Charity Book Drive- 2023

In January 2023, I started a Charity Book Drive to honor my son, Finn to celebrate that it has been 18 months since his last surgery. Finn is 9 years old and one of the strongest kids I know. He is a “heart” warrior and has had 2 heart surgeries, and been through lots tons of doctors appointments, medical procedures and hospital stays.

An amazing group of indie authors have generously donated their books to children with medical issues. Books will be given to Ronald McDonald Houses, local children’s Hospital, and other CHD charities. THANK YOU SO MUCH to all these amazing authors and their wonderful donations!

I especially want to thank another author/illustrator who donated 2600 copies of his book, "Hammy the Hammerhead (almost) Big Adventure to two of the nonprofits mentioned above. He approached me after he saw me post about the Charity Book Drive in an author group and asked me if I could coordinate the large donation. The donated book had a small misprint and had been sitting in storage. I was so amazed by his kind generosity! Since then the books have been delivered and have already made it into the hands of some children experiencing difficult medical situations! To find out more about Mike Crowder and his wonderful books or order a signed copy please visit him here www.graysheepgraphics.com

I would also like to thank an amazing Nonprofit, Hindi's Libraries, who also reached out to me after hearing about my book drive. Hindi's Libraries generously sent me around 400 books to add to my donation list! Find out more about their nonprofit here hindislibraries.org

I have grouped all the books I have received that were donated by indie authors below into categories with their reviews. Please support these amazing authors and consider purchasing and leaving a review on their books!

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Our NICU Journey by Sarah Immonen Ward

Highly recommend this book! It is such a beautiful book and would make a wonderful gift for families with a NICU baby. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and story is written very beautifully as well! I loved the details including the beads of courage on each page! Simply Perfect!

Road to Rainbow by Kristy Davide

This is such a beautifully written book.

I can feel that there is so much love behind the story as it was written. It is wonderfully told in rhyme with gorgeous illustrations. Such a sweet book about 2 people who embark on a hard, long journey full of surprises and hurdles to finally get their amazing baby! I had chills while I was reading it! Such a very special book that would give Hope parents on the journey of hoping for a child! Wonderful!

The Adventure of Asher and Rocket by Shawna Keyes

Darling tale of NICU adventures told in rhyme. i adore these illustrations. They are so captivating! Love the way the author explains everything that one comes across in The NICU in terms of space exploration/ and astronaut gear! Very creative and fun! Great book to calm sibling worries about their brother or sister being in the NICU!

All About Our Baby and the NICU by Laura Cameron’s, CCLS

This book is very helpful to families to explain the NICU to children. It helps walk them through what the NICU is and what will occur there. It is very informative and will help kids work through big emotions and answer questions they may have. It will also be great to relieve some of the anxiety and worry too!

Our New Baby in the NICU by Laura Cameron’s, CCLS

Sweet book that is wonderful at explaining how things will go to a big sibling while their new brother or sister is in the NICU. I liked how they are able to write their names in and draw pictures at the end. This will be a comfort for kids to receive.

By the Time You Came Home: A keepsake for your premature baby

This is a wonderful book for families that have experienced the NICU and having a premature baby or sibling. Very sweet story told in rhyme and charming illustrations too.

Whose New at Lou’s Zoo by JoAnn Dickinson

This book is adorable! Love the inclusiveness to the new neighbor! The illustrations are super gorgeous! Too! Very fun read!

Dino Deegan and the Unpleasant Class by Heather E Robyn

Loved the illustrations in this. Such a great book teaching kindness and helping out friends when they need it most. Sometimes it’s hard to fit in, especially when we feel different. It’s so nice to be accepted and this story teaches exactly that!

Hammy Hammerhead’s (almost) BIG ADVENTURE! By Mike Crowder

Crowder REALLY Hit the Nail on the “Hammer”Head with this one!

Hilarious Creative Read with a wonderful lesson!

This book is seriously just FUN! I loved the humor in this book and the unique way that the story is told. Very creative! Really enjoyed the illustrations too! I can’t wait to read more from the author. His books are very unique and fun and my kids and I appreciate that VERY MUCH!

