Ramon Fellini the Dog Detective by Guilherme Karsten (An introduction to the mystery genre, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers) [Giveaway & Review]

Definition: The mystery genre is a genre of fiction that follows a crime (like a murder or a disappearance) from the moment it is committed to the moment it is solved. 

ISBN: 9780802856364
$18.99 Hardcover
Eerdmans Young Readers Books

My thoughts:  A really cute book that introduces young children to the art of solving a mystery - in short who-dun-it! As with most if not all young children, our young boy main character (aside from the self-inserted detective) is quite trusting of what he is told by others. So when disaster strikes and his beloved gold fish crashes down the stairs and a feline appearing detective knocks at his door announcing he is there to solve the mystery, the search for the culprit begins. The night visitor identifies himself as the "Dog Detective."

Young boy can see with his own eyes that this is a CAT but is told the visitor, a detective, is a dog in disguise as a cat. So the deception begins.

This wily cat identifies himself as a dog and proceeds to solve the mystery.

I really liked the book and see it as entertainment; and, yes, also an introduction to the mystery genre for children. I do, though, also see it as a wonderful opportunity for parents to teach discernment to young children. Children need to trust but they also need to learn discernment.

About the book: A hilarious introduction to the mystery genre, starring a boy, his fish, and a whiskered detective in disguise.

A little boy’s aquarium has been attacked, and his poor fish is terrified! Secret word: Meow - Who could be behind this horrible crime? Never fear: Ramon Fellini is on the case! This brave dog has donned his cleverest cat costume in order to track down the culprit. How does Fellini know a cat is to blame? Why does he say strange things like “Does this house have any other fish?” No time for such questions—Fellini is about to reveal the truth! Unless the ace detective has a different agenda in mind…

With dramatic colors, ironic humor, and plenty of clues to discover in the art, this whodunit is a laugh-out-loud read for pet lovers. Children will love using their own sleuthing skills to solve the mystery and predict what Detective Ramon Fellini does next.

I am "borrowing" this delightful video from The Poet and Dragon Society's YouTube page. It is theirs and I have no ownership or rights to it. I simply thought it too delightful for my readers not to have the opportunity to see. Enjoy!

GIVEAWAY

Begins June 24

Ends July 23 @ Midnight EDT

Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winner's prize copy is provided and mailed directly to the winner by publisher, Eerdmans or publicist. Chat With Vera is not responsible for lost or misdirected prizes. 

Toto by Hyewon Yum (ages 4-8)

My thoughts:  Written and illustrated with superb gentleness and grace, Toto breaks into the heart of a child's concern and need to be accepted for just what she is and not what she appears to be.

Graced with a red, facial birthmark from infancy this sweet little girl wonders if she is pretty, if people like her, and other worries. She has named her red birthmark "Toto." When she begins school her mother cuts bangs to help hide "Toto" not because it is offensive, but to allow the grace of time for acceptance of her difference.

In school she makes a friend and is so happy until one day "Toto" is discovered. The outcome is that it doesn't matter to her friend at all and is declared an asset.

A lovely book and I highly recommend it. You'll enjoy the sweet black and white illustrations for they simplistic style with bits of red mingled in.

About the book: A little girl is self-conscious about the birthmark on her forehead— until a new friend helps her see it in a whole new light.

This little girl doesn’t mind her birthmark, most of the time. She calls it Toto, and her mom calls it a kiss from an angel. But sometimes, it feels like people look so hard at Toto they forget to see her. So when it’s time to start school, her mom cuts her bangs to cover Toto up, at least for a little while.

At school, she makes a new best friend right away! But then Toto accidentally comes out of hiding. Will her new friend see her differently with Toto in the picture? And does different have to be bad?

