Category: Books

Books, Children's books

Peppa Pig and The Christmas Play

“Peppa Pig and the Christmas Play will show you the power of a promise in the most adorable way.” – Momma Braga

Synopsis

It’s holiday time, and Peppa Pig and her friends are busy getting ready for the Christmas play. Everyone has a part to play – elves, snowflakes, the tree, the shining star, even the Christmas nurse! Peppa is happy to be the Christmas fairy, but what she really wants is for Santa to come to the show. He said he would when she saw him at grocery store.

With the play about to begin, there’s no sign of the special guest, but Madame Gazelle says the show must go on. Will Peppa take the stage? Will Santa keep his promise?

#MelAndNikkiReview

Peppa Pig and the Christmas Play brings our favorite characters from Peppa Pig for some holiday cheer and fun. We loved the addition of the jolly man himself, Santa! Best of all they learn the power of a promise and that is truly magical!

“Santa never lets anyone down.” – Nikki, Age 5

If you have a Peppa Pig enthusiast in your home, then this is the perfect book for them. You also get a bonus with this book as it includes a coloring poster inside the jacket. So the holiday fun continues with Peppa!

Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview we give it 5 reindeers out of 5!

If you would like to purchase this book, click here.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

– Momma Braga

*This book was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.

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Books, Children's books

Maisy’s Christmas Party | Book Review

You’ve got mail! When Maisy invites her friends to a holiday party, she receives several pull-out gifts that she’s happy to share with fans.

Synopsis

The holidays are coming, and Maisy’s friends are thrilled to receive invitations to her party. It will be fun to play games, tell stories, sing carols, and eat treats! Dotty, Eddie, Cyril, Tallulah, and Charley all send thank-you notes to Maisy, each with a little something she might enjoy. And Maisy has something to give to her readers as well! Kids will be excited to reach into the envelope pockets to find:

  • An ornament
  • A simple gingerbread recipe
  • A book of jokes
  • A.small advent calendar
  • A puzzle
  • And a Christmas card from Maisy!

#MelAndNikkiReview

Maisy’s Christmas Party is absolutely adorable and the perfect addition to a little one this Christmas.

“I love opening the envelopes in the book and see all the surprises.” – Nikki, Age 5

Nikki loved seeing the surprises in each envelope and to be honest, so did I. It reminded me how the littlr things like writing a letter can add to the Christmas spirit. Maisy also gives all the readers a special surprise at the end too! Therefore, make sure to write the child’s name at the end to make it extra special when you are reading it. 😉

Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give Maisy’s Christmas Party 10 Gingerbreads out of 5! It won’t disappoint your little one and remember to enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones.

If you would like to purchase your own, click here.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

– Momma Braga

*This book was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.

Books, Children's books, Crafts

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt | Christmas Activity Book

“A perfect activity book for Christmas!” – Momma Braga

Synopsis

Inspired by the animated special based on a beloved classic, this treasure trove of activities, fun facts, and more than a hundred stickers is the perfect gift for a magical time of year.

There’s so much to make, do, and discover in the countdown to Christmas! Whether kids like staying indoors to make crafts or stepping outside to explore, they’ll find plenty of ideas in this gem of a book. Would you like to create a wreath, design your own cards, pr make a special cake for the birds? How about learning some seasonal jokes, looking for winter creatures, or completing a Christmas tree calendar with stickers? With easy-to-follow instructions, charming illustrations, and plenty of holiday spirit, this hands-on guide to making the most of the season will children entertained and inspired.

#MelAndNikkiReview

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt: Christmas Activity Book is the perfect activity book for the holiday season. It truly does have many wonderful activities to keep your little one entertained. We have tried some of them already but are saving most of them to do during Christmas with our family. Nikki loves the option of coloring your own stickers and it made her feel extra special to say that she colored it on her own.

To pick a favorite activity for me would be very difficult as I love Christmas and all the activities are perfect and easy! The activity book comes with a Christmas Tree Calendar and we will be posting it on our door so that each day Nikki can put a sticker on the tree as our countdown. Such a simple and easy idea to do with a beautiful impact for the child. Oh did we mention there is a golden treat recipe too?! There is just so much fun to be had with this Christmas Activity Book.

Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give it 5 stars out of 5! Christmas fun awaits in this book and as a parent you will have fun too!

This would make a perfect gift for a child between the ages of three and seven. If you would like to purchase one, click here.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

–Momma Braga

*This book was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.

