*Review* You Need to Chill by Juno Dawson

 

Genre: Children's 4-8 years

Published: May 2, 2023

Pages: 32

A delightful, endearing debut picture book by bestselling author and activist Juno Dawson in which a sister answers everyone's questions about where her brother Bill has gone.

When Bill can't be found at school one day, the imaginations of the other children run wild. Is he on vacation? Is he lost in the park? Has he been eaten by a shark?! It's up to Bill's sister to explain…

Juno Dawson' debut picture book is a witty and fun-filled rhyming story about family, identity, and acceptance. Bold, joyful and warm-hearted, its message of love and inclusivity shines through on every page.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This is a rhyming book about a young girl whose older brother has become her older sister. At first the kids in her class are confused about where her brother is, and like kids do, they come up with some really interesting places that Bill might be. It takes most of the story for the girl to be able to tell them that who they knew as Bill is now her sister, Lily, and that Lily is still the same person she was, just with a new first name and a slightly different appearance. 

I'm not sure how to feel about how much of the focus of the book was on where Bill might be as opposed to how little attention was paid to the fact that Lily is still the same person she always was, even when everyone knew her as Bill. A part of me feels like the latter should be a bigger focus, but maybe it's better to not treat it like a big deal, because it shouldn't be a big deal. It's not something I have personal experience with, so I don't know what the approach should be. 

The illustrations were colorful and fun, really giving shape to the kids' imaginations throughout their speculation. I would definitely read this book more than once if asked to. Overall I give it 4.68 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Juno Dawson is the international bestselling author of fiction and nonfiction for young adults. She is a columnist for Attitude magazine and a key LGBTQ+ activist with the charity Stonewall. A former teacher specializing in behavior studies, Juno now writes full time and lives in Brighton, England.

LAURA HUGHES is the illustrator of Kelly Clarkson’s New York Times bestselling picture book RIVER ROSE AND THE MAGICAL LULLABY as well as the enormously successful ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN. Laura is based in Hastings on the South Coast of England.

*Review* Someday is Now: Clara Luper and the 1958 Oklahoma City Sit-Ins by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

 

Genre: Children's 6-9 years

Published: August 7, 2018

Pages: 36

More than a year before the Greensboro sit-ins, a teacher named Clara Luper led a group of young people to protest the segregated Katz Drug Store by sitting at its lunch counter. With simple, elegant art, Someday Is Now tells the inspirational story of this unsung hero of the Civil Rights Movement.

As a child, Clara Luper saw how segregation affected her life. When she grew up, Clara led the movement to desegregate Oklahoma stores and restaurants that were closed to African Americans. With courage and conviction, she led young people to “do what had to be done.” Perfect for early elementary age kids in encouraging them to do what is right and stand up for what is right, even at great cost, this is a powerful story about the power of nonviolent activism.

Someday Is Nowchallenges young people to ask how they will stand up against something they know is wrong. Kids are inspired to follow the lessons of bravery taught by civil rights pioneers like Clara Luper.

This moving title includes additional information on Clara Luper’s extraordinary life, her lessons of nonviolent resistance, and a glossary of key civil rights people and terms.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

Prior to this book, I knew nothing about the Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma. Considering the fact that Clara Luper's student led sit-ins occurred before the Montgomery sit-ins that I did learn about, briefly, in school, it seems weird to me that mention of them wasn't even like a short footnote for that learning. Reading this book really helped bring home for me just how recent the Civil Rights movement was because it gave me some more personal reference points. For instance, at least one of the children that participated in the sit-ins with Mrs. Luper was at most a year older than my dad. And Mrs. Luper was still alive when my daughter was born. 

The details in this book were really easy to understand, it was very simple language used for the most part so children can understand the story. It also felt more personal, so hopefully it sticks better than memorizing facts for school can, because that is important too. I know it's going to stick with me better at least. 

