Review of Hoppin' Hankaroo by Janet Earnest Jenkins

 

 
Join Kathy and Hankaroo on their trip to the zoo where they meet some silly animals and make a new friend who is the funniest bird they've ever seen! Appropriate for ages 0-6 years, Hoppin' Hankaroo is a rhyming book, which makes it easier for little ones to remember the words. The illustrations are done in crayon as if a child colored them. A great learning tool and fun story, your child will want to read this humorous picture book again and again!

Goodreads * Kindle * Paperback * Hardcover

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**My thoughts**

This is a cute story about a little girl going to the zoo with her dog to see all of the animals and have some adventures. There's a bit of a mix of what you would actually expect to see at the zoo and then some playful imaginary happenings. All of it is told in rhyme, which is actually fun to read out loud. The end of the story hints at future titles continuing the adventures of Kathy with a K.

As described in the book blurb, the illustrations are done in crayon and look like an older child has drawn them. I am personally not a fan of this style of illustration, but I know it speaks to some readers. I think this is the kind of book that could inspire children to create their own books and made-up adventures. I get the impression it was created because of a child's idea. Kudos to this grandmother for fulfilling that dream!

I received a requested review copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.



  
About the author:

Janet lives in Bonneau, SC and is the grandmother of five. She loves creating stories and writing fun poetry for early readers. Her stories keep the young imagination entertained and tickle the funny bone.

Review of Angry Octopus Color Me Happy Color Me Calm by Lori Lite

 

Angry Octopus Color Me Happy, Color Me Calm is a light-hearted, self-help, mindful coloring book designed to guide 4-11-year-olds and their parents, teachers, or counselors through simple everyday techniques that can be used to control anger, reduce stress, and increase happiness. This interactive coloring book is filled with simple strategies to self-soothe, manage anger, and improve emotional intelligence. Children are empowered to manage their BIG feelings while coloring 76 illustrations. Each mindful page motivates children to express themselves peacefully without having a tantrum, meltdown, or outburst.

Angry Octopus is a kid-friendly character that children around the world relate to. He made his television debut on ABC’s Shark Tank.

Goodreads * Paperback

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**My thoughts*

I have been a fan of Lori Lite's books for a long time now. I am absolutely delighted that there is a coloring book to go with Angry Octopus. It leads the reader and artist through affirmations and words of hope to help you cope with the stress in your life. And while it does feature the characters from one of Lori's children's books, you don't absolutely have to read the book to be able to follow the words in this coloring book. And I can guarantee that adults would benefit from these words and the process of coloring at least as much as children would. I know for me, I'm not a huge fan of those meticulous fine-point coloring books that are often marketed to adults. I want larger areas to color because I find that to be more relaxing. I'm all over this book! I'd love to see even more!

I received a requested review copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the author:

Lori Lite is a mom, parenting stress expert and author. Lori has created an award-winning line of books, CDs, and lesson plans designed to help children, teens, and parents decrease stress, lower anxiety, and control anger. Her sought-after practical tips provide parents with real-time solutions. Lori shares her own experiences as a stressed-out mom in an honest and accessible way. Her personal parenting challenges with getting her children to sleep were the catalyst for her stories. She has the unique ability of communicating how to integrate stress management techniques and self-esteem building activities into your family’s life. You can read more about Lori on her website at https://stressfreekids.com or on her Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lori_Lite

Review of Angry Octopus (A Relaxation Story) by Lori Lite

  

The Angry Octopus story featured on ABC's Shark Tank, teaches children relaxation techniques for controlling anger and negative emotions. It helps kids to calm down and lower stress and anxiety levels by focusing awareness on various muscle groups to create a complete resting of the mind and body. Muscular relaxation can lower anxiety levels and be used to decrease pain.

These effective stress and anger management techniques are woven into this award-winning story. Your child will learn the technique as they read the story.

Children relate to the angry octopus in this beautifully illustrated book as the sea child shows him how to manage his anger, remain calm and see things more clearly. This engaging story quiets the mind and relaxes the body so your child can let go of anger and fall asleep peacefully.

Angry Octopus is one of four stories featured on the Indigo Ocean Dreams audiobook and is available in several formats. The Spanish version of El Pulpo Enojado (ISBN: 9781937985011) and Angry Octopus Color Me Happy, Color Me Calm (ISBN: 9781937985332) compliment this story.

Goodreads * Amazon

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**My thoughts**

Once upon a time when I was teaching preschool and kindergarten, Lori Lite's books were a staple in my classroom. My students were in love with the stories and illustrations and found benefits in the lessons contained within. Lori Lite was a forerunner in the social-emotional children's book realm, well before they became so popular. I recently revisited Angry Octopus and still love it. 

I like the description of the octopus getting angry and squirting out dark ink so that he can't see what is going on around him. That's a great metaphor for what it's like when you get angry. 

And then there is the beautiful sea child who teaches the octopus how to lie back and find relaxation to let go of the anger. It's a technique that therapists teach us to use, where you tense up a part of your body and then breathe it loose again, one little part at a time from your head to your toes. You can act this out while reading the story - even as an adult - and feel the anger and tension start to slip away. I know I try to use these techniques for myself. And the kids in my class would often act this book out and practiced when they were feeling angry or out of sorts. 

