This is a place where readers and authors alike can see live reviews of children's books from all over the world. I will be featuring a new author every week on my site, and posting the recorded reviews here along with more information on where to buy their books. All books will be donated to Project Night Night once they have been reviewed. 

Together we can help promote the artistic magnificence behind children's books and enhance the minds of today's youth!
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The Letter Critters Biographies, by Chase Taylor

4/28/2018

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Why I love this book: I find it refreshing and inspiring when I witness a beautiful creation as a result of a hardship. The author of this book has autism and has been writing and coloring letters since he was a child, and I think it is wonderful that he has taken his experience with autism and created a storybook that can help teach children who going through a similar learning experience.  There are many ways that we can handle the things in our life that are not the same as everyone else, whether it be the way we look, how we learn, how we see, hear, or even grow up. With every situation that is “different” than everyone else, we can handle it in two ways, grow from it or hide from it.  In this case the author of this book decided to take his experience with autism and channel it into a book that can help teach children with similar learning experiences.
His ability to teach the letters utilizing colors and crafty creatures is really unique and I know I am not alone when I say he is helping so many others with his work. I am sure this book took a long time to create, being that he is both the author and the illustrator, and it shows. His patterns of teaching are really unique, and I found it really neat to see his use of repeating sounds and letters, paired with colors. I recommend this book for any young learner. It is fun to read and the characters and storylines are just great!
Looking forward to seeing and reviewing more work from the talented Chase Taylor.

About the Author
Chase Taylor is a teenager who lives with autism. He has always had a passion for letters and art. He draws letters almost every day since he was a little boy. Chase is a Special Olympics Global Messenger and a gold medal athlete. Chase has starred in televised P.S.A. commercials for Special Olympics Connecticut and Autism Speaks New England. He also is part of the Autism Speaks Team Chase and Friends in the Western Connecticut Autism Speaks Walk his parents started in 2010. Chase is not social but he is happy when children love his book. He wants children to learn about letters in a fun and colorful way with his cute Letter Critter characters.

To learn more about Chase visit his website: www.thelettercritters.com
To buy his book: The Letter Critters Biographies





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Speranza's Sweater, by Marcy Pusey

4/22/2018

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This heartwarming story is perfect for any parent or child who is trying to understand the experience of being a foster child. For someone who was unfamiliar with the process and feelings associated, this book really helps paint a picture of what it is like to be a foster child.
The symbology of the sweater is beautiful; something that she is given from her birth mother, desperately holds on to, and takes with her like a memory to many other homes. As it unravels she begins to let go of her anger, sadness and fear and learns to love a new family. I LOVE how the author brings it full circle at the end and shows the main character as a grown up, taking the remnants from her old yellow sweater and knitting it into a new colorful sweater for her own child. This really is a story of hope, which is what Speranza means in Italian.
This story is wonderfully written, and I like that the author explained the feelings associated with this experience. For example, she explains the sadness associated with missing birth parents and siblings, the guilt involved with loving another family, confusion of new places and things, and anger towards birth parents for not keeping promises. By explaining why these feelings occurred it reassures the child that it is okay to experience this wide array of feelings.
The book also has a helpful glossary at the end to help explain words that are commonly used around foster children such as adopt, foster care, forever family, foster parents, and social worker. I highly recommend this book, not only for foster children and their caregivers but for others who are would like to learn about experiences and upbringings that may be different than their own. I believe that by having compassion for others and opening our minds to what others experience we grow as human beings.
To Buy Speranza's Sweater  
 
About the Author
Marcy Pusey, CRC, is a clinical counselor, best-selling author, wife, and mommy. Marcy’s writing has appeared in newspapers, magazines, blog posts, children’s books, and books for adults internationally. She has been a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for nearly a decade. Marcy has written books for adults, such as “Reclaiming Hope: Overcoming the Challenges of Parenting Foster and Adopted Children” and books for children, such as “Tercules” “According to Corban” and “Speranza’s Sweater,” and a journal: “Castle Quest.” 
She uses a decade of experience writing and publishing for children to edit, critique, and coach other writers and their work, specializing in children’s literature.
She lives in the Black Forest of Germany with her husband and children. You can learn more about Marcy at 
www.marcypusey.com.
 

