Tag: Mascot Books

My Hair Went On Vacation Book Review

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Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book from the author to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Being a book reviewer for the last few years has allowed me to connect with incredible people. The love and passion that my author friends put into their books is evident to all readers, and today’s book is one of those that truly tugged at my heart strings.

My Hair Went on Vacation, by Paula Quinn and illustrated by Chirara Civati, is a heartfelt picture book about a little girl’s journey with alopecia.

One day, Rosie wakes up with her hair missing from her head. She tells readers that her hair is on vacation and we see her navigate the real world with a bald head. Rosie endures mean comments from kids at school, and her family gives her strength. Rosie loves to paint, and her parents get a head scarf designed for her based on one of her pieces! Rosie then proceeds to send paint to kids near and far, so they can design headscarves for themselves.

I have to be completely honest, my mom read this book before I did. She saw it sitting on the counter and dived right in. After reading, she had tears in her eyes and we had a discussion about the strength of kids (and parents) in this world. When I read this book, I also started to tear up and felt a surge of admiration for this family.

The writing style is fabulous! The rhyming gives the text a great flow, without feeling too juvenile. The sentence structure is a mixture of simple and complex, so that it can appeal to a wide range of readers. The illustrations are fun, especially with the color theme used. The pictures enhance reading comprehension and gives a visual life to the story.

There are a few clear themes in this picture book- pride, strength and making a difference. The themes are clear enough for even younger readers to identify, which will make for great discussions.

As always, my teacher heart gets super happy when author’s include bonus features in their books. This text includes a kid-friendly glossary and a teacher’s guide. The guide has a self portrait idea and discussion questions, with an accommodation for older students (which I LOVE).

This picture book would work well for students in grades P-4 to help discuss character education topics and alopecia.

To purchase the book click here.

*100% of the proceeds of this book go to supporting the Coming Up Rosie’s mission to restore confidence, happiness and pride to anyone struggling with low self-esteem during their medical journey, especially bald children.*

Little Reading Coach is a certified Teacher of English (K-12) and Reading Specialist (P-12) offering online reading,  writing and home-based learning support tutoring services for students in grades 3-12. For more information click here.

The Tooth Fairy’s Tummy Ache Book Review

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Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book from the author to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

I truly feel honored when I get to work with authors multiple times. I love watching the success of their books and all of the children these amazing individuals are impacting. In May I reviewed Lori Orlinsky’s first book Being So Small (Isn’t So Bad After All) 

The Tooth Fairy’s Tummy Ache, by Lori Orlinsky, is a fun, creative picture book that teaches readers about the importance of honesty.

The story starts off with a little girl who accidentally swallows her tooth during her snack. She starts to panic when her she realizes the Tooth Fairy won’t visit unless there is a tooth, so the little girl places a popcorn kernel under her pillow. The Tooth Fairy pays a visit and takes the kernel, but when she gets back to her workshop she notices the “tooth” is a little off. While her fairy friends are helping her examine the tooth, the kernel begins to pop and a mountain of popcorn fills the workshop. The Tooth Fairy opens her mouth and eats some of the popcorn only to wind up in bed with a tummy ache. While the Tooth Fairy is in bed, she thinks about what will happen if she can’t collect lost teeth. She suddenly realizes that the little girl must have lied about the “tooth”.

I love that this picture book is a hardcover. It’s super sturdy and just feels like a good read aloud book. The illustrator, Vanessa Alexandre, did an incredible job creating adorable visuals. I’m a fan of the she included little teeth accessories on the Tooth Fairy and in the workshop.

What really caught my attention with this text is its ability to explore a world that readers don’t often think about. When we think of the Tooth Fairy we just know she comes and leaves money under a pillow in exchange for a tooth. But, what does she do with the teeth? This story answers so many questions in a fun and engaging way, touching on concepts I’ve personally never thought about, such as making dentures for older people.

And to make the story even better, Orlinsky throws in a  fantastic life lesson about the importance of honesty. As adults, we know that lying often has consequences, even if they happen years later. The originality of using a popcorn kernel as a tooth was perfect (and I honestly never thought of that), because it shows kids that while a replacement may look like the real thing, it never will be. The Tooth Fairy teaches young readers that it is always important to tell the truth, even if you are scared.

I would definitely recommend this book for kids in preschool through 2nd grade. I also think it can be used to for character education to discuss the concept of honesty.

To purchase the book click here.

Being So Small (Isn’t So Bad After All) Book Review

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Fun fact: I am 4’10”. I’ve never minded being short. I enjoy having the option of shopping in the kids department (kid Uggs are much cheaper) and I like being able to swing my legs whenever I sit.

Being so Small (Isn’t So Bad After All)  by Lori Orlinsky and illustrated by Vanessa Alexandre, is a fabulous book about a mom and her daughter talking about the positives of being small.

The structure of the story is perfect. The writing structure includes rhyming, which makes the story engaging, along with some adorable illustrations! The plot flows really well and there is never a lull.

One of my favorite aspects of this text are how realistic it is. It discusses the struggles of meeting height requirements for rides and the challenges of playing basketball. My personal favorite example was that the little girl has to walk twice as fast as her friends. I have actually told people to slow down because my short legs can’t keep up with them, LOL.

My two and a half year old definitely takes after me in the height department. As a parent, I know that one day I will have a conversation with her about being small, and I can’t wait to read her this book to help illustrate a great life lesson.

Click here to check out the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Being-Small-Isnt-Bad-After/dp/1643071270/?fbclid=IwAR2kqYhnbS0reVbVA0J4u5iTMe3kcK0VLdyHmNQ6Lxv6ICz51zptOxDHlm0