“Name Your Numbers” by Smriti Prasadam-Halls

Posted on September 21, 2023 by WordPress.com Support

Illustrated by Edward Underwood

Number Fun!

You’ve never had such a good time with a book as you will this one. Fun is exploding between its covers.  While learning numbers and counting, rhyming animals scamper across the pages.  Bunny Hun has the number one and Tabby Licks has number six, with lots of excitement in between.

The colors and illustrations bring smiles with each turn of the page in this big board book.  If the reader adds different voices and sound effects to the animals, little ones will have lots of laughter. The end of the book has a big surprise when Crocodile Claire pops up with her mouth open daring everyone to count her teeth.  Just make sure little fingers don’t pull them off.

I have witnessed my granddaughter have peals of giggles whenever she looks at this sturdy book, which is often, and it is well loved.  This five-plus star book will be enjoyed by children through three years old.  I highly recommend you get it!

Thank you, Candlewick Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Name Your Numbers,” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

 

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“Sisters by the Sea” by Wanda E. Brunstetter; Jean Brunstetter; Richelle Brunstetter; & Lorine Brunstetter Van Corbach

Posted on September 15, 2023 by WordPress.com Support

4 Short Romances Set in the Sarasota, Florida, Amish Community

Healing at the Beach!

Be prepared to be captivated by the stories of four Amish sisters, and the choices they make.

The Seashell Cake by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Leora left family, friends, and her Amish community to live in Sarasota, Florida. She has an illness called SAD which causes depression in the months that do not have lots of sunshine.

After feeling much better in the sunshine state, Leora has determined she will never leave. She thinks making that decision will prevent her from getting married because the pickings there are slim since most of the single men are tourists.

Then, she meets John who is on a three-month extended vacation. He is everything she has wanted, except he is returning to the business he owns in Michigan, so, she must not let herself have feelings for him.

 The Beach Ball by Jean Brunstetter

Violet wants to experience life away from her Amish parents, so she goes to Florida, and stays with her married sister, Leora. While there, she tries out English (non-Amish) clothing and considers dating English guys, too!

Then, she experiences man trouble. Levi is Amish, but unlike any Amish man she has been around. She also meets Dan, a Christian, not Amish, but a very nice guy.

Violet is pressured by her parents to date Amish men, and join the church, but she enjoys the freedom of dress and lifestyle she has in Florida. She is torn by what decision she will make.Fragments of a Sand Dollar by Richelle Brunstetter

Francine has no desire to leave the Amish, but ever since she and Matthew broke up, she has felt down in the dumps. She goes to stay with her sister, Leora, hoping the change will do her good.

She meets Lucas at the beach. He is not Amish, and is a stranger, but on a whim, decides to go out with him.

Lucas lives a fast life, and tries to push Francine away from the Amish life. Secretly, he is a gambler, and makes a terrible wager that involves her.

She tells Lucas he needs God’s love to be happy. But she wonders if she has gotten over her head with him.

A Sarasota Sunset by Lorine Brunstetter Van Corbach

After a traumatic breakup, Alana heads to Florida to stay with her sister. Once there, she thinks about living there permanently, and if she really wants to join the Amish church.

Soon she finds a job she enjoys that lets her sell her art work there, too. She also meets James. He is not Amish, but a Christian and soon to be teaching in a Christian school.

When her fears start keeping her away from dates with James, she wonders if history is repeating itself.

My Conclusion:

All the tales will delight you as you see what happens with each sister. The stories are clean, feature the girl’s relationship with God, and includes a recipe from each author–I loved they were all from the same family. This five-star book will be enjoyed by all–Amish fans or not!

Thank you, Barbour Publishing and NetGalley, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Sisters by the Sea,” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

 

 

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“Home Is Calling: The Journey of the Monarch Butterfly” by Katherine Pryor

Posted on September 13, 2023 by WordPress.com Support

Illustrated by Ellie Peterson

An Amazing Adventure!

Every year thousands of monarch butterflies journey up to 3,000 miles to central Mexico.  For their spring migration, it takes four generations to go up north, but the fall trip is done by just one generation.   The group heading south has never been to Mexico, yet their built-in compass causes large bunches of them band together, and make the trek.

The butterflies will fight bad weather, lack of food, and exhaustion.  Many will not survive, but a surprising amount do.  This book traces their southern trip, and the sort of things that the monarchs will face.

