Book Review: The Bear Who Couldn't Sleep by Caroline Nastro

Title: The Bear Who Couldn’t Sleep
Author: Caroline Nastro
Publisher: North South Books Inc
ISBN: 073584268X (ISBN13: 9780735842687)
Release Date: October 1st 2016 (expected)
Pages: 32
Genre: Children’s
Format: ebook (will be hardback)
Source: NetGalley

GoodReads:
There’s no place like home when it’s time for bed. When Bear can’ t sleep, he goes on an adventure and discovers the wonders of New York City a parade, Central Park, hot dogs, and more! But when he finally gets tired and looks for a place to rest . . . he learns why it’s called the city that never sleeps. What’s a bear to do? Caroline Nastro’s gentle adventure and Vanya Nastanlieva’s engaging illustrations are sure to comfort and delight!"

Mine:
Bear just can’t sleep so he takes to wandering off. He stops along the way at the other forest animals homes, but most of them are sleeping also. He finds his way to the Big City – New York – what’s a bear to do, but visit all the popular places.


*I received a free ARC of The Bear Who Couldn’t Sleep from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*

Reading Challenges:
2016 Pages Read ( The Crafty Engineer's Bookshelf)
2016 I Love Picture Books (Bea's Book Nook)
2016 What an Animal Reading Challenge IX (Socrates Book Reviews)
Let's Turn Pages Challenge (GoodReads - 2015 and 2016 Reading Challenge)
2016 New Release Challenge (Books, Movies, Reviews, Oh My! and (un)Conventional Bookviews)

Book Review: Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10 by Ami Rubinger

Title: Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10
Author: Ami Rubinger
Publisher: Abbeville Kids
ISBN: 9780789210661
Release Date: March 29th 2011
Pages: 28
Genre: Children’s
Format: ebook (will be Hardback)
Source: NetGalley

GoodReads: Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10 takes readers through a world of playful pups that love to count! Each spread's rhyming text leaves out the last word, allowing little ones to chime in and shout out the missing number. The amusing illustrations provide countable clues for the numbers that have been left out. With Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10, accomplished illustrator Ami Rubinger once again turns his humorous and imaginative eye to an otherwise simple subject. This is Rubinger's third rhyme-completion book, a technique that teaches children about concepts like counting with a fun, fill-in-the-blank challenge that encourages participation. His colorful, computer-generated canines will make little faces smile, and the rhyming game will have them counting from one to ten, again and again.

Mine: The wonderful thing is that children can play along with this book as they try to fit in the word that rhymes. The colorful illustrations make the book come alive.



Reading Challenges:
2016 Pages Read ( The Crafty Engineer's Bookshelf)
2016 I Love Picture Books (Bea's Book Nook)
2016 What an Animal Reading Challenge IX (Socrates Book Reviews)
Let's Turn Pages Challenge (GoodReads - 2015 and 2016 Reading Challenge)
2016 Reading Challenge (GoodReads)

Book Review: Mermaids on Mars by Nancy Guettier

Title: Mermaids on Mars
Author: Nancy Guettier
Publisher: Morgan James Publishing
ISBN: 9781614486411
Release Date: April 1st 2013
Pages: 34
Genre: Children’s
Format: Paperback
Source: Author

GoodReads:
Mermaids On Mars is a sweet tale that educates children on the importance of water conservation. Beautifully illustrated and simple to follow the rules the mermaids want to share with children all over the world on the importance of water conservation with simple things they can do to help save this precious resource.

Mine:
What a timely book living in California where we have had a drought for several years. A very cute way to tell children to conserve water. Flush when you use the toilet, not when you throw a tissue in. Water plants with a wateringcan not the hose. Don’t leave the water running when brushing your teeth. Love the fact that they tell kids to brush.


Reading Challenges:
2016 Pages Read ( The Crafty Engineer's Bookshelf)
2016 What an Animal Reading Challenge IX (Socrates Book Reviews)
Let's Turn Pages Challenge (GoodReads - 2015 and 2016 Reading Challenge)
2016 Reading Challenge (GoodReads)

Book Review: Over-Schedule Andrew by Ashley Spires

Title: Over-Scheduled Andrew
Author: Ashley Spires
Publisher: Tundra Books
ISBN: 9781770494848
Release Date: January 12th 2016
Pages: 32
Genre: Children’s
Format: ebook (will be hardback)
Source: NetGalley

GoodReads: Andrew loves putting on plays so he decides to join the drama club at school. Determined to make his performance the best it can be, he joins the debate club to practice his public speaking. He signs up for dance and karate to help with his coordination. Then he's asked to play for the tennis team and edit the school newspaper. Before long he's learning to play the bagpipes, attending Spanish classes and joining the French film club. Suddenly Andrew doesn't have time for anything or anyone else, not even his best friend Edie. And he definitely doesn't have time to sleep. Will Andrew figure out how to balance all his favorite activities and his best friend at the same time? A hilarious, over-the-top look at a common issue many kids today face.

