Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Children’s Picture Books

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.

May 5, 2025
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.

April 30, 2025
TESSY TURTLE by Anna Casamento Arrigo, Illustrated by Jryona – Children’s Picture Books, Marine Life, Climate Change

“We are turtles, one and all, in oceans and on land. But we’re in danger of dying if you don’t lend a hand!” warns Anna Casamento Arrigo in her heartwarming children’s book, Tessy Turtle.

Sweet Tessy, along with her underwater friends, explains the life cycles of sea turtles and the environmental hazards they face daily due to their most dangerous predator: human beings. Written in lilting rhyme with vibrant illustrations on every page, Tessy Turtle captures the hearts of the young and not-so-young, reminding readers of our responsibility to the living beings and ecosystems we live amongst.

As readers swim beside tour guide Tessy, she points out the symbiotic relationships and friendships of sea life.

Barnacles cling to the backs of turtles for safety and turtles eat long green seagrass to keep it from growing unmanageable and disrupting other sea life from hunting. Tessy also exposes environmental barriers to the underwater critters’ happy lives, such as pollution and over-fishing.

Through story and rhyme, Tessy Turtle promotes positive conversations around climate action and encourages little ones to make a difference in their worlds.

Tessy provides young readers with examples of simple preventative measures– such as picking up after themselves at public beaches and avoiding touching the little green creatures– to encourage a safer world for all living things.

Anna Casamento Arrigo invites empathy and challenges readers to take action in this beautiful sing-song lesson on marine life. Tessy Turtle is sure to spark little readers’ imaginations and stick to their hearts like a barnacle.

February 19, 2024
COLIN And The LEGEND Of The WEEPING WILLOW by Anna Casamento Arrigo – Children’s Picture Books, Native American Legends

In Colin and the Legend of the Weeping Willow by Anna Casamento-Arrigo, curious Colin learns a Native American legend about the Weeping Willow from one of his favorite people, his grandmother.

Across the years, people have shared their cultural legends and tales. Often these stories are told to explain phenomena in the natural world, and are passed down by elders through oral traditions.

In this story, Colin visits his grandparents to join in fun activities like baking cupcakes and playing catch. During the cupcake making, he shares with his grandma that he has been learning about Native American legends, and she takes the opportunity to tell him another Native story.

As Colin and Grandma sit under a willow, she shares the story of how the willow came to be called “weeping”.

She introduces Colin to some heritage, practices, and values of the tribe whose story she borrowed, while telling him about the variety of Native Tribes that were here before the explorers came.

The beautiful illustrations of Gabriel Parame show how Colin imagines his grandmother’s story, including a fun tie-in to the legend that Colin and his grandma get to experience at the end.

Colin and the Legend of the Weeping Willow is a perfect story for a grandmother– or grandfather– to read to a child and continue the tradition of sharing legends throughout the generations.

February 12, 2024
ROHAN And NYRA And BIG SISTER’S BET by Anthony C. Delauney – Children’s Money & Savings Books, Picture Books, Children’s Educational Books

Continuing his series of important financial lessons told through fun stories, Anthony C. Delauney teaches readers about greed and gambling in Rohan and Nyra and Big Sister’s Bet.

Rohan eagerly waits for his big sister to return home from school for the weekend. Nyra brings home a challenge for Rohan in the form of a game. For every catch of the ball, Rohan will earn one dollar, but if he drops the ball at any point, he will lose it all. Rohan has tons of fun catching the ball over and over, thinking of all the things he will be able to buy with each added dollar. Will Rohan decide to keep the game going even when he becomes tired, or will he stop while he is ahead? Read Rohan and Nyra and Big Sister’s Bet to find out!

The lesson at the heart of the story is an important one, for children and adults alike. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of taking risks.

Rohan and Nyra and Big Sister’s Bet highlights the importance of thinking through your decisions. Of course, one must sometimes take risks, but should do so thoughtfully.

With illustrator Chiara Civati’s whimsical artwork and Deluaney’s simple yet attention-grabbing rhyming, Rohan and Nyra and Big Sister’s Bet is a children’s book not to miss! Check out the other books in the series: Dash and Nikki and the Jellybean Game and Lilly and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work.

September 8, 2023