The format is done in a picture book; it is a large hard-backed volume with lots of colorful illustrations.  Not only will the reader experience “travel” with a group of butteries, there are lots of facts about the them in the back of the book.  This includes what monarchs like to eat, the parts of its body, dangers they face, what can be done to help them, and a migratory map.

This is a nice way to learn about these amazing creatures. Children four through eight-years-old will enjoy this five-star book.

Thank you, Worthy Kids, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Home Is Calling: The Journey of the Monarch Butterfly” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

The Author’s X Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ReadYourGreens

The Author’s Website:  https://katherinepryor.com/

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“Show Your Colors” by Smriti Prasadam-Halls

Posted on September 11, 2023 by WordPress.com Support

Illustrated by Edward Underwood

This is the Color of Fun!

This isn’t an ordinary “learn your colors book,” instead, it opens a whole new world of giggles and play.  Each color is represented by a different animal with names that rhyme such as Kitty Slink who is pink, and Seahorse Stu who is blue.

This sturdy board book is a bigger size, all the better for the colorful pages and cute illustrations to stand out.  Grins will abound if the reader uses different voices for the animals, and sounds like hisses and he-haws.

Best of all, there is a surprise at the back.  The color black is not only represented by Spider Jack, he pops out.  I had first-hand experience watching my granddaughter laugh and laugh when Jack came out.  Just make sure he doesn’t get close enough for little hands to reach out and grab him!

This much-loved book is well made, and sure to bring joy for a long time.  I highly recommend this five-plus star book for little ones through three-years-old.

Thank you, Candlewick Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Show Your Colors,” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

 

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“New Leash on Life” by Kathleen Y’Barbo

Posted on September 2, 2023 by WordPress.com Support

An Old Dog Learns New Tricks!

Nora is tired of waiting for her boyfriend of many years, Lane, to propose. She has tried breaking up with him, but he is so distracted, he doesn’t notice. Things are going badly in the rest of her life, too. When a tornado touches down in her town, a fire also started in her building. Instead of it being a result of the storm, its cause is more sinister.

She is also having trouble at her restaurant. Nora thinks they might have happened because she hasn’t paid enough attention.

Additionally, a well-trained service dog appeared when Lane and Nora were at a wedding. No owner claims him, so the two are devoting themselves to solving the mystery of who he belongs to. While they hunt, Lane is keeping the dog. Having it has reaped many benefits for him including, for the first time in years, Lane is getting a good night’s sleep.

Little does Nora know, but Lane is more upset with himself than she is. He is always chastising himself for being a workaholic, coming late, or totally not showing up at all for events with Nora. He loves her, but is secretly dealing with PTSD. It is so bad he can’t ask Nora to marry him, and have that as part of her life.

Things come to a head when Nora’s family, without her knowledge, decide to pressure Lane into making a commitment. Nora is embarrassed and wonders if this will be the thing to separate them for good.

This is a great mystery with lots of twists, turns, red herrings, and humorous situations. This story also devotes space to Nora and Lane’s life and relationship, including the state of their faith. This clean, five-star book will appeal to mystery lovers, and fans of well-written tales.

Thank you, Barbour Publishing and NetGalley, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “New Leash on Life,” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

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

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

The Author’s Website:  https://kathleenybarbo.com/

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“Voice of the Ancient” by Connilyn Cossette

Posted on August 30, 2023 by WordPress.com Support

Life & Death in the Colorful Past!

Beautiful Keziah has found her father, for his own profit, has promised her to marry a vicious, violent man. Just when it looks her fate is sealed, she has two surprises. The first, that her maid, Imati, has arranged a way to escape, and, two, Imati is not who she seems. While Keziah is on the run, she faces attack, robbery, and killers sent by her would be husband to drag her back.

Avidan has always been upset that he doesn’t have a choice for his future because he was born into the priestly line of Levite, and must take up that duty. In an act of rebellion, he sneaks out with his cousins to fight with King Saul. Because of that, his youngest cousin, Shalem, turned up missing. Avidan has vowed to find him despite his other cousins refusing to help.

When Keziah and Avidan’s paths cross, they try to confine their two missions only to discover they face more danger and hazards together.

The reader will experience the sights and sounds of amazing celebrations, along with the dire circumstances the two share.  They do not admit the feelings growing between them since their destiny appears to go in two different directions.

This clean story will keep you on the edge of your seat as you read what happens. I recommend this five-star book to fans of thrillers, history, and well-written tales.

