A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Kindergarten

You are a Beautiful Beginning

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You are a Beautiful Beginning is a lovely book that talk about how something is not one thing, but instead it is another thing. I absolutely adored the flow of thought in this sweet picture book.  I can’t wait to tell you all about it.  Please note affiliate links will be used in this review. 

You are a beautiful beginning

The details

Roaring Brook Press has put together a wonderful picture book entitled You are a Beautiful Beginning.  Children 3-6 years old will delight in 40 pages of whimsical illustrations that fill the pages with imagination and wonder.  Author Nina Laden helps us to see the possibilities in the statements that we make.  Kelsey Garrity-Riley brings those possibilities to life with simple drawings that contain a story all their own. 

What You Get

The poetry grabbed me immediately with the It is not…. combined with this It is …….  Rhyming is in couplets making You are a beautiful beginning roll easily off the tongue.  

This book didn’t feel sappy to me even with lines like the one below.  You hear it all the time… it’s not the game win, it’s the having fun.  But the repeated it’s not … it’s the… that turns this tome into a looking for the positive and a different perspective.  Written for littles so the words are simple and just deep enough to encourage conversation. 

I absolutely adored how the book starts with a child drawing and then a story unfolds.  Even if you never read a word you would still get a story.  Friends on a journey, exploring as they go.  It’s a wonderful world they are entering. 

You’ll find simple, colourful illustrations on each page with lots of white space.  Each image has lots of detail, making for lots of possibilities in conversation.  What can you see now?  Where do you think that child is going, and what do you think they’ll be doing?   I love books with excellent illustrations as they help the child listening to be involved in the reading.

Should you Get it?

If you are looking for a poetic picture book to share with your children, You are a Beautiful Beginning, will suit your needs.  With the whimsical drawing, in earthly tones, and lots of white space, children will be introduced to looking for the positives. 

Little Red Sleigh

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Can a little red sleigh attain her dreams?  This is an adorable book that will make you smile at the end, and hopefully have a child say “Again, read it again!”.   Friendship, dreams, and help along the way, Little Red Sleigh a delightful holiday tale.  I am so happy to tell you all about it!

Little Red Sleigh

The Details of Little Red Sleigh

Together with Sourcebooks, Erin Guendelsberger has produced a lovely, sweet book filled with the holiday spirit.  Little Red Sleigh is wonderfully illustrated by Elizaveta Tretyakova.  This is a very sweet book which I adored.  A young sled with big dreams who went out after them, not letting naysayers stop her.  I loved watching the grit she showed.  

Amazon links will be used in this review.   I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing Little Red Sleigh for Raincoast Books.

Little Red Sleigh, cover information

Believe in the magic of Christmas with this heartwarming Christmas picture book about the little red sleigh that could, perfect for fans of The Polar Express!

The Little Red Sleigh has one big dream-to one day become Santa’s big red sleigh! But all her life, she’s been told she’s too small, she’s too young, she can’t fly, and she certainly can’t meet Santa. Well, this Christmas, with the help of some friends, she’s determined to do the impossible.

Artist Elizaveta Tretyakova

Tretyakova has done a tremendous job of illustrating this heart-warming story.  You’ll see brilliant red, bright snow, dark trains, and a lovely yellow truck.  Seeing the fierceness of a winter storm and rejoicing in the fun of children playing. 

Don’t you love the brightness of the colours?  

The story moves along well, not only through text, but also through the well-done images.  Her story simply flows through image and text from one page to the next.  Well-written with great characters.

I found the text a bit small for reading with a group of children (unless you prep well ahead of time).  The words flow easily as you read, whether aloud or silently. It would be so much fun to read this with a child in your lap.

The story lends itself well to reading comprehension questions.  What do you think might happen next?  What did Little Red Sleigh see on her journey?  Did black train tell her anything important?  Did yellow truck tell her to give up?  I love books that help me to ask good questions of children. 

This particular book I received a ARC copy of, it will come as a hardcover and is geared to children 4-8 years of age.   Erin Guendelsberger engages her readers well throughout the story. 

Should you Get it?

Little Red Sleigh is an adorable book.  You and your children will love the determination of this young sleigh.  She knows what she wants and won’t let anyone tell her no… including the weather!  You’ll have to read through to see if she meets her goal, or if it changes along the way. I would love to tell you, but I don’t do spoilers, you’ll want to sit back and just enjoy this heart-warming story.

