Reviewed by Brenda Casto for Readers' Favorite

The Adventures of Flapjack: The Collar of Courage by Dan Cohen is about a dog named Flapjack, who is being bullied. Flapjack loves going to the big green park where he can play with his friends, but there's one dog that he hopes will stay away and that's a bully. You see, the bully is the meanest dog around. He picks on Flapjack and his friends and they don't know why. When Flapjack hides behind a garbage can to get away from the bully he feels ashamed, but his mom tells him about the collar of courage and takes him to buy one. Will the collar of courage help Flapjack find the courage to stand up to a bully?

The Collar of Courage is the second installment in The Adventures of Flapjack by Dan Cohen. It deals with the subject of bullying and how one little dog finds the courage to stand up to the bully in order to protect himself and his friends. Bright, colorful illustrations capture the eye as well as the imagination, bringing the story to life, allowing the reader to imagine the fear and shame that Flapjack felt but also how proud he was when he did the right thing. Written in rhyming prose, the story flows well and is easy to read. The perfect pairing of words and pictures brings the story to life in such a way that I can just imagine youngsters will be reading along in no time at all.

While fear of bullying is the major theme of the story, it's also about finding courage, doing the right thing, and the importance of knowing that your parents are always there to help. I love how the author allows the parents to take such a positive role in helping Flapjack deal with his fears. No matter what, they were always there for him. As a dog lover I found this story a delightful read. While filled with the challenges that children often face, it is also filled with positive messages that will help them overcome those challenges! This book would make a wonderful addition to any library. On a scale of one to five I would give this book a six because it is just that good. I only hope that Flapjack has many more tail wagging adventures to share.

Reviewed by Michelle Robertson for Readers' Favorite

Mousekabitz by Meaghan Fisher and illustrated by Tina Dunnier is an endearing pictorial storybook, which introduces young readers to the concept of perseverance. The book also helps a child develop problem solving skills, as well as a vibrant imagination. Children are often attracted to and love books filled with colorful pictures, to enhance their imagination and enable a more comprehensible view of the story. The author provides simple but endearing illustrations to allow for a comfortable story telling experience.

Mousekabitz had made his home behind a piece of furniture inside a human's house. When the human woman of the house finds his home, he is forced to try to make a new one. However, when the man of the house tries to find Mousekabitz, he decides to run, but finds himself in front of a hole in the wall he has never entered before and he hears music.

The author teaches children about problem solving and does so in a tasteful and relatable way. For example, many children's stories have a mouse character that is warm and approachable. The author uses a mouse to portray the main character of her story. A child would find this amusing and exciting. The mouse, like some children, has come into some trouble, and needs to figure out a way out of it, or solve the problem.

Mousekabitz is a fun, exciting, and adventurous story, not only helping with problem solving but providing children with the concept of self-accomplishment and friendship. A child will also learn to overcome fear of the unknown when reading this book. A story fit for a beginner reader and an experienced one to enjoy alone, or together.

Reviewed by Faridah Nassozi for Readers' Favorite

Maya and Filippo Look for Whales by Alinka Rutkowska is another story in the adventures of of Maya and Filippo as they travel around the world with their parents aboard the beautiful ship, the Fun Princess. This time, the kids travel to Ketchikan, a port in Alaska. As usual, the spirited kids are ready for adventure and their first stop is a Saxman Native Village that is beautiful beyond anything they have ever seen. The tour guide shows them many amazing features and tells them interesting legends of Alaska. The kids, however, really want to see whales and while they listened to the tales from the tour guide, they learned a very important lesson about the power of positive thinking.

Maya and Filippo Look for Whales is another amazing story in the adventures of Maya and Filippo and once again Alinka Rutkowska delivers another incredible book for kids that is both fun to read and very educational. The vivid illustrations will keep kids focused while he/she reads the story and takes in the message at the centre of it all. The writing style is very simple and child-friendly, and the story is very interesting, as are all the previous stories in the Maya and Filippo series. It is an easy and fun way to teach your kid about important values and qualities. Alinka Rutkowska's incredible writing skills come out in the way the book teaches very important life values and lessons, but in a way that is very easy for the kids relate to and comprehend.

