Almost Canadian

November already, and it’s over in a few short hours. Actually, more like an hour and ten minutes; I got to this later than I intended to. Time is moving rather rapidly for me, and it’s hard to believe I’m having a baby in approximately one month. I’ve been rather busy with growing said baby and procrastinating responsibilities, and in the meantime I’ve fallen behind on reviewing some fun books I’ve received. Here they are, a small assortment of children’s books I am happy to put on my shelves, both in preparation for my soon-to-come small child and for me, in many ways also a small child.

The Spark In Me

I’m starting with my favorite book of the lot first, The Spark in Me by Miguel Tanco. In it, a curious young girl learns that there is a way to answer all the many questions she has about the world: physics. That maybe doesn’t sound like much of a plot, but I think it’s powerful to encourage asking questions and finding answers, especially for a young audience. It’s also a reminder that science isn’t a big and scary thing; it can be used to answer fun questions, such as “Is it possible to be faster than an echo?” So many kids have questions like this and will relate to the narrator. This book is also great in that at the end it gives answers for the questions asked in the book, so the reader does not have to keep wondering if they can be faster than an echo!

I ended up with an extra copy, which I will be sending to my sister for her daughters. I hope this book will encourage them to ask questions and look for answers! Who knows, maybe this book will inspire them to become physicists themselves one day.

Pigs Have Wings

Next, Pigs Have Wings. This book by Kathleen Welton is, in a word, cute. In a few words, cute and inspiring. Miz Peg is a young pig who desperately wants to fly but is hampered by the fact that she is a pig, an animal not known for its aviation abilities. As she wrestles with this fact, she receives support from friends and slowly learns to believe in herself and work with her abilities. While the rhymes were a bit clunky at times, the message is an important one for children to learn. Also, the art is lovely. Chau Pham did an excellent job with creating adorable characters and a fun world to look at.

Fluffle Bunnies

And finally, Fluffle Bunnies is a middle grade book by Anna Humphrey and Irma Kniivila. It’s goofy and cute (cute is apparently my favorite word for books right now) and clever enough to keep a reluctant reader engaged, though I have yet to actually test it on a reluctant reader. The story follows three baby bunnies as they attempt to find their place in the world and take over the park they live in, as told by a cranky moth narrator (who we first meet as he’s flying into a lamp repeatedly). Perhaps my favorite thing is that, while goofy, it is not crass the way many books for middle schoolers are (thinking of Captain Underpants; potty humor is not my thing). Oh, and it’s a graphic novel, so it’s a pretty quick read, which can also be nice. I’ll have to add the upcoming sequels to my to-read list.

That’s all for today. Here’s to reading good books and the start of a new month!