Thank you, Bethany House Publishers for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Voice of the Ancient,” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

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

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

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

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“Kitty & Cat: Opposites Attract” by Mirka Hokkanen

Posted on August 12, 2023 by WordPress.com Support

A New Family Member!

When an older grumpy cat, suddenly has a kitten come live with him, all kinds of things happen.  The kitten’s high energy keeps the older one on his toes—when he can stay awake, that is!

As the new kitten invades his space, the grumpy cat has his tale bitten, and a fish bowl dumped on top of his head.  Children will laugh at the things the little cat causes to happen to the big cat.

Just when it seems the big cat would be happy for this new cat to be gone, things change when the grumpy one takes mercy on the small one.

Youngsters will appreciate how things change between the two cats, and will love to hear the story.  It is a good opportunity to point out that changes may not seem good at first, but sometimes things can get better than before if given the chance.

The wonderful illustrations, done by the author, make the five-star story even funnier.  Over-sized and hard backed, this picture book will become a favorite of children aged two through six years old.

Thank you, Candlewick Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Kitty & Cat: Opposites Attract,” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

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“Dakota Crumb and the Secret Bookshop: A Tiny Treasure Hunt” by Jamie Michalak

Posted on August 6, 2023 by WordPress.com Support

Treasure Hunt Mystery!

Illustrated by Kelly Murphy

Dakota Crumb is good at finding things.  Her cousin in Paris has contacted her, begging her to come there and find a rare book.  As soon as she arrives, she quickly starts following the clues, which lead to a big surprise. This is a fun story, and youngsters get to solve a whodunit.  There is also an interactive mystery for the reader, too, so both they and Dakota Crumb can follow clues.  Expect giggles, and, perhaps, the need for help while trying to figure things out.

Humor and adventure will be had by children who are lucky enough to get this book.  This over-sized, hard backed, five-star story will be enjoyed by three- to eight-year-olds.  Great illustrations dot the pages.  Both you and your child will have a good time while reading this tale together, and I highly recommend it!

Thank you, Candlewick Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “Dakota Crumb and the Secret Bookshop.” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

 

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“The Starlet Spy” by Rachel Scott McDaniel

Posted on August 2, 2023 by WordPress.com Support

Undercover Spy!

Amelie Blake is a well-known American actress from Sweden who is living a double life. WWII is raging, and important papers with designs of the atomic bomb were mistakenly left in Sweden. She is approached to return to Sweden as a spy. Amelie has the perfect cover of returning home to visit her sick mother.

She gets a very short course to learn to fire a gun, fight, and use other spy techniques. Once in Sweden, Amelie’s pursuit of the papers leads her to the home of the handsome and wealthy business man, Finn Ristaffason. Although suspicious that he might be assisting the Germans, she needs his help as she goes from one dangerous situation to another.

Amelie faces hazards of every kind including German agents and sympathizers that would like to see her killed. She often calls upon her faith to get her through.

This book is very exciting, and will keep you on the edge of your seat while turning the pages to find out what happens. Many of the events in the story are based on things that really took place.

The bravery and service of The Greatest Generation during this massive fight of good versus evil is demonstrated beautifully in this tale. Most of that group are gone now, including my own family members who were a part of them, so let us never forget what they did.

Fans of thrillers, WWII stories, and well-written narratives will enjoy this clean, five-star story!

Thank you, Barbour Publishing and NetGalley, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, “The Starlet Spy,” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

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

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

The Author’s Website:  https://rachelmcdaniel.net/

 

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“Have You Seen My Invisible Dinosaur?” Written & Illustrated by Helen Yoon

Posted on August 1, 2023 by WordPress.com Support

Where O Where has My Dinosaur Gone?

Come join a little girl’s search for her favorite playmate, her invisible dinosaur.  He has been missing ever since she gave him a bath.  She tries making him his favorite snack, and putting missing posters everywhere to find him.  But no luck.  She wishes that it would rain or snow so his shape would show up.  But those things won’t happen on a sunny day.  No worries because a reunion does happen.

Little ones will love hunting for the dinosaur.  It would be fun to ask them for suggestions for finding the him.  Ask what they think the dinosaur really looks like.  Find out if they can spot him on any of the pages.

This is a lovely over-sized picture book that is hardbacked.  The many illustrations—done by the author–will bring smiles to the faces of children through seven years old.  Have fun with this five-star book!

Thank you, Candlewick Press, for providing Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of “Have You Seen My Invisible Dinosaur?” for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. All opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required, or influenced, to give anything but an honest appraisal.

 

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