Category: Children Book Reviews

Too Tall Alice Review

Posted on by Cindy


PUB DATE: March 15 2009
AGE: 9-12 Years Old

I have to say at first Michael wasn’t interested in the book because its about a girl. He is very much into boy things. So after explaining to him that it could be anyone he was a little more interested in it.

The story is about Alice who is too tall. She isn’t tall like a building but taller then girls her own age. When she gets her class picture taken she is the only girl in the back. When Alice is alone she wishes she was four inches shorter.

Then one night after she is in bed the neighbors come back over for a card game and she overhears her parents comparing her to a toothpick, a bean pole, and even a string bean with their neighbors. She is sad and cries when she hears the talk going on downstairs. What she fails to hear is that the neighbors offer up ideas for future professions for Alice if she remains taller than others such as a super model.

Alice cries herself to sleep. She has a dream where she is in a room with girls that are much taller than she is. Some are supermodels and basketball stars. They are all tall.

One of the basketball players gets Alice on her shoulders so that Alice can see all around her. Alice gets a glimpse of her past and then of her future. She sees her family and her friends. Sadly she doesn’t see herself. The basketball player explain to Alice how she can find herself. So she closes her eyes and then she sees herself. It was like a movie playing in her head telling her all the wonderful things she is and all the wonderful things she can be.

Alice comes to realize that being four inches taller than the other girls now isn’t such a big deal after all and she begins to appreciates that she is just fine the way she is and that she can be anything she wants to be!

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
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Sam Houston Standing Firm Review

Posted on by Cindy


Ages 5-7 years old

This is the story of Sam Houston. He was born in Virginia in 1793. He had five brothers and three sisters. When he was 13 years old his father died and they moved to Tennessee. Sam loved to read. He loved stories about heroes. When he went to school they didn’t teach Sam what he wanted to learn so he quit. When Sam was 16 he was sent to work in a store. He didn’t like being inside so he ran away to be with Indians.

Sam didn’t look like an Indian but he acted like them and being with them they never told him what to do. The chief of the tribe treated Sam like his son and gave him a Cherokee name.

Three years later he returned to Tennessee and became a teacher. Then a year later he joined the army, he was only 20 years old. When he went into battle with the Creek Indians he got a arrow to the leg and he pulled it out to keep fighting. The he got two bullets in his shoulder and was told he would die. He didn’t die and two months later went home. His mother didn’t recognize him.

At the age of 25 he wanted to be a lawyer. He was told it would take him 18 months to read the books Sam did it in 6 months. Sam was elected as congressman from Tennessee. Then he was elected governor. Sam married but she left him. No one knew this. Sam resigned and went back to the Cherokee Indians. The general that Sam worked with was now president. He went to see him dressed as a Cherokee and told him that the Cherokee were promised food and blankets and they never got them. he was given them because the general remembered him.

At 39 years old loved Texas. At the time Texas was a part of Mexico. The settlers in Texas wanted better laws but the dictator refused so they decided that they didn’t want to be a part of Mexico anymore so they signed a paper. Sam put his name on it. Sam was the head of the army that was going to fight Mexico. They killed people at the Alamo. When Sam knew his men weren’t ready to fight he refused to fight and was called a coward. When they were ready the surprised the Mexican Army. It was a short battle and finally Texas was free. The first president of Texas was Sam and he worked hard. When his term was finished he took some time off and went to Alabama. It was there that he met Margaret and married her.

Sam was president one more time before Texas became part of the US. He was elected as senator and went to Washington for 13 years. Margaret stayed behind to take care of the eight children and the house. He was well known in Washington. When states talked about leaving the US Sam would give them speeches about how it was a bad idea. At 67 years old he was elected governor. Shortly after that Texas wanted to leave the US and Sam didn’t agree so he wasn’t governor. Sam moved back to Huntsville. Then in 1863 Sam died at the age of 70. Texas became a strong state because of him.

Michael had a hard time with the book and he didn’t understand alot of what the story was about and lost interest in the book. I thought it was an interesting story and enjoyed reading it.

Thanks to Elaine for sending the book to us.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
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Ralphina, The Roly Poly Review

Posted on by Cindy


PUB DATE: March 2008
Ages 5-8 years old

Ralphina is a roly poly and she is lonely. She is looking for a friend to play with. She wishes that the boy who lived in the house would come out and play with her. She is so small so she thinks of a way to get the boy to notice her. Finally she comes up with a plan. Her plan is that she will dig in the garden to help the tulips bloom. Once the boy sees the tulips he will see her and they will be friends.

She goes to work and begins to turn the soil over and over making a warm bed for the bulbs. Then the tulips begin to bloom in a rainbow of colors. She wanted for the boy to come out. When the boy finally came outside he saw the tulips and bent down to pick one for his mother and that is when he saw Ralphina.

The boy’s name is Alec. Ralphina taught Alec about roly polies because he didn’t know anything about them. Things about roly polies have 14 feet. They are related to crabs and lobsters and like to live in the dark damp places such as a garden. Alec and Ralphina became friends.

