Sisters Are Hard Work by Nahrain Taylor

My Sister and I share an inseparable bond, for we do everything together. From the start of the day to the darkness of night, we find we are inseparable. The love that we share among ourselves cannot compare to anyone else in the world.

I know my Sister will always be there when I need her. With her smiling face and warm smile, I feel an inner connection. I feel so blessed to have my best friend be a part of my family.

Parents and children will feel the warmth this book radiates. It shows how two people related by blood share an inseparable bond of love. This book would be the perfect introduction to a child who finds herself with a newborn sister. It will help them see the fun and adventure this new person can have in their life.

On Amazon:

Kindle * Paperback

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Highly passionate and family-driven, Nahrain Taylor is a renowned published author who aims to both empower and educate young minds with her ever-growing collection of children’s books. With the inspiration of her two daughters, Nahrain has created an array of publications and enjoys delivering authentic storylines that support developmental growth and surfaces new perspectives that unlock full potential.

Born in Iraq and later immigrating to Australia in 2002 as a refugee, Nahrain learned early on the core meaning behind resilience, family bonds, and the importance of education to pave the way for an opportune future. With this as her foundation and her zeal for wordsmithing, Nahrain later started her own family and began writing children-favored stories for her daughters. After seeing how transformational her stories were for them, it quickly sparked Nahrain to begin sharing her creations with the rest of the world, all with the rooted mission to instill meaningful impressions in other homes as it did in hers.

As a committed author driven by passion, nothing makes Nahrain happier than being able to mindfully design and deliver captivating publications/short stories that provoke positive impacts for little ones. Overall, she has a genuine love for what she does and demonstrates that through her enriching books that feature unique plots and relatable characters - all of which truly pull young eyes in from cover to cover.

Author Website: nytaylor.com

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

Review of 'Sometimes Just One Is Just Right' by Gayle Byrne

Description

A lighthearted story about an only child who learns to appreciate being “just one.”

In this winsome story, a likeable young narrator explores the perks and pitfalls of being an only child. Comparing his situation to that of his cousin, Nico, who has many siblings, the narrator realizes that having a household full of brothers and sisters is not always as fun as it seems. Even though he is the only child at home, he has many family members who love and care for him - and so does his friend Lily, who’s an only child, too! Sometimes, he realizes, being just one is just right.

**My thoughts**

When I was growing up, I was sometimes jealous of my friends who were only children, because they didn't have a younger sister with whom to contend for attention or the surviving Peanuts glass, or the biggest piece of chocolate cake. They also always seemed to have more books and toys than we did, because they didn't have to be divided between two kids who were two different ages. Conversely, sometimes my "only" friends would tell me that they wished they had a sister, like I did, or even a brother. I think that we all realized that there were pros and cons to each of our situations. This book captures that concept. In fact, it really focuses a lot on the benefits of being an only child, while also acknowledging that it is okay to have those feelings of wanting a sibling. My favorite line in the book is, "I figure 'only' doesn't have to mean lonely." (I also like how he is the yummy part of the Mommy and Daddy sandwich.)

A part of me does wish that they had gotten a bit more into his friend's Lily's situation. There is only one mention of her in the book. She seems to be an only child, living with a single mother. The narrator spends so much time comparing his own situation to his cousin Nico's, that it feels like Lily is a bit shafted or almost unnecessary to the story. Other than that little blip that threw me off a tad, I really did like this book. I have some "onlys" in my life who would have appreciated this book when they were younger!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Buy links

Amazon \ Barnes & Noble

Check out author Dianne Branch

In 2008, DB Children’s Books author Dianne Branch wanted to find a children’s book to help guide her daughter Sydney through the process of becoming a big sister. She wanted a book that Sydney could see herself in, but had trouble finding stories with characters that looked like her child.

So she decided to write the book herself for her daughter, and in August of 2011, brought Sydney and Logan’s story to the world by self-publishing Sydney Becomes a Big Sister. In fall of 2011, she added Logan’s Caterpillar to the list of DB Children’s Books’ titles.

Guided almost entirely by her children’s real voices and experiences, her books bring an enjoyable authenticity to young readers that is easy to relate to and understand. Several additional titles will be released in the near future.

Dianne, her two children, and her husband reside in Maryland. 

Check out her four picture books below! Click on a cover to purchase on Amazon.

Sydney and Logan are ready for summer. They have so much to do in so little time. Read and enjoy summer with them.

Sydney and Logan must learn how to share, get along, and take turns with each other. They face challenges like most siblings, but find out how they work them out.

Becoming a big sister is a very special experience for children. Helping the big sister adjust in her new role is important. Sydney is ready to step in this role and invites you to read about it.

Logan is so excited when he finds a new friend in his own backyard. He later discovers that this new friend has changed into something new. Read and learn what it is.