Along Came Oliver by Kelle Lima

This book is such an amazing book for kids navigating emotions! It’s also incredibly helpful for teaching them about friendship! Such a relatable story about a little girl who gets jealous when her best friend starts playing with someone new! She feels very sad, jealous and left out! Not long after, she loses her kitty and the two boys help her find it! In the end, she learns that it’s GOOD to have more then one friend! The illustrations of this book are so gorgeous and both my kids (ages 4 and 9) really enjoyed this book. As did I!

The Pirate Doctor by Lindsey Gizicki

We loved the illustrations! Such a fun book about a little pirate doctor, named Rue, who fixes the ailments of a pirate while at sea. Very fun and engaging read! My 4 year old loved it!

Theo’s Heart by Amy Kwong

Such a sweet book teaching empathy!

This is a great book to read with your child about having empathy for others. We don’t always know what difficult situations others might be in. I love the creative way the author approached this subject. Adorable illustrations too!!

Ligers, and Tigons, and Bears-- Oh My!

Wonderful Inclusive book!

I love how this book celebrates differences! It shows the beauty of all of us and our families. A great book to open conversations about differences with kids!

Ellie Mae Finds Her Own Way by Alyssa Altamirano

Great book for kids that are naturally shy and nervous around new people! Loved the tips that the author gives to help someone step out of their shell and make friends and talk to people. Darling illustrations! Great read!

Gilly the Ghost Loves Scaring the Most by Dr. Heather E. Robyn

My 4 year old really enjoys this book! He wants to read it over and over even outside of Halloween! Great book year round! He loved the illustrations! The story is told very well in rhyme! It teaches kids that there can be TOO much of a good thing! Gilly loves scaring his friends but eventually he goes overboard and scares them too much! His friends chat with him and he decides to pull back a bit and only scare them sometimes.

Pirate Doctor by Lindsey Gizicki

Adorable story told in rhyme! We loved the illustrations! Such a fun book about a little pirate doctor, named Rue, who fixes the ailments of a pirate while at sea. Very fun and engaging read! My 4 year old loved it!

Effie’s Friendsgiving by Jennifer Morhaime

This is such a wonderful inclusive book. It teaches kids understanding about various holidays that can be celebrated and also celebrates that they can come together in unity and learn about the one another’s differences.

Effie Goes on a Field Trip by Jennifer Morhaime

This is a great book for kids to prep them for an upcoming field trip! Loved the bright colored illustrations and fun characters in the book! This would be great for a child that feels anxious about an upcoming class field trip! Fun book.

Effie Goes to School by Jennifer Morhaime

Great book to prep kids for the first day of school!

This is a great story to prep kids for the first day of school. Effie wants to make friends and finds one that isn’t very receptive. During the story she finds out, that the reason Billy wasn’t friendly is he felt nervous because he forgot his lunch. this helps kids learn a good lesson that we don’t always know what others are dealing with. I loved how Effie stepped up to be kind even though Billy didn’t return the favor. Sometimes good friends are worth trying for!

Everybody Loves Bakon by Janine Masi Landreth and Leigh Ann Thompson

Three Cheers for Bakon!

You too can be a hero like Bakon! This is such a fun book! Both my kids enjoy and relate to it! Teaching kindness and the art of being a good friend is VERY IMPORTANT! Love all the fun, relatable reasons given for everyone to LOVE Bakon! Love the little added elements of humor too to help keep kids laughing and engaged! Such a cute book!

What’s Shakin Bakon? by Janine Masi Landreth and Leigh Ann Thompson

Another amazing Bakon book with a cherry on top!

Loved this adorable book! Such a great story with amazingly done illustrations! I loved all the dance competition illustrations and how it showed them all making little errors! This book was super fun to read with both my 4 year old and my 8 year old! Always love books that showcase kindness too! Very well done!

Dinosaur Friends Saving Conifer’s Eggs and Dinosaur Friends A Present for the Volcano by Lois Wickstrom

This flip book is perfect for a dinosaur lover! So fun that you get 2 books in 1. I loved reading this with my 4 year old and discussing the meaning of friendship and teamwork after.

DragonFriend by Mireille van Yperen

Don’t fear someone’s differences! Embrace them!

