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love you hoo

11/26/2017

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"Mom, can I look at that one again?" You know you have a winning book in your hands when your toddlers want to read it again as soon as you've finished. And that's the case with Robin Bright's Love You Hoo, a picture book from Kane Miller.

A parent or guardian owl is speaking to its baby in this sweet story - telling the little owl how special it is, how it has changed the big owl's life, and what the big owl is excited to teach the little one as it grows. It is an ode to parenting, to loving and being loved. And beautifully, there are no genders or labels assigned to these sweet owls, so it works for any mentor/mentee, or parent/child dynamic. 

This is a simple but powerful book in the way it addresses the benefits and challenges of raising a little one, as well as the promise of adventures to come. You can't help but want to snuggle closer to your little charge as you read the parting words: "Whoever you are going to be... Whatever you may do... Wherever you may choose to fly... I'll ALWAYS love you - hooooo!"

It's that book that celebrates the special bond between a parent or guardian and their child.

Book benefits:
  • Enduring narrative reinforces the unique love between a parent or guardian and child
  • Lyrical rhythm and rhyme help early readers predict words
  • Enchanting full-color illustrations draw you in

Buy Love You Hoo here! (hardcover, $12.99)

Quick video review:
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billie b. mystery series

11/25/2017

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"The first mystery of the Secret Mystery Club is to find out who is living in that old house at the end of our street. Who is brave enough to come with me?" So speaks Billie B. Brown, trying to convince her three best friends to embark on a mysterious adventure.

You may know Billie from her earlier books: the Billie adventure books (when she is in preschool) and the Billie B. Brown series (when she's in early elementary). Well, Billie is back! This time, she is in late elementary, and she forms a Secret Mystery Club with her friends.

The books in this series - 6 books in all - are great for kids who are beyond beginner chapter books but who are still developing their longer reading muscles. Each of the books is under 100 pages and is around a 600 Lexile level. They contain short chapters, and possible new vocabulary words are bolded.

One element I enjoy about the Billie B. Mystery books is that, besides containing fun mysteries you can try to solve along with Billie, they also include valuable lessons about friendship. These lessons aren't preachy but will help kids think about how to make good decisions and think through their actions.
It's that book series that makes you feel like you're in the secret mystery club, too.

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Book benefits:
  • Plots are fun and engaging, making the reader put on their detective cap along with the characters
  • Stories weave in important lessons about friendship and problem solving
  • Books are short enough for beginning readers but will provide a challenge

Buy the books individually here (paperback, $4.99 each)...
... or buy the whole series and save! (6 books, $24.99)

​Here's a quick video review:
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the gateway series

11/25/2017

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"Obviously, she wasn't some silly, superstitious little kid who believed in ghosts or any of that nonsense but ... if ever ghosts did exist, this was exactly the sort of place they would be." Amelia, the protagonist of the Gateway series written by Cerberus Jones, is reflecting on her new home, a rundown hotel her parents just bought.

What Amelia doesn't know for much of The Four-Fingered Man is that the hotel her parents bought is a gateway for aliens, with a portal under the caretaker's house that opens wormholes to a variety of planets. Her father, a scientist, has been tasked with keeping track of these intergalactic travels, which are becoming more unpredictable.

Each story in the series has a self-contained plot but builds on the overarching storyline of life at this hotel. The books in this series engaging science fiction/mystery reads for late elementary or middle school students, with short chapters, fairly large text, and occasional illustrations. There are eight books in the series, ranging from 780-900 Lexile, each fewer than 160 pages.

They're those books that'll keep you turning pages, dreaming about life beyond our planet.

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Book benefits:
  • Engaging writing style and illustrations
  • Plot is creative, enticing you to keep reading
  • Series contains a continuous plot, but each book has its own central plot line

Buy the books separately here... (paperback, $5.99 each)
... or buy the series and save! (7 books, $35.99)
  • this set doesn't include the series finale at the moment, though

Here's a quick video review: 
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    author

    Hi there! I'm Christine - Usborne Books & More independent consultant, kids' book fan, English teacher, mom of two boys. 


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Mission statement of Usborne Books & More: "The future of our world depends on the education of our children. Usborne Books & More delivers educational excellence one book at a time. We provide economic opportunity while fostering strong family values. We touch the lives of children for a lifetime."
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Christine Bailey
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This website is designed by Christine Bailey, Independent Consultant with Usborne Books & More. Usborne Publishing Ltd and Usborne Books & More - EDC Publishing - Kane/Miller books have no connection with this web site and the pages therein and do not sponsor or support their content.
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