Award-winning creator Hyewon Yum’s knack for the adorable is at full power in Toto. This warm and vulnerable story grapples with the pressure we feel to blend in, and celebrates the moments—and the friends—that remind us how much better it is to be our full and singular selves.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Holiday House Books to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

Legends of Gold (Golden State Treasure) by Mary Connealy

Paperback $18.99
Preorder: Baker Books
40% Discount + Free Shipping

On a risky treasure hunt in the rugged wilderness, can love trump all odds?

After years of solitude, Tilda Muirhead's life takes an unexpected twist when she accepts a teaching position at Two Harts Ranch following her cross-country pursuit of two brothers obsessed with a treasure map left by their grandfather. Tilda is now tasked with educating those mischievous MacKenzie boys, who are bent on remaining out west with the rest of their family until they find the hoped-for treasure. Then a man named Ben arrives, claiming to be her own long-lost brother. Raised as an orphan with no memory of her past, Tilda is both fascinated and wary of Ben's sudden interest in finding her.

When Ben's motives grow increasingly suspect, rancher Josh Hart suggests Tilda and the young MacKenzies set off on a quest with him that aims to protect Tilda while unearthing the map's secrets. Secret word: gold - As they explore the wilderness, Tilda becomes captivated by the history behind the map, though she doubts it leads to anything more than old artifacts. Yet danger looms ever closer, and Tilda and Josh must rely on faith and their blossoming love to navigate the treacherous path ahead.

Watch for Chat With Vera's review, soon!

GIVEAWAY

Begins June 10

Ends July 9 @ Midnight

Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winner's copy is provided by author or publisher. Chat With Vera is not responsible for lost or misdirected prizes. #MaryConnealy #LegendsOfGold #BethanyHouse 

His Fairytale Life (A Book About Hans Christian Andersen) by Jane Yolen & illustrated by Brooke Boynton-Hughes [Review]

My thoughts:  The author, Jane Yolen and illustrator, Brooke Boynton-Hughes, magically opens the story of the sad life of the master storyteller, Hans Christian Andersen, with a simple statement and explosive and dream-like spray of beautiful illustrations. Simply put, his mother couldn't read but was a grand teller of stories and his life was stressed with poverty and disappointment. 

Neal Porter Books
Holiday House Publishing
ISBN: 9780823451036
Hardcover $18.99 US

He finally began his schooling with the little ones but he was a gangly teen. His life was sad, so sad. The illustrations are extraordinarily appealing and beautiful capturing the pure essence of Andersen's life in a mind filled with stories just waiting to come out.

His stories became legendary as did the man himself long after he died. Such is often the plight of an artist. Andersen's life was so very sad but his mind and his stories brought such joy to the world. This retelling for young children is excellent.

About the book: The storyteller becomes the story in this illuminating biographical picture book of Hans Christian Andersen, father of the modern fairy tale.

A century and a half have passed since Hans Christan Andersen’s death, but his stories are more alive than ever. Across languages, borders, and disciplines, his timeless creations have left a footprint beyond measuring. Now, come along back to the beginning and meet the human that came before the legend.

He was a boy

who lived with a mother

who could not read,

but remembered every fairy tale

she’d been told…

Appropriately penned by Jane Yolen, who Newsweek has called “the Hans Christian Andersen of America,” His Fairytale Life is as immersive and transporting as all good fairy tales should be. Each page sings with Brooke Boynton-Hughes’s dazzlingly intricate illustrations. Classics lovers and Disney fanatics alike will cherish this dreamy tome.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

THE BIG MESS: A Deliciously Funny Story of Siblings Learning to Get Along by Justin Whitmel Earley & illustrated by Janna Mattia

Hardcover $18.99
ISBN: 9780310166375
ZonderKidz

My thoughts: This is an absolutely adorable children's picture book filled with soft, lively illustrations full of joy, mess, action, and splendiferous fun. A bizarre family with Mouse as big brother and Moose as little brother. Mouse cooks and creates dessert goodies and Moosie is flamboyantly active and destructive. 

Frustrated Mouse yells and screams at Moosie when his beautiful desert creations are ruined. There is so much mess!

