Reviewed By Melinda Facal for Readers' Favorite

I Wish You Happiness is a children’s picture book by Michael Wong with illustrations by Ann Baratashvili. This uplifting book is filled with positive and beautiful messages that will inspire young readers. Thoughtful and heartfelt wishes are shared to encourage children to believe in themselves and to live life to the fullest. Knowing that life is filled with ups and downs, children are motivated to be courageous and resilient. To empower themselves, children are encouraged to keep learning and to always try to seek knowledge. Lovely and charming illustrations throughout this book complement the hopeful wishes and sentiments offered. At the end of the story there are a few fun and special bonuses to interest and further engage readers. I Wish You Happiness is a luminous book that radiates hope and warmth.

Michael Wong’s I Wish You Happiness beautifully and succinctly conveys what anyone would wish for the children in their lives, for them to live with hope, strength, and joy. Each page of this book is a joyful reminder to focus on the goodness in life; kindness, peace, love, and generosity. I think this book will brighten anyone’s day and will also make an excellent birthday present for a child or a gift to new parents. Parents and caregivers will enjoy reading this book to children while sharing the meaningful messages that aim to help youngsters think, feel, and do their best. The added bonuses at the end were a pleasant surprise and will excite children. I Wish You Happiness is a highly recommended and inspiring read.

Reviewed By Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite

Samantha is a spunky Pekingese puppy who loves to play with her blue ball. However, she frequently cannot find the blue ball. The children’s book, Peke-A-Boo! Find the Ball That’s Blue, written by Wendy Zambrana and illustrated by Anne Zimanski, is a delightful participatory book. The child to whom the book is being read is asked to find the blue ball throughout one day in Samantha’s life. On the first pages, the child is shown that the ball is blue with two white stripes and is told it frequently seems to vanish. When Samantha wakes up one morning, she cannot find her blue ball. She loses it throughout the day, both inside the house and in the yard.

One of the outstanding features of this children’s book is the engagement of the child in the storyline. It will certainly be a fun experience for young children. Another feature is the richly detailed illustrations, making it more difficult for a child to spot the ball. Although the book is written for young children, the drawings will be enchanting to a child for several more years. Additionally, there are several areas where parents can encourage further conversations. For example, in Samantha’s dream titled The Adventures of Samantha and Her Blue Ball, parents can talk to children about dreams and how these may connect to real-life experiences. Author Wendy Zambrana and illustrator Anne Zimanski have crafted a beautiful children’s book in Peke-A-Boo! Find the Ball That’s Blue. A wonderful addition to any child’s library!

Reviewed By Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Simon lived happily with Mother Bird in their house that was hung on a tree. Simon wanted his friends to come and play with him and Mother Bird agreed. Mother Bird decided to make a big lunch for his friends and also bake some cookies and cakes. Simon was very excited and he invited everyone to his home. Many of his friends like the goose, cow, pig, chicken, and horse said they could not go because they would not fit into his house. Though they were all interested in going to the party, they knew they would not fit into his house. Simon was very sad when he flew back to his house and Mother Bird was sad seeing how upset Simon was. She said they would have their lunch outside right next to their big tree. He went and called them again, and they all had a good time together.

Simon's Tree Party (Simon's Tree House Adventures) by Stephen G. Bowling is a delightfully charming story written in rhyming verses that have a good pace and movement. It is a beautiful story of friendship that will captivate young readers. Vitali Dudarenka's illustrations are as colorful and lively as the characters and the story, and they add color to the pages. It is a lovely read-aloud storybook and can be used in classrooms and school libraries to help children understand friendship and appreciate and accept what others have.

Reviewed By A. L. Peevey for Readers' Favorite

Umijoo: The Wondrous Tale of a Curious Girl and Her Journey Under the Sea by Casson Trenor tells the story of a young girl. Umijoo lives with her father by the sea, which makes her feel so small. Much of their food comes from the sea, and Umijoo’s father lovingly prepares their meals. But, he is concerned that Umijoo does not appreciate their food as she should. She tends to eat it thoughtlessly and too quickly. So to teach her a valuable lesson, one he himself learned when he was younger, her father gives a magical stone that will keep her safe and alive beneath the waves. As she journeys there, Umijoo meets some of the marvelous animals dwelling there. Will Umijoo learn the lessons taught by these friendly sea creatures and take their messages to heart?

