Kids Books

Ali Cross Like Father Like Son

January 26, 2022 by Leah Leave a Comment

My favorite author, James Patterson, has started releasing middle grade novels with Ali Cross, son of his most popular character, as the main character. I started reading these books for a couple of reasons. First of all, the Alex Cross series is my favorite series. My second reason is so I can recommend this series to people with tween aged boys. One of my most popular questions I get asked is, “what chapter books do you recommend for boys?”. Ali Cross Like Father Like Son is definitely a book I recommend!

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

Ali Cross (Ali Cross, 1)Ali Cross: Like Father, Like Son (Ali Cross, 2)Ali Cross: The Secret Detective

About Ali Cross Like Father, Like Son

From Audible –

Alex Cross’s son Ali is an accomplished mystery-solver and number-one best-selling author. A crime at a concert near his school sparks his newest investigation, and it gets dangerous fast. Sometimes it’s good to have a father in the detective business.

Ali Cross just solved his first real case. Alex Cross knows it’s only a matter of time before his son finds his way into more trouble. Neither of them expected Ali to get caught up in another case so quickly. Ali and his friends were just hanging out in Anacostia Park…then they became witnesses to a crime. Alex wants Ali to stay far away from the investigation. But Ali isn’t going anywhere, not when his new friend Zoe is in trouble. It’s up to Ali to figure out why she’s lying to the police – and who she’s protecting. This is Ali’s toughest case yet. As long as he trusts his Cross instincts, he may just have a shot at solving it….

My Thoughts

I love the book. When my son was a tween, I remember looking really hard to try and find him books that he would want to read. A lot of the tween chapter books he was finding at his school library were about “girl things” and he wasn’t interested. Ali Cross Like Father Like Son is totally a book that he would have liked to have read. And as his mom, I would have been happy to see him reading something he liked! Being a huge fan of James Patterson and his Alex Cross series, the Ali Cross series has a similar feel.

MoKo Case for 6.8 All-new Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB) – Now with a 6.8 E-Reader Charger 6.5 Ft Compatible for Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 7 8 9 10 11,Oasis,Voyage,Kindle E-Reader,Kindle DX Kindle Keyboard Kindle Touch(2nd-11th Gen),Fire HD,HDX Tablet

Why a Kindle Paperwhite?

I really believe that a Kindle Paperwhite is the best thing to get kids. First of all, they can only read on them. Unlike other tablets, there are no games available. It’s books 24/7! Second of all, when your kids are in middle school (and maybe even upper elementary), they are typically required to have a book with them. My kids middle school didn’t allow them to use backpacks. A Kindle Paperwhite was perfect to put in their zippered binder. They always had a book ready to read. And finally, the last reason is that you can store literally thousands of books on a Kindle Paperwhite and it takes up less space than a book!

Halloween Books for Kids

October 11, 2021 by Leah Leave a Comment

One of the things I really loved when my kids were little (and still love) were picture books. I never had a problem saying yes when my kids wanted a new book. Even now, as 14 and 17 year olds, they enjoy reading. Though, sometimes they may say they don’t (hello, teenagers). I was always partial to the holiday books. Not only are they fun to read, but they also allow for traditions to form by bringing them out the month of that particular holiday. Everyone is very familiar with the various Christmas books out there, but another great holiday for picture books is Halloween. These Halloween books are perfect for you to pick up for your kids this year!

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

Photo by Marta Wave from Pexels

Hallmark 13 GUND Itty Bitty Boo Bundle of 2, Monsteroo and Unicorn Color Your Own Halloween Friends Shaped Bookmarks – Crafts for Kids and Fun Home Activities

Halloween Books You Need!

About 18 years ago, I did a long term term substitute teaching position as a media specialist. I absolutely loved it! One of the things I noticed about the kids in the younger grades was that they really enjoyed books that had the same character. Books like Dont Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus. It’s been 18 years, but I still remember reading that book to the kids and they about lost their minds! Every week they asked if we could read another book with that character! If your kids are like the kids I remember teaching, then you will want to pick up the following books:

It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse
The Berenstain Bears Happy Halloween
Moldilocks and the Three Scares: A Zombie Tale
Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody

Moldilocks and the Three Scares: A Zombie Tale It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse! (If You Give…)The Berenstain Bears Happy Halloween! (First Time Books(R))Goodnight Goon: a Petrifying Parody

Funny Halloween Themed Books

The best way to get kids interested in reading and listening to stories, is to read them funny books that make them laugh. If they are laughing, they want more. The following books are Halloween books that are guaranteed to get your kids laughing. Not only are they fun to read out loud to our kids, but the kids love them. It’s a win win!

