Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

I Am a Butterfly: A Story About Big, Beautiful Changes is a nonfiction educational picture book for children written by Sally Stone. The main character is a beautiful monarch butterfly, but she didn’t always look like she does now. At first, she was a tiny egg that was attached to a milkweed leaf. Then, she became a plain little caterpillar who ate milkweed leaves and gradually turned into a larger, yellow, white and black striped caterpillar. I Am a Butterfly follows the stages of development of a Monarch butterfly using full-color photographs, including ones that use a penny as comparison to help the reader visualize the size of Monarch eggs and growing caterpillars. Stone includes a factoid page filled with interesting information about the Monarch, its migration patterns and its dependency on the milkweed plant. She also provides a chart of the Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle as well as a Monarch Resource page and useful tips on how to help Monarchs thrive in your area.

Sally Stone’s nonfiction educational picture book for children, I Am a Butterfly: A Story About Big, Beautiful Changes, is a fascinating look at the life cycle of a monarch butterfly. I loved the author’s photographs, especially those which gave me a sense of the sizes of the eggs and the developing caterpillars. Each picture is a gem, allowing the reader to see the light filtering through the butterfly’s wings and to clearly differentiate their legs, mouth-parts and antennae. This book is both educational and entertaining, and it got me enthused enough to seriously consider setting up my own Monarch butterfly habitat. I suspect that young readers will get as excited about butterflies as I did after reading this informative and well-presented book. The vocabulary is perfect for new readers to work through, and I Am a Butterfly is also a great selection for story time. It even gives advice on how to get butterflies to land on your clothing! I Am a Butterfly: A Story About Big, Beautiful Changes is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Patricia Bell for Readers' Favorite

Franky the Finicky Flamingo by Wanda Luthman is a preschool picture book about Franky the Flamingo who tries many different foods to eat. But each time they are not right for him. As he watches the other birds and what they eat, he tries their diet out for himself, but his pink is beginning to fade. And those foods either make his tummy hurt or don’t go down so well. Finally, a wise owl tells Franky that he needs to eat special pink foods like shellfish and shrimp to keep his feathers nice and pink and, of course, healthy. Franky is grateful to the owl for helping him find the perfect food. As it turns out, Franky is really not finicky at all; he just requires special food that fits his personal diet. As he eats the right foods, his feathers turn beautiful once again.

This is an exceptionally cute story for toddlers and kids of the preschool age as well as an appropriate beginner reader book for early readers. I actually read this story to my three preschoolers and they were very interested in the story line. It kept them engaged and wanting to know more about Franky the Finicky Flamingo. This is a great picture book to teach young children about the different diets of various birds as well as entertain them with the sing-song rhyme of the story. Great job to Wanda Luthman for a super entertaining story and colorful illustrations. I loved the question at the end. What in the world am I going to drink?

Reviewed by Caitlin Lyle Farley for Readers' Favorite

Max, the Australian Shepherd dog, is adopted into a family with two children. Although he loves his boy and his girl, the master and mistress don’t seem to like him much. Never washed, never brushed, Max spends the next two years of his life pacing his small, barren yard and longing to play with his boy. His nights are fraught with the danger of raccoons while his days are lonely. When Max is hurt after defending himself against a vicious dog, the master takes him away. Max gets his first bath at the shelter, and eventually is taken into a home with a kind mistress, two other dogs, three cats and a pair of parakeets. As Max slowly regains his health and trust in humans, he learns that this loving home might be just another temporary stop in his life.

The Dog at the Gate: How a Throwaway Dog Becomes Special is a modern, canine version of Black Beauty that’s also reminiscent of Nop’s Trials and The Call of the Wild. This book is a gut-wrenching combination of sadness and triumph and you may want to keep the tissues handy. As with many books in this genre, The Dog at the Gate reveals the unjust and careless manner in which humans so often treat their animals. This novel focuses more on purposeful neglect and cruelty than that born of ignorance, while also hinting at the association that people who are cruel to animals tend to be cruel to each other too. Author Sunny Weber writes with a clean, uncomplicated style. Every chapter has a charming illustration at the beginning that highlights a scene from the following chapter. The Dog at the Gate is an addictive and emotional adventure that will appeal to readers of all ages. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys books told from an animal’s point of view.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Christmas Cats: Inca Cat Series Book 2 by R.F. Kristi is set against the backdrop of the Christmas season where readers see Inca getting ready to enjoy the festivities with her Siamese sister, Cara, her Tabby brother, Fromage, and Charlotte, their adopted hamster. Things change when Boss, the Rottweiler dog who lives down the street next to Polo’s house, comes to them asking for help as his owner was soon going to lose his home. Inca promises to help him on one condition, that he will be nicer to the cats around him.

