Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Children’s Animal Stories

  • BELLYRINA: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast by Once Upon a Dance, Illustrated by Ethan Roffler – Picture Books, Children’s Dance Books, Children’s Animal Stories

     

    Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale From the Belly of the Beast, the latest whimsical creation from the mother-daughter team of Once Upon a Dance and illustrated by Ethan Roffler invites readers into a delightful world where movement, music, and imagination intertwine.

    Peter the boy, Milo the cat, Ren the bird, and Roxy the duck have a rough start to their morning when a hungry wolf ambushes them and swallows Roxy. Tickled by her downy feathers, the wolf sneezes out not only Roxy, but a mysterious pink bunny with zero-to-sixty energy and no name. The crew dance their way through the mystery of the bunny’s origins.

    The danger of the wolf is an immediate hook that begs to be resolved before putting the book down, and the mysterious, energetic bunny is a relatable character for active young children.

    Every page suggests dance moves for children to mirror the story.

    Integrated seamlessly into the story, these dancing prompts help children learn about their bodies and the artistic connection between movement and storytelling. The alliteration and rhythm of the text, such as the line “feathers and fluff flew like confetti,” are a perfect match for the dancing theme and might even inspire readers to try out movements of their own invention.

    Throughout the book, purple text is used for words that children can act out, providing the opportunity to choose a different adventure with every reading. Each character’s name is also represented by different colors, helping children explore each animal’s personality through their unique words and dance movements.

    Ethan Roffler’s sweet, soft illustrations follow the traipsing adventure of the mysterious bunny, with images reminiscent of Timothy B. Ering’s disproportionate, personality-filled animals in The Tale of Despereaux.

    The animals’ exaggerated facial expressions are sure to send young readers into fits of giggles—especially when the exuberant bunny springs up in the middle of the group’s slumber to announce a sudden revelation about a distant, sparkling memory.

    Children and adults interested in dance and/or animals will fall in love with Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale From the Belly of the Beast by Once Upon a Dance. Themes of friendship, sticking together, getting your wiggles out, and recovering from a difficult trial will strike meaningful emotional chords for young readers. Adults interested in encouraging play between siblings may be especially interested in this book to create a dance party for the kids right in their own home.

     

     

  • RALPHY’S RULES For LIVING The GOOD LIFE by Talar Herculian Coursey – Children’s Animal Stories, Children’s Self-Esteem Books, Picture Books

     

    Ralphy’s Rules for Living the Good Life by Talar Herculian Coursey teaches big lessons about seeing yourself and the world with kindness through an approachable, gentle, and colorful story for young readers.

    Joey the squirrel isn’t just grumpy but downright cranky. He’s weighed down by pessimistic thoughts about himself like “I’m not good at math” and “I’m funny looking.” But Joey bumps into Ralphy, a happy dog who introduces Joey to his different, empowering perspective, Ralphy’s Rules for Living the Good Life. Ralphy teaches him critical lessons on emotional resilience, which are communicated in a way that any child can identify with.

    Ralphy’s Rules for Living the Good Life stands out among its peers for its easy and flowing writing.

    The rhythm of dialogue between Joey and Ralphy makes reading aloud feel like you’re overhearing a conversation between two friends, one a little wiser than the other.

    Meri Andreasyan’s bright, warm, and expressive pictures make Joey’s frowns and Ralphy’s cheerful energy come alive.

    Through them young readers can easily understand Joey and how he changes as he learns. His initial words and way of seeing the world may remind you of moments as a child or even as a grown-up when you have muttered to yourself or to others about how you are not enough.

    The themes of kindness, resilience, self-love, and understanding others are clear but never heavy-handed.

    These lessons are not only for children but adults as well. They remind readers not to take things so personally, not to be so hard on themselves, and sometimes to be just a little bit braver.

    Ralphy’s Rules for Living the Good Life by Talar Herculian Coursey is cheerful, encouraging, and real. It’s a story that gives children life lessons they can adopt right away, and one that parents will appreciate for its lingering message of kindness to oneself.