This is such a fun, darling book. My 4 year old had so much fun reading it! We both fell in love with the little bearded dragon in the book! It’s just the cutest little thing ever! Such adorable illustrations! Love that it teaches us not to fear those that are different! Sometimes the people that we may have noticed to be different, end up making the very best of friends!

Matt, Sam and the Swimming Unicorn by Elizabeth Harlan

This is a fun book that teaches kids to have fun with new friends and accept their differences! It was cute that the unicorn and sloth showed the narwhal ways to play ball! My 4 year old enjoyed it.

Colorless by Jessi Hersey

Great book that teaches kids love and acceptance with no boundaries! Such an important concept for all ages. Bright colorful illustrations are sure to capture children’s attention.

Semeli and the Magic Cookie Land by Despina Mavridou

Lovely story highlighting the treasures in sharing!

This is a cute story that highlights the true treasures in sharing with friends. Very good lessons in the this book

The Adventures of Oliver the Clownfish: Acting Cool by Stephanie Guzman-

What is Popular isn't always right!

This is a great book showing kids that being kind and accepting people (or dolphins) for who they are is more important that being "cool." Loved it! Read it with my 4 year old and he really enjoyed the bright colorful illustrations and agreed that he would love to have Dolly the Dolphin as a friend!

It’s Great to be Me by Melissa Ahonen

Such a wonderful self esteem booster for kids!

Love this book! The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and it’s such a fun positive read for kids. Teaches them to be proud of everything they are and helps them see the good in themselves! My 4 year old is always beaming when I have him repeat the affirmations in the book!

B Is For Breathe: The ABCs of Coping with Fussy and Frustrating Feelings by Dr. Melissa Munro Boyd.

This book is amazing! I love all the ways and examples the author gives that will lead to positive mindful changes for child mental health. The illustrations are adorable and I had a lot of fun reading this book with my kids! Highly recommend adding it to your library!!

ABCs of All That I Can Be by Alyssa Altamirano

Such an uplifting read for kids! So many positive affirmations for each letter of the alphabet! Loved this book! Had a great message and beautiful vibrant illustrations!! Very fun!

Quick Affirmations for Super Busy Teens by Kayla Yap

Everyone can use a boost!

Simple affirmations that can really help change a negative thought pattern! These would be great to read either all at once, when needing a boost or one a day. Wonderful for teens and adults alike!!

Snow in Vietnam by Amy M. Le

REVIEW IN PROGRESS

Snow in Seattle by Amy M. Le

REVIEW IN PROGRESS

Snow's Kitchen by Amy M. Le

REVIEW IN PROGRESS

Turtle Tube by Kathy Arnold Cherry

Very enjoyable read!

Brandon Goes to Beijing by Eugenia Chu

REVIEW IN PROGRESS

Brandon Goes to Hong Kong by Eugenia Chu

Fun Multicultural Read!

I loved reading this book! Loved that the Mandarin Chines language is introduced throughout and that the pronunciation is given in the preface also! Such a fun book about a boy who while in Hong Kong, sees (or thinks he sees) a magical Red Dragon. Love when education can be combined with entertainment! So we’ll done!

The Ghost of Morgan Gulch by Vickie L. Gardner

A Donkey Named Dave:Rescuing Not Stealing by Kate Patten The FRIENDSHIP Adventure by Carole G. Barton- Fun book full of adventure- great messages! This was a wonderful chapter book for kids! Finn enjoyed the lessons of perseverance and friendship and seeing Bruno overcome many obstacles. This is a fun read-a-loud family book. It teaches kids how to use various tools to overcome obstacles and fulfil their goals! We really liked it! The Heath Cousins and the Moonstone Cave by Eileen Hobbs This is such a fun read full of family, adventure and lots of excitement! Addie B. Visits her cousins shortly after their Grandmothers passing and while visiting they discover a magical cave. The adventure brings them all together on the journey of a lifetime! One they will never forget! This is a perfect book for kids ages 8 and up! Even as an adult I thoroughly enjoyed it! Can’t wait to read the rest of the series! The Secret of Dunhaven Castle by Nellie H. Steele This book was sooooo good! i finished it in 2 days which is no easy feat with my 2 crazy boys keeping me busy! It is about a woman, Dr. Cate Kensie, who is willed a massive castle and overnight becomes a Scottish Heiress. She also is given a timepiece, but shortly after finds out that this is no ordinary clock!!! Ghosts? Adventure! Excitement! A page turner that you will finish not long after starting! Highly recommend!

