< Back D.K. Wingerson Gary Greenbird A Baseball Adventure Gary Greenbird: A Baseball Adventure is a charming and uplifting children's story by D.K. Wingerson that follows the character, Gary Greenbird, as he embarks on a cross-country journey with his brother Greg to explore the world of baseball. This book, the second in the Gary Greenbird series, builds on Gary's earlier adventures and continues to encourage young readers to embrace courage, curiosity, and self-belief. The story begins with Gary, now confident in his flying abilities, being invited by his older brother Greg to visit various baseball parks. The story cleverly introduces children to the excitement and culture of baseball, from the bustling crowds and the thrill of the game to the quieter moments when the stadiums are empty. The brothers' journey is filled with new experiences, challenges, and friendships - including a memorable encounter with a friendly cow and other bird companions. One of the book's strengths is its gentle approach to overcoming fears and stepping outside one's comfort zone. Gary's initial apprehension about the unfamiliar world of baseball is relatable for young readers, and his gradual adaptation models resilience and open-mindedness. The story also highlights the importance of family bonds, teamwork, and the joy of shared adventures. The illustrations by Uliana Barabash are vibrant and engaging, bringing the characters and ballparks to life. It is well-suited for children who love animals, adventure, or baseball, and it offers plenty of opportunities for discussion about courage, friendship, and trying new things. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A delightful read that combines the excitement of sports with valuable life lessons. Purchase here

< Back Ruth Maile The Power of Encouragement Turning "I Can't" into 'I Can" Ruth Maille’s The Power of Encouragement is a heartwarming and empowering children’s book that explores the transformative impact of encouragement, courage, and kindness. Written with young readers in mind, the story follows Orbit, a lovable space character, as he visits a kindergarten classroom to help children discover their own inner strength and the value of supporting one another. The book’s central message is clear and uplifting - words of encouragement can turn self-doubt into confidence and help children face challenges with bravery. Through relatable classroom scenarios, Maille demonstrates how encouragement from parents, teachers, and friends can help children overcome fears - whether it’s riding a roller coaster, learning to read, or trying something new. Each child’s story in the book shows that even small acts of kindness and belief can spark big changes. Orbit’s character, complete with a Band-Aid as a symbol of resilience, makes the lessons accessible and fun. The narrative is peppered with gentle humor and real-life examples, making it easy for children to see themselves in the situations described. The illustrations by Pardeep Mehra are vibrant and engaging, further drawing young readers into Orbit’s world. The book teaches children not only to seek support but also to be encouragers themselves, fostering a classroom culture of teamwork and empathy. The book’s origins during the COVID-19 pandemic add an extra layer of relevance, emphasizing hope and connection in challenging times. Overall, The Power of Encouragement is an excellent resource for parents, educators, and caregivers. Highly recommended for any child learning to turn “I can’t” into “I can.” Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: An entertaining story, and a valuable tool for nurturing self-belief and resilience in children. Purchase here

< Back Marlyn Bandiero Dante's Cool Wheels Book 2 Believe, Achieve A wheely adventure with a dog and his human best friend. Dante's Cool Wheels Book 2 Believe, Achieve tells the story of a dog name Dante, who cannot walk using his back legs, due to a spinal injury when he was young. Dante’s parents tried everything to help him walk, such as swimming and therapy, but nothing worked. One day, Dante was given a surprise set of wheels, and as soon as he got into the chair, he was able to walk and run again. The wheels changed Dante’s life, he was happy he could finally play and be himself. But it wasn’t easy for Dante at first, the other dogs didn’t know what to make of the wheels and were reluctant to play with him. When Dante meets a young boy named Freddie, who also uses a wheelchair, the two became best of friends. The two friends spend lots of time together, playing and exploring in the park. Dante didn’t let anything stop him from playing and having fun, and he inspired Freddie to play basketball. It wasn’t easy for Freddie, as other children didn’t want to play with him, but he soon found a wheelchair basketball team who welcomed him with open arms. Dante's Cool Wheels Book 2 Believe, Achieve by author Marlyn Bandiero is a heartwarming and inspiring picture book for younger aged readers. The book follows the story of a dog named Dante, and his human best friend, Freddie. Both human and canine use a wheelchair and experience similar obstacles, but their special friendship transcends their physical abilities. The duo support one another and help each other conquer their own unique challenges. Based on a real-life story, the book celebrates the special relationship between humans and canines, and shows that with love, determination and teamwork, anything is possible. Through Dante’s and Freddie’s story, young readers will learn about diversity and inclusion, and the importance of treating others with empathy, kindness, and respect. The illustrations are vibrant and expressive and beautifully capture the special bond between Dante and Freddie. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A heartwarming and memorable story of an inspirational dog named Dante, and his special friendship with a boy named Freddie. Purchase here