     

  • A PLACE CALLED HOME by Nora G. Ho, Illustrated by Marlon at GetYourBookIllustrations – Picture Books, Children’s Animal Stories, Children’s Cat Stories

     

    A Place Called Home, a kitten leaves his barn to adventure around the redwood forest, looking for somewhere he belongs among the diverse wildlife.

    The pond’s singing frogs and leaping trout draw his interest, but kitten certainly wouldn’t fit in underwater. He gets nervous in the woods, so vast around him, but also decides against a bunny burrow because it’s not nearly big enough. After intruding on a skunk’s dumpster and a bear’s cave, kitten finds his way back to the farm. Even the friendly pigs are too muddy for his fur.

    His journey returns to the barn with his mama and siblings, where kitten finds home waiting for him.

    Ho’s writing creates an easy and educational read-along for young children.

    Each line fits into a simple rhyming scheme. Frequent use of synonyms makes this book an effective introduction to new vocabulary, with a glossary in the back for less familiar words like ‘furrow’. Onomatopoeia words like “ribbit” and “oink” create an engaging and multisensory world of imagination for the readers.

    A Place Called Home teaches kids about the living habits of different species, from burrowing bunnies to slimy slugs. The book ends with further rhymes about each animal, along with a message on respecting wild creatures and the importance of the Redwood trees. Children interested in nature will share in the kitten’s curiosity throughout his journey.

    The art by Marlon at GetYourBookIllustrations gives vibrant personality to both the places kitten goes and the animals he meets.

    Landscapes stretch wide around the little kitten, each with its own visual identity. Pastel blue waters ripple around the frogs, titanic Redwoods reach far above the edge of the page, a skunk guards the colorful contents of its dumpster.  The imposing stones of the bear’s cave give way to a familiar green farm and finally the warm-lit wood and hay of the barn.

    Marlon depicts each animal with realistic shapes in motion, stylized enough to show their reactions to kitten. With his black fur, kitten pops against the bright colors of the background, highlighting the attention to detail in his dynamic feline mannerisms—the fuzzy attitude that any cat lover will recognize.

    An educational romp through nature and comforting bedtime story, Nora G. Ho’s A Place Called Home will be loved by any young reader.

     

  • LITTLEST MANO At BEDTIME by Anita Dromey, Illustrated by Taranggana – Picture Books, Children’s Animal Stories, Children’s Bedtime Books

     

    In Littlest Mano at Bedtime by Anita Dromey, illustrated by Taranggana, Mano wants to keep grazing and playing in the hills when his mamma calls him to come down to the shore.

    The rest of the goats wait for Mano, who only comes when his mamma asks him to lead the group. But Mano trips in the evening darkness and loses his chance to lead the procession. Once he and all the other goats reach the ocean, he promises not to make them wait so long next time.

    Littlest Mano at Bedtime is a great evening book for children learning to read.

    Dromey writes in a consistent rhyming scheme, making the rhythm easy to grasp and read along with.

    This story teaches the importance of listening and cooperating with others, and does so with a soft hand fitting for very young readers.

    Mano’s mother speaks gently even as he insists on staying in the hills. She comforts him when he trips and keeps the other young goats from giving him too hard a time. Mano learns to temper his love for playing in the hills with the practical wisdom of his mom, who encourages him to try leading the herd again in the future.

    Lintang Pandu, through her art studio Taranggana, colors vibrant and soothing landscapes through which the goats walk.

    Her softly-shaded colors match the comforting tone of the story perfectly. Backgrounds start with the warm pastel tones of sunset highlighting Mano’s favorite verdant hills. As evening falls, the illustrations incorporate cool colors that fill the sea and night sky.

    Along with its effectiveness as a bedtime book, Littlest Mano at Bedtime introduces young readers to a herd of uniquely-colored goats, giving children plenty to hold their attention.

    With its nursery-rhyme writing and adorable goat characters, Littlest Mano at Bedtime will help children practice their reading skills and, like Mano, wind down for sleep.

     

  • SIDNEY’S GAMES by Lolisa Marie Monroe, illustrated by Patrizia Donaera – Children’s Picture Books, Children’s Friendship Books, Children’s Animal Stories

    Welcome to the world of Sidney the Squirrel: a little adventurer with a big heart and an even bigger imagination. Throughout Lolisa Marie Monroe’s Sidney’s Games, readers tag along with Sidney and his two younger sisters as they explore their beautiful forest home.