And then a bright idea on how they can work together to create wonderful deserts is born and everyone benefits.

A really cute story told in rhyme that teaches a wonderful lesson of sibling cooperation and how to just simply get alone with each other and work together.

Here are a couple pages from the book.... read by Vera....

 

About the book: Welcome to the world of The Big Mess! This adventure-filled picture book from bestselling author Justin Whitmel Earley is packed with humor, chaos, and of course, a big mess! This heartwarming and relatable story about two siblings who must learn to get along reminds readers that, no matter how messy, life is better when shared with the ones you love. Follow along as big brother Mouse tries to bake the perfect dessert, only to be interrupted by his energetic yet clumsy, baby brother Moose. No matter how Mouse tries to avoid it, catastrophe strikes whenever Moose comes near, and every “perfect” dessert gets destroyed! Can Mouse learn how to navigate his relationship with his baby brother and come to appreciate Moose’s uniqueness and spirit?

About the book: Welcome to the world of The Big Mess! This adventure-filled picture book from bestselling author Justin Whitmel Earley is packed with humor, chaos, and of course, a big mess! This heartwarming and relatable story about two siblings who must learn to get along reminds readers that, no matter how messy, life is better when shared with the ones you love. Follow along as big brother Mouse tries to bake the perfect dessert, only to be interrupted by his energetic yet clumsy, baby brother Moose. No matter how Mouse tries to avoid it, catastrophe strikes whenever Moose comes near, and every “perfect” dessert gets destroyed! Can Mouse learn how to navigate his relationship with his baby brother and come to appreciate Moose’s uniqueness and spirit?

Where to purchase your copy

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. #bigmess #siblingsbook #justinwhitmelearley #kidsbook #summerreading  @zonderkidz @justinwhitmelearley @jannamattia

When I Hear Spirituals by Cheryl Willis Hudson & illustrated by London Ladd [Review]

When I Hear Spirituals by Cheryl Willis Hudson & illustrated by London Ladd

Holiday House Publications
ISBN: 9780823453801
Hardcover $18.99

My thoughts:  Having been raised as a Southern white girl, I remember many of these songs. Spirituals. Soulful songs. I remember learning a little of the history behind some of them. Perhaps some will say it is wrong for a southern white child to learn to sing these spirituals so steeped with African American history. But we did sing them in school. No one made fun of them. No one talked ill about them. They were sung in music class as a means of teaching us a form of music whose epic history belonged to the South and a part of history with which we should be acquainted.

As I grew older, I learned more of the history and the people connected to this music and sorrow filled my own being to think of their sadness and pain and suffering. I was glad, though, that they had a spiritual connection to the God who could deliver them from their sorrows.

This book is a treasure to teach children of all races about the music that encouraged and brought a whisper of hope to those who sang it. There is a darkness in the book through the visual art and that is good because that was a dark period in history and there was darkness hovering over the African Americans. But in this darkness they sang of the undergirding strength they found in their faith as their spirits connected to God.

Libraries need this book. 

About the book: Your spirit will soar! A girl connects with heritage, history, and a higher power through the lyrics of twelve beloved spirituals and four seminal events in African American history.

A beautiful keepsake to be shared by multiple generations.

When I hear spirituals

Sometimes

A big, full feeling

Grows in my chest . . .

Her heart pounds, she gets a lump in her throat, and tears flow down her cheeks. She wants to clap her hands and stomp her feet. There is healing, tenderness, strength, pride, and above all, hope.

The author of the classic picture book Bright Eyes, Brown Skin, Cheryl Willis Hudson, has woven together lyrics of twelve timeless, Black spirituals with a moving exploration of how music holds memories, emotions, and empowerment.

Songs include “Go down, Moses,” “Nobody Knows the Troubles I See,” “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child,” “Rock-a-My Soul,” “Get on Board, Little Children,” and more.