< Back Ashley Wall The Day I Had a Spaceship Luke and his friend Noah discover a real-life spaceship in Luke’s garden. Luke and Noah hop aboard and find their friends already inside. The friends are sent on an urgent mission to rescue a spaceball team that has crash landed on the Moon. They zoom to the Moon, experiencing zero gravity and the delights of space food. The pilot carefully manoeuvres the spaceship and lands safely on the Moon. The friends put on their spacesuits and explore the moon’s surface. They find a lunar rover and use it to try and locate the spaceball team. Will Luke and his friends find the spaceball team? Will the spaceball team make their tournament? And will Luke and his friends make it back home to Earth safely? The Day I had a Spaceship is a fun-filled, illustrated, picture book by author Ashley Wall, and part of the ‘The Day I Had…’ series. This book follows Luke and his friends as they find a spaceship and are sent on an intergalactic mission to rescue a stranded spaceball team. This is a playful tale, full of adventure, imagination, and a sprinkling of moon dust. The illustrations are full of energy, bringing to life space exploration, lunar landscapes and goofy alien creatures. With lots of fascinating facts and space insights, this book is perfect for curious learners, space enthusiasts and young explorers. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : A fun-filled, stellar adventure that will inspire young explorers and spaceball champs! Purchase here

< Back Sally Fetouh Jana's Brightly Coloured Socks Jana shares her marvellous socks with her school friends. Jana has just learnt to put her socks on by herself and has a drawer full of brightly coloured, patterned and pretty socks. Jana loves her socks and puts them on every where she goes. She wears her socks around the house, in the playground and at school. When her friends notice her marvellous socks, they all want a pair too. So, every day, Jana puts an extra pair of socks in her school bag to give to her friends. Until one day, there are no socks left! On the last day of school, Jana’s teacher organises a sock parade, and all the children show off their wacky and wonderful socks. In the parade, Jana recognises some of the socks she has given to her friends. Jana’s friends organise a surprise for her, to thank her for her kindness for sharing her socks. A special surprise, for a special little girl. Can you guess what it is? Jana's Brightly Coloured Socks by Sally Fetouh is a sweet, funny and charming illustrated children’s picture book about a little girl who loves brightly coloured socks and shows kindness by sharing them with her friends. The book promotes equality, diversity and inclusion and will encourage young children to show kindness and compassion towards others. The book was inspired by the author’s own daughter, Jana, who has Down Syndrome. The illustrations by Alexis Schnitger are simply delightful. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A sweet, funny and charming illustrated children’s picture book that promotes equality, diversity and inclusion. Purchase here

< Back Stefanie Jubert Stressed Little Bun Bun Takes a Deep Breath Stressed Little Bun Bun Takes a Deep Breath is a beautifully crafted children's book by Stefanie Jubert that explores childhood anxiety and stress. The story follows Little Bun Bun, a rabbit who is plagued by worries and feels overshadowed by his adventurous and fearless brother, Brave Mighty Bun Bun. The narrative is relatable for children who may feel anxious or left behind when others seem more confident. As Brave Mighty Bun Bun embarks on a daring adventure, Little Bun Bun is left to confront his fears alone. The story cleverly introduces various mindfulness and breathing techniques—such as Bunny Breathing, Wave Breathing, Bumble Bee Breathing, Choo Choo Breathing, and Dragon Breathing—each tailored to help Little Bun Bun (and the reader) manage specific moments of anxiety. The playful instructions are easy for children to follow and can be practiced in real-life situations, making the book a valuable tool for emotional regulation. Each challenge that Little Bun Bun faces, serves as an opportunity to introduce a new coping strategy. This not only normalizes feelings of fear and anxiety but also empowers children with practical skills to manage them. The story concludes with a message of growth and resilience, as Little Bun Bun discovers his own strength and returns home with the greatest treasure: newfound confidence and calm. Amber Orozco's illustrations are vibrant and engaging, perfectly complementing the text, and bringing the characters' emotions to life. The artwork also supports the breathing exercises, helping children visualize and participate in the calming techniques. The book is an excellent resource for parents, educators, and therapists seeking to support children's emotional well-being. Its combination of engaging storytelling, practical mindfulness exercises, and charming illustrations makes it both enjoyable and impactful. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A wonderful book and resource for helping children navigate their own emotions and build lifelong coping skills. Purchase here