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The Snitch, The Witch, and The one who was Rich by Joe Spraga

4/14/2018

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This book is really special. I personally can relate with the way this book came to Joe… as a tune or a jingle. I get a lot of ideas that way as well, and sometimes I think that is comes from being “in tune” with the universe and being open to receiving new ideas. It is neat to me that this idea/chorus for the book came to him in 1995 and it wasn’t until he became ill nearly twenty years later that he realized the full meaning of the story he was meant to write, and the important lessons it was meant to teach.

The book itself is beautifully written and illustrated. It looked like something out of a movie. He uses these quirky, yet perfect rhymes to introduce all of these ‘flawed’ characters who are waiting in a long, long line to see Father Time…how ironic is that. It is exciting to see each of these new characters come along to stand in line, and how he describes their reasoning for being there.

My favorite part of this entire story was the “gifts” that Father Time granted each character. For example, the Witch has always been a horrible witch and no one likes her so she is standing in line to see Father Time for some sort of magical gift to be given to her, when in reality she could have avoided standing in line all together if she would have lived her life with kindness and gratitude.

This book is BIG and FUN and most importantly teaches valuable lessons to both parents and kids, be kind to one another, and live this life you have been granted with love and compassion for all.

About the Author: Joe Spraga


Joe was raised in the Detroit Metropolitan area. An artist at heart, Joe is a graduate of Western Michigan University, with a Bachelor’s of Arts in English (Creative Writing) and a Minor in Philosophy. Joe legally became disabled in 2015 due to health problems, and realized then that time is the only true commodity. This book came to him as an idea in 1995, and played in his head like a chorus, which makes sense, given his other hobby, playing music. The chorus of this book played in his head for years and years, and it wasn’t until 2018 that he was able to bring his story to life.
He has always observed life around him and studied the ways in which we are all connected to one another. He wrote this book to teach both children and adults that we must use what little time we have on this planet and be good to one another. This book is meant to be shared between adults and children as a “quality-time, bonding experience”, and help remove people from the digital screen to enjoy time with one another, something that seems to becoming a commodity itself. For more information on Joe, and to buy his book visit his website
https://joespraga.com/ 

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SNURTLE! By Baruch Inbar

4/6/2018

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SNURTLE!!!
I LOVE this book for many reasons. One reason is how fun it is to say the word SNURTLE! I have literally been saying it all week, just out of nowhere, SNURTLE! Besides the fun title, this book represents many beautiful lessons around accepting others that are different, and the importance of being open minded and kind.
The story behind this story is also extremely special . I always like to learn what inspires people to write their stories and share their messages. This author grew up as a foster child and was very familiar with feeling like his family was different than others. This book also applies to children that have two moms, two dads, biracial parents, parents that might not be as wealthy as everyone else, and the list goes on. There are SO many reasons why people can choose to judge others, reject others, or shun them. This book teaches us to choose love, choose kindness, and embrace the differences which make us unique.  
This book also demonstrates that in the face of anger and hatred you can rise up and find a place where you do belong, and turn a hardship into a beautiful experience.
One final reason that I love this story is the charity that it supports. The author of this book also started a nonprofit organization to support foster children. So, every time you purchase SNURTLE, you are helping his charity, Bless the Children Project.
Two HUGE thumbs up to this book, and the powerful and relevant messages that it shares.

 
About the Author

 
Baruch Inbar is an accomplished, award winning visionary artist, illustrator, writer, designer and a published children's books author from Northern California. For the past years and most currently, Baruch has been busy creating his own media properties, and consulting to other companies including Fortune 500 companies such as: Sony, Disney, Coca Cola, and individual entrepreneurs, where he had been involved in the development of numerous entertainment and media projects: animation, film, apps, toys games and theme parks. 
He published two children books (both authored and illustrated): 'SNURTLE' and 'TREE STAR', and contributed the artwork for the graphic novel 'BALACLAVA JUNCTION'.
Baruch's website is: http://www.Snaut.com
He has also created a nonprofit organization to support foster children, called Bless the Children Project. The main mission of this project is to educate and empower foster kids and foster youth of the incredible health benefits of plant based foods and sustainable living. This project is an initiative of KATHARSIS, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization that is committed to spreading the message of health, well-being, arts and creativity.
http://www.blessthechildrenproject.com/about-us.html
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    About Me

    Hi! My name is Tracy Blom and I am a twenty-time published author who loves writing and promoting children's books. Every week I will be reviewing a new book and posting it here!


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