The illustrations were something. There were definitely style choices that are very different from the children's books I've been reading lately and so they kind of threw me off. I think they did do a good job of showing the way black children were treated differently than white children. 

Overall I give this book 4.87 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is the author of several children’s books, including Operation Sisterhood, It Doesn't Take A Genius, 8th Grade Superzero, Two Naomis, co-authored with Audrey Vernick, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award, Saving Earth: Climate Change and the Fight for Our Future, Above and Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow, and the picture books Someday Is Now and Mae Makes A Way. She is a member of the Brown Bookshelf, and editor of the We Need Diverse Books anthology The Hero Next Door. Olugbemisola lives with her family in New York City where she writes, makes things, and needs to get more sleep.

Please visit with her anytime on IG @olugbemisolarhudayperkovich and at http://olugbemisolabooks.com for updates and more. Thank you for reading!

*Review* ABC Black History and Me by Queenbe Monyei

 

Genre: Children's 3-6

Published: February 28, 2023

Pages: 32

ABC Black History and Me presents 26 historical concepts, events, and people—from A to Z—that are important in Black American history.

 

From A is for Advocate to Z is for Zest, each letter of the alphabet is paired with inspirational historical concepts in this 9x9-inch board book. Along with the upbeat, rhyming text covering both well-known and more obscure topics, are colorful illustrations that promote an excitement and curiosity about Black American history. Covering trailblazers from A to Z but also chronologically, this book features a visual timeline with additional information for more in-depth learning on the people, places, and events discussed. From Harriet Tubman and Fanny Jackson Coppin to Amanda Gorman and Ketanji Brown Jackson, ABC Black History and Me covers more than 170 years in a short board book appropriate for the little ones. This book is not only perfect for getting toddlers comfortable with their ABCs, but also for reflecting on how we are all affected by this history and how even the youngest of children will affect the future.

With age-appropriate concepts and visuals, ABC Black History and Me is a perfect discussion starter for the whole family. Even adults will find something to learn in this board book!

The ABC for Me series presents a world of possibilities from A to Z and everything in between! For all little kids with big dreams, the endearing illustrations and mindful concepts in this series pair each letter of the alphabet with words that promote big dreams, inclusion, acceptance, healthy living, and other key concepts important to emotional well-being. Other books in this series include:

• ABC Love (2017)
• ABC What Can She Be? (2018)
• ABC Let’s Celebrate You & Me (2021)
• ABC Bedtime (2022)

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This was a rhyming book that went through several notable achievements and contributions from Black Americans (at least I think they were all Americans). I'm personally not familiar with all of them, which means this book designed for young children can easily lead to me learning some new things too. The rhymes flowed really well and never felt forced, which is always a plus for me. 

The illustrations in this book were colorful and varied, showing us the various people being discussed. The names of the notable Black Americans felt almost hidden, without actually being hidden, kind of like watermarks almost. They weren't always in the same spot on the page, and it made the book feel a little more interactive trying to find them for each person mentioned. 

It was a quick read with each page only have a couple lines of text to relate to the letter featured. It's a book that I could definitely read a few times, especially since the rhymes flowed so well. It's definitely a great book to read to your child, especially during Black History Month. Overall I give it 4.98 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Queenbe Monyei is a digital artist and gif creator. After graduating from UCLA, she worked abroad as a teacher in the UK, Istanbul, Denmark, and Germany while honing her craft as an illustrator. She also illustrated and published a children’s book called The Magic String. After teaching for several years, she worked on a design team as a vector illustrator before transitioning into freelancing. She is passionate about drawing marginalized groups in everyday situations through the use of bold colors, hoping to shed light on their humanity. Her art has been featured on Flow Magazine, GIPHY, The Cartoon Network, HGTV, Givingli, Mary Young, and on prints available from Target.

*Review* The Hot Cross Bunny by Carys Bexington

 

Genre: Children's 3-5

Published: March 7, 2023

Pages: 32

Hot-Cross Bunny is a hilarious Easter-themed romp of a picture book, packed with chocolate eggs, a cross bunny and a pooping dragon!

