Daniel The Draw-er by S.J Henderson

Daniel The Draw-er by S.J. Henderson

I've had this in my Kindle forever, but I've always put off actually reading it. I didn't expect much, because the title is kind of odd, and I'm just used to being disappointed by books I picked up at random. 

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It's about a kid named Daniel. In this book, he has a fight with his best friend, because he doesn't want to share his magic pencil. His pencil allows him to draw himself out of bad situations. But what will happen when he is confronted by a bully and doesn't have his pencil or his best friend by his side.

This book was a great read with a main male character and a co-main female character who is the best friend of the main character. Daniel's mom is also a character and is supportive of Daniel while still letting him make his own decisions.

The characters were interesting and realistic. I would have liked to see more of Daniel's best friend, and I would have also liked to see more scenes with the magic pencil. Overall, the story was good, but the book was way too short.

Please write more (and longer) books, S. J Henderson!

Dana Also Deserves a Playground by Yael Manor

Today, I'm reviewing Dana Also Deserves a Playground by Yael Manor. This book is available in English, Hebrew, and a bilingual (English/Japanese) version.

Dana is a little girl in a wheelchair. When she goes to the playground, she is sad because she can't play with the other kids. The other kids, along with their parents, all conspire to help Dana. Will they all get a happy ending with a playground that Dana and other disabled kids can enjoy?

It was kind of hard to read this without tearing up a little, because it was so nice how all the kids wanted to help Dana and make sure that she was able to play with them and have a good time. The pictures by Biljana Mihajlovic added to the story with lots of joyful images of children playing.

The book only has a few small typos, but other than that, it's easy to read and the story line flows well.

I recommend reading this to children who might be wondering about how disabled children play, or to disabled children who will soon be getting a playground like the one in the story. 

It's a good story with a good message. I am glad to have it in my collection.

Dana Also Deserves a Playground

The Little Blue Digger and the Very Muddy Day by Harriet Tuppen

The Little Blue Digger and the Very Muddy Day was written by Harriet Tuppen and illustrated by Branislav Gapic.

In this book, there is a red vehicle who is very attached to his red color. He doesn't want to get his red exterior messed up, but when some little sheep need rescuing, will he run away or save the day?

This is a great read for early readers who are starting to read by themselves. The story flows nicely, and it teaches a good underlying message.

I really enjoyed the soft illustrations. The sheep were so cute!

If you love vehicles or sheep or both, you are sure to enjoy The Little Blue Digger and the Very Muddy Day.

The Little Blue Digger and the Very Muddy Day - A Mucky Construction Site Story for 2-5 Year Olds

New Release! Tiramisu Tuesday by Penny LeClair

About Tiramisu Tuesday

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and the Juniper Café is buzzing with excitement. Rosa, however, is not impressed. It’s her least favourite day of the year. To make things worse, her big sister Margaret just got a boyfriend and doesn’t spend any time with her anymore. With a story from the past, a cheesy greetings card and a delicious serving of tiramisu, Rosa might just change her mind about Valentine’s Day!

You can buy the book here. 

About Penny LeClair

Penny LeClair is a composer and writer from Ireland. She loves to read and write stories about friendship, family, music and magic. Among her favourite books are the Chronicles of Narnia, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Harry Potter.

Her first book, ‘Star Syrup’, was partly inspired by her years singing in a school choir, and she likes to put musical and theatre references into her books too. Penny now lives in Brisbane, Australia, but likes to keep in touch with writers and readers all over the world.

You can find Penny on Twitter. @Pennystarsyrup

Sophie Washington: The Snitch by Tonya Ellis

So, I just read Sophie Washington: The Snitch, and I have to say. It was a fantastic read. Sophie is just too freaking adorable! OMG. Not just the way she dresses. From the illustrations you can see she typically wears tunic style dress with a pair of capris. But her personality is also so adorable and loveable.

Except when she is around her brother, who she cannot stand. She thinks she is trying to help him stop sucking his thumb, but she just ends up making him feel bad. Oops! Turns out, his friends are more understanding than she thought they would be.

Unfortunately, Sophie has to deal with a bully at school. The bully, Lanie, is SUPER mean. She takes other kids money. But what will happen when she physically injures another kid?

This book had a lot of fun imagery and has great messages for kids. Sophie is part of a happy, normal family who cares about her, which is nice to read about. She even starts to get on with her brother during the book. She learns that sometimes keeping secrets can be harmful. She learns that her friends are supportive and will stand by her when she needs them too. I really liked that Sophie had a friend who was an exchange student from Africa. (One of my awesome classmates last year was an exchange student from Africa. I adore her!)

Tonya Ellis is on my "authors to watch" list. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books by her!

Click HERE to buy it!