< Back Ruthie Godfrey Grandpa's Lessons on Fishing and Life Lessons for fishing and lessons for life, by author Ruthie Godfrey Author Ruthie Godfrey describes her love of fishing in this wonderful picture book for younger readers. With thirteen key lessons for any budding fishing enthusiast, which include: planning and preparation, listening and learning from your teacher or guide, using the right tools, prioritising safety, keeping going when things get tough, staying patient, changing tactics if needed, not reacting too quickly, taking chances when you can, only keeping what you need, capturing memories, looking after equipment, and sharing wealth. These lessons will not only help youngsters preparing for a fishing expedition, but they will also help them prepare for other activities, or challenges they might experience in other areas of life. This is a wonderful picture book for younger children by author Ruthie Godfrey, which captures the joy of fishing in a simple, fun, and engaging way for young readers. Educational and entertaining, sweet and funny, this book was a joy to read. The watercolour style illustrations by Pable D’Alio are charming and funny. The special relationship between a boy and his grandfather, and the precious time they spend together fishing, is captured beautifully. This book will appeal to readers who enjoy fishing, and other outdoor adventures. It might also encourage those who have never tried fishing to give it a go. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A wonderful picture book about fishing and life, which is educational and entertaining, sweet and funny. A joy to read! Purchase here

< Back Melitta Santos Fini: The beauty of a broken shell A little turtle finds her inner beauty, by author Melitta Santos One day, Fini the turtle is out walking when she trips over and breaks her shell. Fini thinks she is ugly, and no one will want to play with her because of her broken shell. Her friend, Jack the Jaguar, comforts Fini and offers to help her find someone to fix her shell. They meet Boris the Tapir who tries to fix Fini’s shell with an aquatic plant, but it is too big for the little turtle. Next, they meet Tim the Armadillo, who suggests a coconut shell, but it is too little for Fini’s shell. They meet Bea the Bee, but she can’t help and takes the to see Ana the spider. Ana has a solution, but it will take five long days to fix Fini’s shell. Fini and her new friends stay with Ana while she starts to work, and they have lots of fun, games, food and laughter. Ana makes Fini a magic nanduti, a brightly coloured, pretty lace cover for her shell. Fini is delighted with the nanduti, and Ana explains that it doesn’t fully cover her scars and reflects the inner beauty of the wearer. Fini not only has a beautiful nanduti, but also has four new friends. Fini: The Beauty of a Broken Shell by author Melitta Santos is a sweet and charming, illustrated picture book about a little pond turtle who goes in search of a new shell, when her shell is cracked after a fall. As Fini embarks on her journey, she meets lots of new friends, and soon discovers the importance of friendships, and that real beauty comes from within. The book teaches younger children about the wildlife and cultural heritage of Paraguay. With further information about each character and their values, and information about the nanduti, this book is a wonderful resource for parents, carers and teachers. The book will encourage young children to find their inner beauty and will help to develop confidence and self-esteem in young children. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: A sweet and charming picture book with important life lessons that will help to develop confidence and self-esteem in young children. Purchase here

< Back Tina Neely Bacon's Very Important Christmas Job! Bacon Bits (Bacon for short) wants to help his family get ready for Christmas. Everyone has a job to make Santa’s work easier, and Bacon would like his own job too. He attempts to help his forever daddy build special toys for children, but he ends up making a big mess. He tries to help his forever mom spread the joy of Christmas by singing Christmas carols, but poor Bacon does not have the best singing voice. He even tries to help mawmaw by sealing Christmas card envelopes with his nose, but he makes all the cards go soggy. But just when Bacon has given up all hope of helping Santa, Santa recognizes Bacon’s unique talent and finds the perfect job for a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig. Tina Neely’s Bacon’s Very Important Christmas Job! is a delightful and heartwarming children’s book that captures the magic of Christmas through the eyes of Bacon Bit, a lovable Vietnamese pot-bellied pig. The story follows Bacon’s journey as he tries to help Santa in numerous ways, but nothing seems to go according to plan. Every time things go wrong, his family tells him he is loved. A wonderful way to remind young readers that everyone is loved and has something special to contribute. This is a funny and charming story for young readers, with valuable lessons about love, acceptance, belonging, and finding one’s special role in the world. The book’s vibrant and quirky illustrations complement the story perfectly. The inclusion of over five hundred hidden hearts adds an interactive element, making it a fun and engaging read for children. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : A festive, heartwarming tale that will leave readers smiling and inspired. Pig-tastic! Purchase here

