Picture Book Review: Thanksgiving Books

Just a few picture books and board books for Thanksgiving:

This is board book is stinking adorable. I love the photos of puppies. Full of Thanksgiving and puppy moments, this book is perfect to pour over again and again. I hope this is a series of holiday and animal books.

I loved Corduroy as a child, so I love seeing more books with him and Lisa. This hits all the Thanksgiving notes. 

Animals and people gather food together for the colder months of fall.

While this rhyming book isn't strictly a Thanksgiving story, it does showcase how animals and people are very similar when it comes to gathering food and family. 

In this book, there's room for everyone at the table.  There's room for new and old traditions, new and old friends, and room to give thanks for people and the earth. And of course there's always room for dessert.

This is a sweet diverse story that highlights important pieces of the day - not just the togetherness but the thankful and happiness part. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Outside My Comfort Zone

 This week's topic is books I've read and enjoyed that are outside my comfort zone. To be honest, I don't pick up many books that are outside my comfort zone. There are too many that I want to reads and not enough time to read them. 

This was classified as Horror: It was a light thriller, which I did enjoy

I don't read too many nonfiction books, but I was curious about Lewis and Tolkien

This was really disturbing, but I didn't realize that before I read it:

That's all I have from this year....

Middle Grade Review: The Steps

 

Ruby doesn't feel safe. Her mother and aunt died in a car accident a few years ago. Her father and his wife fought so viciously that they forbade their daughters to talk anymore. Sterling was Ruby's best friend. Ruby doesn't feel safe in her own house after her father married again. 

One night Sterling appears at Ruby's window begging for her help. Apparently, their grandmother's dog is barking up a storm, and he likes Ruby better than anyone. When Ruby goes in to subdued him, they find their grandmother tied up and her ring stolen.

Everyone in the family wants the family fortune. And they are willing to do almost anything to get their hands on it. Is someone out to get her?

My Thoughts: A younger YA novel/older upper middle grade. Ruby is 14 and I just wanted to wrap her up in a hug. She's not had an easy life and could use a friend. It's hard to know who to trust in this book. I loved Ruby's chess friends - they added humor and friendship to the story. I loved the police officer. The last bit of the book was lots of action and danger, which kept me turning the pages quickly. 

Why I read this book: The tagline

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended thriller/mystery for your middle grade or YA collection

Picture Book Review: I Hate Everything

One little ghost hates everything - but his friend convinces him otherwise.

I have this sentiment too sometimes. And this is a sweet story about friendship and helping to look at the world a little differently. It's a great way to start talking about mental health and kids. 

Weekend Outing: Cider Mill

A few weekends ago, we visited B.F. Clyde's Cider Mill in Mystic

I heard about it recently and we had a free weekend.

Yes, there were plenty of people, but it was also really cool to see.

Pictures:

The lovely sign

The Mill

Outside the Mill 

The outside of a store

The truckload of apples

Not the best picture, but the conveyer belt of apples going into the mill

The press

The press #2

Just about ready for the apples to come out.

The ceiling

Family pictures 

The goods: Donuts and Cider Yum!

We tried various baked goods, and I have to say the Apple Crisp Cookie was my favorite 

I'm really glad we went; it was a lot of fun. And it was great people watching. 

Review: She Gets the Girl

 

Molly had a terrible high school experience; she didn't have any friends. She's determined that college will be better. Maybe she'll also get the girl she's been pining over for years. But when she arrives on campus, she's stunned to learn she has a single.

All her dreams go out the window. How is she supposed to meet anyone?

Luckily for her, she meets Alex. Alex is smart, confident, and pretty. Alex knows how to make friends. She decides to help Molly - not just out of the goodness of her heart, but as a way to prove herself to her girlfriend. 

Molly doesn't have any problem talking with Alex; it's just everyone else that makes her anxious. Can they both help each other and get what they want?

My Thoughts: This was a fun read - perfect for older high school students. I love books set in college. I loved the banter between Molly and Alex. Both of them had issues that they needed to work through. I really loved the moments in the food truck. The five step plan was highly entertaining. I loved the ending. This book has sequel which is a holiday novella. 

Why I read this: I loved Make My Wish Come True, a holiday romance from these authors.

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

 Library Recommendation: A fun romance for your collection

Review: Hocus and Pocus and the Dragon Next Door

 

* Book 2 in the Hocus and Pocus series * 

Hocus and Pocus walk around the neighborhood with Jinx, handing out her potions. They discover a new friend - Bye-Bye. Bye-Bye is a dragon and has a little trouble with too much fire. Pocus is scared. Hocus is determined to save the day. 

My Thoughts: This is a cute story about trying to understand each other. The dogs and dragon do not speak the same language. But the dogs still want to help. Sometimes it's hard to be brave. I felt badly for Pocus. He had a hard time overcoming his fears; but I love that he learned what worked for him. The ending was funny! The illustrations are charming. I'm looking forward to book 3 next year. 

* Book sent for review