"Shoo" by Hana Goldberg Empowers Young Children with a Sweet Story of Finding New Friends to Love

Shoo is a sweet little homeless cat that has no place to go, no real food to eat and no one to love him. Maya is a cute little girl whose family moves and now she’s afraid she won’t make any new friends. Will these two meet and comfort each other?

This is an adorable and relatable children’s book for even the youngest child. The story touches on some feelings that many children experience – apprehension over making friends and bonding with pets.

I loved the colorful illustrations in this book. Shoo is a good story for parents and caregivers to read to preschoolers or for older children to read alone. Highly recommended!


5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton 

Book Review of The Ant Thief by Gita V. Reddy

Noira is a lazy ant who refuses to do any work, unlike all the other ants. Instead, she steals whatever she desires and has no regard for anyone but herself. She even has the nerve to steal a diamond ring and claim it was given to her by the king as a reward for her bravery. Noira continues to steal, until one day she makes an enemy of a queen bee. Will Noira change her thieving ways?

 

I love Gita Reddy’s children’s stories. They always have a valuable, yet subtle moral message to them. I also love that she mentions that the idea for The Ant Thief came about as a suggestion from her nephew. Children have the best story ideas! Who better to let an author know what stories to tell than a child?

Once again, Ms. Reddy has written a book that can be used as a conversation starter, to open a dialogue with children about hard work and honesty. The illustrations are adorable and colorful, which will surely hold the attention of even the youngest children. Highly recommended!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

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

Book Review of Bala-Gala the Brave and Dangerous by Gita V. Reddy

Bala-Gala lives among a variety of animals in the forest. Some of these animals are dangerous and Bala-Gala must find a way to avoid being eaten. Morphing into dangerous and brave animals is Bala-Gala’s specialty and readers will enjoy following the changes.

 

This was an imaginative and entertaining story. Readers will think the tale is going one way, but in the end, there’s a lovely surprise. Bala-Gala the Brave and Dangerous should hold the attention of even the smallest children, as they wait to see what happens. The illustrations are vivid, colorful and eye-catching. I could see this book being enjoyed not only at bedtime, but at anytime. Recommended!

Review of Bubbles Big Stink in Frog Pond by Ben Woodard

Bubbles is a frog with a problem. No matter what kind of bugs he eats, they cause him to make some stinky bubbles in Frog Pond. The other frogs are tired of putting up with Bubbles’ “problem” so they banish him from the pond. But, when the other frogs really need him later, will Bubbles come back to save the day?

This story is adorable and easily relatable to most children. Most parents know firsthand how hilarious children think it is to make their own “bubbles” in the bath. This book is sure to engage and entertain even small children. The illustrations are charming, colorful and eye-catching. It’s a short read, so it would make an excellent bedtime or even bath time read. Great fun!

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton

Book Review of The Bees by DC Swain

I chose this book because of the lovely cover art and because I adore children's books. This is a cute little story of the busy lives of bees. This can definitely be used as a stepping-stone to teach children how important bees are to our ecosystem. The book is rated for small children up to age 5 and as a parent, grandparent and former preschool teacher I'm certain it will entertain and hold the attention of little ones.

The illustrations are gorgeous, colorful and whimsical. The book is written in rhyme and in my experience with small children this is always a hit. I would recommend this sweet book for anyone who wants to share a quick and adorable story of the life of bees with children. 

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton