Tag: Parenting Tips

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.

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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.

Parenting, Parents, Tips

What Do You Do If Your Baby Just Won’t Sleep?!

Pixabay – CC0 Licence

 

It’s one of the most painful parts of parenting, when your baby won’t sleep. Sometimes the issue is straightforward, such as if they’re teething, in which case, we can prepare ourselves for a rough night on occasion. But what happens when your baby just won’t sleep, and you think you’ve tried everything?

Have they been unwell recently?

It’s easy to say that once they’ve got over a cold that they are fine, but as you well know, it can take a long time to get over something. They may be fine in themselves but by the time bedtime rolls around, they need a little bit of extra comfort, and it’s definitely worth checking their temperature just before bedtime. If that’s the case where you can get some paracetamol for kids to lower their temperature. We can be unwell for quite a while, and when you think about your children being surrounded by other kids with other bugs, feeling under the weather can be par for the course for a while.

Are they going through a change?

Stress isn’t something that’s for parents; when toddlers and babies undergo various milestones, they can regress. Look at your child; has something happened recently that has caused major upheaval in their world? It doesn’t have to be a major thing, but when you think about those big changes, such as going to school, or a new sibling, you have to expect that they will regress in some way because it is their way of coping with the problem. If this is the case, and they need a little bit of extra care and attention, give it to them. Because otherwise, if you don’t feel supported, they will express themselves in ways that aren’t particularly nice, such as an aggressive manner.

Have they ever been to sleep by themselves?

It’s a comfort thing, especially at the very outset, and you want your child to go to sleep, you naturally cuddle them until they do drop off, but if they wake up in the night and you aren’t there, they’ll get upset, and so the cycle begins all over again. If you can find a way to help your child fall asleep by themselves, they will become self-soothing. We have to teach them how to fall asleep by themselves, and it can take a long time to get right. You can begin by sitting a little bit further away from the bed, and gradually, over time, move a  little bit further towards the bedroom door. As well as this, think about other ways to help them drift off, such as certain cues like giving them a bath before bed, reading a story, and building night-time routines that can help them go to sleep self sufficiently.

There are so many reasons why they won’t go to sleep by themselves, and a lot of parents feel that they just need to let their children cry it out, but this, as has been shown numerous times, isn’t a very good approach. As much as we need to give them comfort, if they don’t sleep, it’s definitely worth thinking about if they have been unwell recently, or are anxious for whatever reason.

 

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.

Books, Children's books

Mother, No Other Like Her Tributes To A Mother’s Love

“A Colouring Book of Loving Thoughts”

Mothers play an important and special role in the lives of their children. I know that I personally admire my mom for all that she does for her children and grandchildren. A mothers’ love is unconditional and has no bound.

At times it can be difficult to truly articulate the inspirations our mothers give to us. However, one Toronto author has done it in colouring book format that you will want to see.

We are honoured to introduce you all to, Mother, No Other Like Her, which was inspired by the author’s mother’s life.

 

Going Behind the Book

Saher is the author of Mother, No Other Like Her, and her mother, Dr. Fatima Hashamali, who passed away in early 2017 is the inspiration behind it all.

Dr. Fatima Hashamali, MBBS, DCH, MCPS, was a veteran pediatrician who lived her life serving some of the world’s poorest children in Kenya, Tanzania, and Pakistan. She viewed her profession as a medium to channel healing and love to the sick and poor children of the world. To read more on her inspiring achievements, click here.

As Dr. Hashamali grew increasingly ill, her daughter Saher started writing down thoughts about the woman who raised her. These thoughts were then recited back to her mom in which lifted her spirits until her final days.

Since these thoughts encompassed many of the great qualities of a mother, Saher knew that it needed to be told in a more permanent way. This is how this colouring book came to life.

“The illustrations and words are designed to inspire creativity and gratitude. Words are a precious gift that transcend a physical gift.” – Saher Lalani

#MelAndNikkiReview

We were instantly captivated by this book as we haven’t seen one like it before. Nor have we ever done a review on a colouring book which makes it extra exciting for us to bring something unique to our audience. Each page has a beautiful testament about mothers and it is all relatable. We just loved it!

The colouring book is diverse, unique and full of love. You can tell that a lot of thought and heart went into creating this and it doesn’t go unnoticed. We love how you can colour the pages and it is such a great bonding activity to do with your child. Nikki and I really love colouring so this made it extra special for us. We got to spend the time reading and colouring together which is the best part of all.

“This book is fun momma! We can read it and colour it too! You can’t do that with a lot of our books.” – Nikki, Age 5

Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give it 10 hearts out of 5! A colouring book with so much meaning and love is what you can expect from Mother, No Other Like Her. You can’t help but relate and/or feel the empowering words written about mothers. We highly recommend this book for anyone who needs to be inspired and empowered. You will enjoy it and let me just say that colouring is a very relaxing activity to do.

“Infinite blessing upon all mothers those on earth and in eternity.”

To purchase your very own copy, please click here.

About the Author

Saher Lalani is a poet who draws inspiration from the life of her late mother, a pediatrician. As a child, Saher enjoyed creating art and writing for her mother as a token of love, respect and appreciation. She envisioned and created her first book entitled, “Mother, No Other Like Her,” as a tribute to mothers and mother figures everywhere. She is based in Toronto, Canada.

The story of Saher creating her book is featured by Toronto.com.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

– Momma Braga

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

Motherhood, Reviews

Bring the Spa To Your Next Kids Party With Cassaria

Kid parties can be a handful and lots of work for the host especially when you are looking for ways to keep the kids entertained. After awhile you feel like you have done it all and by the end of the day you are all exhausted. But what if there is an option for an activity that is relaxing that all the kids will love? Seems like a hard concept to grasp since kids love action!

But we were introduced to a neat idea that does exactly that! We are delighted to introduce you all to Cassaria Mobile Spa who specializes in kids mobile spa parties. Luckily for us, my sister won this in a contest that she entered!

So how did this work for us you are asking? Simple, we arranged a date with the owner, Sasha who is absolutely the most pleasant person to deal with and we booked a date that worked. The next part is where I came into play and it’s my strongest asset, plan the get together. We e-invited Nikki’s closest friends and their moms. We made it into a Moms and their Minis Day. We all deserve some girl time to eat, chat and have a great time. 😉

Spa Party Day

Once our list was confirmed and everyone replied with a yes! We kept the party simple with some pizza, snacks and toys that the young ladies can play with before and after the spa treatment.

As each child awaited eagerly for their turn, you couldn’t help but notice that each one enjoyed the spa treatment. It truly looked like the young ladies were at the spa and it looked SO good! At one point all of us moms looked at one another and wondered how to get in on that action (lol!). But we wanted it to be their day so we watched in awe.

One of Nikki’s friends, Madison, enjoying her spa treatment.

Another one of Nikki’s friends, Julia, enjoying her turn.After each child got their very beautiful nails done, they showed one another and giggled with delight. It was the sweetest thing to see the pure joy that they had. I truly believe this idea was a great hit and success for all of us. Even Nikki couldn’t help but show off her nails to anyone who wanted to take a look.

Nikki showing off her light pink nails and loving it!

#MelAndNikkiReview

Cassaria Mobile Spa truly brought an element to a kids party that I haven’t seen before and that is calmness. All the young ladies at our party were truly excited to get their nails done and waited so patiently for their turn. They all enjoyed it so much and I know that all us moms watching were wishing that we were them. The service that was provided was amazing from beginning to end. The Mom Boss, Sasha was impeccable and you know that she is skilled at providing spa services as she knew exactly what to do. She was amazing with all the young ladies at our party. They all loved her and she is so down to earth that it made the experience so much more enjoyable.

Now we were very lucky as Mom Boss, Sasha, brought her lovely assistant to help which is her daughter Cassandra. She was the absolute sweetest and we were thrilled to have her join some of our activities.

From left to right: Cassandra of Cassaria, Julia, Nikki and Madison having some colouring fun!

We not only got the manicures for the young ladies but each one got a goody bag and a cupcake that were made by Cristina’s Tortina Shop, all courtesy of Cassaria Mobile Spa. It was an overall amazing experience that was had by all.

Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview we give Cassaria Mobile Spa 10 fingers out of 5 (Nikki says 100 out of 5)! The professionalism, kindness and overall great service surpassed all of our expectations. It also made us see that you don’t need a special occasion to have a spa party and it is great to have one.

Us moms got to spend some time chatting and having a great time while our minis had the time of their lives with some relaxation in the process. It was a win-win for everyone and we are truly thankful to Sasha and Cassandra of Cassaria Mobile Spa for everything! Saying that we loved it is an understatement!

If you would like to book Cassaria Mobile Spa for your next party, which we highly recommend, reach out to them on Facebook or Instagram. Please note that their service areas are Brampton, Mississauga, Georgetown, Acton and Barrie.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

-Momma Braga

*Please note that this is not a sponsored or paid post. All opinions expressed are our own and were not influenced by the company featured in the article.

 

Books, Children's books

We Toot! | Book Review

“We Toot! is a much needed fable about tooting and how normal it is for all, including girls.” – Momma Braga

Synopsis

When a stinky toot is loosed at a slumber party, six girls learn an important lesson in body positivity and self-acceptance.

#MelAndNikkiReview

We Toot! is a great children’s book that talks about a topic that many people shy away from and that is tooting. With a dash of humor and understanding, these six friends learn that tooting is normal and they should love their bodies for the way they are. We couldn’t agree more and we absolutely love this message for young girls. We all know how impressionable young girls are and it is so great to read a book that carries so much body positivity.

Nikki really enjoyed the book too and exclaimed, “It is very normal to toot. It is good for our bodies.” Yes it is my adorable five-year-old! I love how it is breaking the gas ceiling and it certainly is a unique book that your little one will love.

Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give We Toot! 10 giggles out of 5! You will just love this adorable children’s book with its illustrations and storyline. A must read in our books! 😉

“You can’t tell me you don’t because all of us do. It’s totally natural, you know that is true.”

If you would like to purchase this lovely 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.

Books, Children's books

Dasher Brings A Tale Full Of Hope, Love and Magic

“Dasher is a captivating tale that gives us all the feels of the Christmas Spirit with the story of Dasher.” – Momma Braga

Synopsis

Dasher is an adventurous young reindeer with a wish in her heart. She spends her days with her family under the hot sun in a traveling circus, but she longs for a different life – one where there is snow beneath her hooves and the North Star above her head. One day, when the opportunity arises, Dasher seizes her destiny and takes off in pursuit of the life she wants to live. It’s not long before she meets a nice man in a red suit with a horse-drawn sleigh – a man named Santa. And soon, with the help of a powerful Christmas wish, nothing will be the same.

#MelAndNikkiReview

Dasher is a captivating tale that gives us all the feels of the Christmas Spirit with the story of Dasher. We have all heard of Rudolph but have you ever wonder about the other reindeers? I know that we have and now we get to read the tale of Dasher from this author’s perspective, Matt Tavares.

So what did we think of it? We loved it! Such an articulated tale full of hope, love and magic. A perfect combination for a Christmas story and one that should be told. We love hearing stories on other icons that may not have had any light shine on them previously. Good on Dasher for getting her spotlight! By the way, we love to know that Dasher is a female. For some odd reason, I always thought that Dasher was a male so this was great to learn. 😉

Therefore, for this #MelAndNikkiReview, we give Dasher 10 stars out of 5! It is an absolutely beautiful story through words and illustrations. We truly recommend this book for children ages four to eight. However, this book is great for the child in every person who wonders how Santa’s great team of reindeers became the team who bring much joy to children around the world.

If you would like to bring this book to your collection and into your reading collection, click here.

About the Author

Matt Tavares is the author-illustrator of Crossing Niagara, Henry Aaron’s Dream, There Goes Ted Williams, Becoming Babe Ruth, and Growing Up Pedro, as well as Zachary’s Ball, Oliver’s Game, and Mudball. He is the illustrator of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Over the River and Through the Wood, Lady Liberty by Doreen Rappaport, The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup, and Jubilee! by Alicia Potter. Most recently he wrote and illustrated the modern Christmas tale Red and Lulu. Matt Tavares lives in Ogunquit, Maine.

Until next time…Happy Parenting!

-Momma Braga

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