Wednesday, December 19, 2018

PLUM by Sean Hayes and Scott Icenogle / Book Review #Plum


By: Sean Hayes & Scott Icenogle
Illustrated by: Robin Thompson
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Released on: October 16th, 2018
Ages: 4 & up
Purchase Links
Rating: 4 owlets
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review

Plum will not stay glum.

For as long as she can remember, Plum has lived at the Mary Fitzgerald Orphanage, wishing and hoping for a family. When a sudden snowfall threatens a delivery of presents on Christmas Eve, Plum is determined to save Christmas—even for the kids who laugh at her.

Plum’s pure heart grants her an unexpected reward. When she eats a cake left behind by a mysterious magician, she is transported into the Land of Sweets. But Christmas here is threatened, too—by a sourness that is spreading from the center of the land. Plum’s determined to help, and in doing so, she might just find the family she’s always dreamed of, thanks to a good heart—and Christmas magic!


Inspired by the Nutcracker and how the Sugar Plum fairy got her wings, this is a magical, Christmas book with a heartwarming story that kids of all ages will love. Readers will love Plum's pure heart, and the magical world she finds herself in. It's no surprise she gets her happy ending. She has a heart of gold, and goes out of her way to do nice things to those who aren't nice to her at all. It's not hard to fall in love with Plum! Thompson's illustrations are simply adorable. I love the warm color she uses. Her illustrations bring Plum's story to life perfectly. 

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

ALL IS MERRY AND BRIGHT by Jeffrey Burton and Don Clark / Book Review #AllIsMerryAndBright


By: Jeffrey Burton
Illustrated by: Don Clark
Published by: Little Simon
Released on: October 30th, 2018
Ages: all
Purchase Links
Rating: 5 Owlets 
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review

A gorgeous keepsake book that shines with holiday cheer and foil on every spread, All Is Merry and Bright is full of illumination and hope—perfect for the youngest readers in your life.

Stars jingle in the sky
All is calm over night
All is merry
All is bright


As cheer and good will fill the air, there is an undeniable, joyous feeling that connects the world during the holiday season. With show-stopping foil, embossing, and spot UV on every page, All Is Merry and Bright is an artistic and shimmering board book celebrating the deep sense of happiness and hope that glows as warm and bright as the holiday lights.


ALL IS MERRY and BRIGHT is a visually stunning board book that captures that merriment of the holiday season perfectly. I absolutely loved this oversized, beautifully embossed, brightly illustrated board book. The illustrations stand out, the color scheme is eye catching, and will easily hold very short attention spans, and the binding is extremely sturdy for a board book. This book is the most durable board book I've read. The use of limited, yet simplistic wording describing the holiday season makes for a read that kids will enjoy and understanding. Having the bright illustrations embossed creates a book that kids will not only love looking through, they'll enjoy feeling the textures. This book definitely lives up to it's MERRY and BRIGHT name. I recommend picking this one up! I gifted it to my 14 month year old niece, whom loved it. 

Monday, December 17, 2018

CONSTRUCTION SITE ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT by Sherri Duskey Rinker / Book Review #ConstrutcionSiteOnChristmasNight


Written by: Sherri Duskey Rinker
Illustrated by: AG Ford
Published by: Chronicle Books
Released on: October 16, 2018
Ages: 3 & up
Purchase Links
Rating: 5 Owlets
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review

VROOM and ZOOM into the holidays with this new Christmas classic from the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Mighty, Mighty, Construction Site!

The trucks are gearing up for Christmas by building a special gift! But, there's a surprise waiting for each of them, too! Presents await for Excavator, Bulldozer, Crane, Dump Truck, and Cement Mixer as each finishes their part of this big, important job and rolls off to a sweet and sleepy goodnight.

Playful rhyming text from the bestselling author of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and vibrant illustrations from the acclaimed artist AG Ford make this a perfect gift for young construction fans everywhere.


Another fabulous Construction book to fall in love with. This festive holiday read is an  ode to the original book. Kids will love the illustrations, and rhyming text, and the richer storyline than the original story will keep kids entertained. 

With Christmas fast approaching, the vehicles are all working together to make a new fire house for the fire trucks in time for Christmas night. The rhyming makes this book entertaining for young readers, as does the illustrations. We loved the classic look and feel they gave this book. I gifted this book to my nephews for Christmas who also have the other books in this series, and they absolutely loved it. We loved this book. Whether or not you have the other books in this series, this book is one I'd recommend picking up this Christmas season. 