< Back Joe Caruso In the Image of God - A Story of Identity and Value A fun, accessible and engaging book for younger children about Christian values, by Author Joe Caruso In the Image of God: A Story of Identity and Value by Joe Caruso is a beautiful children’s picture book filled with positive affirmations that will encourage young children to believe in themselves, just the way God does. The book will help children to understand they are unique, good, have spirit, speak the truth, are just, wise, creative, and have power and purpose. The book encourages children to show love for those who may doubt them, mock them, or hurt them, ‘With love you’ll deflate, all life’s hurt, hate and crime. With love change the world, one heart at a time.’ Beautifully written in rhyme, with charming illustrations by Alina Shabelnyk, this book is a fun, accessible and engaging way for younger children to learn about Christian values. It is a great resource for parents, carers and teachers and will help nurture kindness, compassion, confidence, and self-belief in young children. This is a wonderful, read together book and I imagine it will become a bedtime favourite, as young children will love to read aloud to ‘For you were made in the image of God. In the image of God, you were made,’ which is repeated throughout the book. The illustrations by Alina Shabelnyk are wonderful, and complement the positive messages in the book perfectly. We particularly enjoyed the diversity of the characters, and the wide range of activities presented, which will appeal to a wide and diverse audience. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary: Beautifully written in rhyme, with charming illustrations, this book will help nurture kindness, compassion, confidence, and self-belief in young children. Purchase here

< Back Nicola A Lewis Tilda finds her rainbow Tilda the Tortoise loves the colour green, but she is curious to see what other colours exist outside of her garden. She sets out to explore but a little robin tells her, her journey is impossible without wings. Tilda is not deterred and sets out on her adventure. She meets a butterfly with golden yellow wings laced with red. Tilda has never seen such beautiful colours before. The butterfly has tired wings and decides to accompany Tilda on her journey. They travel to the pond and meet a fairy, with white and pink petals. The fairy has never been far from the pond, and joins the pair on their journey. They meet an old frog wearing a navy blue cap, and an orange and red snake who thinks he is too scary. They join Tilda and the others and journey into the unknown. The new friends don’t know where they are going, and the pace is slow, but they enjoy each other’s company. When they stumble upon a rainbow, they are in wonder at the beautiful colours. They soon realise they are all different, special and beautiful in their own unique way. Tilda finds her Rainbow by Nicola A Lewis is a beautiful and inspiring children’s picture book, about a tortoise and her friends as they embark on a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Each friend teaches Tilda something new, not just about different colours, but about different perspectives that make the world vibrant and interesting. The friends accept and celebrate each other’s differences, and together they find a sense of peace and belonging in their new friendship group. This is a wonderful message for young readers about friendship, kindness, inclusion and diversity. The illustrations by Alice Pieroni are simply delightful, full of charm, colour and character. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : A beautiful, inspiring and colourful picture book, of friendship, self-discovery and self-acceptance. Purchase here

< Back Nancy Jean Exploring is NOT for Me!: A Humorous, Perspective-Taking Outdoor Adventure for Kids George is not looking forward to the outdoor adventure at the ‘Ruffin It Camphound’, planned by his mom. He thinks it will be dull and boring. Gemma, on the other hand, is super excited and looking forward to playing with her paw friends in the park. When they arrive at the campsite, Gemma puts on her special spy glasses to look for treasure, while George is reluctant to leave his tent. ‘Exploring is NOT for me!’ George cries. Poor George cannot get comfortable in his bed and is not having the best time at camp. The next day, while Gemma is out searching for treasure, George notices she has left her special spy glasses behind. He heads out to find her, and reluctantly becomes involved in the search. He doesn’t like the cold water, or climbing the rocks, but he is determined to help Gemma win the grand prize. With a little guidance from Gemma, George conquers his fears and soon discovers that outdoor adventures are not so dull and boring after all. Exploring is NOT for Me!: A Humorous, Perspective-Taking Outdoor Adventure for Kids is a fun and interactive picture book for young readers by author Nancy Jean. The book follows the adventures of George, a pup who does not enjoy the outdoors. George is a cute and funny little pup, with a unique personality. He knows what he likes, and will not be forced into anything he doesn’t like! Many young children do not enjoy certain activities, and the book provides reassurance that it is okay not to join in. It will give young ones the confidence to say no, and to sit out when they don’t feel comfortable in an activity, but it will also help them to develop the courage to try out new activities. With lots of fun facts and interactive activities, this is the perfect book to get children interested in the outdoors. I particularly enjoyed the whimsical illustrations by Lucy Shin, who captured George’s unique personality perfectly. A joy to read for both children and adults, and I hope there will be more adventures of George and Gemma to come very soon. Star rating: 5 Stars Summary : A fun and humorous interactive picture book, about a cute little pup who attempts to conquer his fears of the outdoors. Purchase here