“The Melody of Love,” by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Lorine Brunstetter Van Corbach

Posted on July 19, 2026 by Becky

I Don’t Hear What You Hear

This book covers a topic that is different from any other Amish story I’ve read, but I love it. It deals with the subject of what it might be like to raise a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) inside an Amish community. The story centers on a widowed mom named Amelia, and her son, Micah. Recently, the doctor told Amelia that Micah has ASD, but the problem is that Amelia, nor her family, nor their local school know anything about it.

Things start to turn around when Amelia joins a special summer program at the library designed for kids like Micah and their parents. It shows how challenging it is to learn that your child’s brain is wired differently, and offers some good solutions. This program makes a huge difference in their lives.

There’s also a romance plot that gets pretty dramatic. Amelia didn’t plan on dating or remarrying, then a widower named Christian comes into the picture. At first, things are really rocky between Christian and Micah. But Christian puts in the effort to understand Micah, and they get so close that Amelia gets jealous! It creates this crazy conflict that might completely ruin her relationship with Christian.

The way Christian connects with Micah is heartwarming, and the drama between Amelia and Christian kept me flipping the pages. It was super interesting to see the specific struggles an Amish family might face dealing with ASD. I appreciate that faith is part of the story, and highly recommend this five-star, sweet story.

Thanks to Barbour Books, for providing Tickmenot with a book to review. Opinions are my own.

Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/wanda.brunstetter/

Wanda E. Brunstetter Twitter’s:  https://x.com/WBrunstetter

Wanda E. Brunstetter’s Website:  https://wandabrunstetter.com/

 

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“Where’s Uncle Sam?” by Ingela P. Arrhenius

Posted on July 17, 2026 by Becky

The Red, White and Blue

Here is a great addition to the lift-the-felt-flap-books.  In this one, some very patriotic items are waiting to be found by lifting the felt flaps.

With each turn of the page, you will find a question that will be answered by lifting the flap.  You will be looking for The Statue of Liberty, Rosie the Riveter, a bald eagle, and Uncle Sam.  The last flap covers an unbreakable mirror so your child can see themselves.

This is a fun interactive book full of patriotic items, and brilliant colors.  I appreciate that the flaps are made of a high-quality felt.  They are durable and will last longer than ones made of cardboard.

I really love that this came out the year of our country’s 250th birthday.  This is a perfect way to introduce young ones to some special things about our nation, while they have a great time engaging with the fun things this book offers.

You and your child will have a good time playing peek-a-boo with all the flaps this volume has.  Having a mirror on the last page is wonderful because all children like to look in a mirror.

Children through three-years-old will enjoy this five-star book.  I can’t recommend it enough.

Thanks to Candlewick Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Where’s Uncle Sam?” by Ingela P. Arrhenius, for the purpose of review.  Opinions are my own.

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“Zip Zap Wickety Wack: A Story About Sharing,” by Matthew Diffee

Posted on July 10, 2026 by Becky

Don’t Let it Get Your Goat

The sheep and the goat are really upset because both of them say, “baa.”  All the other animals have their own sound:  a dog barks, a cow moos, even a frog ribbits.  Maybe one of them should get a new sound, and have it just for themselves.

But when the goat tries, every sound he picks is already being used.  When the sheep decides he will use, “zip zap wickety wack bing bang walla balla flip flap yackety yack wing ding dilly,” even that is taken.  A space alien appears and states that is what he says but tells the goat and sheep they should wiffle, which is another word for sharing.

When the frog and dog say they would like to wiffle the spaceship with the alien, he throws a tantrum and leaves.  After witnessing that, the sheep and the goat agree they would like to share, “baa,” and not act like the alien.

This is a great story with lots of humor, but the point of it all is taking turns and sharing is much better than anger and temper tantrums.  This is a great way to talk with your child about sharing, and the good things that come from it.  At the same time, you can point out the negative things that come from anger and temper tantrums.

Humor, great illustrations (also done by the author) and a story children can relate to make this a good choice.  Children three to nine-years-old will enjoy this five-star book.

Thanks to Candlewick Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Zip Zap Wickety Wack,” by Matthew Diffee, for the purpose of review.  Opinions are my own.

 

 

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“Not Precisely Mr. Knightley,” by Carolyn Miller

Posted on July 2, 2026 by Becky

Getting Rid of Small-Town Ties

EJ (Emma-Jane) has always hated living in a little town in the middle of nowhere. She has dreams of making it big in the city, wearing expensive clothes and rubbing elbows with the rich.

All that seems to be coming true for her. She lives in an amazing apartment in Sidney (it really belongs to her relative). EJ and her best friend, Jordan, have created a dating app that has really been taking off.

