Review: Too Tall Alice

Title:  Too Tall Alice
Author:  Barbara Worton
Illustrator:  Dom Rodi
Review Copy Provided by:  Great Little Books for Bostick Communications

About the Book:  Alice is tall. Not T-Rex or Empire State Building tall.  Just four inches taller than the other girls in her class, and Alice is worried.  FOUR INCHES! That’s a lot of inches taller than everyone else. Her mom says it’s okay to be tall, and her dad says it’s okay to be tall.  IT’S OKAY FOR THEM TO SAY THAT. THEY’RE NORMAL!  Alice wishes, really wishes, she was just like everyone else. Then, her dream takes her to the place where the tall girls live, and she sees, really sees, herself for the first time.

My Review:  What a great book for talking to kids, especially girls, about self esteem!  I was always taller than everyone in my class until I was in high school, and it really used to bother me.  Not so much that I had self esteem issues, because I've always been pretty confident, but it could have.  This is a message that all kids can benefit hearing.  The message is: It's not easy being different, it's okay though.  Just be yourself and believe in yourself.  Wow, right?  I love it!  I also love the long sentences the author uses.  For example:  "Upstairs in her room, in her super-fluffy bed, Alice tried to lay down on the pillow and arrange her arms like a princess, sure that Prince Charming would come and find her and give her a kiss."  Sentences like this are throughout the book.  The author also changes the size of words to create emphasis.  As a teacher, that is something I like to point out to my students when I'm teaching them writing techniques.  It is great to find examples by authors to show them.  The only thing that I didn't really care for is the font used in this book.  It makes the pages seem too busy for me.  This is the first children's book for illustrator Dom Rodi, and I think he did very well.  I especially enjoyed the way he depicts Alice's room like she is underwater in here Ariel bed.  It is very "Little Mermaid" like and little girls will love it!  I will be recommending this one to other teachers and my school counselor because I think it is a story with a message that young children need to hear.

Review: Baron Thinks DOGS Are People TOO!

Title:  Baron Thinks DOGS are People TOO!

Author:  Laurie Dean

Illustrator:  Kevin Collier

Review Copy Provided by:  author via Bostick Communications

About the Book:  Cute and lovable Baron wants a best friend, but in an effort to get his family's attention, Baron's lively antics take him in the wrong direction. After being whisked away to doggie school, Baron learns important lessons about behaving himself. But will he ever find the friendship his furry heart longs for?

My Review:  This is an adorable book!  I am a dog lover, so I'm usually a sucker for dog books.  In my teaching experience, young children love dogs and books about dogs, so I'm sure this one will be a hit with them.  It is just a sweet story about a rambuncious dog who only wants what we all want: friendship.  I was impressed when I learned that this is Laurie Dean's first book for children; way to go Laurie!  Baron is a dog that children and adults alike will fall in love with.  I'm sure many will be able to relate to having a dog like Baron, who doesn't always behave appropriately, but is friendly and just wants the same from his/her owners.  Kevin Collier's illustrations are so bright.  They are sure to catch and hold young children's attention as they read or listen to the story.  I especially love the picture of Baron in a tutu...dressed up by Emma, the owner's daughter.  I used to do that to our dog when I was little.  It is just too funny!  This is just a sweet book that is sure to be a hit with kids of all ages and dog lovers.  Hey, my dogs think they are people!

Review: Ralphina, the Roly-Poly

Title:  Ralphina, the Roly-Poly

Author/Illustrator: Claudia Chandler

Review Copy Provided by:  author, via Bostick Communications

Summary from back of book:  Ralphina, the Roly-Poly is sad because she gets lonely in her garden and wants a friend to play with. But she is so small that nobody seems to notice her. With her mommy's encouragement, Ralphina digs up a clever solution to her loneliness and in the process learns that she has a lot to offer in friendship. (Did you notice the little play on words there? Get it . . . digs . . . garden? Ha!).

My Review:  I absolutely loved this book!  Kudos to Claudia Chandler for creating such a beautiful book for young children!  Being a kindergarten teacher for years, I always look for books that will catch a child's eye.  Yes, it needs to have a good story, but most young children will be drawn to the pictures before the story.  The colors used are all bright, vivid colors, that will really appeal to children.  Most children can relate to roly-polies or pill bugs as we called them, because they have played with them at home or on the playground at school (my kinders always did).  Ralphina just wanted someone to play with, so she did what she could to get noticed.  What child doesn't want someone to play with?  Many times they will do like Ralphina and get themselves noticed.  I like how Claudia added facts about roly-polies into the storyline as well as 2 pages at the end dedicated to "Fun Facts about the Roly-Poly!" and "Fun Facts about Rainbows!"  My favorite part of the book is when Ralphina tells Alec, " Did you know that if roly-polie wore shoes, I would need Seven Pairs?  I would want every pair to be a different kind!"  Ralphina is definitely a girl after my own heart!  The illustration of Ralphina on her back, wearing 7 different pairs of shoes is priceless!  I just think that children will fall in love with this book because of the colors and their fascination with these bugs.  As a teacher, I recommend this book to other teachers and parents as well, for their young children. 

Read Booking Mama's review, here.

More info about the book:
32 pages

hardcover
11" x 8 1/2 "
$17.95 + $3.50 shipping
ISBN 978-1-28597-462-7

Buy it on Amazon!

Thank you Ms. Chandler for sending me a copy of your book to review!!