book that I see recommended constantly in my women's book groups, and was hooked from the start! It's a fantastic read!

Recently Finished:

This was my graphic novel choice of the month and I'm kicking myself for not reading this sooner! I really enjoyed it.

Recently Posted Reviews:

I reviewed My Ocean is Blue by Darren Labeuf and Crocodile's Crossing: A Search For Home by Yoeri Slegers for Netgalley and What Stars Are Made Of by Sarah Allen was a Goodreads Giveaway win about a 12yo girl with Turner Syndrome! 


What I'm Watching:Nothing, not even as background noise. 

What I'm Listening To:

Move On by Milosh


I hope you're all staying safe and reading all the things!
Have a great week!

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What Stars Are Made Of by Sarah Allen (Middle Grade Book Review)

Many thanks to the publisher and Goodreads for the ARC copy of this book!

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What Stars Are Made Of

by Sarah Allen
Published by Farrar Straus Giroux
on March 31, 2020
Genre: Middle Grade, Fiction, Contemporary
Length: 208 pages
Ages: 10 - 14 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Twelve-year-old Libby Monroe is great at science, being optimistic, and talking to her famous, accomplished friends (okay, maybe that last one is only in her head). She's not great at playing piano, sitting still, or figuring out how to say the right thing at the right time in real life. Libby was born with Turner Syndrome, and that makes some things hard. But she has lots of people who love her, and that makes her pretty lucky.

When her big sister Nonny tells her she's pregnant, Libby is thrilled--but worried. Nonny and her husband are in a financial black hole, and Libby knows that babies aren't always born healthy. So she strikes a deal with the universe: She'll enter a contest with a project about Cecelia Payne, the first person to discover what stars are made of. If she wins the grand prize and gives all that money to Nonny's family, then the baby will be perfect. Does she have what it takes to care for the sister that has always cared for her? And what will it take for the universe to notice?

My Thoughts:
What Stars Are Made Of is a fantastic middle-grade contemporary novel about a twelve-year-old girl with a rare but interesting condition called Turners Syndrome and how she navigates school, friendship, and her older sister Nonny's pregnancy.

Libby is fascinated by science and learning and can be found in the library reading during lunch, which is where she becomes kinda-friends with the new girl Talia. But Libby struggles with social interactions and finds that she just doesn't know what the right words to say are or when to say them. With Nonny's help, she navigates the ins and outs of friendship.

This is a great story about a girl dealing with some big life changes and how she tackles each of them. Libby is smart and determined and focused on her goals. I loved that she was always trying to find or learn the right way to interact with people even if she felt like she was getting it all wrong. I thought that Libby did a wonderful job of describing her syndrome, chromosomes, her sister's pregnancy, and more. I also loved all the vocabulary that was included to help Libby express herself!

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Crocodile's Crossing: A Search For Home by Yoeri Slegers (Children's 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.

Crocodile's Crossing:
A Search For Home

by Yoeri Slegers
Published by Flyaway Books
on April 14, 2020
Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 3 - 7 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Crocodile is tired, scared, and hopeful as he searches for his new home.

Everything will be better where I'm going! he thinks. But where is that?

Crocodile's Crossing: A Search For Home introduces children to the complex topic of immigration. Featuring bright artwork packed with playful details, this thoughtful tale sensitively portrays the challenges faced by refugees and other newcomers. A downloadable discussion guide will be available at www.flyawaybooks.com/resources. 

Our Thoughts:

Crocodile is searching for somewhere to call his home. He loved his last home but it became too dangerous to stay, so he set out in search of safer shores. New places meant new words, new foods, and, of course, new problems. Many places he traveled to would not accept his big scary teeth or tough green skin and shooed him on his way. Eventually, Crocodile runs out of supplies and is so tired of searching, but he awakes in a new land with a community that accepts him and changes his life.

This is an immigrant story for children, with a crocodile as the main character, fleeing his home and the bad things happening there, including a lack of food. He has a family and friends just like him but he stands out in the new places he travels to and isn't always welcome.

There's a great lesson within this story. We see the very real issues that immigrants face all over the world while looking for a place to belong to. It's something that could happen to any of us. Luckily, Crocodile finds his happy ending in a place where he is valued and can contribute to the community!

The full-spread illustrations are fantastic, with great bird's eye perspectives to show Crocodile's travel around the world and fun, emotive animals. I love how the cover tells us exactly what the story is about. The end pages similarly seem to tell us how chaotic and confusing it is to not know where to go or where you are going.

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My Ocean Is Blue by Darren Labeuf & Ashley Barron (Children's Picture Book Review)

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My Ocean Is Blue

Written by Darren Labeuf
Illustrated by Ashley Barron

Published by Kids Can Press

on March 3, 2020

Genre: Children's, Picture Books
Length: 32 pages
Ages: 3 - 7 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
"This is my ocean," the young girl begins as she heads over the dunes with her mother. Then as they pass the whole day by the seaside, she lyrically describes her ocean in simple, sensory detail. It's both "slimy" and "sandy," "sparkly" and "dull". It has wonderful sounds, as it "splashes and crashes and echoes and squawks." And it contains so many colors, from "rusted orange" to "runaway red," "faded white" to "polished green". Nothing the girl experiences escapes her careful observation and appreciation. And at day's end, she can't wait for her next trip to the beach.