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

THE CHRISTMASAUSRUS by Tom Fletcher / Blog Tour: Book Review #TheChristmasaurus


By: Tom Fletcher
Illustrated by: Shane Devries
Published by: Random House Kids
Released on: October 23, 2018
Ages: 8 & up
Purchase Links
Goodreads
Rating: 5 Owlets
Thank you to RHK for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Why settle for a pony or a puppy for Christmas when you could have a dinosaur? A rollicking adventure from singer-songwriter and YouTuber Tom Fletcher.

Once upon a time--long, long ago, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth--an egg rolled away from its mother and landed in the ocean, where it froze solid and stayed peacefully for thousands of years. Then one day Santa and his elves discover the frozen egg, and Santa sits on it to see if it will hatch. But he can't guess what's inside. . . . A dinosaur!

Meanwhile, a young boy named William Trundle has only ever wished for one thing for Christmas: a dinosaur! So when Santa accidentally gives William the real Christmasaurus instead of a stuffed replica, it's the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER! Until an evil man known as the Hunter decides a dinosaur will be the perfect addition to his collection.

A wild and hilarious adventure ensues. An instant Christmas classic!


"Believing is the most powerful magic of all."

Why settle for any other Christmas story when you can read one about a Christmas-aurus? If you've not heard of a Christmasaurus before, I hadn't either until I read Tom's book. Now I want one. This one of a kind Christmas dinosaur definitely steals the show in this sweet holiday story.  

Tom Fletcher is a fantastic story teller! He has created a story that captures the essence of Christmas, while at the same time creating the perfect laugh out loud families / classrooms will enjoy. It's a fun mix of a kid friendly Christmas caper, mixed with a North Pole adventure, complete with elves (not the kind you're thinking), a villain who is not nice at all, and another who turns out to not be so quite as bad as she thinks she is, and a boy named William Trundle whom you can't help but love. 

I loved that Tom Fletcher created a main character who is in a wheel chair. It's not often you find a character in a wheelchair in kid books. William is a character so many readers will love, and identify with. Despite how amazing he is, he's a kid who does get bullied. He doesn't let that stop him from being who he is, or believing in what he believes in (Santa). There's an interesting turn of events with William and the person who bullies him that ties into the Christmas part of this story. 

Rich in family friendly humor, this story paired with beautifully illustrations is a must read. I absolutely loved it! I highly recommend picking this book up! Don't forget to look at the extras at the end of this book. It's totally worth it. I'm hoping this will be the first of many books from Fletcher and Devries.

Monday, December 10, 2018

THE BROKEN ORNAMENT by Tony DiTerlizzi / Book Review #TheBrokenOrnament


Written & Illustrated by: Tony DiTerlizzi
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Released on: September 18th, 2018
Ages: 4 & up
Purchase Links
Rating: 5 Owlets
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review

When a beloved ornament breaks, will it ruin the holidays or save them? New York Times bestselling author and Caldecott Honor–winning illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi offers a brand-new Christmas story that is sure to be a holiday classic.

Jack wants this to be the best Christmas ever, and he knows just how to make it happen…

More! More lights, more presents, more cookies, more treats. More. More. More! So, when Jack breaks a dusty old ornament, he’s not sure why his mom is so upset. They can always get more ornaments, so what’s the big deal? Turns out the ornament was an heirloom, precious for more reasons than one. And Jack has a lot to learn about the true meaning of Christmas.

A fairy emerges from the shattered ornament. She has the power to make the most magical Christmasy things happen. Suddenly trees are sprouting, reindeer are flying, and snowmen are snowball fighting. All of it is so perfect, or it would be if she could fix Mom’s ornament. But she can’t.

So it’s up to Jack to make some Christmas magic of his own.


A timeless Christmas classic, DiTerlizzi's newest release is a visual feast that captures the childlike innocence and wonder of the Christmas season. Beautifully told and illustrated, this a heart felt Christmas story that reminds us of the joy, wonder the Christmas season holds. Most importantly, at the heart of this story is what the Christmas holiday is all about; giving to others. 

I only wish this was a story I had, had when my children were little. I absolutely love this book. Stunning illustrations, and a beautifully told story aside, I love the concept of a winter fairy being set free when an ornament breaks. If you're looking to add a new Christmas book to your collection, I highly recommend adding this one! This book has been added to our collection of favorite Christmas books along side classics like The Polar Express. 
I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~