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This was an adorable rhyming book about a bunny who has really struggled to grow any chocolate eggs for Easter. As a last ditch effort, he throws all sorts of things in his pot, including chilis and spotted socks, in the hopes that he can grow a super special egg and win the golden Easter egg cup. But his egg-speriment gets him a dragon that quickly flies to the real world to eat all the chocolate eggs that were already hidden for the boys and girls. 

The illustrations were very fun and colorful, as one would expect from a book about Easter eggs. And the dragon was an unexpected fun addition to an Easter story. I could definitely read this book more than once because it was fun to read. Overall I give it 4.2 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Amazon did not have any author information available. 

*Review* Mr. and Mrs. Witch by Gwenda Bond

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Published: March 7, 2023

Pages: 352

In Mr. & Mrs. Witch, the next novel from bestselling author Gwenda Bond, a couple discovers at the altar the surprising secret identities they’ve kept from each other.

Savannah Wilde is a witch, a very powerful one―an identity that only her fellow witches know. Following a whirlwind romance that surprised herself and her family, Savvy is all set to marry the love of her life. But she isn’t the only one with a secret that needs to be kept, even from her soon-to-be husband.

Griffin Carter is a top agent for a clandestine organization that, well, used to primarily hunt witches, but now mainly tries to shut down supernatural threats their own way. He can’t wait to lay his eyes on the woman he’s about to spend the rest of his life with.

As Savvy walks down the aisle to Griffin, the wedding quickly goes from blessed day to shit show when their true identities are revealed. To say there’s bad blood between their factions is putting it mildly. Savvy and Griffin are tasked to take the other out, but when they discover a secret that could take down both of their agencies, they realize the only way to survive is to team up. With assassins hot on their trail, will Savvy and Griffin make it out alive to try again at ‘I do’?

"This is a special day. And she's pretty sure there's no murder on wedding days. (Well, unless it's a TV show and George R.R. Martin is in charge.)"

"Never thought I'd have to say this, but I'm pretty sure it's just a normal penis."

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

Have you ever wished that the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith was a paranormal romance novel? If so, your wish has been granted. And weirdly, I feel like that comment gives away the entire basic plot of this book. But I'm also pretty sure that I'd made that judgement call in the very beginning of the book, which would be accessible as a preview through Amazon anyway, so...

Even with pretty much knowing the basic plot of the story early on, I still wanted to keep reading to see how the characters got there. The story is told jumping back and forth between the start of the relationship and the present, jumping between both main characters heads as well so you get to see the whole story unfold from both angles. The past sections made the present sections a bit frustrating because there was clearly a lot of misunderstanding and assumptions being made. But I also liked the past sections more overall. 

And I really don't want to get into too much more detail because I feel like that would seriously spoil the book for people who don't want real spoilers. Overall I give this book 3.9 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Gwenda Bond is the New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the first official Stranger Things novel, Suspicious Minds. Check out her paranormal rom-com duology Not Your Average Hot Guy and The Date from Hell now. She clearly escaped from a classic screwball romantic comedy. She lives in a hundred-year-old house in Lexington, Kentucky, with her husband, author Christopher Rowe, and a veritable zoo of adorable doggos and queenly cats. She writes a regular substack newsletter at gwendabond.substack.com. Visit her online at www.gwendabond.com or @gwenda on Twitter. She loves hearing from readers.

*Review* The Unofficial Big Lebowski Cocktail Book by Andre Darlington

 

Genre: Cookbook

Published: March 7, 2023

Pages: 176

Raise a glass to the 25th anniversary of The Big Lebowski with this highly giftable unofficial cocktail book featuring 50 cocktails, brews, and other spirits inspired by the beloved movie’s characters and scenes.