It is also a great book to have at home. The whole series is fantastic.

I received a requested review copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the author:

Lori Lite is a mom, parenting stress expert and an author. Lori has created an award-winning line of books, CDs, and lesson plans designed to help children, teens, and parents decrease stress, lower anxiety, and control anger. Her sought-after practical tips provide parents with real-time solutions. Lori shares her own experiences as a stressed-out mom in an honest and accessible way. Her personal parenting challenges with getting her children to sleep were the catalyst for her stories. She has the unique ability of communicating how to integrate stress management techniques and self-esteem building activities into your family’s life. You can read more about Lori on her website at https://stressfreekids.com or on her Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lori_Lite

Review of Penelope and Jack, Together Apart by Professor Stork and Uncle Inkwell

  

Penelope and Jack, Together Apart is a children's book that takes place in the time of covid during social distancing, mask wearing and all of the uncertainty that comes along with it. It is also a beautiful story about friendship and kindness that teaches children to see the good and positive in the different situations they may face in life. It is fun and empowering and reminds us we can still smile behind our masks. It also explores the power of family and how sticking by one another helps us achieve our dreams. With a little bit of love and ingenuity coronavirus doesn't stand a chance!

Reading Penelope and Jack, Together Apart is the perfect way for parents and children to have a positive experience sharing their feelings about facing tough times and seeing the inevitable light at the end of the tunnel. While social distancing on the 147th floor of his family's 'above the clouds' apartment, Jack develops a close friendship with Penelope, who lives in the building across the street. Cleverly communicating across the empty space between their balconies, Jack and Penelope launch a friendship in the most unlikely of scenarios. With a little help from their families, human connection and kindness prevail. Together Apart reminds us that even in challenging times there is no stopping a child's ingenuity and love. Parents will be reminded of the spark of optimism and joy we all felt as children. Now is the perfect time to share these feelings.

Goodreads * Amazon

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**My thoughts**

I love this story! It's a fun story of friendship that also throws in a bit of nostalgia. Sure, it takes place during the time of COVID when we were all home and quarantining. But it also reminded me of my own childhood and my grandmother teaching me about talking through cans and string, making paper airplanes, and playing shadow puppets and games. So I think it could spark some interesting generational conversations. And eventually it will be a sort of historical fiction book as we all look back on these crazy times.

And a special shout out to the illustrator for creating some adorable characters! I could just feel their excitement and friendship popping off of the pages. 

I received a requested review copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the author:

Professor Stork is on a mission to write and publish books that help children build and nurture self-worth, creativity, compassion, leadership skills, and a sense of purpose. He believes that children are the catalyst for positive change and that reading is a way for them to begin the journey leading to a fulfilling, purposeful life.

Parents and educators can help support their children by introducing them to books with positive messages. You can read more about Professor Stork by vising his website at www.professorstork.com

Review of Toby, Toby, Worry Free by Lucinda Grapenthin, PhD

  

When Toby is faced with learning to ride his bike so he can play with his friends, he begins to worry and worry and worry.

"What if I fall?" "What if other kids laugh at me?" "What if I can't ride my bike?!"

Mommy pauses, attuning to his behavior. She accepts his emotions and calmly engages with him, encouraging his discovery of positive steps to solve this dilemma.

Toby learns a better way to manage his feelings by using his can do thoughts. Now, he can have fun!

Goodreads * Hardcover * Paperback * Kindle

(affiliate links included)

**My thoughts**

I can vividly remember feeling the same was as Toby when I was a child. All of the other children had learned to ride their bikes well before I did because I didn't have a good place to learn how to ride. I was afraid of what they would think of me and would try to find ways to avoid riding. I like the description of how Toby gets all tangled and tense with his anxiety. I think children will be able to relate to that.

There has been a push lately to teach children positive affirmations and a "can do" attitude, which is what they try so hard to do with Toby learning how to ride his bike. Children reading this are going to have the chance to review this concept and try to apply it to their own life in whatever is worrying them.

Just as important as helping children remember their "can do" attitude is how this book teaches parents and caregivers a productive way to work with children who are feeling a lot of anxiety. You'll notice that Toby's parents acknowledge how he is feeling. Instead of telling him to not worry, they instead focus on what TO DO to lessen his anxiety. You wouldn't think that makes a big difference, but it truly does. You'll also notice that his mom scaffolds him to riding independently. This means she breaks down the task of riding his bike long distances into several smaller steps that he can more easily manage and lets him master those smaller ones before moving on to the next one. This is also really important when helping children work through anxiety and mastering new skills.

And finally, at the end, the author provides more information for parents who are dealing with challenging behavior in their child via the PAUSE Approach.

This one would work in the classroom to read as a group, but would be more beneficial in a one-on-one setting, I think. Read it over and over again while helping a child work through whatever the difficult situation is.