Mine: Very cute – it seems like all our lives – we try to cram too much in to everyday. The only thing here is that it is a little worrisome it that some of this is so true and you wonder if kids really get to be kids it we take them from one activity to another. We spread ourselves thin, but do we need to teach that to our children early on.

He realizes that it’s too much and misses his best friend. It is a over-the-top look at what we all do on an everyday basis.


Reading Challenges:
2016 Pages Read ( The Crafty Engineer's Bookshelf)
2016 I Love Picture Books (Bea's Book Nook)
2016 What an Animal Reading Challenge IX (Socrates Book Reviews)
Let's Turn Pages Challenge (GoodReads - 2015 and 2016 Reading Challenge)
2016 Reading Challenge (GoodReads)

Book Review: An Armadillo in New York by Julie Kraulis

Title: An Armadillo in New York
Author: Julie Kraulis
Publisher: Tundra Books
ISBN: 9781770498914
Release Date: April 12th 2016
Pages: 32
Genre: Children’s
Format: ebook (will be hardback)
Source: NetGalley

GoodReads:
A winsome armadillo from Brazil takes a trip to New York in this delightful new picture book from Julie Kraulis. Arlo is an armadillo who is always up for adventure. His grandfather, Augustin, loved adventure too. When Arlo was born, Augustin wrote travel journals about his favorite places for Arlo to use when he was old enough to go exploring on his own. When Arlo reads about New York and the mysterious Lady Liberty, he decides it's time for his next adventure. He travels to New York and, guided by Augustin's journal, discovers the joys of the city: gazing at the vast skyline, visiting the Guggenheim, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge and, of course, meeting Lady Liberty . . . but who is she? Each spread has a clue about her identity, and kids will see hints of her scattered throughout the pages. This book is like a gorgeous stroll through New York with an adorable friend--a stroll you'll want to take again and again.

Mine:
Arlo is a wonderful creature – who wants to follow in his grandfather Augustin’s footsteps. Based on grandfather’s journals he must find Lady Liberty. On his way there he experiences other sights and wonders of New York” Empire State Building, Broadway, he then finally gets the ferry to see Lady Liberty.

Very cute story that takes you around New York – it’s a nice tour of a wonderful city.



Reading Challenges:
2016 Pages Read ( The Crafty Engineer's Bookshelf)
2016 I Love Picture Books (Bea's Book Nook)
2016 What an Animal Reading Challenge IX (Socrates Book Reviews)
Let's Turn Pages Challenge (GoodReads - 2015 and 2016 Reading Challenge)
2016 Reading Challenge (GoodReads)

2016 What an Animal Reading Challenge IX

Welcome to the 2016 What an Animal Reading Challenge IX. I began hosting this challenge in 2010, when I took it over from Kristi at Passion for the Page. I love reading books that feature animals and am going to host this one again. I hope you will join me.



The challenge will begin on January 1st. Read on for more details...

The rules are really simple...

1. Read at least 6 books that have any of the following requirements:


a. there is an animal in the title of the book

b. there is an animal on the cover of the book

c. an animal plays a major role in the book

d. a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like).

Level 1 - Read at least 6 books

Level 2 - Read 7-12

Level 3 - Read 13-20

Level 4 - Read 21 or more

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragon, mermaid, centaur, vampire, werewolf...you get the idea...


3. Challenge runs from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. That’s a full year to read at least 6 books. 


4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.

5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or you can just list them as you find them.


6. Book titles may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).


7. Crossovers with other challenges are permitted and encouraged.


8. You don't have to have a blog or write a review, but you can if you want to.
 If you don't have a blog, just post in the comment section that you'd like to join. You can post your books in there. Or you can sign up by joining my group on Goodreads for this challenge by clicking here.

9. Books can be in any format of your choice (print, audio, ebooks)

This reading challenge event is hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews....
​For more information and to sign-up, please see this post.

I think I will go for Level 2 - 7-12 books

1 An Armadillo in New York by Julie Kraulis
2 Mermaids on Mars by Nancy Guettier
3 Over-Schedule Andrew by Ashley Spires
4 Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10 by Ami Rubinger
5 The Bear Who Couldn't Sleep by Caroline Nastro
6 The Green Umbrella by Jackie Azua Kramer
7 Herbie's Big Adventure by Jennie Poh
8 Let's Go, Dear Dragon by Margaret Hillert
9
10
11
12