Evocative illustrations by award-winning artist London Ladd depict important people and places in Black history and culture: Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Jr., the Great Migration, and the Enslaved People’s Uprising of 1811.

Journey through Black history and music in this layered picture book.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

Training Young Hearts series: "Your Amazing Hands" & "Your Magnificent Mouth" [Review & Giveaway]

Your Magnificent Mouth: A Training Young Hearts rhyming book by Abbey Wedgeworth & illustrated by Emma Randall

My thoughts:  The author begins by teaching young children to appreciate all the things they can do with their mouth  - blow bubbles, chew, speak, laugh, sing -  things that most of them already do and they'll delight to talk about these things as the book is read to them. Then the author teaches that God actually spoke the world into existence with His mouth. What a correlation to consider that the God of all created all things by speaking a word with His mouth.

The good things we can do with our mouth are pointed out and also attention is taken to the bad things our mouths can do. But we don't despair because God who created out mouth can forgive us and help us to use our mouth for good things.

Sweetly illustrated in bright primary colors with an all-peoples cast of children participating in the discoveries of information about their mouth and about the God of creation. A delightfully educational book to direct young children to God.

About the book: Empower kids ages 3+ to connect the gospel to their own actions and attitudes! From creation and fall to redemption and sanctification, this colorful rhyming storybook captures the beauty of the gospel message through simple, practical, rhyming language and illustrations that children will love to engage with. 

Focusing on the way we use our mouths, Abbey Wedgeworth helps children to see that God gave their words real power, and that this power can be used to heal or to harm. Secret word: Creator - But we're not left on our own to do the right thing—we can look to Jesus as our example, ask God for forgiveness when we mess up, and receive the help of the Holy Spirit as we use our mouths for God's glory!

With bright illustrations and fun rhymes, this storybook will inspire and equip your children to follow Jesus in word and deed.

Your Magnificent Mouth is part of the Training Young Hearts series, which encourages children to gospel-centered, grace-fueled obedience. The lift-the-flap board books for toddlers focus on specific behaviors while the rhyming storybooks help kids ages 3+ to understand the gospel and apply it to their lives in a way that suits their age and stage.

Your Amazing Hands: A Training Young Hearts rhyming book by Abbey Wedgeworth & illustrated by Emma Randall

My thoughts:  An amazing book teaching children about how their hands are wonderfully useful and also terribly hurtful. But also the author teaches that Jesus used His hands for healing and many wonderful things. Also, taught is that Jesus can forgive and help us use our hands for Him.

Delightfully written in a loose rhyming style that is a pleasure to read, and the cadence will draw the ear and mind of the child to the lessons to be learned.

The adorably cute illustrations are all-peoples inclusive, brightly colorful, joyful and such fun to look at.

About the book: Empower kids ages 3+ to connect the gospel to their own actions and attitudes! From creation and fall to redemption and sanctification, this colorful rhyming storybook captures the beauty of the gospel message through simple, practical, rhyming language and illustrations that children will love to engage with. 

Focusing on the way we use our hands, Abbey Wedgeworth helps children to see that God gave their hands for helping, sharing, creating, and other amazing things. When we struggle with using our hands the way God intends, we're not left on our own to do the right thing—we can look to Jesus as our example, ask God for forgiveness when we mess up, and receive the help of the Holy Spirit as we use our hands for God's glory!

With bright illustrations and fun rhymes, this storybook will inspire and equip your children to follow Jesus in word and deed.

Your Amazing Hands is part of the Training Young Hearts series, which encourages children to gospel-centered, grace-fueled obedience. The lift-the-flap board books for toddlers focus on specific behaviors while the rhyming storybooks help kids ages 3+ to understand the gospel and apply it to their lives in a way that suits their age and stage.

GIVEAWAY

Begins June 2

Ends July 1 @ 12:00 Midnight

Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary copies to facilitate reviews. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winner's copies are provided and mailed directly to the winner by publisher or publicist. Chat With Vera is not responsible for lost or misdirected prizes.