With the help of their neighbors - Polo the Pekingese, and Monk, the Blue Russian cat - Inca forms a detective team to help Boss. Will they be successful in helping Boss with his problems revolving around the eviction of his owner? Polo’s master, Raoul, is also suspected to be injured and incapacitated and being cared for by some locals in a remote village near the Himalayas. Will that mystery also be solved by Inca and her team, and will Raoul be able to get back home for Christmas?

The story is entertaining and engaging and it’s a must-read for all pet lovers, especially cat lovers as it highlights the intelligence of these feline creatures. All the characters - felines, dogs, hamster, and humans - are well portrayed. The illustrations are colorful and adorable and connect young readers well with all the characters in the story. The bonds of friendship and Inca’s leadership qualities stand out in the story and it also captures the essence of the Christmas season beautifully.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

The Tale of Tito's Tail by Wendy Butler is the cute little story of Tito, the Italian mafioso mouse. He lives in a small community in Genoa, Italy. Their family is well known in the community and Tito shares his shoe box with his best friend and cousin, Ricardo. They have a band, Boom Rockers, which is famous in their community. As the story progresses, readers see Tito growing up and becoming mature, and taking up the job assigned to him by Uncle Guido. He trains to lead his village and provide for his fellow mice family. He handles his responsibilities well with the support of his friends, and also meets a lot of new people. The story conveys a good message where readers understand that every incident in life teaches something and can be converted to a good learning experience, depending on how one looks at it.

The message is uplifting and through Tito's story children will learn to look at the ups and downs in life with a different perspective. All the characters in the story are delightful and the colorful illustrations help to convey the concept nicely to readers. The pictures are eye-catching and will definitely appeal to children. The author's fluidity in writing and detailed narration not only gives the tale good pace and movement, but also makes the scenes come alive. The story starts with Tito and his easy going life and builds up slowly to where Tito becomes a responsible adult and handles his job with maturity and responsibility. A delightful story with a good message.

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Lyrical and rhythmic, Pepe Builds a Nest by Theodore Jerome Cohen is a priceless gem that young readers will devour with awesome delight. I read it with my six-year-old son and he was thrilled. It’s a beautiful story simply told, a story about a penguin named Pepe who builds his nest of rocks, but when he was ready to create the masterpiece for himself and Miss Amber, the bully Otto comes along and begins to steal his stones. Can Pepe stand up to him? How things turn out is the beauty of this story and readers will love the part played by others.

Although this book is written for kids, I enjoyed it, and it has lessons that grownups can apply to their own lives and thoughts they should ponder on, because grownups are the worst bullies. The poetry is so beautiful one gets the feeling they are listening to a beautiful song. Listen to the opening lines:

“Pepe the Penguin, a bright lad of one,
looked up to the sky and welcomed the sun.
The long night was over, no time to rest.
It was time to rejoice and build his first nest.”

And so the music goes on and on until Otto comes along and sets his ugly game into motion:

“Otto, the bully, watched Pepe with glee.
“I’ll steal his rocks, just you watch me!”
“His nest is so big, his pile is so high,
he won’t miss many, I’ll give it a try.”

Pepe Builds a Nest is rich with imagery and sound; the rhyme is perfect and it will allow young readers to build their vocabulary and learn to appreciate poetry as they get absorbed into the steady rhythm of the lyrical tale. The illustrations are well done, adding a new feel to an already beautiful story. I won’t hesitate to recommend this book as a perfect addition to kids’ libraries at home.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Soaring Soren: When French Bulldogs Fly is a children's animal book, based on a true story, written by Deborah Stevenson and illustrated by Morgan Spicer. Deb was there at the airport waiting for the small French Bulldog puppy who had traveled all the way to her from Denmark. She greeted him with hugs and french fries, and he instantly fell in love with her. Deb explained that he was going to train to be a show dog, and she helped him learn the correct posture and behavior that would be expected. All too soon, however, Deb realized that her pup was just too big to be a show dog. Watching him jump, play and cavort outdoors had her thinking what many thought was improbable -- her French Bulldog could become an Agility Champion. The two of them worked hard to get Soren to master the jumps, A-Frames and weave poles that were used in agility trials. Soren and Deb heard others at the first trial say that French Bulldogs just couldn't do agility, no less be a champ, but they knew better. Soren had what it takes to win.

Deborah Stevenson's children's animal book, Soaring Soren: When French Bulldogs Fly, is an inspirational and exciting true life story that shows how even seemingly insurmountable odds can be overcome, if you believe in yourself. What a marvelous way to teach children to have confidence in their abilities! Soren's story is beautifully told, from that first plane trip through to the celebration after Soren wins the honor of being the first ever French Bulldog AKC Master Agility Champion. Morgan Spicer's illustrations are masterful and bring this remarkable story to life. Each panel is colorful and shows Soren as he soars over jump bars and successfully navigates the dreaded weave poles. Stevenson also provides a link to Soren's site, which has photographs and a video showing Soren in action. I loved this book! Soaring Soren: When French Bulldogs Fly is most highly recommended for children and animal lovers of all ages.

