Kids Books

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

July 24, 2018 by Leah Leave a Comment

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I still remember when the Harry Potter series came out. My husband and I would actually buy two copies of the book because we would fight over who could read it first. The day my daughter said she was interested in beginning the series on her Kindle was one of the happiest days of my life! No joke. This is a series that every kid should read at least once (or twice or more…) in their life.

Image via Pexels

Harry Potter Series

If you haven’t heard of the Harry Potter series (or movies), then you have definitely been living under a rock. No worries. Once you are done reading this review, you will want to run out and pick up this series as soon as possible.

– From Amazon-

“Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter ‘H’.”

Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry’s eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7)

The way J.K. Rowling writes, it draws you in and leaves you wanting more. I remember staying up late just to finish a chapter or the book! My daughter has stayed up very late all summer reading this series. She is excited to find out what happens next. I’ve never seen her so excited about reading before!

Fun Fact: The K in J.K. Rowlings name is a made up initial. She was told by her publisher that boys would not read about a boy wizard written by a woman!

Are the Books Better than the Movies?

Yes and no. Yes because I firmly believe that books are always better than the movies. In this case, J.K. Rowling does a good job of creating images with her words that you can totally picture in your head. I also say no because there is something magical about the movies, as well. It’s fun to see if what you imagined is the same in the movies. As my daughter finishes a book, she watches the movie. She gets very upset with all the little changes from book to movie! She’s definitely my kid!

Definitely add the Harry Potter series to your list of things to introduce your kids to. There is nothing cuter than seeing kids running around yelling spells from the books, wearing the robes, drawing scars on their forehead and waving their wands! Plus, once you’ve become obsessed with it, you can then visit The Wizarding Word of Harry Potter at Universal Studios!

Bundle – 3 items: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger Magic Wands Child Harry Potter Deluxe Costume Medium Rubies Harry Potter Broom Rubie’s Harry Potter Golden Snitch Costume Accessory Douglas Cuddle Toys Stuffed Wizard Snowy Owl

Check out other books for kids and see if there is something else you would like to begin reading!

The Ultimate Summer Reading Bucket List

April 26, 2018 by Leah 5 Comments

Can you believe that the school year is almost over? Where has this year gone? It’s insane. In a few short months I will have a high schooler (say what?!?) and a middle schooler. I really can’t believe it. This year, my daughter really got into reading. She is currently reading the Harry Potter series and loving it. I want to continue to foster that love for reading so I put together this Ultimate Summer Reading Bucket list. After printing one out for each kid, they can hang it in their room and start checking off the different bucket list items! There’s something for everyone on this list!

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

Print out your FREE Summer Reading Bucket List Printable HERE

CafePress – I Like Big Books – Natural Canvas Tote Bag, Cloth Shopping Bag Relaximals Cat Kids Reading Pillow The Book Seat – Book Holder and Travel Pillow – Red

One of the things you can do to help foster that love for reading, is to take weekly trips to the library. Not only do you knock an item off the summer reading bucket list, but you also give your child (and yourself) the opportunity to check out a TON of different types of books at once! Definitely utilize the librarian. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve gone up to our librarian, told them an example of a book the kids like and they then give us a bunch more that are similar.

E-Book Reading

If your kids are like my daughter and prefer to read on a Kindle, then definitely check with your local librarian as to which online service they use to borrow books. My local library uses Overdrive and Hoopla (though, I do believe that Hoopla will only work with a table, not a Kindle since you have to use the Hoopla app). Another great thing with the Kindle is the Kindle Unlimited Membership Plans. Kindle Unlimited is great! You can borrow up to 10 books at one time. Not sure if you will like it or use it? Click on the link and start your FREE 30 day trial. The Kindle Unlimited membership can be used to read books on a Kindle, on your desktop/laptop computer or on a tablet with the Kindle app.

Kindle Paperwhite E-reader – Black, 6 Fintie Slimshell Case for Kindle Paperwhite – The Thinnest and Lightest PU Leather Cover with Auto Sleep/Wake for all-new Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (Fits all 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016 Versions), black – EKD0021AD-US Fire 7 Tablet with Alexa, 7

Whatever you do this summer, READ! Schedule electronic blackout times where you and the kids spend the time reading a book or use this summer daily planner printable and put reading on their daily to do list! Have a conversation about the books you are reading while you eat dinner. Kids like to talk about the books they are reading. As I mentioned, my daughter is reading the Harry Potter series. She’s so excited about this series, that she read two books in two weeks. She likes to talk to us about the differences between the book and the movie. And boy does she get upset when they make “stupid changes” in the movie!

Don’t forget to print your FREE Summer Reading Bucket List printable RIGHT HERE!

Horror Books for Kids – Night of the Living Dummy

April 2, 2018 by Leah 6 Comments

Getting the kids to read can sometimes be a difficult task. I am lucky that my love for reading has been passed on to my kids. They have always seen me reading, so that could also be why they like reading so much too. Currently I am doing a MasterClass that is being put on by R.L. Stine and not only did it bring me back to my childhood days when I was constantly checkout Fear Street books out of the library, but his take on writing horror books for kids is really interesting. R.L. Stine makes it a point to always make sure that kids (typically 7-12 years old for his Goosebumps series) know he is writing a fantasy and he doesn’t use real life violence or guns in his stories. I decided to read the Goosebumps book, Night of the Living Dummy to share with you all.

