Reviewed by Jessyca Garcia for Readers' Favorite

The Big Book of Hugs: A Barkley the Bear Story by Nick Ortner and Alison Taylor is an adorable story for children. The book is about all different kinds of hugs. Barkley the Bear is now old enough to join the family business. His father decides to show him the ropes on his first day of work.

I chose to read The Big Book of Hugs: A Barkley the Bear Story with my four-year-old daughter. She enjoyed seeing all the different animals in the forest. However, she was a little curious as to why the Oscar the French bulldog was in the forest. She really liked the names of the different hugs and wanted to try each hug out after reading about it. Our favorite hug was “the squeezer.” My opinion is that this is a cute book. I can see kids and parents having a lot of fun with all the different hugs. I really liked that Ortner and Taylor pointed out that not everyone likes or wants hugs. This is very important for young children to know. It is also something my daughter’s pre-k class is talking about now.

The illustrations in the book are well done. They are very colorful and the different fonts of the words make the story more appealing to the eye. This is the perfect bedtime book, especially with “The Goodnight Bear Hug” being the last hug in the book. If you have young kids that you read to at night, then I recommend this book.

Reviewed by Joy Hannabass for Readers' Favorite

Swimming to the Moon by Jeff McMahon is a wonderful collection of tall tales and silly stories, filled with words of wisdom, whimsy, and wonder. Throughout the pages and poems in this book, you will find funny, strange, and unforgettable rhymes and stories that will have you wanting to read more and more. As you read through this book, you will find poems such as, Under All This Dirt; Juice Box; The Shopping Cart Adventure; Vacuum Cleaning; Holly Looya; There’s a Zoo in My Head; Sweet Ideas and Banana Split. And there are so many more, but just not room enough to list here, so you need to get the book. But rest assured, they are certainly not what you think! These poems will surprise you, make you laugh, make you cry, and create hours of fun and enjoyment for you and your family.

This is a hilarious and fun book. Most of the time with poetry books, I find some I like, and others are not so good, but I enjoyed each and every one of the poems and stories in this book. They are fun, funny, enjoyable, and you will even find a bit of wisdom in each of them. Just for fun, I included a short one I really like.

Rise and Shine
When I wake up in the morn I’ve got
the rising part just fine
but I’m grumpy and dumpy and generally schlumpy
so I'm working on my shine.

And this is just a tiny bit of what you are getting in this special book. I highly recommend this fun-loving book of poems. I really think you will find hours of enjoyment with Jeff McMahon’s Swimming to the Moon.

Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

In a delightful and engaging children's book about a difficult and scary period of time, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Nola the Nurse Remembers Hurricane Katrina by author Scharmaine Baker is a wonderful new addition to the field of children's literature. In it, we find our titular character, Nola, a little girl who dreams of becoming a nurse practitioner, just like her mother. Nola loves to care for her dolls and pretend she is a nurse. She and her mother discuss Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, and her mother, Dr. Eden, talks about how she and her friends helped to fix dolls and toys that had been damaged in the storm, and then returned them to the children they belonged to.

Nola the Nurse Remembers Hurricane Katrina is a book that deals with a subject that may be scary for children, especially those who remember Katrina or who have been through similar natural disasters, and it is an excellent resource for parents to have a jumping off point to discuss such issues with them in a non-scary way. The illustrations are wonderful and Nola is a spunky and fun character. Author Scharmaine Baker and illustrator Marvin Alonso have reason to be proud of this book. This book is a part of a series featuring Nola in the She's On the Go series, and I can definitely see a child wanting to collect all of these books. This is a charming book about dealing with the aftermath of a very tough time, and it is highly recommended to any parent looking for a great resource in talking with their children about these situations.

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Bruce and the Road to Courage - (The Adventures of Bruce and Friends) (Volume 1) by Gale Leach is the story of Bruce who does not want to become a butterfly. Bruce is the butt of jokes among other caterpillars because of his fear of heights and his reluctance to become a butterfly. Unable to take it anymore, he runs away from his home. Along the way, he meets other creatures and makes friends with them. The young moth caterpillar whom he befriends is captured by a bat. Bruce is determined to rescue her. He asks the help of a few friends: a mockingbird, a spider, and an aging firefly. They are captured by the bats' cruel leader, Stang, when they try to enter the cave and all hopes of escaping seem to be impossible. But Bruce rises above everything and decides to save all the captives in that cave. Will Bruce's plans work out? Will everyone inside the cave join him in fighting the evil leader, Stang?

