Mealtime at the Zoo: Jungle Bites & Delights by James Williamson

 

Mealtime at the Zoo: Jungle Bites & Delights by James Williamson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a very fun rhyming story about different animals and the food that they love. Kids of all ages will enjoy the vivid illustrations, which add even more comedic effect to the story. They will love to hear this one again and again. I highly recommend trying the recipes at the end too!

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Bubbles in Spring (Seasons with Bubble Girl) by Wanda Carter Roush

 

Bubbles in Spring by Wanda Carter Roush
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is all about kindness, including others, empathy, and belonging. The beautiful illustrations help to show Bubble Girl and her human and animal friends interacting with each other during the season of springtime. There are activities at the end of the book for kids and adults alike to try out and work on their skills in being kind to others. This is a great book for reading with the kids or having them read to you.

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Alli the Alligator: A Children's Book about Kindness, Bullying, Courage, and Celebrating Differences by Cindy Miller

 

Alli the Alligator: A Children's Book About Kindness, Bullying, Courage, and Celebrating Differences by Cindy Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alli is the kindest alligator you'll ever meet. She wants to be friends with everyone. It's almost time for first grade and Alli is learning that not everyone is as kind and gentle as she is. She learns to overcome the stigma that others have put on her and becomes more accepting of others herself.

This is a story of friendship, forgiveness, courage, and more. I highly recommend grabbing this one and reading it with your little(s)!

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Hop's Tales: The Kind Bunny by Evelina Ruimy

 

Hop’s Tales: The Kind Bunny by Evelina Ruimy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the story of Hop, who loves school, and a dog named Ruff who makes fun of him for it. It's a story of standing up for oneself, kindness, and love. It's a great book for kids just starting out in school who might need a confidence booster but also teaches them what not to be. The illustrations are well done in this story too!

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The Last Owners (Crocus Hill Inn Mysteries #1) by Jean Rezab

 

The Last Owners by Jean Rezab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's a fixer upper house and Courtney and Alex are ready to tackle it. There's just a few issues, the main one being the last owners are missing, along with a sizeable amount of jewelry. The couple decides to help out the son of the previous owners who is now a police officer. At what expense will each of them go to solve this?

I love that this is a "clean" book to read first of all. There are some who may not appreciate the religious undertones in the book. It's hard to find great reads that are not full of unnecessary junk. The mystery and suspense of this is not the high excitement that I am used reading. It's a more calm, slow scenario. It's a very enjoyable read though with relatable characters. I am one who enjoys a resolve to an issue and that didn't come with this story. I do look forward to the next book in this series.

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El Macho: A Jessica Watts Southwest Suspense Novel (#5) by Kathryn Dodson

 

El Macho by Kathryn Dodson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jessica Watts has had it with these egotistical alpha males in her crime-solving life. It doesn't matter if they are the authorities or the perpetrators, Jessica's had enough. Especially when her friend is abducted and left in the middle of nowhere. Jessica is going to solve this case with or without the help of these men! In the meantime, past issues are creeping up that also need to be resolved.

This is a great series and I do recommend reading them in order to have the context behind the characters. It's a great tale of mystery and suspense anytime Jessica is involved!

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Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast by Once Upon a Dance

 

Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast by Once Upon a Dance
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This kids book is a cute one full of fun and colorful illustrations. There is also a dance move on every page to learn a new dance. I do think the book will be difficult for new readers to figure out how it flows based on the way that the words are on the page. I struggled with it a bit as an adult. The design is cute in theory but not very practical. There are also a lot of words on each page and I personally found it a bit overstimulating. Otherwise, the story is good and the encouragement to get out and move is beneficial.

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