Superhero vs School

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First time school jitters are real!  Facing the fears of first day school blues, Superhero vs School, will help children see the potential of school instead of the alternatives. Building upon the idea of heros, villains, first day fears, and new friends. 

Superhero vs school

Learning about Superhero vs School

Ethan Long with Bloomsbury Children’s books, uses humour to help children adjust to the new reality of school. Bright images with a bit of a comic book feel fill the pages of this 32-page picture book.  Geared to young children in preschool through grade one. The imagination of a young child runs rampant throughout. 

From the cover: 

In the darkest of nights, when all else is lost, Scotty is ready to vanquish any foe. After all, that’s what a superhero does.

But this hero is about to come face-to-face with his greatest fear, his only weakness: the first day of school!

But just when Scotty thinks all hope is lost, he realizes that school is no match for a whole team of heroes – his new friends.

My review is on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

As I read this story I was thinking two things. First, the frustration of a mom trying to get a child ready for school maybe without knowing everything going on in her little man’s mind. Second, the imagination of a child is both a wonderful and sometimes scary thing. 

Young Scotty was having quite the adventure going on in his head.  School, a scary monsterous place.  The vivid illustrations of Ethan Long bring his fears to light.  

This would be a fun book to read with a group of children BEFORE they head off to school. The font is an excellent size for reading to a group. Gather them around and read them the story, stopping mid-way through to ask if they have any concerns about starting school.  Taking the time to discuss their feelings and concerns.  Then reading on and seeing what Scotty discovered… he’s not in this alone!

Should you get Ethan Long’s book?

I wish Scotty had discovered more than just friends to help him through the day.  I wish he had discovered a fun teacher, and helpful staff along the way, and realized his parent’s concern for him well-being.  My delight in Superhero vs school, Scotty wasn’t left in his fear, but instead was able to look beyond to the people around him. 

Where Is Our Library?

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Did you know that the New York Public Library is guarded by two lions?   Their names are Patience and Fortitude.  Today’s review is about those two lions and their love for children’s literature.  Where is our library? is a sequel to “Lost in the Library“.   Such a delightful picture book… it was a cute read I’d love to share with a child. 

where is our library

About Where is Our Library

Published by Henry Holt & Co., Where is our Library? features Patience and Fortitude from the New York Public Library.  In this their second book Patience and Fortitude are bewildered.  Where has their lovely children’s library disappeared to?   The Lions are LONGING to read some good stories, but they must suss out where they have been taken.  Over the course of 40 children in grades 1 and 2 will be delighted to follow the lions around New York searching for their books.   

Stevie Lewis did a marvellous job of illustrating Where is Our Library by Josh Funk.   It is part of the series “A Story of Patience and Fortitude”. 

Raincoast Books sent me an ARC copy to review.   

The Details

Lions waking up and roaming through the library!  That’s what you’ll find.  Then they move out of the library and onto the city streets.   As they move along they’ll meet characters and solve a mystery…that of lost books!

Rhyming couplets fill the pages, with a large font making it an easy to read book.  It would be so much fun to sit on the floor with a group of children around reading together.  Holding it up so the children can follow along easily.  It’s a fun read for littles (and their grown-ups too!)   🙂

Since the story happens at night, many of the illustrated pages have a dark background. The pace is fast-moving because lions themselves are fast moving and besides… they had a mystery to solve.  Would they do so before morning came?

Should you Get it?

The best picture books are ones that adults can enjoy alongside the children they read them with.   Where is our Library is easily enjoyed by adult and child alike.  I urge you to pick it, enjoy the mystery with Patience and Fortitude.  You won’t regret it.    The excellent illustrations by Lewis and the fun story by Funk make it a winner all round. 

Outside In

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Sometimes you run across a book that can be read in different ways.  Outside In is one such book. Between the images, and my take on text used, I had one impression, but when I read the description, I can see another vantage point.   Books like this linger with me, perhaps this one might linger with you as well.   This is my review.

Outside In Review

What I am Reviewing

Deborah Underwood (best selling New York Times author) wrote Outside In which has been published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  Cindy Derby used a mixture of dark dreary colours with bright pops of colour to illustrate this hardcover picture book.   Written for primary school children, at 40 pages it is a nice book to share with a lap-child or for beginning readers to pick up.  

Because of the different perspectives, you can take with Outside In, it’s an imaginative book with good nature themes. 

Reviewing on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

The Details on Outside In

Cindy Derby’s artwork has left me feeling very conflicted about which way I should read this book.  Parts feel very low and depressive, and other parts feel very bright and ready for almost anything.  At the same time nature abounds, making this tome a place of exploration and dreaming.   It makes for an intriguing look-see.