    Packed with dazzling illustrations, Sidney’s Games is sure to spark children’s curiosity about the world and encourage them to invent their own outdoor games.

    Award-winning children’s author Lolisa Marie Monroe weaves a tale brimming with warmth and wonder.

    The story begins when Sidney plans a special game for “Make a Friend Day.” The three siblings venture into the forest neighborhood, initiating a chain of friendships among the other lovable animals. Along the way we meet Tommy the Turtle, Helen the Hedgehog, Charles Henry Cardinal III, Phineas the Porcupine, Betty the Bunny, and Chippy the Chipmunk—all with their own delightful personalities and unique voices perfect for silly bedtime reading re-enactments.

    Larger-than-life illustrations by Patrizia Donaera leap out of the frame and into readers’ hearts.

    Each page is a detailed masterpiece rich with magical woodland imagery, bringing the reader into the magic of Sidney’s forest. Attentive young readers can spend hours poring over the illustrations and imagining their own wild homes.

    Sidney’s Games is the perfect length and difficulty for beginning independent readers to build confidence in their abilities.

    Complete with an interactive component at the end—a wordsearch and maze—Sidney’s Games activates children’s creativity and encourages them to think outside the box and connect with old and new friends.

    Sidney’s Games is a story that little hands will reach for again and again to enter its fantastical world.

    Sidney’s creativity will inspire children to enjoy natural environments by making up their own games. A delight for adults and children alike, Sidney’s Games reminds readers that friendship and fun are everywhere—one only has to find a friend and start playing.

     

  • A Tail of Twirls: Kittina and the Starlight Ballerina by Once Upon a Dance – Children’s Picture Books, Children’s Animal Stories, Dance Books

     

    Once Upon a Dance’s captivating children’s picture book A Tail of Twirls: Kittina and the Starlight Ballerina follows an inquisitive cat as she makes a mysterious discovery.

    In Pirouette Pines, small cat Kit peers through the dirty window of an abandoned dance studio. After a desperate initial attempt to enter, Kit spots an opening. The dance photos on the walls fascinate her as soon as she walks in. Curiosity gets the best of her, and she attempts to mimic some of the dance positions.

    Her entire world changes in an instant when a voice—coming from a very unexpected source behind her—asks why she has been there every night. Kit has a cordial conversation with the animated mirror, which concludes with a pledge from the mirror to assist Kit in finding her dance.

    Kit gains proficiency quickly and is keen to learn more. But as she considers what she has learned and what she still wishes to, she is split between gratitude and despair. To complicate her learning further, Kit is taken aback by yet another startling discovery, which is swiftly followed by a directive that will have an impact on Pirouette Pines as a whole.

    A Tail of Twirls: Kittina and the Starlight Ballerina engages readers in fun and unique activities while they read along.

    The story effectively mixes mystery and humor, and its vibrant illustrations and photo images will hold any child’s interest throughout the entire book.

    Kids learn to help both themselves and their communities from Kit’s example. This is a novel that will spark lively discussions on sharing, resilience, supporting others, and pursuing one’s dreams.

    With particularly lovely touches to facial expressions, the illustrations create a wonderful tone for the narrative.

    Each element of the photos has been carefully considered to create a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. The layout is simple, fluid, and easy to read while providing excellent hints about the plot’s progression.

    Once Upon a Dance’s A Tail of Twirls: Kittina and the Starlight Ballerina is lengthy enough to deliver a complete and well-developed story without making it feel overwhelming—perfect for reading with children.

     

  • BELLA BROWN—Grandma’s Missing Butterfly Locket by J.W. Zarek, Illustrated by Anastasia at GetYourBookIllustrations – Children’s Animal Stories, Picture Books, Children’s Butterfly Books

    In Bella Brown—Grandma’s Missing Butterfly Locket by J.W. Zarek, Bella and Grandma Yetta recall the various beautiful places they’ve visited to see the variety of butterflies around the world—and those same places where Yetta may have lost her locket.