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

Image via Pexels

As I mentioned above, I grew up reading the Fear Street books. I absolutely loved them. According to R.L. Stine, his Fear street horror books are for kids over 12 years old and to about 15 or 16 years old. His Goosebumps books are typically for kids between the ages of 7 and 12 years old. Since I am an aspiring author and would like to ultimately write books for kids or young adults, I decided to read the Goosebumps, Night of the Living Dummy book. Not to mention, I love reading horror books as an adult, I’d love to pass that one with some good horror books for kids suggestions!

Goosebumps Monster Edition 2: Night of the Living Dummy, Night of the Living Dummy II, and Night of the Living Dummy III

About Night of the Living Dummy

The book starts out extremely relatable for kid (and parents) with two competitive twin sisters, Lindy and Kris. After exploring the house being build next door, Lindy finds a ventriloquist dummy that she decides to name Slappy. Kris, unable to let her sister be better at something than her, begs her parents to buy her a ventriloquist dummy of her own. After finding Mr. Wood in a pawn shop, Kris begins to realize, having another dummy in the house, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Scary things start happening and it appears that Mr. Wood is really alive and mean. Pulling pranks on the family and getting Kris and Lindy in trouble.

R.L. Stine uses just the right amount of horror in this book to keep kids turning the pages. I could see my daughter reading this book and asking me for just “one more minute”. Each chapter ends with a cliffhanger, which is perfect for kids. You want them to want to turn the page to find out what’s going to happen. The nice thing about the Goosebumps series is that there are a lot of books in the series for the kids to choose from and keep them reading for quite awhile. These horror books for kids are an easy read and perfect for kids that are 7 years and up!

Pick up a few of these horror books for kids to read over the summer! They will enjoy them and you will enjoy that your kids are reading! Find out more information about the R.L. Stine MasterClass by visiting the MasterClass website!

Toddler Books Perfect for Holiday Gifts

November 12, 2017 by Leah 22 Comments

Can you believe the holidays are quickly approaching? This year has flown by! One of my favorite gifts to give to anyone of any age, are books. I especially love giving books to toddlers. They get so excited to have their own book. The look on their faces as they turn the pages, is priceless. Building that love for reading early on is so important. This list of toddler books are guaranteed to put a smile on the face of the toddler in your life this holiday season!

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

Toddler Books for Holiday Gifts

When I think back to when my kids were toddlers and what books were their favorites, one particular book comes to mind…Good Night, Gorilla. If you haven’t seen this book, you need to check it out! It was my sons absolute FAVORITE book for so many years. We actually wore the book out and had to pick up another one for him. It was something we read to him every single night! Boy or girl, you can’t go wrong with this book!

Good Night, Gorilla

Favorite Board Books

My kids have always had a love for reading. They loved each and every single book they’ve ever owned. When it came time to pack up the board books to make room for books more appropriate for their reading ability, they fought me on it! There were some books they couldn’t bear to get rid of. Some favorite toddler books of theres are:

Good Night Dump Truck (Good Night Our World)Giraffes Can’t Dance Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Board Book)Where Is Baby’s Belly Button? A Lift-the-Flap Book The Going-To-Bed Book I Am A Dump Truck Moo Baa La La La We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (Classic Board Books)Boynton’s Greatest Hits: Volume 1/Blue Hat, Green Hat; A to Z; Moo, Baa, La La La!; Doggies (Boynton Board Books)But Not the Hippopotamus (Boynton on Board)The Wheels on the Bus (Pudgy Board Book)

You really can’t go wrong with anything by Sandra Boynton. My kids absolutely LOVED her books! And truth be told, they were pretty fun to read to them! Win win all around!

So what are you waiting for?!? Pick up a few of these great toddler books and give them to your favorite toddler this holiday season!

Batty Betty by Kathryn Hast

September 26, 2017 by Leah 13 Comments

One of the things I always wanted for my own kids was for them to know that it was OK to look different, act different, and think different from others. So long as they were respectful and kind to everyone, then I wanted them to always be who they truly are. While we can tell our kids these things (and we should), it’s also good to have books, videos, etc. to carry that message too. Batty Betty, a children’s book by Kathryn Hast definitely expresses that “be who YOU are” message.

*I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All opinions are 100% my own. *

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

About Batty Betty by Kathryn Hast from Amazon

Enter: Abel, the tuba; Eve, the sad banana; and Betty, a giant who dances unapologetically to her own drum. When Abel goes out marching by himself, he finds a sad banana named Eve who has been bullied by local beavers. As it turns out, she’s not alone. The beavers are also out for Betty, who stands out with her towering height and “batty” behavior. Abel sets out to defeat these beavers, but soon discovers it’s not about winning – it’s about finding your own music amidst the ruckus and noise.

Batty Betty

I absolutely LOVED Batty Betty! The author, Kathryn Hast, wrote this book in a very whimsical and lyrical way. The positive messages are sprinkled throughout and are written in a way that allows for discussion while reading and after. Unfortunately, in this day and age, bullying or making fun of kids that are different, is something that happens quite often. Especially in the classroom. Having books like Batty Betty for teachers to read to their students and discuss together as a class, is great! Kids need all the positive messages they can get.

Batty Betty Otis Grows

If you have older children that still love books with pictures, this graphic novel series is one my daughter highly recommends. She read them all very quickly!