The story is an exciting and lighthearted adventure that is very cheerful and endearing. It exposes a child to not only their surroundings, but also encourages them to deal with unexpected situations and problems in their lives. Bullying, true friendships, and doing the right thing even during times of adversity are highlighted. The book is exciting because of the many subtle and positive messages it gives to young readers. It is a beautiful classic story, rich in language and with some wonderful imagery. The story, the language, the imagery, and the concept are all perfect for children.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Wilhelmina and the Willamette Wig Factory: The Willy and Tommy Adventures, Book 1 is a young adult and pre-teen paranormal fantasy novel written by Whitney Dineen. Wilhelmina Snodgrass is most definitely not impressed by her parents’ decision to move from their home in Mason, Illinois, to Monteith in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The eleven-year-old Willy was looking forward to beginning the new school year as a seventh-grader and being part of the swim team. She misses her friends who are probably back home practicing for the swim team tryouts. It’s different for her eight-year-old brother, Wendell, who’s already running around the street with brand new friends, but boys are not all that discriminating about who they play with anyway. Willy’s mom is sympathetic to her daughter’s woes. It’s not easy being in that tween state between kid and teen. She figures a shopping trip might be the answer to lifting her daughter’s blues, and it works a treat. In the first cool clothing store they find, Willy meets Charlene, a salesgirl who loves Willy’s red hair and just happens to have a sister who is Willy’s age. To make things even better, they’re practically neighbors.

Whitney Dineen’s young adult and pre-teen paranormal fantasy, Wilhelmina and the Willamette Wig Factory, is a fresh and original story about a young girl’s move to a new town and the friends she makes when she gets there. The outspoken Tommy is a marvelous counterpart for the somewhat diffident Willy, but I’d find it hard to point out any character in this enjoyable, haunting and haunted tale who wasn’t expertly crafted and quite believable. I loved the supernatural aspect of the plot and enjoyed seeing how Tommy and Willy interacted with Mrs. Carbunckle’s dead relatives. Monteith, Oregon is an inspired historical setting for this story, and the efforts the girls and their friends make to reopen the wig factory makes for an exciting and entertaining tale. Dineen leaves a few clues scattered throughout the story about the continued adventures of Willy and Tommy, and I’m looking forward to the subsequent volumes in this series. Wilhelmina and the Willamette Wig Factory is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Brenda Casto for Readers' Favorite

The Mystery In The Window by Angie Wilson is the second book in the Gracie's Mysteries--Super Spy Series and I think this book is even better than the first one, if that is possible! Ten-and-a-half-year-old Gracie loves nothing more than a good mystery to solve. When she learns that Duchess, the cat who lives at her school, Brentwood Elementary, has been missing for two days, Gracie and her best friend Kenzie decide that they will figure out where she is. It doesn't take long for the pair to start watching the creepy old abandoned house across the street from the school. Soon, though, they get more than they bargained for when they notice a few strange things going on at the house. It appears that someone is trying to discourage their investigation, but who? It seems that there is more than one mystery for Gracie the Super Spy to solve! Will she find Duchess and can she figure out what's going on in the old abandoned house?

The Mystery In The Window by Angie Wilson is a very well written story that young and not so young readers will appreciate. Gracie is a fantastic character that young readers will easily relate to. She goes to school and doesn't like to take tests, she doesn't back down when she knows she is right, and she is a loyal best friend to Kenzie. She is very observant and inquisitive and that's what makes her so good at solving mysteries. She comes from a single parent home, but it is obvious that she has a wonderful relationship with her mother. Her mother has recently started dating and Gracie is okay with that. I love that there are several positive messages woven into the story, and the fact that Gracie attends church fits perfectly for the character! Ms. Wilson provides a realistic story with a couple of mysteries and enough plot twists to keep it interesting. The illustrations are perfectly paired with the story line; they really allowed me to envision Gracie, and they even put a smile on my face a couple of times.