Author Darren Lebuef, an award-winning photographer, uses spare text and a rhythmic style to create an evocative read-aloud. The vivid adjectives, both concrete and abstract, will inspire children to try to capture in words what they notice not only at the ocean, but in any natural setting.

Our Thoughts:

My Ocean Is Blue is a simple but lyrical story made up of a series of descriptions of the ocean from a young girl's point of view as she visits the seaside with her mother for the day. 

She observes the ocean and its many differences throughout the day, from high tide to low tide, from shallow water to deep, and more. She points out the colors that can be found if only you look for them, such as red crabs or polished green sea glass.

The illustrations are delightful, with a neat collaged or layered look with fun texture and everything we love about the sea! Especially all the blue! 

The text is very minimal, which makes this a great book for little listeners or beginner readers, and has a calming and peaceful effect. It's the perfect book for introducing children to the ocean or as a great book to bring along on a beach day trip! 

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The Sunday Post - 2020 Week 15 - Sewing

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

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


Hey there, bloggers!

This week has kind of blown by. 

In Covid news,
Store employees all over my area are starting to have immediate family test positive and/or are ill themselves and are calling out or being turned away from work. At this point, it is just a waiting game for the rest of the employees (and the shoppers). They've only allowed them to start wearing actual protective gear this past week and since I have at least a little skill with a sewing machine, I've been making masks for my guy and his coworkers. 
Go figure, our governor wants to send kids back to school this week and they're shutting down (or already have?) the drive-up testing sites. 

In my home life,
Other than making masks, I've been gardening, of course. My mini and I added onions and garlic to our garden beds, started potatoes in a tote bag and a big black pot (mostly just testing easy ways to grow and harvest them), and started pumpkin seeds for Autumn. We're really hoping those do well this year! The last time I tried, we had a heavy rain season and they didn't survive. 
My mini was interested in how plants grow earlier this year so we started a garden and learned all about plants and life cycles and that has led her into an interest in bugs so we've been focused on identifying and observing them as well as reading all the bug books we can get our hands on at this time. I'm enjoying her natural curiosity and it's keeping us extra busy these days.

I hope you're all doing well! Happy Reading!
Happy Easter to those of you that celebrate it!

Currently Reading:

I'm only reading The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells between books and writing projects so it's slow going.
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is the only graphic novel I have left toward my one a month goal until the library reopens so I'm going to knock it off my backlist today before I dig into another review book.

Recently Finished:

This one is about a girl with Turner Syndrome! My review will be posted later this week!

Recently Posted Reviews:

I shared my review of Dewdrop by Katie O'Neill which was super cute, RHS Get Growing: A Family's Guide to Gardening Indoors and Out by Holly Farrell which I think is the perfect resource for families that want to start a garden right now, as well as Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mendel which is about a pandemic!


What I'm Watching:

Disney released Onward early so my mini and I have watched that a couple of times. It's fun but has its sad moments. 
I also finally sort of had a movie date (at home) to watch Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which was pretty good, but also had its sad moments.


Have a great week! Happy reading! 

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Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (Adult Fiction Book Review)

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and Read It Forward for the signed copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Station Eleven
by Emily St. John Mandel
Published by Vintage Books
on June 2, 2015

Genre: Adult, Literary Fiction, Post Apocalyptic
Length: 336 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Literary Awards:
Andrew Carnegie Medal Nominee for Fiction (2014)
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction (2014)
Locus Award Nominee for Best SF Novel (2015)
Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Novel (2015)
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction Nominee (2015)
Sunburst Award Nominee for Adults (2015)
John W. Campbell Memorial Award Nominee for Best Science Fiction Novel (2015)
Toronto Book Award Nominee (2015)
The Great Michigan Read (2015)
Women's Prize for Fiction Nominee for Longlist (2015)
The Rooster -- The Morning News Tournament of Books (2015)

Synopsis:

Kirstin Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end.

Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band's existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed. 

My Thoughts:

A deadly flu virus rips through the world, killing a large portion of the population, but some survive its reach. Twenty years later, a band of actors and musicians called the Traveling Symphony move around the dangerous post-apocalyptic world, delivering Shakespearian plays to the surviving towns.

I started this book at the beginning of March 2020 when Covid-19 was really just starting to spread in the United States.
I mostly went into it blind, only having heard from several readers that it was one of their favorites of the year back when it first released. I did not know that this book was about a deadly flu pandemic that wipes out the world as we know it.
In fact, Covid-19 seems to have wiped out the world as I know it and I had a hard time concentrating on anything for most of March but I still picked this up as much as possible. My slow pace did nothing to grab my attention but by the end, it all came together beautifully. I can't stop thinking about the connections surrounding the characters before and after the pandemic. I was especially intrigued by the idea of how history would be preserved in a post-apocalyptic setting. 

 I wished the story had been more about the post-apocalyptic Symphony characters or the Station Eleven story and fewer flashbacks to a certain celebrity but it all made sense in the end and I enjoyed it more seeing the bigger picture. While I felt disappointed that the only character I really seemed to get to know was the famous but dead actor, Arthur Leander, I also really enjoyed how his life tied into so many others' lives throughout this story.

Many thanks to Emily St. John Mandel, Vintage Books, and Read It Forward for the signed copy of this book!

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