Book review: Timmy Teacup Transforms #childrensbook

Timmy TeaCup is a small white teacup with green spots. He lives with his mom, grandma, and great-grandma on an old piecrust table with lots of other teacups--all of them much fancier than him!

But Timmy wishes to be something different: he wants to be a hot chocolate mug--sturdy and strong and having lots of fun with the children of the house instead of the little old ladies who visit and drink tea from the teacups. One day, Timmy gets his wish; he transforms into a big, strong hot chocolate mug. He is thrilled! But as he begins to experience life as a mug, he realizes that he still feels like a thin, fragile teacup on the inside. Maybe being a hot chocolate mug isn't what he wants after all.

In this delightful children's story, a small white teacup is transformed by a wish, goes on exciting adventures, and learns to appreciate his family, his home, and - most of all - HIMSELF!

My Thoughts

This was a really cute book. I liked the message behind it. Timmy was unhappy with himself and wanted to be someone else and he got his wish. Timmy then goes on an adventure as mug. It's one of those stories that will teach a child that things aren't always better as someone else. You have to learn to love yourself to find true happiness.

I found the writing to be easy to follow and read. My daughter was able to read this and understand without any difficulties. I enjoyed the bright colors in the book that popped out. The illustrations were tailored toward a child and really added to the over all story.

A great kids book to add to your home collection.

Book Review: My Yellow Balloon by Tiffany Papageorge

There has been a lot of sadness in the news, from devastating natural disasters to violent protests and much more. It’s no secret that our children are directly or indirectly exposed to and aware of life’s most difficult occurrences, and in their true curious nature, they may have questions.

Whether your child has observed a loss or dealt with one of their own (death, divorce, moving away, deployment, etc.), helping them understand it all can be challenging. Tiffany Papageorge, sought-after speaker and author, addresses this difficult topic with her inspirational new picture book, My Yellow Balloon.

Breathtakingly illustrated by a Dreamworks artist, My Yellow Balloon tells the simple, powerful, and heartfelt story of a young boy who gets a yellow balloon while visiting a fair with his parents. He loves the balloon dearly until it accidentally slips from his hands. Without his yellow balloon, all of the color drains from the boy’s world, until one day when the boy sees the yellow balloon reflected in the sun and knows it will always be with him, even if it’s not in his hands anymore.

Providing comfort and clarity, My Yellow Balloon can help parents begin a difficult conversation with their children. Loss is very real, but doesn’t have to be so scary.

Age Level: 4 - 8 | Grade Level: P - 3
It all started at the carnival…That’s where Joey makes a new friend: a bright yellow balloon. Joey and his beloved balloon do everything together, until the balloon accidentally slips off Joey’s wrist and flies far, far away. What will Joey do without his special friend?

Tiffany Papageorge has crafted a poignant tale of love, loss, and letting go that will serve as a comforting guide to children who are navigating the complicated emotions of grief. Rich, luminous illustrations by Erwin Madrid perfectly capture these timeless themes, making them accessible to even the youngest reader.
Honest, unflinching, and ultimately reassuring, My Yellow Balloon will resonate with anyone who has endured the darkness of grief, while offering hope for brighter days ahead.

My Review

This was such a good book and my daughter really enjoyed it. There was a lot of emotion in this story and I think it's relatable for most children. Losing something, even a balloon is hard on a child. They don't fully understand why things are lost and not able to come back. The deeper meaning in this book is about losing a loved one, but the author words it in a way for children to understand and relate to.

I found the writing to be good and my daughter who is a reader, didn't have any issues pronouncing words or following along with the story and understanding it.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful and really help capture the reader as they find their way through this story. I personally feel like this is a book that all parents should have, because at some point during a child's life, they are going to have to deal with a loss that they just don't understand, and this story is helpful during that time.

Book Review : And Then Comes Christmas

From icicles clinging to roofs and houses strung with colorful lights to visiting Santa and hunting for the perfect tree, this classic-in-the-making celebrates all of the holiday’s excitement. Evoking both winter’s changes to the world outside and well-loved traditions taking place within, here is a story to encourage readers to curl up with their loved ones and bask in the magic of the Christmas season.

My Thoughts:


My seven year old loved reading this book to me. The colorful pages kept his attention all the through to the last page.  The book takes you through the anticipation and decorating till Christmas.  It is written in great detail, so much as you can almost feel the icy grass crunching underfoot.  It is great to read through a children's book where on almost every colorful detailed page the children are included in the activities.  You even get a glimpse of the family dog though out the story.  