Reviewed by Hilary Hawkes for Readers' Favorite

Cole's Perfect Puppy by Frances M Crossno is a delightful, captivating and award winning Christian novel for young children. Cole longs for a puppy and is thrilled when Uncle Bobby and his girlfriend give him an exciting Christmas gift - he and his younger brother, Caleb, are convinced it is the long-for pet. But, no, it turns out to be a cute… well, you’ll have to read the book to find out! Then the owner of a local pet store offers Cole an after-school and Saturday job helping take care of the puppies at his shop. Cole's goal is to save up his earnings to buy Scarlet, his favorite golden retriever puppy, and to help friend in need, Rachel. All sorts of mayhem, mysteries and challenges unfold for the children, but they are determined to find a way.

The cover is adorable, and a black and white picture of little Scarlet is depicted again at the start of each short chapter. The plot unfolds at a good pace, bouncing along with plenty of fun. The characters are believable and young readers will identify with Cole’s wish for the mischievous, loving little puppy. The sense of caring for animals and the strong bonds that can grow between humans and animals are conveyed very well. Rachel is a Christian and shares her faith with her new friends, Cole and Caleb, in an open and natural way. She is an inspiring young character, having lost her father in the Iraq war and been forced to move out of her home with her mom. I love the effect she has on Cole, who is prepared to make sacrifices to help her, putting her needs before his own. When Cole begins to pray himself, amazing things happen. The boys find that even when events seem to have taken a turn for the worse, God still has everything under control.

The writing style of Cole's Perfect Puppy is engaging and fun and I very much enjoyed reading it. Frances M Crossno weaves the Christian message about faith and trust in God into this entertaining story in just the right way. The themes of this novel – friendship, sacrifice, and trust in God’s love – are nurturing messages for all readers. A special story, then, that entertains and shares the Christian message in a gentle way. Great for story times, and for more confident or older readers to read themselves. Recommended.

Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite

Tales of Mr. Snuggywhiskers: The Winter Tales is Volume 2 in the children’s fantasy series by C.F. Crawford. It’s Christmas Eve and Hallie and Cory climb the magic tree where Mr. Snuggywhiskers and his family reside. They see how the family celebrates Mouse Christmas and distribute their presents and food, but are surprised when Mr. Snuggywhiskers gives them each a special pendant. These were given to him by Santa Claus with specific instructions. Their curiosity deepens after finding out about the unique friendship he shares with their grandmother. Hallie and Cory have many puzzling questions to ask this remarkable mouse who has many treasured tales to tell of his travels to other countries. However, the girls are often distracted by the numerous exciting activities planned by the Snuggywhiskers family, Squirrel, and other animal friends.

Tales of Mr. Snuggywhiskers is an adorable collection of short stories that will delight young readers. These are the fun adventures of two young girls who anxiously look forward to exploring the magic tree occupied by animals with human-like qualities. It’s the second book in The Winter Tales series by C.F. Crawford I have read, and I am also curious to know the connection between Mr. Snuggywhiskers and Grandma. The friendship is not fully explained in both volumes, since the author prefers to increase the suspense with information in each volume she writes. Her characters are cute, smart and entertaining. The cover illustration is attractive and I recommend Tales of Mr. Snuggywhiskers: The Winter Tales, Volume 2 by C.F. Crawford for children.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Goodbye Poonjab by Gabriel McMichael is a heartwarming story of loss and love where children read how Elijah is trying to overcome the loss of his pet dog, Poonjab. Elijah is sad and cannot understand why Poonjab had to die. His parents want to get him another dog, but Elijah is scared that he might lose that dog too. His parents try to convince him that Poonjab’s time on earth was over, and now it is time for them to find another good friend for the family. They find Misha from the animal shelter and bring her home. Will Misha be able to help Elijah forget his grief over Poonjab? Will Elijah be able to love Misha as much as Poonjab?

It’s a beautiful story that teaches children to love despite the loss they will face in their lives, and it also encourages them to adopt pets from local shelters. The illustrations are bright and colorful and they not only breathe life into the characters, but also give good pace and movement to the story and scenes. The book can be used for read aloud sessions in classrooms and school libraries, and is also good for bedtime story-telling. The story also teaches kids to move on in life and have the courage to love again. Books that convey messages to young readers are good for them as they understand the message or the concept with clarity when it is explained with the help of a story and pictures.