A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Books for Children

We Want A Dog

By 2 Comments

Disclosure: I received this complimentary ARC product (We Want a Dog) through Raincoast Books.

Want a dog?  So do the reading of We Want a Dog.  And boy oh boy… do they want a dog with oodles of different talents… or perhaps they want options!  (you decide!)   Come on for a cute book about all the things that dogs can bring into your life. 

Affiliate links will be used in this review, no cost to you, but helps me with my blog.  (a good thing yes?)

We Want a Dog… starts with a question.

We want a dog

All about We Want a Dog

  This fun picture book is written by Lo Cole and is published by Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky.  You will be taken on a fun, and somewhat unexpected journey through 26 amusing varieties of our canine friends.  Using humour Lo Cole helps us to see the fun and …sometimes questionable nature… of all things canine. 

I am reviewing an advanced readers copy from Raincoast Books for my review. 

You’ll find rhyming text throughout, some of the rhymes are perfect, others are near-rhymes.  This would be so fun to read with a group of children.

Red, black and white is the colour palette with each page varying the amount of colour.   You’ll find the text is a lovely size for reading as you discover all the different dogs possible.  Some are serious, others are funny, and yet more are downright alarming.  It’s perfect for children ages 3-8!    Mind, it might turn some children off of dogs if they take this book a bit too seriously. 

Just a heads up… the ending was totally unexpected!  Made me laugh!   I can see 6-8 year olds laughing too!  🙂 

We Want a Dog

Should you get We Want A Dog

Okay, We Want a Dog is just a fun book.  Lo Cole takes the fun and the bad of what makes a dog a dog.  He puts 26 of those characteristics into a fun colourful picture book.   My hesitation is that I am adult, I can see the fun in pulling out some of the animal in the dogs around us.  But three-five-year-olds are not adults. They sometimes take things seriously that are meant to be read in fun.   So getting this book depends on the children involved.

NOW…. if you are doing a unit study about dogs…this book would be a HOOT to go along with that.  It would be.  Make the kids laugh, give you the opportunity to talk about how you’d train a dog who did some of the things the dogs in this book do.  It would also give the opportunity to see dogs in a broader spectrum than most dog unit studies might include.    By the by, you might find this unit study on dogs extremely helpful to use with this book!  🙂 

unitstudy dogs

What Ollie Saw

By 2 Comments

What Ollie Saw struck me as such a quirky book.  Joukje Akveld brings us a young character (in the form of a pig) who has such an amazing perspective on the world around him.  A perspective that… I can totally understand his teacher not appreciating…but as an homeschooler looking in… definitely can!  🙂  

Affiliate links will be used in this review.   They help to support my blog and don’t add anything to your bill.  🙂 

What Ollie Saw

What Ollie Saw, the basic details

Published by Levine Querido, What Ollie Saw is a 59 page hardcover book suitable for children 5-9 years old.   Ollie is a youngster who sees the world in a creative light, not always in logical others around him do.   He’s part of a standard family unit with mom, dad and older sister.  Ollie’s teacher is frustrated as he answers the question according to how he sees the world rather than giving a simple direct answer.   Author Joukje Akveld tells the story as if he were narrating Ollie’s thought patterns.  Illustrator Sieb Posthuma does an excellent job of showing us Ollie’s perspective on the world around him.    I am reviewing on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

I need to tell you this… Ollie’s sister is a pessimist.   And she comes across as an entitled pain in the rear. She does!  She’s not a nice character.  But as the narrator tells us…. this book is NOT about his sister.  It’s about Ollie!  Her attitude is a counter-note to Ollie’s. 

This of course makes Ollie’s unique perspective stand out, shining like the sun.  He’s a fun character with so much possibility. 

Despite the nay-sayers in Ollie’s life, he continues to see the world from a fresh perspective.  Seeing the possibilities rather than the logic of the here and now.   Sieb Posthuma shows Ollie’s imagination with simple line drawings filled with colour. 