Also available from Barnes & Noble and iTunes!

Find out more about author Dianne Branch and her two kids who inspired this highly rated series of books and apps:

Website \ Facebook 

'Mooshka, A Quilt Story' by Julie Paschkis

Book description:

Karla loves her special quilt, Mooshka. But Mooshka is more than just a quilt-it speaks, comforting Karla at bedtime with whispered stories. Karla's grandmother lovingly pieced Mooshka together using scraps of fabric from members of Karla's family. Each square, or "schnitz," shares aspecial memory of Karla's ancestors and their lives.

When new baby sister Hannah arrives, Karla's routine is upset and Mooshka falls silent. Only when Karla shares Mooshka with her sister does the quilt begin to speak again and tell Hannah the treasured stories ofher family.

**My thoughts**

Sibling rivalry is difficult when a younger sibling is born. Kids don't want to share, no matter how much they love their babies. Karla has a hard time when she needs to share her bedroom with her baby sister. Her beloved quilt helps her to care for her baby sister, to remind her about the importance of family.
Beautiful illustrations accompany this story!    

Purchase from Amazon: http://amzn.to/YLrnQ9

I received a review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Review of Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears?

Carmela LaVigna Coyle's latest children's book, Do Super Heroes Have Teddy Bears? features a little boy and a little girl with blankets as capes tied around their necks. Doesn't that bring back childhood memories? The little sister is asking her big brother all kinds of questions about how to be a super hero. She wants to know things like whether or not super heroes have teddy bears and what kinds of things they can do. He basically tells her that they can do anything that they want. He also teaches her that super heroes are responsible and kind. They take ownership of their mistakes and do what they can to make them right again. They also get to share secrets with each other. Their parents even get involved for a little bit of guidance.


I love the lessons that the book teaches. All kids are capable of being super heroes, especially when they are being what we call good citizens in my classroom. This book shows them how to do that. I like that the parents empower their children to do the right thing, while still having fun with them. I also like how at the end it says that no two super heroes are alike. It's important to be your own hero.

Too often, young children only associate super heroes with fighting and getting rid of the bad guy. This book provides a much more meaningful definition, to which all children should aspire. It will speak to young children and can inspire them to come up with their own ways of becoming super heroes.

I also enjoyed the flashbacks to my childhood that this book gave me, as I used to teach my younger sister the ways of the world. Cute story!

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review of this title.

Review of Henry Helps With the Baby

Beth Bracken's book about Henry and his new baby sister Penny is really cute. At first, he isn't sure what to make of this noisy little creature. His mother tells him that she needs lots of help because she is so little. So, Henry quickly finds ways to help his parents with the baby, such as bringing the burp cloth after a feeding and finding her hat before a walk. He really is sweet with her as he sings her lullabies and kisses her when she cries. He really is a good big brother.

This story is really cute and relatable to young children who have a new baby in the house. After reading it, you can ask the child to explain how he helps with his baby at home. Chances are he will already be telling you as you read through the book.

The illustrations are also adorable. You can see Henry's frustration quickly change to pride as he learns how to help care for his baby. The baby's face shines with admiration as she looks up to her older brother. Parents are often found beaming in the background as their big boy helps out.

I love that on the back of the book are pointers for parents about raising toddlers and young children. Parents need all of the advice that they can get. The information is concise, relates to the story, and is based on current research by the University of Minnesota.

Children and parents will both enjoy sharing this book with each other.


I received a complimentary preview set of galleys from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Review of Big Sisters Are the Best

In Big Sisters Are the Best by Fran Manushkin, the little girl telling the story has a new baby in her family. She explains the differences between being a baby and being the big sister and how she can be a helper to her parents. For young children who are about to become the older sister, these are important points to understand. Some of the help that the big sister offers is playing quiet board games or doing gymnastics outside so that they baby can sleep. It's hard when Mom and Dad are busy with the baby, but she has her own baby doll for which she can care. When the baby is settled, she can still have some of that quality one-on-one time with her parents. She looks forward to when her baby is older and can also play with her.

I like that this book gently acknowledges that sometimes it can be hard for the big sister when her parents have to spend time with the baby, instead. Even though she knows they had to do the same for her when she was a baby, it is still a big change. I like that she offers advice on ways that a big sister can help. I also like the subtle reminder to parents that it is important to make some special time for that older child. So many times it is easy to get caught up in the baby's immediate needs that you forget the older sibling needs a little TLC, as well.

Because the characters have no name, it is easier for the reader to imagine herself in the situation of having a new baby. The illustrations make the baby look like a boy, but no reference to the baby's sex is made. Again, that makes it a more relatable story for the reader.

The story is short and sweet. The illustrations are darling. This is a book that families can enjoy with their children again and again.


I received a preview set of galleys from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.