Books, Children's books

The Little Snowplow Wishes For Snow

“The Little Snowplow shows us the power of a birthday wish and we absolutely adore it!” – Momma Braga

Synopsis

The Little Snowplow loves his job on the Mighty Mountain Road Crew, but the work he loves best is plowing snow. Throughout the year, he wishes for a snowy winter.

But winter begins without a single flake in sight. As the weeks pass and the little snowplow’s birthday approaches, he starts to worry that it might not snow all winter long! Will the little snowplow’s wishing and waiting – and some help from his friends – make his birthday dreams come true?

#MelAndNikkiReview

The Little Snowplow Wishes for Snow is a perfect winter book for the snow enthusiast chid or adult. 😉

You can’t help but wish for snow for the little snowplow. We love being invested in the main character’s story and this children’s story does just that!

Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give The Little Snowplow Wishes for Snow 5 snowflakes out of 5! We love the storyline and illustrations. We also love the message of friendship and the power of a birthday wish.

“How magical! The Little Snowplow made a special wish and it came true. That’s why I always wish so hard.” – Nikki, Age 5

If you would like to purchase this book, click here.

About the Author

Lora Koehler is an author and children’s librarian. She lives near the Mountains in Salt Lake City, Utah, where snowplows of all sizes come in handy.

About the Illustrator

Jake Parker is the illustrator of many books for young readers, as well as animated films and comic books. He also lives near the mountains, in Provo, Utah, and wishes the little snowplow would stop by his driveway every winter.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

–Momma Braga

*This book was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.

Books, Children's books

Red Rover Curiosity on Mars

“Red Rover is a gorgeously illustrated tale that explores the vast, inhospitable landscape of Mars and the adventures of the little rover that calls the planet its home.”

Synopsis

Mars has a visitor.

It likes to roam…

observe…

measure…

and collect.

It explores the red landscape – crossing plains, climbing hills, and tracing the bottoms of craters – in search of water and life.

It is not the first to visit Mars.

It will not be the last.

But it might be…the most curious.

Join Curiosity on its journey across the red planet in this innovative and dynamic non-fiction picture book by Richard Ho, illustrated by Sibert Honor winner Katherine Roy.

#MelAndNikkiReview

Red Rover is truly a captivating story that can spark your own curiosity in Mars. Though not human, the titular rover (reminiscent of WALL-E) captures readers’ hearts with its diligence and playful curiosity—while asking a topical question that has enraptured even those outside the scientific community: Who will we send to Mars next?

This children’s book serves as an accessible entry point into discussions about technology and space, the story evokes an atmosphere both foreign and yet intimate. You can’t help but fall in love with it all. We also love the detail that the author put into the story as you can find information on past Curosity that has visited the planet prior to the latest one. You also get to learn about a new one that is anticipated to land in 2021 – cool right?!

You even get some interesting facts about Mars too and your little curious reader will love to learn them all! I know we sure did!

Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give it 5 rovers out of 5!

To purchase your own copy, click here.

About the Author

Richard Ho is a children’s book author who was once, himself, a child. He is a former journalist and current editor at BrainPOP, an educational website that offers Common Core – aligned animated video content for K-12 audiences. Red Rover is his first book for young readers.

About the Illustrator

Katherine Roy is the award-winning author and illustrator of Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California’s Farallon Islands and How to Be an Elephant: Growings Up in the African Wild. She loves science, history, and big adventures, and is endlessly fascinated by the way things live. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, she currently lives with her husband and young son in Oregon.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

-Momma Braga

* This book was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.

Books, Children's books

The Shortest Day | Book Review

“So the shortest day came, and the year died…”

Synopsis

As the sun sets on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles. They played music, bringing their own light to the darkness, while wondering if the sun would ever rise again. Written for a theatrical production that has become a ritual in itself, Susan Cooper’s poem “The Shortest Day” captures the magic behind the returning of the light, the yearning for traditions that connect us with generations that have gone before – and the hope for peace that we carry into the future. Richly illustrated by Carson Ellis with a universality that spans the centuries, this beautiful book evokes the joy and community found in the ongoing mystery of life when we celebrate light, thankfulness, and festivity at a time of rebirth. Welcome Yule!

#MelAndNikkiReview

The Shortest Day is a great book that celebrates winter solstice. It is written beautifully with illustrations to accompany it perfectly. It gives us the best explanation of solstice that can be understood by children. We also love how the poem, The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper is in its entirety on the last page.

This book is a great tool to teach children (7 years+) about the solstice. At the solstices, the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in our sky, giving us the longest or the shortest day of the year; at the equinoxes, day and night are almost equal. Spring equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox, winter solstice; round and round they go.