Ghosts, Lore & a House by the Shore by Nellie Steele Snuggle up with your favorite snacks and drink and enjoy this entertaining read! Love reading everything by Nellie Steele so far! This book definitely didn’t disappoint! It is about a mother daughter duo who lose their husbands in a devastating plane crash. They decide to start over in a new place and purchase a new home together. After moving in, they find out it’s a very famous house in the new town and appears in numerous paranormal ghost stories by various townspeople. Filled with a mystery that needs to be solved, treasure and maybe even ghosts… how could you NOT want to read this!! Loved it and will continue to purchase more by the author. On My Way Home by Joseph Trencher Wonderful book full of adventure! I really enjoyed this book! It is full of fun, adventure and suspense. It really kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen next. A book that will capture young readers and turn them into people who love books their entire lives! Well done! Susanna’s Midnight Ride: The Girl Who Won the Revolutionary War by Libby Carty McNamee Usually, historical fiction is not my genre of choice. However, this book did not disappoint! I was pleasantly surprised! I enjoyed reading about the Revolutionary War and think this is an awesome book for young adults as well as adults! I felt like I was back in history experiencing everything as it was happening! Well done!

Frog and His Pearl by Boyana Atwood This book is very cute! Wholesome Christian story with adorable illustrations and cute engaging story line . My 4 year old enjoyed it! Punk the Skunk Learns to Say Sorry by Misty Black Limits and apologies! It is so important for kids to know when to draw the line when joking around. This book is such a great way to teach this. I love that Punk decides he needs to let his friends know that he is sorry and he does it in such a fun/creative way. Love all of the stories in the season. The little animals are adorable and my boys always pick these books for bedtime reads. I Can … Calm Down by Becca This is such a great book for kids learning how to handle their emotions. I love all the real inclusive pictures the book shows and all the coping skills given to help a child calm down. My 4 year old really enjoyed it! Very helpful book for kids! Maya’s Big Feelings by Boyana Atwood Adorable illustrations! The tantrums Maya throws are very realistic. Unlike that Maya figures out a way to handle her feelings! This is a great book to help younger kids name emotions and will open up conversations about how to deal with these big emotions too! Teaches kids it’s ok to feel mad and frustrated but that feelings need to be handled appropriately A.B.C. Worry Free by Noel Foy Fear and anxiety can be so consuming! This book is a wonderful tool to help walk kids through handling those feelings! In the story, a boy named Max is stung by a hive full of bees. It is so traumatic for him that he avoids things he would normally love to do! With the help of a few good friends and the A.B.C.s Max conquers his fears head on! A- acceptance B- Breathe and C- change. Very helpful and relatable book!

