Category: Uncategorized

Review: Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket by Sue Fliess

Goodreads Blurb

Sadie Sprocket is a girl with a big dream—to go to Mars! No one has been to Mars (yet!), so of course that’s where Sadie sets her sights. She learns everything she can about the planet and space, then assembles her crew of trusty stuffed animals. Together they build a rocket and prepare for the historic journey. And then finally—blastoff!

Sadie and her team make it to Mars, but what will they encounter when they leave the ship? And will they travel home safely as the world watches?

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Space girl Sadie is working on building her ship to travel to Mars. Girls can travel to space, too. This adorable book with colorful illustrations will bring space adventures to the children. The book has rhythmic words that go perfect with the story. At the end of the book, it goes over details on Mars and the different women who have contributed to space travels and were pioneers.

Goodreads Author Biography

Sue Fliess (“fleece”) is the bestselling author of Robots, Robots Everywhere!, I’m a Ballerina! and How to Trap a Leprechaun, and more than 35 other children’s books including Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket, Mrs. Claus Takes the Reins, Mary Had a Little Lab, Beatrice Bly’s Rules for Spies, and many Little Golden Books. Her books have sold over 850,000 copies worldwide. Her background is in copywriting and PR/marketing, and her essays have appeared in O Magazine, HuffPo, Writer’s Digest, and more. Fliess has also written for Walt Disney.

Her books have received honors from the SCBWI, have been used in school curricula, museum educational programs, and have even been translated into multiple languages. The Bug Book was chosen for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library three years in a row and The Hug Book was selected to the Imagination Library Australia.

She’s a member of SCBWI, Children’s Book Guild of DC, and the Author’s Guild. She does book signings, school visits, and speaking engagements.

When she’s not writing, she is walking her two silly English Labradors or busy with her two teen boys. She really misses traveling. Sue lives in Northern VA with her famil

Currently Reading: The Rest of Our Lives by Ben Markovits

Goodreads Blurb

What’s left when your kids grow up and leave home?

When Tom Layward’s wife had an affair he resolved to leave her as soon as his youngest daughter turned eighteen. Twelve years later, while taking her to Pittsburgh to start university, he remembers his pact, and keeps driving West.

An unforgettable road trip novel, The Rest of Our Lives beautifully explores the nuance and complications of a long term marriage.

Review: The Snow Dancer by Addie Boswell

Goodreads Blurb

Young dancer Sofia wakes up to a quiet, white world—it’s a snow day! She makes her way outside to the neighborhood park, where a field awaits her, white and shining and open. It isn’t long before the rest of the neighborhood wakes its sleepy head—and the other kids make their way to the park, scattering all of Sofia’s beautiful silence. But with the help of a new young friend, Sofia is ready to show everyone what a snow dancer can do on a perfect day like this. With lyrical language and gorgeous art, this book sparkles with all the joy and beauty of a snow day.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

A snow day turns to a peaceful place to enjoy a dance. This book brings those beautiful moments when there is fresh snow that no one has stepped on yet. Can you hear the crunch of snow on your shoes? A girl finds it so peaceful and quiet that she starts dancing around the snow, enjoying the peace, until all the children from the town arrive. They start playing and enjoying the snow, but the girl finds a little girl who loved her dancing. They both dance around the other children until a game of snowball fight begins. I loved this beautiful book that brings us to those beautiful days that snow magically makes the world peaceful and beautiful.

Upcoming Event: Mark Greaney

MEET & GREET

BEST SELLING AUTHOR OF

“THE GRAY MAN” SERIES

MARK GREANEY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH

6:00 PM

Link to preorder: http://Meet and Greet The Gray Man series Author Mark Greaney Thurs. Feb. 19th 6PM

Date: Feb 19 • 6:00 pm

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-and-greet-the-gray-man-series-author-mark-greaney-thurs-feb-19th-6pm-tickets-1969893247732?aff=ebdsshother&utm_share_source=listing_android&sg=32ad1721accd380d361030f475063da8367b9aa2ff3122557bdb0ab9c68a4edc1d739f1b9116e8c941005f9624525afa528b15d085ada890897b4b749297cae6ad9172bc5c1ec626a1746af8

Cover Reveal: The Rewrite by Beth Rinyu

BOOK DETAILS:

The Rewrite

by Beth Rinyu

Publication date: January 29, 2026

Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

How long would you hold a grudge?
If you’re Eloise Hendrickson, the answer is twenty-five years.

After being humiliated by her overseas pen pal in seventh grade, Eloise, now a successful writer, has never quite let go of that one mortifying moment. One bad breakup, a late night of drunken internet sleuthing, and a half-baked excuse to bust through writer’s block send her straight into the path of the boy she’s hated her whole life.

Her plan? Turn him into the villain of her next novel.
The plot twist? He’s not the jerk she remembers.

Instead, he’s a charming chocolatier, a devoted family man, and awkwardly, a huge fan of her books. But as Eloise reconnects with the past, it’s not him who captures her attention, it’s someone else entirely. Someone unexpected. He’s rude, infuriating, and gets under her skin like no one else. He’s the exact opposite of the heroes she creates and the men she dates.

With new friends, a fresh perspective, and possibly the beginnings of something romantic—Eloise must decide if she’s finally ready to let go of the perfection she’s always demanded from herself as well as everyone around her, and embrace the unpredictable, wonderfully flawed life waiting for her.

Maybe her next bestseller won’t be about righting the past after all.
Maybe it will be about rewriting the future instead.

Warning: This book may contain chocolate and possibly a happily ever after.

AUTHOR BIO:

I’ve always had a passion for Creative Writing. There’s something special about being able to travel to a different place or become a different person with just the stroke of a pen—or in today’s world, a tap of the keyboard. Maybe it all started with the soap opera-level drama I used to script for my Barbie dolls. Plot twists, emotional arcs, surprise twins… it was basically a writer’s room before I even knew what one was. Whatever the spark, storytelling quickly became my favorite creative outlet. I craft stories that keep me on my toes and constantly push me beyond my comfort zone. Deep characters you either root for or love to hate are the ones I’m most drawn to.

Exploring new places helps me uncover fresh and exciting settings for my books, but there’s nothing quite like a quiet walk in the woods or sitting by the ocean close to home. Turns out, plot twists and inspiration arrive just as easily with a sea breeze—or a few curious squirrels.

Author links:

https://www.facebook.com/BethRinyu/

https://www.instagram.com/bethrinyu/

https://amzn.to/49eVyqR

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860119.Beth_Rinyu

Review: How to Catch a Yeti by Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton

Goodreads Blurb

When our brilliant Catch Club Kids hear about the legendary Yeti, they head to the mountains to catch a glimpse and prove it really exists! Full of hilarious high jinks, bright illustrations, and clever STEM traps, this funny picture book for kids is a fun-filled ride you won’t want to miss! Will our Catch Club Kids prove the Yeti exists, or will he remain a mystery to the world? We’ve all heard unexplained tales of the Yeti, Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and more… do YOU have what it takes to catch one? Find out in this action-packed story for children, the perfect read aloud all winter, as a Christmas gift for kids, for classroom activities, and beyond!

My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars

Adventures await all the children who want to catch a Yeti. This book has some fun moments when a group of friends decide to go hunt for a Yeti. They come up with some fun ideas in hopes of catching a Yeti, but those Yeti are just way too fast and smart. Children are really going to love joining in this adventure and having a blast with all the tricks the group of friends have to capture the Yeti. The illustrations are so colorful and eye-catching. Very detailed illustrations. Everyone will enjoy this fun book. I think all of us would be super thrilled if we were able to see a real life Yeti.

Goodreads Author Biography

Adam Wallace is a New York Times, USA Today and Amazon Bestselling author of the How to Catch series!
Adam’s passion is to bring excitement and energy and humour and joy to children (of all ages!) through his books and videos.
He spends his non-writing time thinking about writing and going to as many live music shows as he can. He’s also teaching himself piano, and plays golf too.

Review: How The Grinch Stole Christmas! By Dr. Seuss

Goodreads Blurb

For 53 years, the Grinch has lived in a cave on the side of a mountain, looming above the Whos in Whoville. The noisy holiday preparations and infernal singing of the happy little citizens below annoy him to no end. The Grinch decides this frivolous merriment must stop. His “wonderful, awful” idea is to don a Santa outfit, strap heavy antlers on his poor, quivering dog Max, construct a makeshift sleigh, head down to Whoville, and strip the chafingly cheerful Whos of their Yuletide glee once and for all.

