Just Say Boo! – Susan Hood

Just Say Boo! is a perfect choice for a Halloween read-a-loud.  The book tackles how to deal with Halloween situations little ones might find a little scary…”Just say boo!”  The refrain is repeated throughout the book and children enjoying the story will no doubt be able to help the reader with the verbiage as they become familiar with the pattern.  Just Say Boo also tackles basic Halloween etiquette including saying “Trick or Treat” and “Thank You”.  This a great little Halloween tale that is targeted to early elementary children.

Alpha Oops! H is for Halloween – Alethea Kontis

For those of us who thought all alphabet books need to begin with the letter A and end with the letter Z, Alpha Oops!  H is for Halloween provides proof that alphabet books can begin as well as end with non-traditional letters and be entertaining as well as informative.  Alpha Oops! H is for Halloween includes awesome illustrations which feature each letter of the alphabet in a Halloween costume.  This one is just plain fun!

Winter’s Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again – Juliana Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff, and Craig Hatkoff

Winter’s Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again is the book form of the story that inspired the movie Dolphin Tale.  Learning about Winter the dolphin overcoming the adversity of losing her tail and swimming again with a prosthetic is an uplifting tale as well as a great resource to use to discuss disabilities.

The photographs throughout the book beautifully capture Winter’s journey and enhance the text.

Porcupining: A Prickly Love Story – Lisa Wheeler

Poor little Cushion the Porcupine is very lonely at the petting zoo.  No one wants to pet a prickly porcupine.  Sad and tired of being alone, Cushion decides to serenade some of the other animals in search of trying to find a wife.  His overtures are met with a lack of interest and a number of unkind remarks until he meets Barb the Hedgehog.  The prickly duo make a perfect pair.

Porcupining: A Prickly Love Story is a fun story.  Be sure to keep an eye out for the little grasshopper that accompanies Cushion on his adventure.  If you look closely, you can find him on every page!

Wanda and the Frogs

Our daughter absolutely loves frogs so when she spotted this one at the library it had to go into our “check out” pile.  Wanda and the Frogs is a sweet book that shares the story of Wanda finding some tadpoles in a puddle, and the learning experiences that follow after Wanda’s savvy teacher decides to turn Wanda’s discovery into real life science instruction in the classroom.  A great story with terrifically expressive pictures.

Encouragement for Today: Devotions for Everyday Living – Renee Swope, Lysa TerKerust, and Samantha Evilsizer

If you are a fan of the e-mail devotions produced by Proverbs 31 Ministries, this little devotional book is for you.  Each devotional includes a Bible verse and then a personal story that includes that verse in action.  Following the readings are prompts related to remembering, reflecting, and responding to the lesson.  Although each devotion is brief, each one gives the reader a great deal to reflect upon throughout the day.

While this complimentary book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishing, no other compensation was given.  All remarks are my personal and honest opinions.