    Over the phone, Bella imagines botanical gardens, temples, and natural places from China and Japan to Colombia and the Ozarks. Bella thinks about the butterfly locket in each location but can’t quite remember where it could be before she and her mom head to the local butterfly garden. Bella promises to draw a butterfly for Yetta, even if she can’t help her find out what happened to her locket.

    Grandma Yetta surprises Bella at the garden, and the two share a sweet moment as grandmother and granddaughter among their beloved butterflies.

    Zarek’s writing balances evocative description and ease of reading for young kids.

    Through an emphasis on motion and popping, colorful key words, the writing style embodies a childlike energy. Vivid sensory descriptions give a strong sense of place to each new location, working well with the illustrations to guide readers along Bella’s memorable journey.

    Different colors code the dialogue of Bella and Yetta, making it easy for young readers to follow along with their over-the-phone conversation.

    Illustrator Anastasia’s pastel coloring flows from page to page, matching Bella’s fantastical wandering through her memories.

    The myriad locations blend in and out of Bella’s room as if the reader’s stepping into them alongside her. A familiar blue and pink color scheme gives way to unique palettes for each new scene, with plants and butterflies alike shown in their beautiful variety. Those butterflies—illustrations of various real-world species—flock across entire page spreads to conjure the wonder of seeing them in person.

    The characters’ designs are as vibrant and playful as the butterflies they visit. They’re accompanied on their travels by Pip the Domovoi, an adorable little creature tucked away in the details of the illustrations.

    Across these destinations, Bella and Grandma Yetta bring up fun facts about the butterflies they see.

    Kids learn the cultural connotations of a visiting a white butterfly in Japan, and strange bits of biology about the migrating Monarchs. This book emphasizes the joy in sharing curiosity and appreciation of the natural world with your loved ones.

    Any young readers with an interest in butterflies will adore Bella Brown—Grandma’s Missing Butterfly Locket.

     

  • LET’S WORK SMARTER: Harmony Lane Adventures Book 2 by Katharine Mitropoulos, Illustrated by Laura Watson – Children’s Animal Stories, Picture Books, Creative Thinking Skills

     

    Katharine Mitropoulos’s Let’s Work Smarter, the second book of the Harmony Lane Adventures series, begins on a beautiful day at the Harmony Lane Farmer’s Market. There the residents are hoping to reach their fundraising goal to fix up the local playground.

    The next day, after having met their fundraising goal, Mouse takes charge dividing everyone into groups, each with their own job to do. Kangaroo, Frog, and Kitten are tasked with planting a flower garden, which turns out to be hard work! They decide they just need to work harder to get the job done but end up making a mess. Cheetah and Mole work hard while cleaning up the sandbox, causing sticks and leaves to get all over the place. Painting the fence are Giraffe, Bear, and Bunny, who all have their own plan for the design.

    By lunch everyone is no closer to finishing their tasks and everyone is exhausted! Mouse suggests everyone needs to work smarter instead of working harder. If everyone takes the time to think of creative ways to accomplish their tasks together and in an easier way, they will all be done fixing up the playground in no time!

    The Adventures of Harmony Lane came about from the author’s bedtime story she made up for her children. With a background in psychology, linguistics, and speech-language pathology, Katharine Mitropoulos has created stories that will help teach children the valuable lessons of teamwork and learning.

    At the end of Let’s Work Smarter parents will find several prompts they can use with their children to foster development and a love of learning. Based on the story, the suggestions provide insight into the value of the task along with an activity parents can incorporate into their child’s daily routine.

    Just as it was in the first Harmony Lane Adventure book, Ready…Set…Frog!, illustrator Laura Watson’s bright and colorful art creates a visually stimulating world. Her lighthearted, whimsical style is a perfect match for Mitropolous’s lively anthropomorphic characters, and the little details are a delight for children to find as the story is read.

    Following in what already feels like a rich tradition of Harmony Lane books, we see the animal residents come together to think creatively and work as a team to solve a task in an unexpected way. We see each group approach the solution to their task in a way that emphasizes mindfulness and planning ahead, which allows for parents and children to easily connect this story to their day-to-day life.

    Mitropoulos’ Let’s Work Smarter is a brilliant story about problem solving with vivid art. It teaches children the valuable lesson that not only can they accomplish their goals, but that any challenge can be overcome when you work together!