Reviewed by Joy Hannabass for Readers' Favorite

A doc named Dimetrius Moses spent his time looking up people’s noses; Danny loved to eat peanut butter with his fangs in; Frank was an unusual fish, he loved to bike and bop and dance to funk; and Morton Munson built a mansion and he painted the expansion pink! And these are just a few of the wonderful, fun and quirky animals that author Jeff Busch created for this really neat book. Each page gives readers a different and unique creature created by the awesome artful and creative mind of this author. Each turn of the page is exciting because you just don’t know what to expect. It will be fun to find your favorite as you read this amazing book.

Morton Munson Built a Mansion (and other small stories) is a really different but interesting book for kids. With a different character on each page, children will never be bored, and will be eager to read more. The creative imagination of the author instills in kids the fun and entertainment of having a vivid imagination. I love the unique, fun, funny and sometimes weird pictures of each character. The colors woven together with black and white throughout the book gives it a different feel, but works so well with the entire book, inside and out. This is just a fantastic book. Every child out there that reads Morton Munson Built a Mansion, written and illustrated by Jeff Busch, will fall in love with it and it will be their new favorite book. I highly recommend this amazing read for children everywhere.

Reviewed by Tania Staley for Readers' Favorite

"The Cow that Mooed Boo", by Catherine Leininger, is an adorable romp and the perfect story to celebrate differences. With illustrations by Mike Motz, "The Cow that Mooed Boo" is a colorful tale that is sure to bring smiles and laughter from all readers. Poor little Blue just doesn’t do what a cow is expected to do. One day the farmer hears his cows, “One moo, two moo, three moo, boo,” and is disappointed to hear little Blue’s boo. Though she tries to do as her farmer tells her, she can only boo instead of moo. When Blue can no longer take the ridicule of her farmer and the other cows she decides to run away. Will the farmer and other cows realize what they have lost? Will they be able to find Blue and accept her into their home just the way she is?

Leininger’s storybook is a wonderful story to teach kids the importance of acceptance. This book will teach a child that being different is not a bad thing and that instead of pushing people away for their differences, we should instead embrace them just the way they are. Sometimes our differences are what make us unique and are the very things that make others love us. "The Cow that Mooed Boo" should be in every daycare and kindergarten classroom. With a simple “boo”, Catherine Leininger teaches us to let our differences shine. The world would be a boring place without a few “boos” in a world full of “moos.”

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Snailsworth peeked out from behind a leaf as the birds were soundly asleep, the crickets scraped their legs to send their secret message and the fireflies flashed their greetings to each other. Slowly Snailsworth made her way across a stepping stone toward an appetizing looking green vine. Then onward toward an old garden gate with a post that might lead to another enticing leaf. As she began to climb Rickety Cricket warned her it could be dangerous to climb so high and Hughy Hop-toad croaked nearby. At last Snailsworth reached the leaves that lured her up the post. They looked tasty as she took a bite and began to chew but tasty they weren’t and she quickly spit them out. Before she could find her way home she met a sedate snake and Millie Moth. Then Snailsworth saw the most amazing sight. She sat on the fence post enjoying the night until the first rays of light fell on her. Slowly she once again made her way down to post and back to the safety of her ivy knowing she had an adventure.

“Snailsworth: A Slow Little Story” written and illustrated by Tina Field Howe is a delightful tale. This tale celebrates learning to depend on yourself. The little snail learned several valuable lessons while on her journey: never be afraid to explore, and don’t let disappointment get you down because for Snailsworth the amazing site was worth the wait. “Snailsworth" is an endearing tale sure to please children and parents alike. The illustrations are beautifully done, hinting at night time in a tranquil garden. This will make a great bedtime story. "Snailsworth" comes in two formats, a physical book and an audio book.