Click, Clack, Boo!
The Hallo-Wiener
Splat the Cat What Was That
Halloween Bugs: A Trick or Treat Pop-Up

Click, Clack, Boo!The Hallo-Wiener Splat the Cat: What Was That?Halloween Bugs: A Trick-Or-Treat Pop-Up

Spooky Books for Kids

There are some kids (like my daughter) that love suspenseful, slightly spooky, Halloween books. It always cracked me up how much she enjoyed those spooky books. You could tell she was getting a little spooked. She would lean forward in her seat, look at me, giggle, and then put her hands in front of her mouth. They were never too spooky, of course, but just enough suspense to keep her on the edge of her seat! Some spooky books to check out are:

Where’s My Mummy?
Annie was Warned
Hardly Haunted
Halloween Night

Where’s My Mummy?Annie Was Warned Hardly Haunted Halloween Night

What Books Would You Add?

This is a pretty good list of Halloween books. Are there any that you would add to the list? Please let me know so I can add them! I think books are so important for kids to have in the home and available to them. Get your kids interested in books while they are young and you will have a reader for life! I still have fond memories of my mom taking me to the library and me checking out 15 books at a time. Not even joking!

Books for Toddlers and Preschoolers by Insight Editions

February 22, 2021 by Leah Leave a Comment

One of my absolute favorite things for kids are books. I love giving books as a gift. Being an avid reader myself, I think it is so important to share my love for reading with my kids. When I was approached to check out the new iSeek series of books by Insight Editions, I knew I had to say yes. Not only is this series absolutely adorable, but these books for toddlers and preschoolers are a fun way for them to learn too! And the best part is, they don’t even realize they are learning!

*I received these books for the purpose of this review, all opinions are 100% my own. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

Books for Toddlers and Preschoolers

One of my absolute favorite trends is giving a book instead of a card at a baby shower! Being an avid reader myself, the one thing I made sure when I had my kids, was to make sure we had lots of books in the house. I always wanted to make sure my kids had something to look at and “read” or have read to them. Since I went to school for early childhood education, I took several college classes that revolved around childhood development. In one particular class, the professor drove home how important early reading was to the cognitive development of children. That always stuck with me.

Let’s Learn: First 100 Words (Write and Wipe)Fingerprint Farm (iSeek)Let’s Learn: First Math Skills: (Early Math Skills, Number Writing Workbook, Addition and Subtraction, Kids’ Counting Books, Pen Control, Write and Wipe)

Learning While Playing

I think, when you are a young child, pretty much everything you do, you are learning while you are playing. The people at Isight Editions that created the iSeek series knew this too! One of the things I really like about two of the books I received, Let’s Learn the First 100 Words and Let’s Learn First Math, is that the kids can use a dry erase marker to trace in the book and practice it over and over again. When my kids were young, I did not give them markers to use, so something like this would have been a HUGE hit!

I know my kids would have enjoyed something like this when they were younger. Not only are they learning their first words or beginner math, but they are also learning how to properly hold a pencil. Which, if you spend any amount of time in a preschool or Kindergarten classroom, you know that holding a pencil is sometimes difficult for children!

Fingerprint Fun

One of my kids favorite things to do was finger painting. In fact, I am currently sitting in my husbands office at work and he STILL has framed finger paintings our kids did, hanging on his wall. FYI…my kids are 16 and 14! The Fingerprint Farm book is a fun book that kids can do by themselves or with an adult and I guarantee they would have loads of fun with this book. Check it out!

Doesn’t that look like fun?!? My 2.5 year old nephew will have a lot of fun putting little mud fingerprints all over the piggies!

Where Can I Buy These?

You can pick up these books and so many more in the iSeek series on Amazon! They are a perfect edition to your child’s Easter Basket or a “just because” gift!

Fingerprint Fairies: (Kid’s Activity Books, Art Books for Kids, Fairy Craft Books) (iSeek)Design and Draw 50 Princess Outfits (iSeek)Design and Draw 50 Cat Outfits (iSeek)Trace & Learn Handwriting Practice: Dinosaur (iSeek)Magical Water Painting: Under the Sea: (Art Activity Book, Books for Family Travel, Kids’ Coloring Books, Magic Color and Fade) (iSeek)Trace & Learn Handwriting Practice: Unicorn (iSeek)Color & Cut Masks: Unicorns: (Origami For Kids, Art books for kids 4 – 8, Boys and Girls Coloring, Creativity and Fine Motor Skills) (iSeek)Color & Cut Masks: Dinosaurs: (Origami For Kids, Art books for kids 4 – 8, Boys and Girls Coloring, Creativity and Fine Motor Skills)Color, Cut, and Fold: Ocean Animals: (Art books for kids 4 – 8, Boys and Girls Coloring, Creativity and Fine Motor Skills, Kids Origami, Sharks) (iSeek)Color, Cut, and Fold: Wild Animals: (Lions, Tigers, Elephants, Art books for kids 4 – 8, Boys and Girls Coloring, Creativity and Fine Motor Skills, Kids Origami) (iSeek)

Which one of these books for toddlers and preschoolers will you be picking up?