Outside In

Ooh… the colours in the leaves eh?  Juxtapositioned against the bleakness of winter.  How sad and quiet it can be in the winter, unless we look for the colour and life within it. 

Outside In

Too often that bleakness stays with us.  Bring the light in, bring nature in, rejoice in the colour and life!

The large text size makes it easy for child and adult to read easily. 

sample page outside in

Should you get it?

Outside In is such an interesting book.  Nature, colour, and emotions.  There is much to see and discuss in this picture book. 

Bring nature indoors whether with light or colour.

Don’t get stuck in a rut of quietness within. 

My Friend Earth

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Earth day is coming!  Can you believe it!   A day to celebrate all that is good about the earth and to think of ways to help perserve her. My Friend Earth which I am reviewing today helps youngsters see all that the earth is.  It also serves as an inspiration in caring for our world. 

My Friend Earth

What I am Reviewing

Patrician MacLachlan wrote My Friend Earth, a beautifully illustrated hardcover book with interactive elements. Francesca Sanna, illustrator, brought together vibrant colours with multiple shades of greens and browns to tell Earth’s story.  Chronicle Books produced this 44 page picture book that is written for preschool and kindergarten children.    My Friend Earth teaches children about the earth, it’s seasons, and the environment. 

Reviewed on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

The Details of My Friend Earth

sample page from My Friend Earth

Just look at those colours eh?  So bright and inviting!  The cut outs help create action and movement resulting in drawing you in to learn more.   See birds flit, fish dart, and water flow.  

my friend earth, sample page

You’ll be delighted with the antics of whales, the coursing of horses, and fierce winds that blow hard.   The seasons will come and go, showing the earth in action.

sample page My Friend Earth

The text fits within the images, flowing as the images pass. The lines aren’t poetic in nature but just fit. Easy words to read the help you delight a child with the turn of page.  What will happen next?  What might Earth do or see or cause to happen? Are there flaps to lift?  Holes to peer through?

Recommendations

Celebrate Earth day with your littles.  This delightful book is geared for them.  So much to see and talk about on each page.  I love the peek-a-boo holes.  It’s wonderful to read of the variety of animals and see the gentle change in seasons.  For all the activity that happens within the pages, this is a very calm, peaceful picture book.  Introduce your littles to the environment of the world, talk about how we can preserve it, and have a great Earth day!  My Friend Earth.

Rain Boy

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You know how some kindness books are syrupy sweet and you just want to toss them out the window?   Rain Boy is not one such book.  Rain Boy was such an unloved youngster, no one wanted him around UNTIL…. But you’ll have to read the book to find out the until. Rest assured in this review, I won’t give away the secret!  

Rain Boy

What I am Reviewing

Debut author came out with a picture book helping young children learn empathy and how to demonstrate kindness to others in Rain Boy. 

Published by Chronicle Kids, this hardcover tome runs 40 pages and is geared to the preschool to kindergarten crowd. I am reviewing it on behalf of Raincoast Books. 

Wherever he goes, Rain Boy brings wet-which means he’s not very popular. Sun Kidd brings sunshine everywhere she goes, so everyone loves her. Only Sun Kidd sees what’s special about Rain Boy. But when she invites him to her birthday party, disaster strikes, and Rain Boy storms. Now the world is nothing but rain. Will the other kids ever love Rain Boy for being himself? And. more importantly, can Rain Boy learn to love his rain?

Details of Rain Boy

This is actually a hard book to talk about as the words I want to use to describe aren’t quite accurate.  So let’s dive in.

This picture book is predominately about kindness and learning to expand what you thought was possible.  Learning empathy is a big part as well.

Rain Boy

All the children, including the Sun Kidd and Rain Boy had lessons to learn and Bylan Glynn leads us through them.  With oodles of colour and expressive artwork, the designer Jay Marvel brought the story to life. 

Rain Boy

The large, clear font makes it an easy read for parents and teachers.  The well designed illustrations bring out lots of talking points with young children. The fun of a playground, the joy of a party, or the sadness of a dark day.

Rain Boy

Recommendation?

This is a very sweet book.  I loved how Glynn showed growth in all the children.  The reality of how the children learned was so on point.  It all fit.

If you are hoping to help your children see others more clearly, to look beyond themselves, Rain Boy just might be what you need.  With the variety in illustrations (water colour, cut paper, pastels and pencil crayons) the colours and images are sure to delight.