spaceonthebookcase's reviews
1082 reviews

The Worry Monster: Calming Anxiety with Mindfulness by Dr. Catherine Cook-Cottone

5.0

The Worry Monster is filled with anxiety about his upcoming field trip and using seven mindfulness techniques he is able to calm himself down. These mindfulness tricks, even though this book is aimed at young readers, are often used by my teenage daughter when she is felling overwhelmed. I like that each area ends with a question to engage young readers and the reinforcement that it's okay to have big feelings, but it's equally important to know how to calm those "what if" thoughts. This is a book every child and classroom should have. 

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy. 

Many Things At Once by Veera Hiranandani

5.0

What does it mean to be everything at once? For the FMC it means being part Indian and part American, part Hindu and part Jewish. Our families are made up of a lot different combinations, but for younger children who are trying to discover who they are, it can be frustrating and confusing. Drawing from her own life as a child, author Veera Hiranandai does an excellent job at weaving those delicate emotions with such a rich history and background. Truly loved the book!

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy. 

***50 States Challenge: New York 

The Rainbow Cleanup: A Magical Organizing Adventure by Clea Shearer

5.0

Brightly illustrated with a magical twist, Hannah has her friend Mia over for a sleepover but they can't find anything to do or play with that isn't dried up or missing pieces. With the help of a little magic the friends use The Home Edit steps to clean and organize the room from top to bottom. This is a great book to introduce organization to small children, with easy to follow pictures along the way it can definitely be used to reinforce the importance of cleanliness and organization.

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy. 

It's Not Easy Being a Leprechaun by Marilyn Sadler

5.0

Being a Leprechaun is hard, especially when everyone wants your gold and you're so small you're basically a lawn ornament. In the book, Its Not Easy Being a Leprechaun, Connor sets out on a path to try to be something different. From royalty to builder, Connor finds that he's not really cut out to be anything but himself. With themes like accepting own self and friendship, this is a great book for young readers. 

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy. 

Celebrating Chinese New Year: History, Traditions, and Activities – A Holiday Book for Kids by Eugenia Chu

5.0

The Chinese New Year, also called the Lunar New Year, kicks off a 15 day celebration centered around happiness, health and prosperity. 

Sourcebooks Kids recently sent me a handful of books about various holidays including Why We Celebrate Chinese New Year by Eugenia Chu. Even though the book is aimed at younger readers I actually learned a few things. The bright illustrations are well done and I appreciate the inclusion of a glossary, educational resources, recipes and instructions for games. This is a well formatted, easy guide to go through with your children as they learn about a holiday they may not celebrate.

Thank you Sourcebooks Kids for the gifted copy. 

***Reading Around the World: China 

Solitude Suits Me: A Tragic Treasury of Wednesday Quotes by Random House

5.0

Based on the Wednesday Netflix series, this pocket sized book features popular quotes from the series alongside pictures from the cast. I love the cover and design of the book, the pages are black. While the majority of quotes are from Wednesday Adams, other cast members are also featured throughout the book. For fans of the show, this book is definitely for you!

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy. 

Coolest Club Ever! by Stephen Shaskan

5.0

Pizza and Taco decide to start a new club at school, but disappointment ensues when they find out they're not the only ones starting a new club. With themes of friendship and finding common ground, I felt this was a great addition to the series. Love the illustrations as always!

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy.

A Copycat Conundrum (The Misfits) by Lisa Yee

5.0

The second book in The Misfits series, A Copycat Conundrum picks up where the first book stops. If you haven't read the first one I felt like this would make a pretty solid standalone. 

The story was well written and definitely left the series in a great place for book three. I really love the emphasis on friendship and teamwork, while also leaving space for family redemptions. 

***50 States Challenge: California

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy.

Cinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper) by Kim Bussing

4.0

If you walk into this book expecting a strict retelling of Cinderella and Belle's stories I think you'll be disappointed. This is a more modern take with loosely followed concepts from the fairytales; for me this wasn't a bad thing and I think it'll help appeal to a younger audience. Given that the characters were turned into preteens I did appreciate that author, Kim Bussing, chose to move away from the romance aspects of the original fairytales and moved to a place where kindness, friendship and empathy towards others took center stage. 

Kim Bussing is a strong writer, I love that this series is debuting with sprayed edges, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted copy.

The Perfect Home by Daniel Kenitz

2.0

If I were to write down a formula of what makes a thriller The Perfect Home would fit all of the boxes, which may sound like a good thing, but it made for a really boring book. 

Charming, charismatic husband...check
Low self-esteem, wife who's been gaslit...check
High stakes drama...check
Bad police procedure...check 

There was no shock and awe, and I think that stemmed in part to the dual points of view. If we excluded Wyatt, and allowed Dawn to be an unreliable narrator it may have had more twists and turns but every twist and every turn could be seen from chapters away. The friendship were like superficial, and the police were just so bad. Also, even if the house was owned by a shell company it is still Dawn's known residence and no way would it have been considered illegal for her to return. 

If you need an easy read, this may be a book for you. If you want something thrilling, I'd sit this one out. 

Thank you Scribner Books for the gifted copy. 
***50 States Challenge: Indiana, Tennessee