We just enjoyed this story immensely and therefore, we give it 5 stars out of 5! This book is a classic and you will enjoy it too.

If you would like to purchase this book, click here.

About the Author

Susan Cooper wrote “The Shortest Day” for John Langstaff’s Christmas Revels, where it is performed annually across the country. She is the author of the classic fantasy sequence The Dark Is Rising, which includes the Newbery Medal winner The Grey King, as well as many other books for children and adults. She lives on a salt-marsh island in Marshfield, Massachusetts.

About the Illustrator

Carson Ellis is the creator of the Caldecott Honor Book Du Iz Tak? and the New York Times bestseller Home. She is also the ullustrator of The Composer Is Dead by Lemony Snicket and Dillweed’s Revenge: A Deadly Dose of Magic by Florence Parry Heide, and she collaborated with her husband, Colin Meloy, on the best-selling Wildwood series. Carson Ellis lives outside Portland, Oregon.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

-Momma Braga

*The book was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.

Books, Children's books

Rainbow Rangers Rocks Reading Time

Reading time just got a whole new set of colors streaming in! Let us introduce you to the Rainbow Rangers!

Rainbow Rangers is an American computer-animated television series produced by Genius Brands which premiered on Nick Jr. on November 5, 2018. The series follows seven 9-year-old magical girls – Rosie Redd, Bonnie Blueberry, Indigo Allfruit, Anna Banana, Mandarin Orange, Pepper Mintz, and Lavender LaViolette – who are represented by the colors of the rainbow.

Now the series can be taken to bedtime with the book series. We got to review four of the books and are delighted to share it with all of you.

Rainbow Rangers: Rockin’ Rainbow Colors (Ages 1 to 3)

Summer Greene’s Rainbow Rangers: Rockin’ Rainbow Colors is an original adventure based on the hit animated series on Nick Jr.!

Perfect for the youngest Rainbow Rangers fans, this tabbed board book is a great introduction to color concepts.

Each Rainbow Ranger rocks a different color of the rainbow! Meet these superheroes, from Rosie Redd to Lavender LaViolette, and learn their matching colors!

Rainbow Rangers: The Quest For The Confetti Crystal (Ages 3 to 6)

The Rainbow Rangers, nature’s superheroes, are throwing a party! Floof, their pet prismacorn, is in charge of protecting the very special Confetti Crystal for the celebration. When the crystal disappears, Floof goes on a journey through the rainbow world of Kaleidoscopia to retrieve it. With the help of some new magical friends, can Floof find the crystal and save the day?

Rainbow Rangers: To The Rescue! (Ages 3 to 6)

Kalia calls the Rainbow Rangers, nature’s superheroes, to action! A melting ice floe has separated a polar bear cub from its mother. Rosie Redd, Anna Banana, and Bonnie Blueberry are sent on a rainbow-ride to Earth to save the day. But they’ll have to work as a team to reunite this polar bear family!

Rainbow Rangers: Meet The Team (Ages 3 to 6)

Meet seven girls who work as a team. They live in a magical land. They help protect Earth and save the animals. They are the Rainbow Rangers and they are nature’s superheroes! Learn about each Ranger’s personality and power in this character guide. The clear text and colorful illustrations make this book a perfect fit for new and emerging readers.

#MelAndNikkiReview

Rainbow Rangers have truly made a colorful splash on our reading line-up! We were very excited to get to know these amazing Rainbow Rangers who are heroes to Nature on Earth. We can all learn about helping through their adventures. We may not have their super powers but we are capable of helping nature and the environment around us.

It is hard to pick a favorite from this series as we loved each and every book. We also love the word-play on the rainbow colors with all their names! Nikki’s personal favorite is Anna Banana.

Each book in the series is delightful, colorful and full of adventure for young readers. Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give the series 5 rainbows out of 5! You will simply love each character and what they bring to the team as they protect the Earth’s environment.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

-Momma Braga

*These books were provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.

Books, Children's books

Gigantosaurus Series Takes A Chomp On Reading Time

If you have a little one in your home, you may have encountered The Gigantosaurus TV series. If not, let us give you a little bit of the low down. 😉

About the Series

The Gigantosaurus TV series is based on the best-selling book by world-renowned author Jonny Duddle and developed and produced by Cyber Group Studios, made its U.S. debut in January 2019 to rave reviews. Airing on Disney Channel and Disney Junior, the show invites young viewers on the prehistoric adventures of four curious young dinosaur friends – Rocky, Bill, Tiny and Mazu – as they explore the mystery of Gigantosaurus, the biggest, fiercest dinosaur of all. Every imagination-inspiring episode follows the group on a quest where they face individual fears and work together to solve a problem. As the inquisitive Mazu, playful Tiny, timid Bill, and courageous Rocky aim to learn more about Gigantosaurus, they discover they each have something to learn from him, too!