Margo the Moose: Summertime Sensations by Sarah Ventura-Wright This book is wonderful because it really helps bring awareness to people who might have sensory processing disorder. Margo the Moose has a difficult time enjoying herself because the sand is too hot, waves are too loud etc., but it’s the help and a few supportive good friends she is still able to have a blast at the beach! Such a sweet book! Cute illustrations too! Nurse Bear Does First Aid by Marta Almansa Esteva- This book is so wonderful for young kids! Such a great book to be able to teach them about first aid! My 4 year old loved it so much! He learned so many valuable things: how to call 911 if there is an emergency, various medical tools, what to do if someone gets a burn, cut, bangs their head and how to wash his hands! Great addition to any household, school or doctors office! Little Panda and her Super Heart by Marta Almansa Esteva This is such a great book! I wish it was available when my son was younger before he had his 2 heart surgeries. All these procedures and machines terrified him. He had a great fear of the unknown and it was Soooo hard to find a book to explain everything to him and help ease his worries. This book does just that! Well done! Grandpa & Lewy: A story of hope and empowerment for children touched by Lewy Body Dementia by Jennifer Randazzo Beautiful Helpful Story! Grandparents are so special and this book does a great job highlighting how amazing they are. Having a grandparent with dementia can be extremely hard for kids to understand. This book hits home for my family. My elderly father in law lives with us and he has dementia. It can be very confusing for the kids and this book is such a very needed tool to help explain what is going on with grandpa. Love the helpful tips at the end for how to help a child cope also!! Grandma, It’s Me! A Children’s Book about Dementia by Y. Y. Chan This book brought me to tears because it hits so close to home for my family!Such a wonderful resource for kids with grandparents that have dementia. We take care of my elderly father in law with dementia and this really hit home for my family. Loved the illustrations and the kind, loving manner that everything is explained! Well done! Rainbows and Storms by Dr. Jennifer Jackson and Nisha Jaime My family absolutely loved this beautiful story! Absolutely wonderful journey where 2 heart warriors come together to love and support each other and create the most beautiful bond and friendship. They endure so many difficult obstacles together but come through stronger then ever with their beautiful friend by their side! Highly recommend! Meeting Exceptional Friends by Lindsey Larsen Normalizing Differences! Love this book that teaches kids so many important concepts. We are all created different and unique. Sometimes at first it may feel overwhelming or confusing for kids to understand why someone doesn’t communicate the same, act the same, or look the same. That is why this book is so important. It teaches kids that it’s ok to be curious and ask questions and also that sometimes the most amazing friends can be those that were born differently! Such a great book! Little Panda and her Super Heart by Marta Almansa Esteban This is such a great book! I wish it was available when my son was younger before he had his 2 heart surgeries. All these procedures and machines terrified him. He had a great fear of the unknown and it was Soooo hard to find a book to explain everything to him and help ease his worries. This book does just that! Well done! My Brain is Powerful by Lauren E. Munroe- This is such a powerful book for kids! It’s easy for kids to compare themselves to others and feeling DIFFERENT can sometimes make them feel uncomfortable. I liked that this book explained that we are all different and that makes us special. Loved the ideas included to help kids to calm down when they start to feel out of control. It is a great resource for all kids but especially those that are neurodivergent (adhd, autistic, etc). Grooty Fledermays Series Grooty Fledermaus Finds a Friend by D.L. Kruse This is such a sweet book of friendship and love! I adore the bond between Grooty and Katie! Such a fun series told in rhyme! Would be especially sweet for someone to read that has been diagnosed with cancer or another similar illness! Grooty Fledermaus and the Troll’s Tears Give everyone a chance! Very sweet story about "not judging a book by its cover." Grooty and Katie come across a troll along their adventures and despite his appearance they decide to give him a chance and make friends with him! Fun read! Grooty Fledermaus And the Dragon’s Dream Teaches kids to believe in themselves. My 4 year old enjoyed it. Great early reader! Grooty Fledermaus And the Unicorn’s Horn Spread kindness and love! Loved the idea behind receiving the unicorn horn for helping others! So magical and fun with great purpose behind it! Grooty Fledermaus and the Mermaid’s This book had a great lesson about being selfless and helping others. Grooty saves the mermaid's seahorse and the mermaid repaid them by giving a magic necklace to speed up Katie's healing! Love the Hope and escape