This is a story where the characters are engaging and the plot is well written. It's the perfect book for young readers and, while the main character is a girl, I think the aspects of the mystery might just appeal to boys as well. I only hope that Ms. Wilson intends to continue the Gracie Mysteries--Super Spy Series because I feel that this character has plenty more adventures and mysteries to solve. I highly recommend this series!

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Courageous Gilbert the Groundhog by Regina E. McCarthy is an adorable storybook for children. Gilbert had many interests. He was a great collector of toy cars, action figures, and lots of rocks, and he also enjoyed listening to music. There were many things Gilbert didn't like - he did not like standing up in front of the class, he didn't like being made fun of when he sang, and he didn't like finding someone to sit with him for lunch. One day, while leaving school upset, he climbs an old oak tree. Readers see a friendship bond being developed between Gilbert and the old oak tree. The book conveys an excellent message to young readers and tells them the importance of deep breathing and that it is okay to express their feelings and emotions instead of hiding them.

The concept shared by the author is excellent as it helps build confidence in children. The illustrations are bright and lively and give a good pace and movement to the scenes and the story. The breathing techniques mentioned in the book can be practiced to ease tension and anxiety, and will help children release their emotions and fears instead of holding them inside. It's an excellent book for interactive sessions in classrooms and school libraries, and can also be used for bedtime story-telling. Therapists, counselors, and educators can use the techniques in the book while working with kids. The book also speaks about the importance of mental health and the benefits of deep breathing.

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 Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Adventures of Flapjack: Saying Goodbye is a children's concept picture book written by Dan Cohen and illustrated by Lisa Norman. Flapjack is a dog who is quite happy living with his human mom and dad. He didn't always live there, however, because a ranger found him in the forest as a puppy. He had a special friend while he lived in the forest, a duck named Fowler. After he left the forest, Fowler would come to visit Flapjack in town where he lived with his family. Fowler used to visit with the changing of the seasons, but it had been five seasons since Flapjack saw his friend, and he wondered why. Finally, he saw a duck circling and then landing in his pond. Flapjack got very excited and was sure that the duck was his friend, but, no, it was Fowler's son who had sad news for the dog. Fowler was not at all well, and he would not be getting better. Flapjack wanted to see his friend before he died, and he kept on insisting until Fowler's son agreed, and together they traveled back to the forest.

Dan Cohen's children's concept picture book, The Adventures of Flapjack: Saying Goodbye, is a well-written and gentle tale about loss and grief. Flapjack's sadness and initial inability to process the news that his friend is dying echoes the universal sentiment of the bereaved, no matter how strong one's faith in an afterlife or what stage of life one is in. Saying Goodbye is probably the hardest and most mysterious aspect of life to comprehend, especially for a child, and I believe that Cohen's sensitive coverage of the subject may help children cope with the loss and grieving process that hits all of us so hard. This eloquent and moving story is accompanied by Lisa Norman's marvelous artwork that follows Flapjack on his final visit to Fowler. Reading The Adventures of Flapjack: Saying Goodbye is a sad, yet uplifting experience. It's most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

In a delightful entry into the children's book market, debut author Traci Dunham has offered The Oyster's Secret. A lovely tale that reminds children not to judge based on how someone or something looks on the outside, the story follows a little oyster. He's not fancy, he can't do tricks while swimming about, but he is doing something very special as he sits quietly on his oyster bed. As several sea creatures, including an angelfish, jellyfish, dolphin, hammerhead shark, crab and blowfish, swim by to question exactly what he is doing, the oyster reassures them, "Don't worry about me, I'm making something beautiful you'll see."

The Oyster's Secret is a beautifully illustrated work that imparts a sweet and important message for children: that you should not 'judge a book by its cover.' As all of the oyster's fancier friends show what they can do and talk to him about how they are more beautiful than him or can do many more things than him, we find that what oyster is doing on the inside of his shell is more spectacular and amazing than his friends could imagine. The story is written in a lovely rhyming verse that lends itself to a very enjoyable read. Author Traci Dunham has done a great job at presenting a beautiful looking book with a beautiful story as well. The Oyster's Secret will appeal to children from preschool through third grade as well as their caregivers. It's my pleasure to recommend this sweet book, and I certainly hope that Traci Dunham is hard at work on her next book.