Hello friends. I know it’s been quite a while since I last posted. I’m starting back up with a Book Review of a wonderful picture book. I intend to pick up my postings again. I usually aim for every Sunday. All is well here, just found it hard to get to this recently. Hughes has… Continue reading Book Review: The Daughter Song by Jessica Hughes

Today’s book review is one of the few times I step away from picture books. Nicole Ordway is a very talented writer, one of HCS Publishing‘s author/editors, and a good friend of mine. She is passionate about her writing and a very fun Con buddy. I loved her most recent published book Civil Dusk and… Continue reading Book Review: Civil Dusk by Nicole R. Ordway

If you were a queen, would you fill your castle with cats? In Ruth Sanderson’s delightful A Castle Full of Cats, the queen adores her dozens of cats to distraction. She hosts them at her table, paints their portraits, applauds their art, and encourages their attempts to befriend the king. The cats “tried their best… Continue reading Book Review: A Castle Full of Cats by Ruth Sanderson

Having studied Children’s Literature, I knew the impact The Snow Day had on representation in the history of picture books. Keats’ protagonist, Peter, became the first non-caricatured black child to appear in children’s books. Peter enjoys exploring the soft crunch sound his feet make in the snow, and spends the day outside. Peter features in… Continue reading Book Review: Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats

I was thrilled when my friend Hunter Royall published his debut novel Unbalanced Scales, published by HCS Publishing and edited by HCS editor Nicole R. Ordway. Unbalanced Scales is the first of a series of fantasy novels set in Royall’s RPG world, Be’uath. The book features adventures Eli, Gren, Simus, and Vargas. brought together to… Continue reading Book Review: Unbalanced Scales by Hunter Royall

A dear friend gave me a vintage copy of Rosalie: The Bird Market Turtle by Winifred and Cecil Lubell as a graduation present. The copy is old and used, which I love! It still has that very distinct book scent that seems to accompany older books. I loved the book as soon as I opened… Continue reading Book Review: Rosalie

As the director of the children’s literature department at HCS Publishing, I had the distinct pleasure of working with Jessica Hughes. Congratulations, Hughes, for the publication of Humble and Grumble: The Bumblebee Brothers! Hughes told me the inspiration for this story came from two real life bees at the park. One was buzzing around happily… Continue reading New HCS Release: Humble and Grumble

I know what you’re wondering. It’s the post before Christmas and I’m reviewing a book about different holiday? Yes, I am. Because I adore this book and I read it to my daughter even though we celebrate Christmas, because picture books are a wonderful way to teach diversity. All the more perfect if you are… Continue reading Book Review: Dreidel, Dreidel, Drediel!

This is the second book review from my random picture book game. (For those who missed my last post: I randomly grabbed two picture books from the library to do reviews for my blog. It’s not only a chance for me to find new treasures, it’s a fun challenge to do a review on a… Continue reading Book Review: There’s a Dragon Downstairs

While at the library grabbing books for my daughter in the picture book section, I decided to do an experiment. I reached out randomly and grabbed two books for myself to read and review. So far, I’ve reviewed books I purposefully chose and then decided I wanted blog about. These two upcoming reviews, and probably… Continue reading Book Review: Steamboat School by Deborah Hopkinson