Picture Book Review: We Disagree by Bethanie Deeney Murguia

Cover of We Disagree showing a mouse in blue shorts and a squirrel in a red hatIt’s hard to believe it’s March already! The first couple of months of 2021 turned out to be…shall we say…challenging? Of course I realized that things weren’t going to change drastically overnight with the turning of the calendar page, but I had high hopes for some return to normalcy. I do think we’re getting there. It just takes time. I’m going to cling to my optimism throughout the year and allow my faith to give me hope. And the year hasn’t started off all bad. I had two new books just release from Capstone Press! It’s always exciting to see a completed project in print!

I’m also happy to share that I’m sticking to my reading goals for this year. I’m current on episodes of the Bible in a Year podcast which means I’ve already read all of Genesis and Job, Exodus and Leviticus, parts of Proverbs and Psalms, and am currently reading Numbers and Deuteronomy. I have learned so much, and I can’t recommend this podcast enough! I’ve also read a cozy mystery, which was unfortunately a miss for me, a nonfiction book written by visionary Mirjana Soldo about her apparitions of the Blessed Mother in Medjugorje, and I just finished a terrific memoir by actress Maureen O’Hara about her life and career during the Golden Days of Hollywood. It proved to be funny and entertaining. I love her feistiness and her spirit!

In addition, I’ve been reading a lot of picture books for work, and today I’ll be reviewing a new picture book that I think needs to be read in every home and classroom in America. It’s called We Disagree by Bethanie Deeney Murguia. Truthfully, I’d love to see this book in the hands of several adults I know as well!

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Picture Book Review: Catching Thoughts by Bonnie Clark

In June, I highlighted a phenomenal new picture book, Taste Your Words. It was the debut picture book from author Bonnie Clark. This month I am thrilled to recommend her new picture book, Catching Thoughts.

Catching Thoughts Cover

Catching Thoughts is an equally touching story about a young girl who learns an important lesson in self-care. Mental health and well-being is crucial, especially now as we all deal with the stresses and anxieties of this pandemic. Catching Thoughts is ideal for any kiddos who struggle with anxiety. I honestly think this book could help anxious youth and adults as well.

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Picture Book Review: Grown-Ups Never Do That by Davide Cali, illustrated by Benjamin Chaud

Grown Ups Never Do That CoverI will be sharing a few picture book reviews in the coming weeks as I have been fortunate enough to receive early copies of two upcoming releases, Catching Thoughts by Bonnie Clark and The Whatifs by Emily Kilgore. Both books deal with anxieties that kiddos face, a very important topic, especially given the current global pandemic.

I’ve been thinking about kiddos a lot lately and how difficult all of this must be for them to understand and to cope with. They had to end their school year early, they’ve had to be secluded from friends and relatives for weeks or months at a time, they are still restricted from some normal summer activities, and there is no definite answer about schools opening in the fall.

Now that bookstores and libraries are reopening, parents and kids have an exciting opportunity to get out of the house and explore some new stories. It’s also an exciting time for authors who’ve been waiting months to share their new stories with the world. Today, I’ll be highlighting Grown-ups Never Do That by Davide Cali, a timely tale with a much needed lesson for kids and a good reminder for adults too.

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Picture Book Review: Taste Your Words written by Bonnie Clark, illustrated by Todd Bright

I feel for so many different groups of people who are being affected by this pandemic in different ways. I feel so badly for the kiddos who didn’t get to say goodbye to their friends or teachers for the year. My heart breaks for graduating seniors who got no prom, no commencement ceremony, and missed out on half of their senior year. I can’t imagine how difficult this time has been for those who live alone and can only interact with others virtually. While that helps, it’s just not the same.

Kait's Bookshelf Taste Your Words Cover

I also feel so badly for authors, especially debut authors, who were to be published during this time and had to have their pub dates pushed back. Or to authors whose books did publish on schedule but were unable to promote their books with signings, school visits, etc. This will undoubtedly impact book sales, and it just doesn’t seem fair.

So for today’s blog, I’d like to highlight Taste Your Words, the debut picture book from author Bonnie Clark, which released in April.

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Book Review: Don’t Check Out This Book! By Kate Klise (illustrated by M. Sarah Klise)

Kait's Bookshelf Don't Check Out This Book!I don’t know about you, but nothing makes me want to read a book more than someone telling me I can’t or shouldn’t read it. Maybe this is why I love banned books so much. I just have to know what all the fuss is about! Today’s review is of the newly released Don’t Check Out This Book! by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise from Algonquin Young Readers. The book is an illustrated novel for young readers in grades 3 through 7. As the title suggests, it’s all about fighting censorship and corruption.

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New Scary Stories for Kids!

The humid summer weather is finally letting up here, bringing a welcome rush of cool air. There’s nothing quite like opening the windows and having that fresh, crisp air breeze through the house. Of course with the cooler weather comes back to school followed by all things Halloween. I was surprised to see Halloween décor hitting shelves in August, but now that we’re a couple of weeks from October, I don’t mind it so much. I really enjoyed the displays of scary stories I saw at the bookstore this week. There was something for everyone, from Stephen King’s newest release, The Institute, to middle grade scary stories and even Halloween and monster themed picture and board books for kiddos. Today I’ll be reviewing two new children’s picture books that have released just in time for scary story season.

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Picture Book Reviews: Moon’s First Friends and Unicorn Day

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Today, I’ll be sharing reviews of two new picture book releases from Sourcebooks. One is about the Apollo 11 mission and is a great way to introduce kids to science and space. The other is a whimsical story of inclusion and acceptance featuring unicorns and rhyming words.

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My New Book: How Facebook Changed the World

kaits-bookshelf-how-facebook-changed-the-world.jpgWhat a month! What a couple of months actually! I have been very busy with work over the last six weeks or so – but that’s a great thing! I love being a writer and working on articles and new book projects.

I have been fortunate enough in my writing career to become a published author. I have written several nonfiction educational books for children and teens, and just recently finished working on a couple of new ones that will be out in 2020.

In January, I had a new book release as part of a middle grade series called Inventions That Changed the World. I wrote about Facebook. There’s no denying that social media, and Facebook in particular, has had a huge impact on our world. That’s what I dive into in my latest book, How Facebook Changed the World.

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Book Review: Ruby in the Sky by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo

Kait's Bookshelf Ruby in the Sky
Cover art is copyright of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group

I love middle grade novels. Last year I did a post about why I love reading the young adult genre, and I think I may have to do a similar one about middle grade in the future. MG novels are the best! The characters are usually around 10 to 13 years old and still figuring out who they are, where they fit in, and what the world is all about (aren’t we all?!)

I recently received a new MG novel from Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Ruby in the Sky by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo. To be honest, the title and the cover drew me in right away. Yes, I know, we’re not supposed to judge books by their covers. But, come on, look at it! Those beautifully blended winter blues and purples in the trees and reflecting off the snow…that gorgeous pink moon…the young girl dancing in the snow…and is that a dog? For a dog mom like myself, you just can’t beat a book with a dog on the cover. I was intrigued from the get-go.

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Book Review: The Borrowers by Mary Norton

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Well, July is in full swing and that “summer vacation” feeling is in the air! I stated in my last post that I often gravitate toward middle grade and young adult books in the summer. I chose The Borrowers as my July book bucket list pick for this very reason. I figured that I would probably be in the mood for something light and imaginative, and I have wanted to revisit this childhood favorite for some time. It seemed like the timing would be perfect, and it was.

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