Hunger Games Prequel

May 27, 2020 by Leah Leave a Comment

When I found out that there was going to be a prequel to the Hunger Games books, I got very excited! I added the date that it was set to release to my calendar and anxiously awaited for that day to arrive. The day before, I checked my library’s online database to see if I could place a hold on the book. It didn’t show up. The next day, the day it was releasing, I checked again, and guess what?!? For the first time EVER, I got a book on the day that it released! That never happens! I then spent the next two weeks reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins.

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Journal (Hunger Games)Hunger Games 4-book Hardcover Box Set (The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes)The Hunger Games [DVD]

About The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

From Amazon –

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the 10th annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to out charm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined – every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute…and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

My Thoughts about the Prequel to Hunger Games

First of all, I loved the Hunger Games books. I really did. When I was reading them, I remember thinking, “this is so messed up. These are kids killing each other.” However, the more I got into it, the more I really liked the books (and later the movies). As an aspiring writer myself, I was really impressed by the quality of writing, as well as the thought that went into planning all the details. Especially the small details.

When I heard that there was going to be a prequel to the Hunger Games and it was going to be written from Coriolanus Snow’s point of view, I literally couldn’t wait for it to come out. I love a good book written from the villain’s point of view! Not to mention, I was very intrigued by this character in the Hunger Games series, so to find out more about him, especially from before he became President Snow!

Did I Like It?

I really did! In the beginning I was a little bored. It wasn’t that the story was boring, but there was a TON of details. I had a feeling that if I could just get to the part where the Hunger Games began, I would like it more. And I was right. From the moment they entered the area, until the very last page, I couldn’t put the book down. In fact, I actually want to go back and reread the Hunger Games books all over again. Anyone that knows me, knows that I do not reread books. I have my list of favorite books that I love, but I don’t care to reread things. Until now!

Ali Cross by James Patterson

May 20, 2020 by Leah Leave a Comment

I finally got a chance to read the new (well not so new now…it took awhile to get it from the library on my Kindle) book, Ali Cross by James Patterson. Now you remember, I am a HUGE Alex Cross fan. I have been reading that series by James Patterson for about 25 years. So, when I saw he had a spinoff series starring his son, I had to read it (even though it was geared to tweens)! While it took awhile to be able to borrow it from the library for my Kindle, it was definitely worth the wait!

*As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases*

About Ali Cross

From Amazon –

Ali Cross has always looked up to his father, former detective and FBI agent Alex Cross. While solving some of the nation’s most challenging crimes, his father always kept his head and did the right thing. Can Ali have the same strength and resolve?
When Ali’s best friend Gabe is reported missing, Ali is desperate to find him. At the same time, a string of burglaries targets his neighborhood—and even his own house. With his father on trial for a crime he didn’t commit, it’s up to Ali to search for clues and find his friend. But being a kid sleuth isn’t easy—especially when your father warns you not to get involved!—and Ali soon learns that clues aren’t always what they seem. Will his detective work lead to a break in Gabe’s case or cause even more trouble for the Cross family?

Ali Cross The Summer House The 18th Abduction (Women’s Murder Club)

Perfect for Tweens and Teens

I think James Patterson was a genius for taking a character from one of his most popular book series and writing a series geared towards tweens and teens. When my son was younger, finding books that he wanted to read, that didn’t have a girl as the main character, was hard. Ali Cross is a middle school boy character that will appeal to boys and girls! I can’t tell you how much I wish this book was around when my son was younger and I was trying to get him to read books with more words than the graphic novels he preferred (which I was OK with too…reading is reading).

My Thoughts

I enjoyed the book. This book felt like the old James Patterson books. The style of writing was very similar to early Alex Cross books. Which I liked a lot. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy almost everything James Patterson writes, but sometimes they just seem different. This did not. It is definitely a book I will be recommending to my friends when they are looking for books for their tween/early teen aged kids!

If you are looking for other books for your tween/teen aged kids to reading, definitely check out the following:

What Books Would You Recommend?

I think the best books are those recommend to me by others. Leave a comment and let me know what books you recommend for the tween/teen age group!