Now you can take this animated series into story time as they are releasing some great books that you will adore to read. We got a chance to review three books in the series and here is what we learned.

The Story of Gigantosaurus

When Mazu, Rocky, Bill, and Tiny – four young dinosaur friends – set off on a Gigantosaurus hunt, they’re in for a wild adventure. They search far and wide, through jungles, rivers, and more, meeting all kinds of dinosaurs along the way. Eventually, unbeknownst to them, they end up inside the mouth of the very dinosaur they fear the most! With the humor, engaging text, and bright, colorful artwork, this title is the perfect introduction to the world of Gigantosaurus.

#MelAndNikkiReview

The Story of Gigantosaurus is definitely the perfect introduction as it allowed us to enter the world of Gigantosaurus and get to know all the characters. We loved getting to know each character and the qualities they bring to their group of friends. The illustrations are bright and fantastic! They truly bring the story to life and the animated series to book form. Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give it 5 chomps out of 5! If you would like to purchase this book, please click here.

Gigantosaurus Don’t Cave In

Who’s afraid of a dark and scary cave?

Don’t go into the cave! A Shriekosaurus, the dinosaur that Rocky, Tiny, Mazu, and Bill are afraid of (even though no one has actually seen it) lives there. That’s good advice, but with Gigantosaurus in pursuit, they have to take cover somewhere. Once inside the cave, the four friends might as well explore. There are scary shadows and a very loud roar. How will they find their way home? The adventurous dinos, and readers, are in for a real treat when the secrets of the cave are revealed.

#MelAndNikkiReview

Gigantosaurus Don’t Cave In is absolutely adorable and we love the ending when they finally find out who Shriekosaurus is (we won’t spoil it here).  You definitely can learn so much from these amazing four friends and they learn so much from one another. In this book, they all learn that we can all be afraid, even the bravest one. We have to mention that we love the stickers and empty pages that are included in the book. You can have a great time creating your own scenes with the stickers! Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give it 5 Dino-mites out of 5! If you would like to purchase this book (comes out on November 5, 2019; however, you can pre-order), please click here.

Gigantosaurus The Lost Egg

Careful with that egg! Who knows what might hatch from it…

When Rocky, Tiny, Mazu, and Bill find a lost egg, they’re not sure what to do with it. Play ball? Probably not. The gang, with Rocky in the lead, sets out to find the egg’s family. Turns out looking after such a delicate thing isn’t easy, and asking all the residents of the Cretaceous jungle for advice is complicated. Some want to help care for the egg – but others want to eat it! When Gigantosaurus stomps onto the scene, everyone gets a big surprise – but it’s not as surprising as what eventually hatches from the little lost egg!

#MelAndNikkiReview

Gigantosaurus The Lost Egg is another adorable book and we love the ending when the egg finally hatches (we won’t spoil it here).  We love how they work as a team on their quest to find the egg’s family. They truly become attach to it to make sure they succeed in their mission and you have to admire them for that.

We have to mention that stickers are included in this book too and we love it! Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give it 5 Parasaurolophus out of 5! If you would like to purchase this book (comes out on November 5, 2019; however, you can pre-order), please click here.

There you have it! Three books to start of this series in a chomping and dino-mite way! We can’t wait to see what other adventures these four friends are going to go on. Make sure to tune in to Disney Channel and Disney Junior to check them out and don’t forget to take the series home for bedtime with these books.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

-Momma Braga

*These books were provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.

Books, Children's books

Elbow Grease Is Back In A New Story

“Elbow Grease is back and bringing along the important message of team work. You can’t help but fall in love with Elbow Grease’s “Never Give Up” spirit and gumption.” – Momma Braga

Synopsis

Elbow Grease may be little but he’s got grit and gumption to spare — and he’s back! It’s time for Elbow Grease to face off against the gnarly monster machine Motozilla. Luckily, Elbow Grease can count on his four big brothers to rev their engines and help him try to beat the beast! From multi-talented mega celebrity John Cena comes this exciting story about the importance of believing in yourself. Full of action-packed illustrations and characters kids will cheer for, this fun and fast-paced book proves that teamwork makes the dream work!