I received a requested copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the author:

Lucinda Taylor Grapenthin, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist in private practice and Assistant Professor at Brenau University, also serving as Clinic Director for the Brenau Center for Counseling and Psychological Services and Director of the Brenau University Play Therapy Training Institute. Dr. Grapenthin has over 20 years’ experience working with children and families as the founder of the Family and Child Development Center. She also presents at academic conferences and professional institutions on topics related to mental health disorders, such as trauma and attachment, as well as play therapy and parenting.

Dr. Cindy lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Richard, and golden retriever, Currier. Their adult children, Alex, Kristi, and Trevor, float in and out of their home, adding delightful chaos.

Review of Can I Play With My Food? by Ali Manning

  

Can I Play with my Food? is an early-reader picture book that explores food and science through the eyes of two sisters. Nema and Lexi let their imaginations run wild as they discover where food comes from and how a simple experiment can shape their dreams.

This story shows children that playing with food can be fun, but it also highlights the importance of acceptance. While others might think a disability like Down’s Syndrome is a hindrance, Nema and Lexi show us that the ingredients of compassion, acceptance, and love make anything possible.

Book Links

Goodreads * Kindle * Paperback * Hardcover

(affiliate link included)

**My thoughts**

You can tell that this book was a labor of love by the author. She shares her artistic talent and also gives a lovely tribute to her sister who has Down syndrome through the character of Lexi. I appreciate the introduction to where food comes from. A lot of children don't realize that food comes from somewhere else before it makes it to the store. This part of the book lays a foundation for further exploration and discovery.

Then the book gets into a bit of science. There truly are dozens of experiments that you can do with food to learn a lot about scientific concepts. The "lava lamp" is a classic fun one. I wish there would have been an addendum to the book that laid out how to actually do it at home. But again, this does lay another foundation for further exploration.

And then in the third part of the book, the girls bake cookies with their mom and learn that baking is another form of science - a fun and tasty one! I don't think a lot of adults realize that baking is actually chemistry. So again, another fun introduction. Again, I think it would have been fun to have an addendum with a favorite cookie recipe using the ingredients listed.

It's a book that works in multple areas of the classroom and can be used over and over when working on these different concepts. It is also one that would be fun to read at home. Again, I think it lays a foundation for all kinds of exploration with food and can be tailored to fit the interests of the kids. I do think it would have been better as a series, though, with each book focusing on each part as described above. Then the author could have fleshed out each concept some more and it would have flowed better overall. Still worth adding to a collection, though!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher upon my request. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

BIO:

Ali Manning is a food scientist and the owner of Umami Food Consulting. With over ten years in the food industry, she utilizes her passion for food, science, and community to help food entrepreneurs. Ali is also the founder of Food Science 4 Kids, a program that teaches grade-school children STEM-related topics. Aside from her day-to-day businesses, she’s an all-around creative that loves to skate, travel, eat and enjoy life with her husband, Brian Manning. Find out more about Ali at ali-manning.com

Website: https://ali-manning.com
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3HuFMYq

Angry Octopus Color Me Happy, Color Me Calm Coloring Book by Lori Lite

 

Angry Octopus Color Me Happy, Color Me Calm is a light-hearted, self-help, mindful coloring book designed to guide 4-11-year-olds and their parents, teachers, or counselors through simple everyday techniques that can be used to control anger, reduce stress, and increase happiness. This interactive coloring book is filled with simple strategies to self-soothe, manage anger, and improve emotional intelligence. Children are empowered to manage their BIG feelings while coloring 76 illustrations. Each mindful page motivates children to express themselves peacefully without having a tantrum, meltdown, or outburst.

Angry Octopus is a kid-friendly character that children around the world relate to. He made his television debut on ABC’s Shark Tank.

Goodreads * Paperback

(affiliate link included)

About the author:

Lori Lite is a mom, parenting stress expert and author. Lori has created an award-winning line of books, CDs, and lesson plans designed to help children, teens, and parents decrease stress, lower anxiety, and control anger. Her sought-after practical tips provide parents with real-time solutions. Lori shares her own experiences as a stressed-out mom in an honest and accessible way. Her personal parenting challenges with getting her children to sleep were the catalyst for her stories. She has the unique ability of communicating how to integrate stress management techniques and self-esteem building activities into your family’s life. You can read more about Lori on her website at https://stressfreekids.com or on her Wikipedia page at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lori_Lite

I was compensated for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.

Hoppin' Hankaroo by Janet Earnest Jenkins

 
Join Kathy and Hankaroo on their trip to the zoo where they meet some silly animals and make a new friend who is the funniest bird they've ever seen! Appropriate for ages 0-6 years, Hoppin' Hankaroo is a rhyming book, which makes it easier for little ones to remember the words. The illustrations are done in crayon as if a child colored them. A great learning tool and fun story, your child will want to read this humorous picture book again and again!

Goodreads * Kindle * Paperback * Hardcover

(affiliate links included)

  
About the author:

Janet lives in Bonneau, SC and is the grandmother of five. She loves creating stories and writing fun poetry for early readers. Her stories keep the young imagination entertained and tickle the funny bone.

I was compensated for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.