Should you get it?

You know how some children are differently-abled and some children stand up well under their uniqueness?  Ollie is one of those children.  I can see reading this book with your differently-abled children might give them a boost of confidence. 

One also gains an appreciation for the positives of a unique personality, to see the wonder and hope that such a perspective holds.  And, as an adult, it helps me to reconsider what might approach with such children might be.

I can TOTALLY understand the teacher’s frustration.  Ollie is so locked into how he sees the world that he fails to actually answer the question the way the teacher would like him too. 

It’s one of those things I would have liked to see added to this book, the teacher starteing to understand Ollie’s perspective, or even Ollie starting to understand how to answer his teacher in a way that worked for her.  But in not answering that question leaves it as a talking point between parent and child, or teachers and students.  How can we help the teacher (and Ollie’s parents) se parktake in the wonder of Ollie’s imagination?  How can we help Ollie learn to answer the question in a more logical manner? 

Definitely a book I would buy if I were a teacher, and one that I would happily borrow from the library as a homeschool parent.  What Ollie Saw … a young lad’s confident acceptance of who he is…. and it is good. 

Ways to Grow Love

By 2 Comments

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Ways to Grow Love) through Raincoast Books.

Renee Watson has written a story about girls learning how to show love to each other in Ways to Grow Love. Ryan Heart is a young lady in a faith-based home struggling to make good decisions as she is maturing.  I found this a sweet story that rang true.   Come….. let’s learn more shall we? 

Affiliate Links will be used in this review, no cost to you, helps me to maintain this blog and review good books.  🙂 

ways to grow love

The Details for Ways to Grow Love

Ryan Hart is back again in Ways To Grow Love.  Renee Watson is a Newbery Hoor and Coretta Scott King Award winning author.   Her first Ryan Hart book was Ways to Grow Sunshine.   Bloomsbury Press is the publisher of this 192 page easy to read book for elementary children.  Short chapters interspersed with illustrations by Nina Mata. 

Children 7-10 years will find this an easy read with situations they can easily relate to.  I am reviewing an advanced readers copy for Raincoast books. 

Ryan is a middle school girl who is having friendship problems and is adjusting to a new family member on the way.  In this sweet story we get to walk with Ryan through church camp, skits, scarey moments, bad decisions, and learning new skills.  Can she navigate it all with the help of her family? 

Even though this book is part of a series it stands quite nicely on it’s own.  The sentences suit elementary students perfectly and the tone was warm and friendly, just like a kid telling a story to his folks.  

The characters are fairly well developed, Ryan sounds like a nice child and her friends have their own personalities.  It was good to watch the development of the girls as the story progressed. 

Should you get Ways to Grow Love?

I tend to think that girls will like this book more than most boys due to the subject matter.   It was well-written and I enjoyed the read. If I had a girl-child in this age range I wouldn’t hesitate to pick Ways to Grow Love for her.  It would be a good book to gift for a birthday party, or to add to a church library.   Even though the story is faith-based, I didn’t noticed any obvious signs of faith in their day to day life.  No prayers before meals, no calling upon God to help in challenging situations, yet…. the girls put on a skit based on the bible and learned from the bible story and let it affect their lives.  Wise choices made.   Get it for your elementary girls! 🙂   

The Secret Life of Viruses

By 2 Comments

Disclosure: I received an advanced readers copy (The Secret Life of Viruses) through Raincoast Books.

Helping children understand how viruses work is the first step to enabling them to protect themselves in a virus-ridden world.   The Secret Life of Viruses is a picture book geared to helping our younger children understand how viruses work.  This helps them know how to protect themselves and reduces the fear that some children have.  

Affiliate links will be used in my review, no cost to you, and helps to support my blog. 

The secret life of viruses

The Details

Sourcebooks explore, part of sourcebookkids brings us The Secret Life of Viruses by Mariona Tolosa Sistere.   This science-based picturebook is part of the Ellas Educan Collective.   A hardcover version will be available in August 2021.   The Secret Life series also contains the Secret Life of Boogers and the Secret Life of Boo-boos. 