#MelAndNikkiReview

Elbow Grease VS. Motozilla is fantastic! We just love Elbow Grease especially when we were first introduced to him in his first book. The author John Cena and illustrator Howard McWilliam does not disappoint us with this second book in the series.

Team work is what drives this latest storyline and we loved how they creatively presented it. It was exciting, funny and overall a great read. I personally love the speech bubbles in the story as it offers us the comic feel and a dash of humor. The illustrations are also very well done and brings the story to life. Now on a side note to the author as I want to make sure he knows that his work has not gone unnoticed. One of Pinball’s (character in the book) fans looks exactly like John Cena but a female version. It literally had me laughing out loud and it was such a great touch to the book and for me it wasn’t hard not to notice. My favorite character in the book is Mel the Mechanic of course. 😉

Overall, Elbow Grease VS. Motozilla exceeded our expectations and we are so honored to add it to our book collection of great books. It shows us what hard work, dedication and team work can accomplish. Nothing is impossible if you have a great team by your side.

Now Nikki who is also an Elbow Grease fan decided it was time to do one of her special vlogs to tell us how she felt about it and a little extra more. We never really know what Nikki is going to say in her videos but that is what makes it fun and real! 🙂 Here is the opinion of a five-year-old which is the most important opinion on a children’s book. 😉

As you heard from Nikki, she gives it 6 out of 5! I give it 10 Motozillas out of 5! We truly have enjoyed reading this book and it has been on our reading daily line-up! Of course as per Nikki’s request, I need to read in character like the first one and that makes it much more fun for us all.

If you are looking for a fun book with an empowering message for children (ages three to seven) to learn, then this is the book for you. Or if you have a John Cena fan on your gift list, then this would make a perfect gift. Please click here to know how to purchase your very own.

About the Author

John Cena is a beloved entertainer and dedicated philanthropist. Inspired by Richard Scarry – one of his favorite children’s book creators – John wanted to tell a story that shared some of the most important lessons he has learned over the years. They are lessons that helped form his personal credo: hustle, loyalty, and respect.

About the Illustrator

Howard McWilliam is a cover artist for the U.S. and U.K editions of the Week and has illustrated dozens of children’s novels and picture books. He lives in Cheltenham, England, with his wife, Rebecca, and three young sons.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

-Momma Braga

*This book was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.

Books, Children's books

Suffragette: The Battle For Equality

A New York Times best-selling illustrator turns his talents to a lavish history of the women’s suffrage movement in the U.K. and the U.S. just in time for the hundredth anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment.

Synopsis

Imprisonment, hunger strikes, suffrajitsu – the decades-long fight for women’s right to vote was at times a ferocious one. Acclaimed artist David Roberts gives these important, socially transformative times their due in a colorfully illustrated history that includes many of the important faces of the movement in portraiture and scenes that both dignify and enliven. He has created a timely and thoroughly engaging resource in his first turn as nonfiction author-illustrator. Suffragette: The Battle for Equality follows the trajectory of the movement in the U.K. and visits some key figures and moments in the United States as it presents the stories of Millicent Garrett Fawcett, Emmeline Pankhurst, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Susan B. Anthony, and many more heroic women and men – making it a perfect gift for young readers of today. Dr. Crystal Feimster of Yale’s Department of African American Studies contributes a foreword that speaks to the relationship and differences between the British and American suffrage efforts.

#MelAndNikkiReview

Suffragette: The Battle For Equality is an empowering book full of history that we should all know. To say that I learned a little is an understatement as there was so much history that I don’t even remembering in school. Like did you know that suffragists are those who campaign for the right to vote, either for themselves or for others?! I did not know that word and now it is in my vocabulary.

This book takes us all the way back to 1832 to 1928 and you will want to dive right in to learn the reach history behind the right to vote for all. This comes at a great time when elections are in full swing here in Canada as it is a great reminder that we should all exercise our right to vote. After reading this book, you will see how hard it was fought to give us that right. Above all, we can learn a great deal from reading the history that is in this book and I love the bios at the end of the world of suffrage.

Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give it 5 stars out of 5!

If you would like to purchase this book full of empowering stories, click here. This book is recommended for children ages seven to ten.

About the Author

David Roberts is the illustrator of The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman, The Dumpster Diver by Janet S. Wong, and His Royal Highness, King Baby by Sally Lloyd-Jones. He also illustrated the New York Times best-selling Rosie Revere, Engineer and the other books in the Questioneers series by Andrea Beaty. David Roberts has held a lifelong interest in the women’s suffrage movement. He lives in London.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

-Momma Braga

*This book was provided in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own.