I Am a Spicy Nugget by Loryn Brantzas
I am not the audience for this book, I Am a Spicy Nugget by Loryn Brantzas. This is due to the fact that the illustrations were “awkward” for me. Plus the story itself just did not have a “solid” hit in my “like this book” category. However, if you want a more modern take on the feelings theme, especially on anger, this can be a fun book. The character of our story asks their mother if they can have a penguin and feed them carrots. […]
Grandpas, Piranhas, and Other Stories by Rocío Bonilla
Grandpas, Piranhas, and Other Stories by Rocío Bonilla (due March 2026; read via an online reader copy). Things started out strong, but then with the bringing in other grandparents stories, things were a bit off-beat. With that said, it is a nice book that is a nice sharing book. By sharing I mean, you share it with your grandparents, your children can with theirs, and you and the child can share. You then can talk about how the things in the book are similar […]
The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag
The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag A lot is going on in this book. It is not easy, not even smooth. Things go up and down and around. There is commentary on life, love, family, friends and self. But to talk about it means telling you the whole book, which you need to experience yourself. Ages at least 14 and up, very mature themes and several potential trigger situations. The flow of the book is quick, but sometimes that makes a mess. I had […]
Cassette City V01 Ready, Cassette, Go! by Jarett Sitter
Gotten as an online reader copy win, Cassette City V01 Ready, Cassette, Go! written and illustrated by Jarett Sitter is due March 2026. That is a pretty dull start to a not so dull story. Sure things are a bit slow and familiar if you are one who has read a lot of coming of age stories, but if you are new to the genre you will appreciate it. The setting is fun (reminiscent of the 1980s and early 1990s) but sometimes the images are […]
The Clean-Up Monster (Roscoe & Ivy) by Eleni Tassopoulous and Danamarie Hosler
My Dinosaur Shoes (Roscoe & Ivy) by Eleni Tassopoulous and Danamarie Hosler
My Barefoot Press dealer gave me several books recently. Between them and an older package I had just gotten to, I was in deep with board books. Now, I was not the audience for Eleni Tassopoulous’s Roscoe & Ivy series, but I grew to appreciate them. The Clean-Up Monster (Roscoe & Ivy) is illustrated by Danamarie Hosler. This is, without any background, chunky to read. There was something off to it. My first thought was that it was a translation. But research showed (and my […]
Strange Bedfellows by Ariel Slamet Ries
Strange Bedfellows by Ariel Slamet Ries is in one word, odd. But not in the usual sense of things. The story is straightforward: a person is coming to terms with the changes in their lives, the fact they are not like their siblings as they are the “normal one” (ie: does not have powers) and is trying to deal with headache and heartaches. But there are several places where things fall short of being “smooth” and go into the odd. First, the pages are crowded. […]
