REVIEW: "If I Were Your Monster" by Scott Nicholson (Illustrated by Lee Davis)

If I were your monster, I'd slither at your feet,

I'd slobber, snort, and click my claws at people on the street

Written for children, Scott Nicholson's book has a lovely cadence that makes for a fun read aloud. Just to test it out, I read it aloud to my own three kids. They loved the story. I initially read this on my Sony, but the pictures weren't nearly as fun in black and white. We then read my copy on the computer so we could see the colors. One of my sons decided the pictures would give a little kid nightmares, the other thought they were a little "weird" and didn't look quite right. My daughter loved them. Not sure where I got such analytical sons.... but this does go to show that the pictures may not appeal to all kids. I found the colors and silly and detailed drawings fun.

This book is perfect as a read aloud, but some of the vocabulary is higher level. I love that in a read aloud where you'd likely be reading the story to the child. If the child is old enough, this is a great way to expand vocabulary through conversation. If the child is younger, they'll still get a lot from the catchy rhyme. I think this is also a great way to help dispel nighttime fears in younger children, and may even lead to spontaneous and creative production of additional rhymes. How about "If I were a zombie?" or "If I were a werewolf?" As a parent and educator myself, I love when books provide a jumping off point to expand knowledge and make connections. What better way to nurture a child than to read together? With a engaging book such as this, conversations and fun will surely follow!

5 /5 stars

Available on Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble

REVIEW: "Slippery Willie's Stupid, Ugly Shoes" by Larry Peterson

Willie isn't like the other kids. He has slippery feet! Everywhere he goes, he slips and slides all over the place. Even when he wear shoes, he still slips and slides. So one day, he gets a pair of shoes that will keep him from slipping and sliding. But they're so ugly! How can he ever wear them to school? Everyone will laugh!

A first children's book by Larry Peterson, this story tackles the concept of accepting differences. The ending includes a list of ideas to open up discussion about this very topic. The images in the book are colorful and engaging. They do a great job evoking the feeling of the book, and they will delight younger readers as well as adults.

The storyline of the book seems to me to be best geared towards a 5-8 yo age group, but the ideas can extend well beyond that group. There were quite a few words on most of the pages, however, making it more likely to be a read-aloud for younger children. The discussion points included at the end offer a great starting point for groups of children to discuss how it feels to be different. The storyline itself is engaging and fun, and the silliness factor will really engage children. Many children know the feeling of being different and afraid to stand out, and the crazy extremes of this story will delight.

Overall, a fun story for children and adults alike and a recommended read!

4 /5 stars

Available at Tribute Books or find more buy links here

Find out more about the book here

Share your thoughts about accepting differences here

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REVIEW: "Second Chance" by Sandra J. Gerencher

Chance is a shelter dog who is given a "second chance," and he has a tale to tell about his adoption and his new family. When he is adopted from the shelter, he doesn't really understand what's happening. He has to ride in a car, which is very scary for him, to get to his new house where he is greeted by a pack of Pomeranians (not all of whom are friendly). In addition to the dogs, his pack also now consists of "Mommy" and the boy, Ryan. Mommy explains that Ryan is special, just like Chance, and was also adopted. Ryan, who is autistic, is the only person who can understand Chance and it is from Ryan that Chance learns the word "adoption" and what it means. Chance is delighted to learn that adoption "means to be loved forever" and he is eager to share that with the rest of his pack.

Filled with softly blended watercolor photos of the members of the family, this is a story told from Chance's point of view. The images form a lovely background for the text on each page, with a message that is both heartwarming and heartfelt. The storyline mirrors the life of the author, who adopted a similar set of dogs and has an adopted son with special needs. There were really a few main themes operating here; there was the idea of adoption and understanding what that meant, but also the theme of being different and how that makes one special. I think focusing on just one of those themes may have made for a more powerful story, but they are both wonderful themes to share with children.

A PBS Kids Recommended title, this title is listed on Amazon as being geared for ages 9-12. I felt the format and the premise of the story seemed geared for a younger age group, but the smaller font size, large amount of words on each page, and the overall writing was more fitting for older children. I think the story could be even stronger and fit a wider age group with fewer words on each page. That would make it an easy read-aloud for younger children, and a fun picture book for older children.

Altogether, this is a lovely read and a helpful aid in explaining adoption to older children.

3 /5 stars

Read an excerpt here.

Buy the book here.

Watch the book trailer:




You can find Sandra Gerencher on Facebook.

REVIEW: "Red in the Flower Bed" by Andrea Nepa

"Red in the Flower Bed" by Andrea Nepa is a children's book that tells the tale of interracial adoption by using the analogy of a flower seed. There is no room for the little poppy seed to grow up with the other poppy flowers, so the wind takes it along until it finds a suitable place with room and love for the seed to grow. The seed grows into a lovely red poppy, adding a new color to the flower garden.

Told in rhyme with colorful picture accompaniment, this story will appeal to children (and adults) of all ages. Children reading this story will likely not relate it to the idea of interracial adoption, but that leaves room for interpretations of all kinds. As a result, I think this book will appeal to all types of situations. This book has the potential to open up conversations between parent and child about differences and how those differences make each of us special.

The pictures are simple and engaging. They add context to the simple rhyme. The rhyme changes cadence from verse to verse, which gives it a very artistic feel, but may make reading it aloud a bit awkward the first time. Altogether, a lovely book and a recommended read.

4.5 /5 stars

Read an excerpt of the book here.

See the book trailer:



Available from Tribute Books and also on Amazon