It has done so well she has quit her 9-to-5 job. At the same time, EJ has attracted the interest of a well-known man-about-town, Eric Churchill. He along with another member of the fast crowd EJ has become a part of, are interested in her dating app. But they don’t like the Christian tie-in, and would like to get rid of it.

Even though she has always told Jordan she would never get rid of that part, maybe it isn’t as important as EJ thought. Now that Eric has been wining and dining her so much, maybe keeping the Christian part is just small-town thinking.

Each time EJ gets closer to Eric, Jordan dies a little more inside. He has loved her for years, but doesn’t know how to tell her. Now, he doesn’t know if he wants to. Jordan feels like he doesn’t know EJ anymore since she is turning her back on her faith. Although it hurts that she has been ignoring him, it is even worse that she has been doing that to her family.

Maybe they were never meant to be a couple. But that thought doesn’t stop Jordan from worrying about EJ when he discovers all is not as it seems with Eric.

This will keep you turning the pages to see what EJ decides to do. This is the second book in the series, but the story stands on its own. I like the faith aspect of the tale. The characters were asking very real questions about why things happen, and about God. Fans of Jane Austin and modern stories will enjoy this five-star-book.

Thanks to Barbour Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Not Precisely Mr. Knightley,” by Carolyn Miller, for the purpose of review.  Opinions are my own.

The Author’s Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CarolynMillerAuthor/

The Author’s Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/carolynmillerauthor/

The Author’s Pinterest:  https://au.pinterest.com/camillering/

The Author’s Website:  https://www.carolynmillerauthor.com/

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My Favorite Gluten-Free Cornbread

Posted on June 28, 2026 by Becky

I like this because it does not have any kind of artificial sweeteners in it, and it tastes great!

  • 2 cups Yellow Cornmeal
  • 2 cups Corn Flour
  • 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1 1/2 cups Cashew Milk or Cow Milk
  • 8 tablespoons Butter melted and cooled
  • 2 Eggs at room temperature, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons Honey
  • 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
  • 3 tablespoons Apricot Spreadable Fruit
  • 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 ½ cups Non-dairy Yoghurt or Cow Milk Yoghurt

Instructions

  1. Warm spreadable fruit in microwave
  2. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
  3. In a large bowl, place the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine well. In a separate bowl, place the cashew milk, yoghurt, butter, honey, maple syrup, spreadable fruit and egg, and whisk to combine well.
  4. Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients and the honey. Mix until just combined. The mixture will be relatively thin. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
  5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top, golden brown around the edges, and firm to the touch in the center.
  6. Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan until no longer hot to the touch before slicing and serving.
  7. This is good with beans or serve it alone, warm, and enjoy the goodness!

 

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“The Story of Passover,” by David A. Adler

Posted on June 26, 2026 by Becky

What is Passover?

Join the author as he tells us what Passover is. He explains that the Children of Israel lived in Egypt as slaves. One of their people, Moses, on instruction from God, wanted to take the people out of Egypt. But when he went to Pharoah, the ruler of Egypt, to ask for the people to go, he said, “no.”

Because of that, God made bad things happen in Egypt. Right before the tenth thing, Pharaoh said they could go. That is because he did not want the last bad thing to happen. The Children of Israel left right away, but then Pharaoh changed his mind. He and his soldiers chased after them to bring them back.

Pharaoh thought that he had them trapped by the Red Sea. But God had Moses hold up his stick over the sea and the waters parted and all the Children of Israel walked through dry land to the other side.

Pharaoh and his soldiers started to chase them, but God had the waters fall down on all of them, and the Children of Israel were free. That event is known as the Passover.

Every year, the Jewish people have a special Passover dinner to remember and celebrate their freedom from slavery. The dinner is called a Seder and everyone eats the same thing, and every item eaten symbolizes something about Passover. The celebration lasts eight days.

Even though this book is written on a child’s level, I learned a lot reading this, too. The very last page goes into great detail about the food and celebration that take place.

Children will enjoy all the colorful illustrations and hearing about all the different plagues that took place, and how the people got free. Ages four through ten-years-old will enjoy this five-star book.

Thanks to Candlewick Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “The Story of Passover,” by David A. Adler, for the purpose of review.  Opinions are my own.

 

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Gluten Free Seasoning Salt

Posted on June 6, 2026 by Becky

This is very easy to make; I like making my own seasoning because I can make sure everything is gluten free.  I can also control the amount of salt in it.  You can adjust the salt to less or more.  Store this in a glass container or recycle an old shaker jar.  You can also adjust the seasonings to your taste making it spicier, or have a more Italian feel.  Let your imagination soar with this!