I would recommend this book to all families.  It has a great story and shows through the pages how families spend and do many things together through the holiday season. A great book for teachers and day cares to read along with young readers. 

Santa's (Zany, Wacky, Just Not Right!) Night Before Christmas

Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review.

"One Christmas Eve it was a cold stormy night; and nothing at the north pole was going quite right..." Santa's (Zany, Wacky, Just Not Right!)Night Before Christmas is a whimsical tale of Santa's journey through a Christmas Eve that doesn't go as he expects. One small event leads to a series of surprises that change Santa and Christmas as we know it. It's a story to spark the imagination, make kids giggle, and bring a smile even to a grownup's face.


My Thoughts:

 I read this book with my seven year old son.  Oh no, Mrs. Claus can't be sick!  Santa had to wash his own suit. Which ended up Purple.  And could it really be snowing Bright Pink? How can an elf be a seven foot Troll? So many Wacky things have been happening to Santa the night before Christmas. Santa thought he had ruined Christmas. Some things can end up just to be a dream.

This is really a cute book.  Every page is vibrant in color.  As you read page by page, your child/children can easily understand what each page is about by looking at the illustrations.  This is definitely a cute must have Holiday book for all ages.  I thought it was good, and will read  it again and again.

Princess Cupcake Jones Won't Go To School!

Product was received for free in exchange for an honest review.

Princess Cupcake Jones returns in the second book of the Princess Cupcake Jones Series. This modern day princess, who loves her tutu and playing with her toys, is about to begin school...but refuses to go! Cupcake tries everything to avoid her first day from pretending to be sick to even hiding! However, Mom stays one step ahead of her. Only after arriving at school and meeting a new friend does Cupcake realize that school might not be as scary as she thought



My thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book.   It is one that should be read to any child who has the jitters about the very first day of school.  I actually read this with my ten year old daughter, who was a lot like Cupcake .   She would cry and try anything to not have to go to school.  We each laughed at all the different things Cupcake would do to try and stay home.  Like acting sick and hiding under her bed.

This book brings to light to any child that it is okay to be nervous about their first day of school, but once you get there you will see that it isn't bad and you will make friends easily.  I really like that in this book Cupcakes mom, Queen didn't give into Cupcakes fear of her first day but rather encourage her that all will be okay. 

I have an in home daycare and will be reading this to a little girl who is going to school for the first time. 

This is a great book to add to you personal library if you have little ones in school.

Things You Might See on an African Safari: A Counting Journey Through Africa and Things You Might See Swimming Under The Sea

Animals begin to stir, slowly rising with the sun.
Tourists hop into a bus, and set off for some fun.
"We are off on safari; can you guess what we will see?"

Learn to count and meet all kinds of interesting animals on an exciting safari through Africa. This is a fixed layout eBook and displays the same as a print book.This book has a target age group of 4-6.

Includes interesting animal facts and counting from 1 to 10 in is Zulu the language of the Zulu people in South Africa





My thoughts:

What a cute book  It begins with taking us on a bus to go through the safari.

As you travel through the safari, you will see colorful animals on the left side and on the right side is the number and some rhyming sentences about the animals. The number of animals on the left match the number on the right.    This book teaches children to count from one to ten.

My seven year old son loved this book.  He enjoyed reading the African animal facts at the end of this book, as much as he liked to try and count from one to ten in isiZulu, which is the language in South Africa of the Zulu people.  It was funny listening to him really trying his hardest to pronounce each number.  And he was laughing at me as I tried to pronounce them as well.

A great book to have in any young ones library.  Although as an adult I to learned some interested facts about these animals that I didn't know.

"We are going for a swim in the sea can you guess what we will see?" Learn to recognize colours and meet all kinds of interesting marine animals on an exciting underwater adventure.
This book includes a fun marine facts activity at the end.





My thoughts:

Great book!

As you begin to read about under the sea, on the left side is a colorful picture of a yellow sea horse, a black and white orca whale, or even a brown ship, plus much more.  And on the right side is the Color word and a couple rhyming sentences about the illustrated picture. 

This is good book to help teach children their colors.  At the end of the book, the author has added some interesting facts about what you read in the books with a couple added interesting facts.

My seven year old and I have read this book a few times already, and plan to read it again.