Looking quite out of place and very disturbing in his makeshift Santa get-up, the Grinch slithers down chimneys with empty bags and stealing the Whos’ presents, their food, even the logs from their humble Who-fires. He takes the ramshackle sleigh to Mt. Crumpit to dump it and waits to hear the sobs of the Whos when they wake up and discover the trappings of Christmas have disappeared. Imagine the Whos’ dismay when they discover the evil-doings of Grinch in his anti-Santa guise. But what is that sound? It’s not sobbing, but singing! Children simultaneously adore and fear this triumphant, twisted Seussian testimonial to the undaunted cheerfulness of the Whos, the transcendent nature of joy, and of course, the growth potential of a heart that’s two sizes too small.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

One of my favorite stories by Dr. Seuss. The reader learns that Christmas isn’t about presents, but it’s about family, friends, and unity. The Grinch didn’t understand what the spirit of Christmas was. He thought that by taking all their Christmas items, he could take their joy and spirit away. It’s a wonderful book about reality, forgiveness, joy, acceptance, and love.

Goodreads Author Biography

Theodor Seuss Geisel was born 2 March 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He graduated Dartmouth College in 1925, and proceeded on to Oxford University with the intent of acquiring a doctorate in literature. At Oxford he met Helen Palmer, who he wed in 1927. He returned from Europe in 1927, and began working for a magazine called Judge, the leading humor magazine in America at the time, submitting both cartoons and humorous articles for them. Additionally, he was submitting cartoons to Life, Vanity Fair and Liberty. In some of his works, he’d made reference to an insecticide called Flit. These references gained notice, and led to a contract to draw comic ads for Flit. This association lasted 17 years, gained him national exposure, and coined the catchphrase “Quick, Henry, the Flit!”

Review: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Goodreads Blurb

“Once there was a tree…and she loved a little boy.”

So begins a story of unforgettable perception, beautifully written and illustrated by the gifted and versatile Shel Silverstein.

Every day the boy would come to the tree to eat her apples, swing from her branches, or slide down her trunk…and the tree was happy. But as the boy grew older he began to want more from the tree, and the tree gave and gave and gave.

This is a tender story, touched with sadness, aglow with consolation. Shel Silverstein has created a moving parable for readers of all ages that offers an affecting interpretation of the gift of giving and a serene acceptance of another’s capacity to love in return.

My Review: Rated 5 out of 5 stars

It is such a captivating story that is still relevant today. Mother Nature gives, and we take and forget to give back. Our greed has got the best of us. We are destroying our environment with pollution and destroying our eco system. We will eventually be like the tree, nothing left to take and survive. This story is a classical childrens literature that will have us think how we can give back and preserve earth.

Goodreads Author Biography

Shel Silverstein was the author-artist of many beloved books of prose and poetry. He was a cartoonist, playwright, poet, performer, recording artist, and Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated songwriter.

Shel Silverstein will perhaps always be best loved for his extraordinary books. Shel’s books are now published in more than 47 different languages. The last book that was published before his death in 1999 was Falling Up.

Review: Santa Claus: The Book of Secrets by Russell Ince

Goodreads Blurb

Fun Book for children and the family!After centuries of closely guarding ancient secrets, Santa Claus has decided that the time has come to share the magical mysteries behind Christmas. All of the miraculous happenings that contribute towards making Christmas the most remarkable time of the year are finally to be revealed to the world. Who is Santa Claus and how did he first get his job? What does he really look like? Who are the Elves and what magic do they possess? How do they keep track of which children are naughty and which are nice? All of Santa’s secretes are told in this Wonderful and fun book!

My Review: Rated 4 out 5 stars

I have to start by saying the illustrations on this book are truly remarkable. There is so much detail on each page that brings the story to life. It’s a wonderful book for children to learn how the tradition of Santa Claus came to be. The story is told by Santa Claus. So much detail is explained throughout the book. Santa Claus has become a huge tradition to every child in the world. The spirit of Christmas is still here after so many years. This book is a little longer than other childrens books.