6 teaspoons Sesame Seeds

1 teaspoon Onion Powder

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1¼ teaspoon Dried Parsley

1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt*

1 teaspoon Dried Basil

Mix well and enjoy.

*Sometimes, I like substituting smoked sea salt for regular sea salt. 

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“Marty Moose,” by Clair Powell

Posted on June 2, 2026 by Becky

The First Day as a Mailmouse

Join Marty Moose’s adventures on his first day as a Mailmouse.  Not only does he want to do a good job, he wants to live up to his legendary Great-Aunt Ada, a famous Mailmouse.

The first day, he faces many challenges including when he meets Nibbles Frizzby who wants to be Marty’s friend, and tags along with him.

Lots of things happen including Marty and Nibbles trying to find their way through a booby-trapped yard.  The two toads who live there fight terribly until they decide Marty would taste delicious. That is when his new friend, Nibbles, comes in handy.

Lots of mayhem goes on, including Marty discovering he had been pranked, and it was done by the last one he expected.  Because of that, the end of the book has a big finish.

Be warned, this story has a lot of toots–flatulence–involved which causes many children to laugh uncontrollably.  This five-star book will be enjoyed by children aged six through nine-years-old who will find this book very funny.

Thanks to Candlewick Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Marty Moose,” by Clair Powell, for the purpose of review.  Opinions are my own.

 

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“A Chance for Kallie Mae,” by Ann H. Gabhart

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Becky

Reaching for the Impossible

Set in the Appalachian Mountains in 1911, this book tells the story of Kallie Mae Bertram, a girl who has spent her whole life dreaming of two things: getting an education and being with Quinn Spencer.

But there isn’t a school near her, and the Bertrams and Spencers have been at each other’s throats feuding for years. Their families’ hatred is deep, and it seems like there is no way for them to ever be together without causing more chaos.

Everything changes the day her mother died giving birth to Emmie. Her last words to Kallie Mae, still a child herself, was to take care of the baby.

The years since have been long and hard. Kallie Mae had to grow up instantly. She suddenly had to take care of a new baby, a toddler and all the cleaning and cooking. Kallie Mae could no longer get away for secret rendezvous with Quinn.

Then one day, everything changed again when, accidently, Quinn and Kallie Mae run across each other, and they talk for the first time in years. Young adults now, with feelings even stronger for each other, there seems to be no hope for them. Their family’s hatred of each other has continued to grow.

But there may be hope for Kallie Mae to go to school. A Moonlight School is starting locally, a school that teaches adults at nighttime. While Kallie Mae is thrilled to finally go to school, her heart breaks daily for want of Quinn.

There are many things happening–love, death, broken hearts and much more. They all come together in such a beautiful way, it made me want to cry.

You will cheer for Kallie Mae, but just like her, you will not see any way for things to work out. However, this five-star story will have some surprises for you. I appreciated that the character’s faith is included. If you like well-written stories about overcoming hardships and secret romances, you need to read this amazing tale.

Thanks to the author for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “A Chance for Kallie Mae,” by Ann H. Gabhart, for the purpose of review.  Opinions are my own.

The Author’s Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AnnGabhart/

The Author’s Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AnnHGabhart

The Author’s Website:  https://www.annhgabhart.com

 

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“Unicorn Post,” by Emma Yarlett

Posted on May 6, 2026 by Becky

Just the Right Home for a Unicorn

A little girl, who loves unicorns, suddenly has one show up at her door. She is thrilled and tries to find it a home.  She looks at a farm, a carnival, a castle and more.

As they travel to these different sights, the little girl becomes attached to the unicorn.  Every place has a reason it does not work for the unicorn until the last one. Instead of the little girl being happy to find a place for the unicorn, she is sad.

But as the story states, the world can be happy and full of rainbows, and that is the kind of ending this has.

This picture book includes lots of interactive items throughout the tale.  Your child will have fun doing those while you ask them questions about the items on them.

The artwork is gorgeous, bringing every location to life with vibrant colors and charming details.

While this book stands on its own, it offers a fantastic opportunity for parent-child discussion. As you read through the pages, try asking your child questions about the girl’s changing feelings. It turns a simple reading session into a fun and meaningful experience for both of you.

The more you add to this book with your questions and statements, the better time you and your child will have with this book and a richer experience for you both.

Children ages 5 to 9-years-old will enjoy this upbeat and cheerful five-star book.

Thanks to Candlewick Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Unicorn Post,” by Emma Yarlett, for the purpose of review.  Opinions are my own.

 

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