The pictures in the book were bright and colorful. It was also very educational because Claudia put some facts about roly poly and rainbows. Thanks to Claudia for mailing the book to us. We enjoyed reading it.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
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Baron Things Dogs Are People Too! Review

Posted on by Cindy


PUB DATE: November 2008
GENRE: 3-9 years old

Baron is the dog in the story and thinks of he as a person. He enjoys the fun and games and the life of a dog but he wants a friend. The family that Baron is with one day puts him in a school for dogs because he ran out into the road. Then changes in the family happen when the father who is in Air Force must leave for a year of duty. Baron is learning how to behave but he still wants a friend. When winter comes Baron enjoyed being outdoors with the kids. Billy would push and pull his friends on the sled but when they went home Billy was alone but Baron knew what he had to do, he grabbed the rope of the sled and pulled Billy. Billy had the best time. Billy was so happy so he grabbed Baron and hugged him and said “Thank you Baron. You are my best friend.” Baron was happy because he finally had a friend.

Review by Michael.

Thanks to Laurie for sending the book to us. We really enjoyed it. The illustrations were really nice to look out. It suited the book very well.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
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The Moon Shines Down Review

Posted on by Cindy


PUB DATE: November 2008
GENRE: Ages 3-8 years old

One of Michael’s favorite books is Good Night Moon. When he found out that this book was by the same lady he wanted to read it and read it we have done. This one of the books we read all the time.

A little Koala bear takes a journey along with the moon to different parts of the world. As readers we are taken to Holland, Switzerland, the far east, Mexico, France, Australia, England, the ocean, Africa and a unnamed place which could be anywhere in the US or Canada. (When ever Michael hears about places he wants to know where they are so we looked at a map while reading this.)

Michael loved the illustrations. He was always pointing out things in the picture. The only part of the book that I really had to explain was the far east one. Michael wanted to know why it was day time when the rest of the book was night time.

The book is based on a New England Sampler.

I see the Moon
And the Moon sees me.
God bless the Moon
And God bless me.

That sums up the whole meaning of the book. Michael knows that someone is always watching out for him.

This is my first book review for Thomas Nelson and I want to thank them for sending me the book.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
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Emily The Chickadee Series Reveiw

Posted on by Cindy



TITLE: Emily the Chickadee: Emily Waits For Her Family
AUTHOR: Carol Zelaya
PUB DATE: October 2007

TITLE: Caring for Emily’s Family
AUTHOR: Carol Zelaya
PUB DATE: August 2008

TITLE: Emily’s New Home
AUTHOR: Carol Zeleya
PUB DATE: November 2008

Thank you to Elaine for contacting me to see if I would be interested in reading this and I am so happy I said yes. This is a beautiful three book series. My son loved the books. These are a great children’s book. They are all a true stories. They are all written in a easy to read rhyme.

The first book we follow the chickadee and a little girl. The little girl spots the chickadee in a tree and calls her Emily. The chickadee is a mommy and she is building a nest. She makes the nest in a window box. The little girl watches all this. The chickadee has laid three eggs. Twelve days late the birds are born. A few weeks later the little birds are flying on their own.

The second book is a continuation of the series. The chickadee family has returned to the little girls yard. The little girl makes sure that they have seeds in the feeder to eat and water too. She has built them a birdhouse to sleep in. She makes sure they have a birdbath to have fun in.

The third book is the final book in the series. The little girl is moving away to the country. She misses the chickadees and wonders how they will find her. Then the Spring comes and one day when the little girl comes home she sees twigs and straw on the step and looks up to see a chickadee building her nest in the wreath on the door. Could this be Emily. She thinks it is and is happy. The little girl gives them seed and water and lots of love cause she knows they will stay.

These are really cute books. We have read them over and over again. A great set of books to have in a child’s collection.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
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Review: Stanley The Christmas Tree

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Stanley The Christmas Tree: A Wish Come True
AUTHOR: R.E Hughes
ISBN: 978-0-9820328-0-0
PUB DATE: 2008

This is such a cute Christmas story. Stanley has always dreamed about being picked by a loving family and taken home. Year after year Stanley remains in the tree farm and the other trees make fun of him. Each year Stanley gets stronger. Finally one year he is picked and taken to the city. Finally after a few days an old gentleman picks Stanley and takes him home. He is so excited. He is taken home and decorated.

Then one day the couple get a call from their children and the baby is sick and told they can’t travel and ask that the family goes there. So the couple start to take the decorations off the tree. Then Stanley is put in the alley. Stanley was sad and realized his dream for a perfect Christmas was over.

Then one night Mr. Brown walks by on his way home from the factory and see Stanley. he takes Stanley home cause he didn’t get a tree this year because they couldn’t afford a tree. The couple decorated the tree and Stanley was happy again. When the children woke up they were happy to see a tree. Stanley was happy too.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.