The Big Lebowski—the hilariously quirky comedy-thriller about bowling, avant-garde art, nihilistic Austrians, White Russians, and a guy named…the Dude—is a cult classic. Now, with The Unofficial Big Lebowski Cocktail Book, you can relive the movie one drink at a time!

Award-winning beverage writer and best-selling author André Darlington shows you how to create these and more iconic cocktails at home:
 

• The Dude (White Russian)
• Porn Star Martini
• The Nihilist 
• Bowling with Jesus
• Maude’s Manhattan

In addition to 50 signature drinks, this beautifully designed unofficial cocktail book includes food and song pairings that align with the major characters that have become life lessons and spouted advice within popular culture. Fully illustrated, this unofficial ode to The Big Lebowski is sure to have you reliving the movie and offering up these words of wisdom to your friends.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

I am going to preface this review by letting you know that I have not tried any of the recipes in this book at this time, because that would require me to build up my home bar or host a party where everyone brings a needed bottle of booze. I am very seriously considering doing the latter however, because I could also make the food items and we could watch the movie and it sounds like kind of a great idea to me. 

Anyway, the cocktail recipes provided here seem pretty simple, although there are a few ingredients that I'm probably going to have to google to figure out where to buy them (like cocktail onions, what the heck are those? Also ew.) But even though I haven't made any of these recipes yet, I'm fairly confident that I can pull most of them off with relative ease once I have the necessary ingredients. There are definitely some that sound more appealing to me than others, but that really boils down to personal drink preferences. 

The biggest highlight of this cookbook in my opinion is the illustrations. They are so bright and colorful and just absolutely early 90s. They're eye-catching and give a rough idea of what the cocktails should look like when they're completed without having to be actual cocktails. And while my memory of the movie is quite rusty, I'm pretty sure they include some key pieces that are relevant to each cocktail's inspiration. 

This is a book that I would definitely buy for my home cookbook collection, and you really gotta' splurge for the physical copy because the digital version just isn't it. It'll get the job done in a pinch, but there's no way it provides the same experience. 

Overall I give this book 4.73 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

André Darlington is a former restaurant critic and restaurateur turned award-winning beverage writer. He is the best-selling author of eight cocktail books, including Gotham City Cocktails, Booze Cruise, and Bar Menu. He abides in Greensboro, North Carolina.

*Review* Mula and the Snooty Monkey by Lauren Hoffmeier

 

Genre: Children's 4-6 years

Published: March 8, 2022

Pages: 32

After the mischievous little Fly helped Mula the sleepy tiger to wake up and get energized, they're back to help Svadi, a very snooty monkey, stop worrying about what others think!

Give yoga a try with Mula and the Fly!

Svadi is a very snooty monkey.
But when he hears the jungle beat, Svadi stops worrying about how he looks. He is ready to move his hips and sing the song inside his heart!

Book 2 in the Mula and the Fly series:
Mula and the Fly is a beautifully-illustrated picture book series that promotes mindfulness and provides young readers with a soft introduction to yoga. The fun characters and easy yoga poses promote a happy, healthy lifestyle and encourage young readers to relax and unwind.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. This is my honest review. 

This was a short story about a monkey who is a giant jungle bully learning to listen to his heart and just have fun and not care what others think. It seemed to be a bit of a message about bullies being a result of people maybe being bullied themselves. I got the impression that Mula wouldn't let loose because of things others had said about him in the past, which is not cool. 

The illustrations were so colorful, and also very heavily blue, which I love. They were bright and vibrant and very eye-catching. And there were some guided yoga exercises at the end of the book that even I could do. Overall I give this book 3.62 out of 5 stars. - Katie 

Amazon

Lauren Hoffmeier was raised in the heart of New York City with a performance background in opera and musical theatre. She is a certified vinyasa yoga instructor and graduate of Boston University. In this brilliant world of oddballs and misfits, she aims to inspire positivity by encouraging an international mindset of joy and uniqueness.