God Made Mommy/Daddy Special- Instagram Giveaway Too!

Just sweet.  Sweet, cute, simple, and fun stories for Mommy's and Daddy's to read with their little ones.  

God Made Mommy Special and God Made Daddy Special by Glenys Nellist is a sweet rhyming story about various animals and their little ones.  

Glenys Nellist really has wrote some super cute books.  I first found her when I bought this Christmas book for our family.  We now have this cute Easter book as well.  If you haven't read any of Nellist's books, you need to check them out. 

The animals in the Mommy book and the Daddy book are different, and that makes it even more fun for kids.  You must check out these cute books, especially if you have toddlers or preschoolers.

Lucky for you, you have a chance to win them on my Instagram @ Alohamoraopenabook.   Be sure to look for the post today.  You'll have two days to win.  If you aren't lucky enough to win through my Giveaway, there is word on the street that you could win next week over at With The Huddlestons.

Good luck!  

Hopefully, you'll be able to win these for a great Father's Day gift.  We all need Father's Day ideas, and this will make things a bit easy.   


Happy Sweet, Simple, and Fun Books' Reading! 

I Took the Moon for a Walk gets 4 Stars {picture book}

It's been a big week for the moon here in America.  A Solar Eclipse is basically the moon in all of it's glory blocking out the big show-off aka the sun.  Here in Arizona we got a whopping 63% solar eclipse coverage, but a few of my siblings were in 100% coverage for the solar eclipse took some great pictures and had a spectacular experience they say.  

With the moon being the cool kid as of late, I figured it was only appropriate to share this fun picture book. 

I Took the Moon for a Walk by Carolyn Curtis and Alison Jay is a sweet picture book with flowery language about a boy that takes the moon for a walk aka how the moon moves across the sky.

I Took the Moon for a Walk gets 4 out of 5 stars in my book review.  I thought the pictures were great, and I loved the extra information about the moon and the plants and animals that are nocturnal.  It wasn't until I read the back of this book that there are plants that are nocturnal.  The rhyming words give this book a good rhythm, and the descriptive language would make this book an excellent choice for a 3rd grade class (b/c they learn about the moon, space, sun, planets,etc.) Six Traits Word Choice writing lesson.  

To be honest, there isn't anything that I didn't like about this book.  I felt it was a nice book; but it wasn't as spectacular as the eclipse was for some.  I'm not sure 1st grade and under would appreciate the descriptive language and therefore struggle to get into the story.  They may even find it difficult to understand.  Though, older than 3rd grade would think this book is a bit childish.  Therefore, the small target audience makes this book a bit difficult to rave about. 

Overall, it's a sweet story that could be a good addition to your collection if you study the moon.  However, it isn't something I'd rush out to buy. 

Happy Sweet and Almost Lyrical reading! 

I Took the Moon for a Walk by Carolyn Curtis
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 7 - 8 year olds, 2nd and 3rd grade.
Worth a Check Out: Yes, check it out.
Buy It or Not: Not.
Read Aloud: If learning about moons and space this could be a fun one, along with How to Catch a Star 
Lesson Ideas: Moon, Rhyming, Personification


I received this book from Myrick Marketing in exchange for my review and honest opinion.  All of my thoughts, opinions, and words are my own.

The Best of Dr. Seuss Books for Every Age and Grade {Seuss Birthday/Read Across America Day} {Book List}

Wednesday, March 2nd is Dr. Seuss's birthday; he was born in 1904.  Because I am a nerd and a children's librarian I always celebrate his birthday with reading a few of his books and wearing my Dr. Seuss shirt.  

Dr. Seuss's birthday is also Read Across America Day!  This day is celebrated in public libraries and schools around the country.  Famous celebrities and well known public figures like the President or First Lady have been found reading to school children on this day.  

With a big day focused on reading and Dr. Seuss many people like to read a book by Dr. Seuss aka Theodor Seuss Geisel.  Today, I am giving you 25 of the Best Dr. Seuss's books for every age and grade.  

However, b/c everyone should have a little Dr. Seuss knowledge in case you need to answer random trivia I will give you a few facts about the great writer.  Dr. Seuss was incredibly persistent which was a trait that allowed him to become a well known author.  Dr. Seuss first wrote And To Think I Saw it On Mulberry Street, however it was denied by publishers 29 times.  Luckily, Seuss ran into an old friend in NYC who had become an editor; this man agreed to publish his book.  46 books later the rest is history. 

The Best Books to Read for

Read Across America Day aka Dr. Seuss Day!

Baby/Toddler: 

The Foot Book

Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?

Preschool: 

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

 Dr. Seuss’s ABC

Kindergarten: 

Fox in Socks

Hop on Pop

Ten Apples Up on Top!

 First Grade: 

The Cat in the Hat

If I Ran the Zoo

There’s a Wocket in My Pocket!

Second Grade: 

Green Eggs and Ham

The Sneetches and Other Stories

Bartholomew and the Oobleck

Third Grade: 

I Wish that I Had Duck Feet

The Butter Battle Book

Hunches in Bunches

Fourth Grade:

Yertle the Turtle

Horton Hatches the Egg 

Horton Hears a Who!

Fifth Grade:  

The Lorax

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins

Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?

Sixth Grade: 

Oh the Places You’ll Go!

