Genre: Picture Books

Review: Sleep Train by Jonathan London

Posted April 19, 2018 by Lily B in Reviews / 6 Comments

Review: Sleep Train by Jonathan LondonSleep Train by Jonathan London
Illustrator: Lauren Eldridge
Series: standalone
Published by Viking Books for Young Readers on April 3, 2018
Genres: Childrens, Picture Books
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4 Stars

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A perfectly pitched bedtime story and counting book for sleepy train lovers, illustrated in dramatic 3D sculptures!
A little boy climbs into bed with a book and starts counting the train cars in it, between the engine and caboose. "Ten sleepy cars going clickety-clack," reads the refrain. But as the boy counts cars and gets sleepier and sleepier, his room looks more and more like one of the train cars from his book--the sleeping car, of course!
Rhythmically told by the author of the Froggy books, Sleep Train is also stunning to look at. 3D illustrator, Lauren Eldridge, has sculpted an entire train full of intricate details. Part bedtime story, part counting book, part children's fantasy, Sleep Train is a magical ride to dreamland.

When your little one is ready to sleep, and loves trains, Sleep Train is a great book to pull out during those night time hours.

It’s a quick story about a sleep train making its way through the night with a little boy on the train who counts the box cars to sleep instead of sheep.

My son really enjoyed the story, but he is also really in love with trains so it was perfect. He loves the part where the little boy in the book starts counting the train cars and has even remembered some of the names.

I do believe both girls and boys will enjoy the story. I like that it does rhyme for the most part, but it tends to end up a little choppy at times. My son obviously did not mind it, as he enjoyed the story overall.

The illustrations are pretty, I like the night time setting, it’s very catchy. I do wish that the little boy in this book was a bit better done, I found him myself to be a little on a creepy side as he looked like a wooden boy that belongs in Pinoccio.

Overall, this was a great addition to our nighttime routine and my son enjoy the train.

Tags:

Divider

Review: Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back? by Jory John, Liz Climo (illustrator)

Posted April 4, 2018 by Lily B in Reviews / 10 Comments

Review: Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back? by Jory John, Liz Climo (illustrator)Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back? by Jory John, Liz Climo
Series: standalone
Published by Dial Books on March 20th 2018
Genres: Childrens, Picture Books
Pages: 40
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Rating:3 Stars

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Persnickety Elephant has an itch--a big one--and he can't reach it! While he isn't above asking for a little help, no one is up to the task. Turtle is too lazy, Snail is too slimy, and Alligator... well, Elephant isn't sure he wants his assistance. Does Elephant have to do everything himself?

A story about an Elephant who isn’t able to reach an itch on his back, so he is looking for someone who can help him scratch his back. He asks an array of different animals and each pose a bit of a problem when it comes to back scratching, until a very unlikely helper comes along.

I thought most of this story was really cute. I liked the illustrations because they were clean, well done and very eye pleasing. I liked that it featured different kind of animals doing what they can to help the elephant with his problem.

I did not understand the end…

It was funny, sure, but the elephant used the one animal that tried to help him and kind of tossed him aside in turn causing the animal its own problem. I thought the lesson of the story would be “if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” but the lesson was kind of lost on me when the elephant turned out to be kind of rude.

Maybe I am overthinking this? My son did enjoy the book and found it funny, but I am trying to teach him using the example in this book - that if someone helps you with your problem, don’t use the person and be rude about it, because you never know what consequences might come of it. It is always better to respect the people who help you.

Tags:

Divider