Review 5 star
Find It On Amazon MELO: The Quest for the Flaming Red Flower by Lehann Anderson is a beginning reader’s book about adventure, outer space quests, and making new friends. In it we meet Melo, a cute blue alien from Mars who lives a life much like a child on Earth. He learns about Earth in school and dreams of visiting, as children here study other places and long to see them. Melo has friends, teachers, a happy life. But when one of his teachers takes the whole class on a field trip to Earth in search of a mythical flower, Melo gets separated from his classmates. He makes new friends, which is good because they’ll need to help him with more than his quest. This delightful story has a fun, child-centered take on outer space and a narrative that’s meticulous and multi-layered for a book in this age bracket. MELO: The Quest for the Flaming Red Flower offers some fantasy, some sci-fi, gorgeous illustrations that bring the world of spunky, enthusiastic Melo to life, and a lovable little hero who’s all gung-ho to see the world and certainly reminded me of myself at that age. Lehann Anderson brings Melo’s emotions to the forefront as he journeys amid fantasy scenarios in a simple, daily way. In spite of his blue skin, Melo is actually very human, and children will see themselves in him—cheerful, friendly, and truly boundlessly curious. Every child’s imagination and ability to explore has the potential to stretch to distant planets (if only their parents and teachers had the spaceships to take them there!) and the sudden friendships Melo makes are resonant and realistic to kids, who often find old friends disappearing and new people taking their place in a sudden way. A lively, lovable read. Review 5 star
Find It On Amazon The Rainbow with Dull Colors by J. J. Johnston is a beautiful little book that teaches children the importance of having confidence in how valuable they are to God no matter what they look like or whether they are different from other children. Archie, a self-conscious rainbow up in heaven, is sad because he has very dull colors. The others glow brightly and are sure they are better suited to God’s work. They pick on him and laugh at him. God takes Archie on a tour of the world and explains that he doesn’t always use flashy things to speak to people. After comforting Archie, he explains Archie was made this way deliberately for a reason and then He gives him a special mission. What a charming book! With lovely illustrations that capture every emotion the rainbows are feeling and that children can sympathize with, The Rainbow with Dull Colors stood out to me as an excellent children’s book. Without being heavy-handed, J. J. Johnston builds a solid explanation for how God cares for those who feel underrated, in friendly language kids can understand. The parallel between Archie being discounted by other rainbows up in heaven and his mission, a shy little girl who is being picked on at school on earth, teaches kids in a nutshell that God understands—He isn’t remote. He sees everything and He cares. The message that God wants us to be proud of our individuality, even if it seems we don’t have what someone else does, is an excellent focus for the story. Archie tries to be someone he isn’t, but only by doing what God has required of him does he find true happiness. Review 5 star
Find It On Amazon The HappyFeet Kids Make New Friends is written by Donald Dione. It’s a companion to the HappyFeet Kids soccer program for young kids, which uses story time with the soccer ball to help preschoolers learn soccer and life skills. In the book, this fun approach is emphasized. Five diverse children (from the US, India, Mexico, and China) live and play together in the pleasant, peaceful land of Socceropolis with their coach, Jan. They soon encounter some truly unique friends—a group of little bobcats who swallowed magical balls and have now swelled to become soccer balls with fur and tails. The grumpy Bobcat-Balls, called The Bobs, have much to teach the eager children about soccer and teamwork. Donald Dione’s book is a really good, fun educational tool. Everything that would catch a child’s eye and make them feel included is present—detailed illustrations, imaginativeness with the bobcat-soccer-balls, hands-on activities, even a personalized place in the front of the book for the kid to write their name and become one of the team. If you’ve got preschoolers and want to get them involved in sports, this is a great place to get their feet wet. The HappyFeet Kids Make New Friends is completely inviting, a quick and easy read-aloud, and encourages kids to think of the soccer ball as their close collaborator and friend. The wonderful little Bobs are a clever idea that will wow kids as the furry friends interact with the children, help them, and at the end of the book practice basic soccer skills with them. |
AuthorThis is the companion for Sarah Scheele's newsletter blog. In it I share reviews for books I'd recommend/are similar to my own. Archives
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