The Ellas Educan Collective is a group of six female scientists.  They wish to promote women in leadership positions.  Their goal is to create a sustainable world, as they empower women and engage people in science.  

The Secret Life of Viruses is written for children 4-8 years and covers 32 pages. Colourful illustrations fill the pages connecting well to the text that is in simple, but informative language.   I received an ARC version from Raincoast. 

I just love picture books that are a combination of good information and good illustrations.  Mariona Tolosa Sistere has given me just that.   Not only does she make the science of understanding how viruses work easy for children, but she writes in an engaging tone. 

In The Secret life of Viruses readers will learn what a virus is, what types of viruses there are, how they reproduce, what they do inside your body, and how they spread.   They will learn what a pandemic is and how to stay healthy.  You’ll even get a history of viruses in history.     The bright colourful images draw in the eye and the shapes would intrigue children. It’s actually kind of fascinating to see all the different shapes that viruses are don’t you think? 

Two pages are devoted to quizz questions with the answers given later. 

Should you get The Secret Life of Viruses

Whether you are young or old, The Secret Life of Viruses is an excellent primer into understanding the world of viruses.   It would work well just for helping elementary students understand viruses and be a good introduction to older students.  I love using picture books with older students as it can spur on questions they have and possible research opportunities. 

It’s not perfect, in places it feels a little “teachery”. But the information presented is solid, and sometimes you need the teacher-aspect to make the point more clear.  🙂   I liked that accurate terminology was used when delineating categories, and simple language was used where it could be easily done.  

Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure

By 2 Comments

Free Product Received from Raincoast Books in exchange for my fair and honest review.   The product I received is entitled Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure.  Affiliate Links will be used in this post which costs you nothing but helps to support my blog. 

When I read the title for this encouraging picture book I thought, I am sure I’ve reviewed another book with this name.  I did some searching and indeed I have! This other book is completely different and meant for an older age group.   This Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure is fun to read.  Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure takes three enterprising youngsters on a trip around the world, you have GOT to come along on their adventures.  

where the world ends

Published by Princeton Architectural Press, this 40 page hardcover picture book will delight children 4-8 year olds.  Brightly coloured illustrations by Maria Dek fill the pages, while allowing for plenty of white space.  Davide Cali writes a story of three youngsters who want to know the answer to a simple question “Do clouds end up where the world ends?”  In the quest for an answer, they let nothing stand in their way.

What You’ll Find in Where the World Ends

You won’t find characters that are fully developed, the story isn’t about that.  It’s about a determination by three, sometimes naughty, youngsters who want to know where the clouds go!  One of them wondered if they end up where the world ends so off they went searching. 

Some pages, naturally had more colour than others, but I found the illustrations fit the style of this book perfectly.  Children will be drawn in by them.  So many talking points.  Would you like to lay on the grass and look at the clouds?  What shapes do you think they saw?  What kind of things do you think these youngsters like to do?

Even when the characters are poorly behaved, it’s a great time to talk to with your children about determination, having respect, obedience, and choices that could be made.  

So many adventures with so much colour.  One thing I noted was as the youngsters travelled they could be seen being helpful.  Playing with a dog, mowing a lawn, feeding fish and more.  As determined as they were to get to their goal, they took the time they needed to be kind.  It would be fun to read the story and then go back and see how often they could be caught being kind. 

I found the font small.  Its okay for sitting to read with a single child, but if you have to hold the book farther away it wouldn’t work (at least with my old eyes!).   Occasionally illustrated font would appear, I wish the font had been between the size presented and the illustrated size.  Would make it nicer to read with a group of children and share the wonder of seeking out answers to questions. 

Should you Get it?