Reviewed by Gail Famous for Readers' Favorite

It is a rainy day outside, and Lexie worries what she will do inside all day. Lexie remembers her mother telling her about an imaginary friend she created as a little girl, and Lexie decides to try this. Lolly, named after one of her favorite foods, is a happy, elf-like character she imagines, who encourages Lexie to go on several adventures with him in the world of make believe, including an exciting hot air balloon ride with a stop to have a glorious picnic with all of their favorite foods, an exploratory trip to the moon in a space shuttle, and then an island escape as pirates seeking buried treasure. (Wait until you see what Lexie's treasure was...) Throughout Lexie and Lolly's adventures, a real friendship develops between the two, despite their obvious differences.

"What Can We Do Next?" by Toula Magi is a delightful book filled with positive messages about the importance of using imagination and exercising creativity, along with the values of friendship and the knowledge about how to treat each other with kindness and consideration. In addition, Lolly promised to be available any time Lexie needed him, and her mother was happy she had him to get through a rainy day. I liked the positivity the story offered about imaginary friends and entertaining one's self. The illustrations were also beautiful and made the story come alive. A great choice for readers young and old that promises to touch your hearts and open your imagination with boundless limits!

Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite

“Welcome to Boingville” by Romeo Gittens is a charming and delightful romp through the town of Boingville, where all the clowns live. Little Christina’s birthday party was fun, but it got much more exciting when two clowns, Jingle and Jangle, arrived to add to the festivities. The two clowns did magic tricks, told lots of jokes, and, of course, made balloon animals for the children! The kids even got to have their faces painted by the clowns. But like all good things, the party had to come to an end. Christina’s friends went home, and Jingle and Jangle started packing up all their clown stuff so that they could go home too. Christina thanked them for coming, but was disappointed when they told her she could not come with them to see where they lived; it was against the rules. Would that stop Christina from figuring out a way to go with the clowns?

“Welcome to Boingville” is really a very well-written story for children of all ages to enjoy. The illustrations are very good, adding another dimension to the tale. The clown’s town is a magical place, where everything is vividly colored, cars fly, and streetlamps talk. But Christina couldn’t understand why all the clowns were following her as she walked along with Boing, who had made an exception to the rule and allowed Christina to visit. That is, she couldn’t understand until Boing informed her she was the first visitor ever to come to Boingville! Boing introduced her to the growing crowd of clowns, who all cheered and clapped for her. They were delighted to have their first visitor, and showed her a great time, until it was time for her to go home. Children of all ages will enjoy this book, as much as Christina enjoyed her visit to Boingville. This story is not intended to teach children any skills; instead, it is intended only to entertain, which it does quite well. I strongly recommend adding this book to your child’s library. After all, there’s a limit to how many ABC books a kid needs!

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

"Gerry the Giraffe" is written by Melissa Northway and illustrated by Jennifer Mercede. The first thing that jumped out at me when I saw this book was the delightful colors of Gerry. The illustrator has given him orange, giving him the look of a quirky personality. In the thirty two page book we learn that, like other young giraffes in Africa, Gerry likes to play volleyball. Gerry was left at home while the Super Sonics went to Volleyball Camp. Gerry was very sad; he wasn’t invited to go because Gerry was small and the other giraffes did not think he could play. Gerry couldn’t force himself to grow but he could practice every day and become the best player possible. That summer Gerry ran, bounced the ball on his nose, jumped, and raced. Each day he became stronger and faster. He also grew; when the other giraffes came home from camp he was taller than they were. Now everyone wanted Gerry on their team.

As I mentioned earlier, I love the illustrations. The colors are cheerful and eye-catching. The story teaches perseverance, as Gerry wakes up early each morning to practice and train. This book is just the right length to hold a child’s attention without taxing their attention span. The end of this book has facts about giraffes. I never knew that giraffe’s patterns are unique and help them to blend into their surroundings. Their tongues can reach 18 inches. I like this book and highly recommend this book for children from preschool through third grade.