A Calm-Down Book for Kids

by Jessica Lee

Andrews McMeel Publishing

#BreatheDeepLittleSheep #NetGalley

Pub Date 02 Mar 2021

This title has absolutely adorable and appealing illustrations of both young and adult animals. These should bring a smile to the face of both the child and adult who are looking at this book together. Further, seeing animals and not children may make it easier for children to engage with a book about anxiety.

This is a book to read with a child who is experiencing a bit of anxiety or to read with a child way before those feelings arise. There are gentle suggestions of things to try when a child is overwhelmed. The message that something can be done should be reassuring to a child. Practice right along with the child that you know and let them know that we all need to calm ourselves at times.

This is a book that has a number of suggestions. They do not have to all be done at once. Perhaps a child can pick something to try based on the pages that most appeal to them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. It is an excellent resource.

For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep

by Tish Harrison Warren

This title offers a personal look at a prayer. It begins at a difficult moment in the writer’s life. The author, an Anglican priest, opens her book with a very moving account of a pregnancy loss that led to a potential loss of faith and a trip to the emergency room. In that moment, she and her husband, also a priest, recited a prayer of Compline, relying on a practice with a long historical timeline to sustain them. Having such words at hand provided a connection that was essential. The author moves broadly from this incident to the role of nighttime prayer over the course of this book.

This title acknowledges the ways in which we feel smaller at night, more vulnerable and more frightened. The Compline prayer can add something beautiful and comforting to life at these times. Prayer as ritual is acknowledged and the author takes a deep dive into the individual concepts of the Anglican nighttime prayer. She is an excellent companion and a thoughtful one.

Readers are invited to go on a journey with the author. Those, both Christian and not, will take something away from this thought provoking and moving read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer

by Traci Sorell, illus. by Natasha Donovan

Pub Date 02 Mar 2021  

One thing that I love about kids’ non-fiction titles is that I often learn about something or someone previously unknown to me. That was certainly true with this book. I had not heard of Mary Golda Rose who was a twentieth century aerospace engineer. This Native American’s story is told here and it is intriguing.

Young reader’s learn that Mary’s Cherokee values shaped the person that she was. Her love of Math and Science led her to a successful career. From teacher to becoming an engineer at Lockheed, Mary worked hard and accomplished much.

This title includes helpful sections including a time line, a list of Cherokee values, source notes and a bibliography. Interested readers can thus look deeper into the life and times of this remarkable woman.

STEM education is a focus now. This book will encourage students, especially girls, to reach for the careers that they want. They will be impressed by what Mary achieved and, hopefully, will learn that they, too, can be successful.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

A first book about how we can help save our planet

by Catherine Barr, Steve Williams

Pub Date 02 Mar 2021  

This book begins billions of years ago when the earth was very hot. Children then learn how over time temperatures cooled and oceans were formed. From there, readers see the many changes that have taken place on the planet in a process that occurred over many, many years. They learn that some of these changes have had consequences that can hurt the climate, as for example with methane build up. The ways in which people, plants, animals and more have been impacted are matter of factly laid out. That could feel scary. However, the author ends the book with a reminder of the things that we can all do to improve the quality of our environment and world thus empowering kids.

The illustrations in this title are involving and colorful. There are some amusing captions embedded in them. They will keep the interest of the kids to whom this book is directed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. I think that this book does a very good job in discussing a topic that kids should know about.

by joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviewsJanuary 24, 2021

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