What a beautiful book with an important message! I loved reading it. Umijoo: The Wondrous Tale of a Curious Girl and Her Journey Under the Sea by Casson Trenor is written in lyrical prose. In fact, readers might call it poetry. Its illustrations, by world-famous artist Caia Koopman, are wonderfully fanciful and simply gorgeous. With these two components, Trenor, an ocean conservationist, has created an attractive book for young and old readers alike. While it can be enjoyed as a magical adventure, some of this picture book’s characters actually do live in our oceans, and they have a message for Umijoo and all readers. The world’s oceans and seas are in trouble as is the natural environment as a whole, with much of the world on the brink of disaster. The purpose of the story is a plea to all of us for the conservation of Earth’s land, its natural waters, and the creatures living there. The author offers a list of things readers can do and also a website to learn more about conservation.

Reviewed By Sarah Scheele for Readers' Favorite

KeeKee’s Big Adventures in London, England is part of a series of European travel picture books starring KeeKee, the cute and curious little cat. Author Shannon Jones joins up with illustrator Casey Uhelski to unfold for a small child’s eyes what sightseeing in the amazing metropolis of London is like. KeeKee has been to several big cities in Europe and now, starry-eyed and excited, she drifts with her little hot air balloon (what a fun way to travel) over London. After going on a tour of major locations with a local, KeeKee runs into a sedate little woman in a blue hat who takes KeeKee to tea—the Queen, of course. After learning a lot about England, the cheerful kitty drifts off in search of more places to explore.

This is a great way for kids to discover some of the major tourist attractions in London. Every Londoner KeKee meets is a little animal like herself, presented as mostly her size and very friendly. Shannon Jones nailed a panoramic glance over most of the attractions you might visit during a day touring London and what fun it is to be there for the first time. KeeKee feels special as she is guided by friendly Shakespearean actor Will through a beautifully illustrated medley of sleek modern subways, old stone buildings, and unique British cuisine, and she is genuinely excited and spontaneous as she learns about this great city. A happy tone of really enjoying oneself threads gently through the book and that made me have as much fun with KeeKee’s Big Adventures in London, England as KeeKee herself did.

Reviewed By Barbara Fanson for Readers' Favorite

Little Moss, Big Tree is a wonderful story about life cycles and growing. Even though the oak tree grows bigger than his friend Little Moss, they manage to stay in touch. One has a view of the ground and the forest around them. The other friend is tall enough to see the sky and everything in it. The two friends vow to protect each other—even if it’s just an oak tree and moss. And they do it in their own way. Their friendship is tested during a snowstorm. The winds howl and snow covers the ground. Can the big oak tree protect Little Moss from the storm? Or, will Little Moss end up protecting the big tree? Author M. Yap-Stewart has written an interesting story for children, as well as their parents, with an unexpected, but wonderful ending!

The illustrations in Little Moss, Big Tree are outstanding. Light pastel watercolors fill the page and invite the reader to escape into this heartwarming tale of two friends. Artist Mariya Prytula illustrates all the trees, snail, animals, and leaves accurately with soft hues of color. Little Moss, Big Tree is bound to be a classic and is a must-have for every school library, public library, classroom, and home. I’m sure it will be read again and again. Author M. Yap-Stewart has woven several themes into this feel-good story. Two friends grow up together but one is growing at a faster pace. Though they started out with the same view, they end up growing farther apart. But, they manage to stay in touch and share their life with the other friend. Each friend promises to protect the other one. A very touching story to be told over and over. I thought the story would have a sad ending, but it ends on a warm and loving note.

Reviewed By Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite

The Jaguar’s Story by Kosa Ely is an informative and special story about Chasca and Inti. A pair of Jaguar cubs, Chasca and Inti live with their mama in the rainforest. Their days are spent swimming, befriending others and learning how to roar loudly. One day, their rainforest is invaded by big machines on the land and in the sky and the cubs are scared for their lives. One night they make a run for it with their mama and set off on a journey that will surprise, delight and scare them as they try to find a safe place to live. An informative but cute book with plenty of colorful illustrations and lots of facts. Join in the game as you try to find as many animals, insects, flowers, mammals and reptiles as you can.

The Jaguar’s Story by Kosa Ely is a wonderful book, not just for children – adults can learn a lot from this too. The illustrations by Radhe Gendron are amazing, helping to bring the story truly alive. This isn’t just a kids story. This is an emotional journey, incredibly educational, teaching children to care for their planet, for their future, and to think hard about protecting the environment they live in. The extra facts at the end of the book are a great idea and they really bring home the fact that Jaguars, and other animals like them, really are an endangered species and if we don’t learn to look after what we have, we will lose it forever. This is a great story that is written in simple language, easy to understand and I am certain that kids everywhere will love it. It should be included in all school reading lists too!

Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Unwind. Up, Up, and Away! is an educational book for children, grades K-3, written by Christopher Gates and illustrated by Javier Ratti. Gates has been involved in the educational process for over ten years and is a Certified Social and Emotional Intelligence Coach. It’s all too easy to understand why six-year-old Alyssa feels so overwhelmed and helpless. She experiences so many different emotional responses, and they seem so powerful and determined to control or overwhelm her. Sometimes she feels trapped and ready to scream in frustration. But there is something she can do to reverse this process, to reclaim her own sense of empowerment. Mindfulness allows her to recognize the emotions she experiences and understand why she feels as she does. And there are ways for her to explore mindfulness, to reclaim her own power and soar. Gates also includes material about emotional intelligence and social emotional learning for parents, educators and caregivers; the artist’s renderings of the emotional monsters kids encounter; and the CASEL SEL wheel with information on social and emotional competencies.

Up, Up, and Away! will help kids and adults alike gain a different perspective on how kids respond to the emotional stressors they encounter and how they can regain their own sense of power through mindfulness techniques. Javier Ratti’s artwork is vivid, exciting and dynamic, and I sincerely doubt any kid or adult will be able to resist getting involved in Alyssa’s story after seeing the artwork on the very first page and every page thereafter. His depictions of the emotional monsters and the colors he uses to express them are brilliant. I loved how Gates takes Alyssa and the reader to a crisis point and then opens the door to solutions kids and adults can easily work through as they read. I found myself doing just that, and I especially loved the exercise where I plucked a dandelion from a field and watched the seeds float through the air after lightly blowing on it. Gates’ informative section at the end of the book is so helpful for understanding where kids are coming from and why they feel as they do. This book has the potential to be an awesome emotional step forward for anyone who happens to read it. Unwind. Up, Up, and Away! is most highly recommended.

Reviewed By Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers' Favorite

This book is just weird. I don’t mean “only” weird, because A Bit of String by Keenan Hopson so appeals to this particular adult’s weird sense of humor that he wonders if perhaps the children for whom it is intended really deserve to read it. The opening alone lends itself to that “pit-opening-in-the-stomach” kind of feeling, that sense that maybe one’s curiosity need not be fully indulged this time around. This is the beginning line of a truly irresistible story: “Once there was a rabbit, and one day, while walking through the woods, he found a bit of string.” This also happens to be the concluding line of the book, and what happens in between is all about the forest friends who communally decide to follow wherever that bit of string may lead. These forest friends – need it be said? – are all kind of weird themselves. Perhaps this is non-fiction, after all.

The illustrations that adorn A Bit of String, created by the author of this weird story, are most extremely weird, too. At the risk of over-stressing that one word among thousands available, the strange (if familiar) woodland creatures all possess that self-assured, wide-eyed gaze of the confused (maybe deranged?) central character. No, not the rabbit. But you’ll see. And the animals are all perfectly concise in their communications. The intelligent bear’s proposal: “Let’s climb it.” To create a book this simple, this weird, takes an inordinate amount of self-discipline and skill. Like telling a really good joke, one must use his words concisely and he must create his pictures clearly. Keenan Hopson does both perfectly, then disguises his way to the punchline by calling it a children’s book. A wonderfully weird one, nonetheless.

Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Arnold and Louis: Gold Rush is a children’s picture book written and illustrated by Harvey Storm. Arnold was a moose who lived in a house by the edge of a swamp, and who had big dreams. He dreamed of finding treasure and living a life of luxury in beautiful and warm lands. He searched for keys to finding that treasure through the internet, old books, and any ancient maps that he could find, but to no avail. Arnold shared his house with Louis, a goose who had escaped from a goose farm and lived on Arnold’s roof. Louis pretended to be a stork and had a nice business delivering babies, but business was slow. He thought maybe he and Arnold could find treasure as a team. Arnold loved the idea, and the two partners immediately got to work preparing for their adventure.

Who doesn’t dream of finding treasure? Harvey Storm’s heroes, Arnold and Louis, are no exception. Their adventure into the desert is fun and exciting, but don’t gloss over the preparations they complete before they leave Arnold’s house. Every page in this entertaining and whimsical book is worth settling down and taking a good look at. I loved watching as Louis gets the tools and provisions they would need, and laughed as Arnold hires a meerkat security team to keep them safe. Along with the adventure, Storm includes a puzzle for kids to help Louis and Arnold find the treasure, and kids will also encounter just a wee bit of arithmetic as they follow our heroes. Storm’s illustrations are a masterful combination of whimsy and elegance. I loved the classic cartoon feeling I got as I read along and enjoyed each panel. I’m looking forward to Arnold and Louis’ future adventures. Arnold and Louis: Gold Rush is most highly recommended.