The King’s Stilts

And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street

Happy Read Across America Day!  Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Happy Funny, Silly, Rhyming, and Moral Story Reading!  Dr. Seuss has a lot of really great books with a lot of really great lessons to be learned from them no matter what your age. 

Do you have a favorite Dr. Seuss book? 

The 5 Best DAD Books aka Books About Dad

Thinking of Father's Day gifts can be hard sometimes.  Though, sometimes thinking of gifts in general can be hard.  This year, we opted for the affordable but still loving presents.  

I gave a gift of service by painting the garage so my husband wouldn't have to do it.  My kids painted the awesome picture I shared with y'all yesterday, and we all made cards by hand.  There will also be breakfast in bed and a dinner of Lettuce Wraps (my husbands absolute favorite thing ever). 

Reading a new book, or new to us books, aka books checked-out from the library, with Dad is happening as well this weekend.  I'm positive my kids and my husband are both excited about that.   

Now, my kiddos can't have the only Dad out there that loves to read to them.  I'm pretty sure every Dad is a fan of his kids sitting together, mostly calm, to read a story.  Especially after a long day.   

Since there are lots of Dads out there that like to read with his kids, I'm giving you a booklist of the 5 Best DAD Books out there.

These books are all picture books that the very young to the upper elementary will/can enjoy.  They are funny and humorous and portray Dad's for all of their awesomeness. 

Happy Father's Day!  

The 5 Best Books About DAD

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems

Even Dad’s go to the laundromat, and this Caldecott book proves that.  I love the mix of photos and drawn pictures in this cute story for all ages.  I’m a big fan of Willems; he is a great author and illustrator.

Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle

Simple informative text with Carle’s colorful almost magical pictures makes for a great story about the Dad Seahorse taking care of the babies.

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

A fun story, and Caldecott Honor book (so the pictures are awesome) about a little chicken that likes to interrupt his Papa reading him a bedtime story.  Kids of all ages will enjoy this humorous read and Dads will enjoy it as well.

Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss

This classic rhyming picture book is perfect for the young to read along with their own “Pop.”

Mighty Dads by Joan Holub

This is a fun picture book for the boys that love construction vehicles to give to their Dads who love to read to them and teach them things.   

Dad's are great, and they should be celebrated in books and in many other ways.  

Happy Dad Book reading!

And...

What are you doing for Father's Day?

Snowmen All Year gets 5 Stars

My son has been requesting this book as his nap time and nightly book for the past 6 months aka since we got it.  He LOVES Snowmen All Year by Caralyn Buehner. 

Yesterday when my daughter also wanted to read it before nap time it was a struggle for the little guy to give this book up and share with her.  

I have to agree with my son on the book.  I do love it as well. Which is why I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Snowmen All Year is the perfect length of a book, has fun rhyming and rhythm, beautiful pictures, and a chance for fun interaction.  It's a great book for all ages, plus it'll remind you of Olaf from Frozen, unless you are my kids than Olaf in Frozen will remind them of this book. 

I love reading to my son and he loves being read to.  He can actually sit still for a good book far longer than older kids I know.  However, I think that is mostly due to his love for books.  My son though is a boy and a very active boy.  Some books are just too long (Library Lion is one of those and his sister loves it so we read it a lot; I'll do a review next week about it) and he just can't sit still the entire time.  However, Snowmen All Year is the perfect length for a classroom read aloud, writing lesson, preschool class, or story time with your toddler. 

The text/writing throughout Snowmen All Year is rhyming aka a big poem and has good rhythm.  It's full of fun word choice for kids and you teachers out there looking for lessons on the 6 Writing Traits will find this book a great asset.  

I also love the pictures by Mark Buehner aka the author's husband (how fun to work as a team).  The pictures are vibrant and fun, plus every page has hidden items to look for.  The ducks are by far the easiest to spot which is what my kids look for first.  However, the dinosaurs are a bit harder and there are even a few pages my husband haven't found him on.  It's fun to have optional interaction like that in a book that is easy and difficult so all ages enjoy it.  

All in all, Snowmen All Year by Caralyn Buehner is a great picture book, a fun read aloud, and actually my favorite "Snowmen" book by Buehner.  If you haven't read this on go check it out. 

Amazon had the following book review: 

“I love to build a snowman/On freezing winter days./But when the sun is bright and warm/My snowman melts away./There's nothing but a puddle/When my snowman disappears./If only he were magic/And could stay with me all year!” With these words, a gap-toothed boy begins an odyssey with his carrot-nosed friend, teaching him to swim and to fly a kite, visiting the amusement park and the zoo, playing at the beach, watching fireworks, and so on. Caralyn Buehner's rhyming text–only occasionally bumpy–sets the scene nicely, while Mark Buehner paints the scenery in gorgeously luminous oils and acrylics. With changing perspectives, places, and details that show off the illustrator's skill and imagination, every spread explodes with glee. Readers will explore the pictures again and again to take up the trademark challenge: find the hidden creatures in each scene. A celebration of friendship and sheer fun.–Susan Weitz"    

Happy Reading!  

If you are in a hot place like me this summer, maybe reading this book will help you cool off, though it probably won't.  However, it's still fun to read about snowmen all year. :)


MeganRuth