that this book can give to children going through rough things! Very nice! Grooty Fledermaus and the White Whisker A little girl named Katie us to go in the hospital and can’t bring her friend (a cat) because animals aren’t aloud. She is very sad about that so Grooty decides to visit Santa and asked him to make her a kitty that looks just like him with one of his very own white whiskers. He embarks on a journey to Make this happen and it warms Katie’s heart to receive his thoughtful gift! Very cute, entertaining story with a good message of helping others when they are in need! Grooty Fledermaus And Grandpa’s Gift Lovely ending to a fantastic series! LLove how uplifting and empowering these books are for kids going through tough times! I think its such a wonderful ending too that Katie is able to help her grandpa just like Grooty has helped her! Very cute! Adalene Plays Many Ways by Erika Joy Sneath Great explanation of chronic pain for children that is easy to understand! Children often fear what they don’t understand, just as Adalene does in the book. As soon as her grandma explains what is happening with her uncle and his chronic pain it really helps Adalene see that her uncle loves her and wants to play with her more on the playground but has some struggles medically he is going through. Also a great book to teach how you can support others with chronic pain as well. We Find Joy: Cancer messed with the wrong family by Charissa Bates Love this book! Charissa Bates did an amazing job guiding children through a very difficult situation. This book will help give families HOPE! It will help them find the love and goodness that is all around them even though a family member has cancer. Beautifully illustrated! The author did an amazing job using her trials to help others Around her! This will be a wonderful resource for families! I’m Basically A Unicorn by Melanie Hawkins Wonderful Inclusive read celebrating disabilities! I LOVE this book! I think its hard for kids to feel that they are different sometimes and its so easy for them to compare themselves to what they think is “normal.” This book is so amazing because it really shows kids how wonderful it is to be different and unique and relates that to them being rare unicorns! I adore how the illustrations show the child on one side and them represented as a unicorn version of themselves on the other. Wonderful booK! My Big Brother is the Best Brother by E.C. Creed Cute book celebrating differences between siblings. Even though her big brother is different, she accepts him and loves him just the way he is! Very sweet. Great for families, especially those with a neurodivergent child. This Llama Can Write by Patty DeDurr wonderful inclusive read! I adore this book! As a mom with ADHD that has a child with ADHD, these books are so appreciated! Loved the story and the illustrations are darling too!! So happy to have this book as a tool! You are Powerful by Rachel Catchings Very inclusive! This book is great to help children see that everyone is different! We all have things that set us apart. It will help kids to be proud of all that they are and also accept others and be empathetic! Bright colorful illustrations that capture attention. Ocular Octopus by Hanna Yeager & Hillary Yeager-David BCO This is such a sweet, inclusive book that teaches kids understanding in differences. This book would be especially empowering for kids with prosthetic eyes. Loved the illustrations! This Kid Can Hyperfocus by Patty DeDurr absolutely adored this book! Such a wonderful read. As a parent to a child with adhd and myself having it as well, I completely relate. The author did an amazing job conveying this! Hyper focus can be a super power! Love the pictures and story line! Well done Super Special Magic Shoes by Megan Marie Higgins Such an uplifting book that celebrates differences! Truly showcases how unique we all are. Such a comforting book to kids that need leg braces for improving their muscle tone, balance and strength! Also, a great addition to any library to teach inclusion and empathy! Darling illustrations! Adventures with Darian: A Pirate at SEE by J.L. Rames “The Bravest,Boldest, most Daring Pirate of all: one who helps others!” Such a wonderful book! Love so much about it! Love that it promotes disability awareness for kids with vision/eye problems! Also love how the true treasure that is highlighted is kindness and teamwork! Such fun illustrations! Great read! God’s Special Gift: A Special Needs Child by Colleen Keefe Faul- This book had me in tears. As parents, we often have certain images in our heads about our kids, and how they will be, even before they are born. We expect them to be born “heathy” and “normal” (whatever that even means). When I had my son Finn, who has a heart defect, it was very scary for my family. I have never been more scared, worried and challenged before in my life. Fast forward a bit… now I see him as the blessing he truly is. Just as this author says, these kids are born special and amazing just as God intended. This is such a beautiful book and will help a new parent celebrate their child calm their heart too! Such a lovely book!