Honestly, Where the World Ends: A Zip, Trik, and Flip Adventure is not one that I would want to buy, but to borrow from a library?  Most certainly.  It’s worth taking the time to read through a variety books.  To talk through the good ideas… actively seeking answers to your questions… wonderful thing to promote.  It’s also good to note acts of kindness, and to talk about how we treat others even if we have our own agendas.   

The Song for Everyone

By 2 Comments

raincoast FTC

Every once in a while you get to meet a book that is so sweet.  The Song for Everyone is one such picture book. A sweet story of hope, of loss, and of a community coming together.  Let me tell you all about this sweet book today as I review it for Raincoast Books.  Affiliate links will be used. 

the song for everyone

The Details for The Song for Everyone

Over the course of 40 pages, Lucy Morris tells the story of The Song of Everyone. This is her first picture book though she has been an artist for several years.  3-5-year-olds will be delighted to see how a song lifts the hearts of all who hear it. They will want to know how to help when the song ends. 

This Bloomsbury Children’s book comes in hardcover or kindle formats. Lucy Morris uses her artist abilities to skillfully weave together prose and illustrations into a simple, yet wonderful story. 

I received an advanced readers copy for this review. 

What do you get?

The Song for Everyone

Beautiful illustrations that perfectly fit the telling of a sweet story.  Light, airy, floral themes dance across the pages. It’s like seeing music dance on the wind.  A music that no one knows where it comes from, but it lift’s the spirit and draws individuals (including a cat) into community. 

With a font that is easy on the eyes, and perfect for reading with one or more children.  The text wasn’t lyrical, but suited the story being told.  A quiet poor village rather down on itself in isolation… yet a song changed the picture for everyone. 

The hope all felt, the joy, and the connection to others was a delight to see.  And then the music stopped….. could a solution be found? 

You’ll have to read the book yourself to find out.  🙂 

The song for everyone

Should It go on your bookshelves?

The Song for Everyone is such a sweet story.  I thoroughly enjoyed this read even though I’m well beyond the picture book stage.  Sweet, touching, with growth and community.  

It’s lovely all on its own but would be a touching addition to a music study, or a unit study on how the arts are important to us. Lucy Morris has done a splendid job of illustrating her music-filled tale. 

Snow Friends

By 2 Comments

raincoast FTC

I don’t know where you live, but here in SW Ontario at least at the time of this writing, we are in the throes of winter.   A book like Snow Friends is exactly what we need to help us enjoy the last days of the season. 

Affiliate Links will be used in this review.  No cost to you, just helps to support this blog.  Thank you. 🙂 

Snow Friends

Snow Friends, the details

Margery Cuyler author, along with illustrator Will Hillenbrand, created Snow Friends, a 40-page picture book.  This is a fun winter picture book about friendship and dogs set against a snowy day.  I am reviewing an advanced reader’s copy for Raincoast books. 

Selling as a hardcover, I received a softcover book filled with the colours of winter and a prancing, eager to play pup off to discover adventures on his own.   Who would have thought that a friend might be found!

The Specifics of Snow Friends

Children will delight in the happy expression on this eager pup wanting to enjoy the winter weather with his boy.   The bright colours against the shades of winter do an excellent job of helping to tell the story. 

Through the eyes of a pup, children are introduced to the delights of a sunny winters day when snow covers the ground. 

Snow Friends

You’ll find the font a great size for either reading with littles at your side, or a group at your feet.   It would be fun to read a page and then stop, asking the children when they think Oscar might discover next. 

Should You Get it?

Snow Friends is a great way to get into the fun of winter.  So much is packed into the pages I was actually surprised the pups didn’t try snowshoeing or skiing.  🙂   But fun they had, and fun your littles will have as they enjoy the antics of these pups.  

I didn’t see anything objectionable throughout, just two pups having fun.  Some children might be alarmed that Oscar ran out on his own and would he be safe.  But it was obvious throughout he was just having fun.  By the book’s end he reconnected with his boy.  The feel was simply that of two rambunctious youngsters out for a day of fun.