     

     

  • ESS-CAR-GO by Ruth Amanda – Picture Books, Children’s Animal Stories, Snails

     

    With their park damp from the rain, seven snails line up for their next thrilling race in Ruth Amanda’s Ess-Car-Go!

    Frogs, bugs, birds, and even a curious cat come to cheer on the famous snail racers, from the stylish Sterling to the easily-distracted Sherlock. And as each one runs into their own kind of trouble; this trophy could go to anybody!

    All the racers are easy to root for, with their mishaps fitting the natural oblivious image of snails.

    Written in an energetic two-piece rhyming scheme, this story builds excitement all the way to the end.

    Each snail is introduced with a cute, memorable design and a few accompanying rhymes to show their prowess and personality, getting readers as engaged in the race as all the critters in the park. Their distinctive colors keep the race clear, while helping to show there are many kinds of snails in the world—and sometimes even in just one stretch of grass.

    The rhymes cleverly fit in some vocabulary words like “hydroplane”, and the back of the book even includes a list of fascinating snail facts, teaching kids and adults alike more about these strange garden creatures.

    Whimsical watercolor illustrations absolutely fill Ess-Car-Go! with detail.

    There’s always more to draw the eye across the page, from colorful plants to the menagerie of adorable critters—each with their own kind of visual charm.

    Along with that dedication to detail, the illustrations play with funny animal visual gags. They indulge in the wonderful silliness of a frog doctor, birds and insects trying to help their favorite racer, and of course the shell-spraining speeds that these snails achieve—all while maintaining a real sense of suspense as the finish line approaches.

     

  • GECKOS In The GARDEN by Ruth Amanda – Picture Books, Children’s Animal Stories, Learning to Count

     

    Little Peeps 1st Place Best in Category Blue and Gold Badge ImageGeckos in the Garden by Ruth Amanda is a children’s counting book that takes readers through a delightful, rhythmic, aesthetically pleasing romp past a series of hidden geckos.

    Amanda starts out with just one gecko in the garden. Every page after, one more is added amongst myriad natural details such as flowers, a snail, a palm tree, garden taps, rocks, a mango tree, leaves, a gate, a bird’s nest, a pond, and more.

    Amanda demonstrates a natural sense of narrative arc even within a counting book—readers will feel the climax of the adventure when they arrive at the ninth gecko and read the line, “I spot one—two—no, six—no, more! Nine!” The escalation of the words’ momentum makes the ninth and tenth geckos more dramatic. Furthermore, the clever dénouement includes the narrator realizing the geckos might watch them just as much as they watch the geckos, and this is written alongside an adorable picture of a gecko looking in the window of the narrator’s home.

    The rhyme and rhythm of the story are extremely satisfying and feel natural, making the book effective at engaging children learning to count.

    The counting practice is not just in the words of the story, but in a scavenger hunt for each of the geckos in the illustrations. When a gecko is hidden in a challenging spot, hints like “I bet I’d find more geckos/If I hunted in the hedge” are integrated into the story. This is sure to create a game out of counting that will please children and adults alike. The images are beautiful and clear at the same time—perfect for ease in counting as well as maintaining interest.

    Pristine formatting helps the excellent writing style and lovely images to shine.

    The font serves the rhythm of the story, with bold words to guide readers toward the correct emphasis in the line. The images are balanced around the words in such a way that the pleasing layout draws the eye in the correct direction down the page. And finally, the consistent placement and slight tilt to the number on each page (“One!” and “Two!” etc.) creates a predictable and comforting routine for young readers to follow, even making it possible for them to anticipate the number that’s coming next.

    Geckos in the Garden is the perfect book for a child learning to count through playful means. Amanda makes it easy for an adult reader to read with a satisfying beat because of the balanced arrangement of words. Any child will surely be inspired to count geckos or other creatures like them upon sight even when the book’s covers have been closed for the day.

    Geckos in the Garden by Ruth Amanda won First Place in the 2023 CIBA Little Peeps Awards for Early Readers and Children’s Books.

     

    Little Peeps 1st Place Gold Foil Sticker