The Elephant That Wanted to Dance by Despina Mavridou

Wonderful book about a little elephant that has a dream of dancing on stage but everyone doubt him. Mrs. Wildebeest believes he can do it though and tells him to follow his heart and go take some dance lessons. After working hard he gets on stage and falls in front of everyone. He still gets back up and keeps going though and in the end does a wonderful performance everyone is impressed by! Fun book, with great illustrations!

My hands are CLEAN, or are they? By Brenda Akwar Great to teach reasons behind hand-washing! This is a helpful book that will serve as a great reminder for why we wash our hands! It is explained very simply in the book so that young children can understand! My 4 year old found it interesting and liked reading it! I ask love that it is a bilingual book!! I Can… Calm Down by Becca This is such a great book for toddler/preschool age. It is perfect because it’s so easy to understand! So many great ways to calm down and help kids through hard emotions! Love that REAL pictures of kids from all different backgrounds are shown. Wonderful resource!

Eka and the Elephants by Once Upon a Dance Highly entertaining read! This book is so wonderful for kids that have a hard time sitting still! I love how interactive it is! My kids had a ton of fun reading this together and acting out the scenes! It also wonderful to practice listening skills and enhance body awareness! Such a fun, unique book!! Love it! Are You A Bird Like Me? By Noel Foy & Nicholas Roberto “The sky’s the limit!!” It’s an easy and natural to fear the unknown. But if we only stick to things we feel comfortable with we miss out on so much!! This book was a perfect to share with my kids and open up conversations about exactly that! Let’s Go Goose Goose by Vanessa Ireson This was such a wonderful read! It was created by a talented author that also did the illustrations. It is written in rhyme and was a pleasure to read to my kids ages 3 and 9. They learned about how the geese fly South for the Winter. The illustrations are so fun with bright, captivating colors. Rylee The Young Rocketeer by JoAnn M. Dickinson I adore the illustrations in this book! So eye catching. This book was so fun! Love that it’s entertaining and also teaches kids about different planets too! Great book to empower kids to find what they love to do career wise! Ninja School Rules by Kim Ann Such a great book to teach kids about mindfulness and the necessary skills needed to be a great ninja! Lessons in respect, focus, confidence and kindness are highlight in ed in this fun book! Buckle up: A Children’s Imaginary Journey about Self-Control by Stephanie Scott Wow! This is such a unique and helpful book! Really walks a child through handling various things that will come their way! The entire book is set up like we are driving in a car! I love all the clever analogies that the author made to help navigate the journeys they may face. While reading this to my 9 year old with ADHD it seemed to really calm him down and help him relax! Highly recommend if!

The Adventures of Bentley Hippo: Inspiring Children to Never Give Up by Argyro Graphy

Sweet book with the message of kindness and acceptance. This book teaches kids to love themself even if they are different. It was sweet how all the kids came together to cheer up a new friend that was in the hospital. Very kind!

Who You Are (Book I) by Jessi Hersey This is a wonderfully inspiring book for kids about following your heart to find your true passions in life. Bright, vibrant illustrations make it a wonderful eye-catching read for kids. Love that it teaches kids to find what makes them truly happy! Crosby The Not-So-Snappy Crocodile This wonderful story has a great message of being proud of who you are! I love that the story shows crosby’s internal thought process of considering to change himself like everyone else just to fit in. Those are normal feelings to have! However, it’s such a wonderful lesson that Crosby ultimately decides he is happy with himself and once he accepts that finds all sorts of special things he jcan do and talents that he has to share with the community! He eventually finds amazing animals to be friends with that accept him for who he is. I adored this book and thought the illustrations were absolutely darling as well! Highly recommend! Molly Morningstar: Molly on Ice by Andrea Coke Lovely book about the power of YET Love the meaning behind this book! Sometimes a goal we have might take hard work and practice! We might fall down and fail along the way but if we keep trying we can do amazing things! Such adorable illustrations! Very fun book! Listening Ears by Rachel A Walmsley This book is amazing! Sometimes, as a parent it’s easy to forget that kids need more then just commands. They need direction and help accomplishing things that are naturally difficult to achieve. I loved the creative illustrations in this book. It kept me “listening” and engaged! It was wonderful because it reminded me to look at things through a children’s perspective. This is truly such an adorable story and every parent and child could benefit from reading it!

Darby and the Dollberry Dare by Vickie L. Gardner A fun, imaginative story for kids that like adventure. A great transition book for kids before they get into chapter books! Entertaining book! Darby’s Polka Dots and Pretties by Vickie L. Gardner- this is a wonderful story teaching self confidence. Love the imagery the author creates in the book! Very fun and imaginative read! Darby Meets Tall Town by Vickie L. Gardner This is a great beginner style chapter book in a picture book format with lots of illustrations to keep kids interest. This book helps teach kids the importance of helping others. Ade’s Special Outfit by Monisola Komolafe This is a fun read. We all come different backgrounds, cultures, religions, etc. This book celebrates a little boy’s special birthday clothes, brought back from his nana in Nigeria. I like that it explains each piece of clothing he puts on and it’s also an added bonus that it shows the correct pronunciations too! There’s No One Just Like Me! By Krishana Johnson-James Wonderful story about how we are all unique in every way! We come from different places, like different hobbies and end up in different professions. This boo