5 Books for December 2024

2024 was so full of blessings and opportunities to grow. Many people might not agree with me but I see challenges as opportunities to see my strengths and where I need to get stronger or let others help me. Fretting or stay angry is a waste of time. Time I could be doing better things, like reading! I found some great books to read this month, in fact I am almost out of my personal books to read. I will have to head back to the library soon, what a problem to have. 🙂

Now without further ado 5 Books for December 2024:

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Taylor the Tooting Turkey by Humor Heals Us

Taylor the Tooting Turkey: A Story About a Turkey Who Toots (Farts) (Farting Adventures Book 1)Taylor the Tooting Turkey: A Story About a Turkey Who Toots (Farts) by Humor Heals Us
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Taylor the Tooting Turkey by Humor Heals Us is not my favorite farting fiction children’s book. There is really no story but there is some humor. What might be helpful is the definition of the different types of farts the gives, if you need this information. The illustrations are cheerful and endearing.

I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of Taylor the Tooting Turkey by Humor Heals Us on Amazon.

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A Christmas Wish for Corduroy by B.G. Hennessy

A Christmas Wish for CorduroyA Christmas Wish for Corduroy by B.G. Hennessy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Corduroy is a sweet teddy bear that always finds an adventure by accident. He is the creation of Don Freeman, but A Christmas Wish for Corduroy is by B.G. Hennessy.

In this classic children’s fiction picture book, Corduroy wants a name, an outfit and a boy or girl to want him for Christmas and luckily for him, Corduroy accidentally makes all of his wishes come true. This heart-warming story is made even more special by illustrations by Jody Wheeler.

I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of A Christmas Wish for Corduroy by B.G. Hennessy on Amazon.

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The Raggedy Ann Stories by Johnny Gruelle

The Raggedy Ann StoriesThe Raggedy Ann Stories by Johnny Gruelle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I was a little girl I had a copy of The Raggedy Ann Stories by Johnny Gruelle. I also had my mother’s Raggedy Ann doll. She was a special doll in my family. It was special to me to reread these heart-warming children’s classic fiction picture book, which included 7 short stories: Raggedy Ann Learns a Lesson, Raggedy Ann and the Kite, Raggedy Ann Rescues Fido, Raggedy Ann and the Strange Dolls, Raggedy Ann and the Kittens, Raggedy Ann and the Chickens, and Raggedy Ann’s New Sisters. Out of all the stories, my favorite is Raggedy Ann and the Strange Dolls.

All the stories have lovely morals and simple beauty and fantasy to them, but Raggedy Ann and the Strange Dolls is about some new fancy dolls that come to the nursery. Annabel Lee and Thomas, named after Marcella’s aunt and uncle, who sent the dolls to Marcella, thought they were better than all the other older dolls because they have real hair and fashionable clothes, while the other dolls have been well-loved and have some wear and tear, especially Raggedy Ann, who was Marcella’s grandmother’s doll and has a simple painted face, cotton stuffed body and yarn for hair.

By the end of the story, the two new dollies learn why Raggedy Ann is a favorite of all the dolls and Marcella, not because Raggedy Ann is more beautiful on the outside, but because of her great wisdom and love towards everyone. I love that this story shows that a beautiful heart is the most important feature in a person.

I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of The Raggedy Ann Stories by Johnny Gruelle on Amazon.

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Lightening Strikes Twice by Marci Ridlon

Lightning Strikes Twice (Woodsey Adventure)Lightning Strikes Twice by Marci Ridlon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Papa, Mama and Milkweed are the Woodsey family. This family of squirrels live in the forest in a lovely home, high in a tree in nature. But one night there is a terrible storm that forces them to leave. The family works together to save some of their tools and possessions and their very lives as they leave their home before lightening strikes twice.

This sweet animal family loves each other and their new friend, Goodgrub Mole, as they learn how to relocate and stay positive during stressful times. Lightening Strikes Twice by Marci Ridlon is endearing and educational and the illustrations by Cyndy Szekeres are adorable.

I had this book as a child and I still love it! This children’s fiction picture book is a great addition to story time.

I got this book from my own personal collection. You can get your own copy of Lightening Strikes Twice by Marci Ridlon on Amazon.

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Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Champions by Brendan Flynn

Seattle Seahawks: Super Bowl Champions (Today's MVPs and Champions)Seattle Seahawks: Super Bowl Champions by Brendan Flynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My wife loves the Seattle Seahawks and since we have been married I have bought so much regalia that I have told her she is not allowed to fall in love with another sports team. When I bought Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Champions by Brendan Flynn, I didn’t realize it was a children’s history book, I believe it is grade 1-2 level because it has 9 chapters, but the chapters are only 1 page long and easy to read. She has given this nonfiction book her thumbs up!

The Seattle Seahawks were formed in 1976 by mostly unwanted players. Their first year, they lost 12 of 14 games.Their success didn’t grow until 1983 when they got a new coach named Chuck Knox, who had been known to have success with other teams. The Seahawks finished 9-7 that year.

Pete Carroll became coach in 2010. People loved his positive attitude. He used the draft to choose strong players.

“The Seahawks played the New Orleans Saints on December 2, 2013. The home fans set a record for noise. The crowd was louder than a military jet taking off from an air craft carrier!”

In 2014, the Seattle Seahawks won their first Super Bowl.

This book has good information and great pictures. I think it is a great read for young readers.

I got this book from my own personal collection. You can get your own copy of Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Champions by Brendan Flynn on Amazon.

View all my reviews

I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl Champions by Brendan Flynn on Amazon.

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As 2025 begins, I hope that you are surprised with a great number of good things to bless you. Some of the best things are very small but bring great amounts of joy if you see them and appreciate them…like my wife who is holding on for dear life to her Seattle Seahawks chance at going to the Super Bowl. It could happen. It did in 2014. Happy New Year!

Be blessed.

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Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Christian, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Christian…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.

5 Books for August 2025

I can’t believe that summer break is over and school has begun again. Summertime flew by. It seems to go faster every year. I hope you got your reading in. I read 24 books over the summer. I think that is pretty good for me, considering only 9 of them were adult books. I love to read. If you have any books you would like me to review just let me know! Now for the 5 Books for August 2024:

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Harold’s Trip to the Sky by Cricket Johnson

Harold's Trip to the Sky (Harold, #3)Harold’s Trip to the Sky by Crockett Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Harold and I love his adventures. Harold’s Trip to the Sky by Cricket Johnson is a sweet and classic children’s fiction story that takes you along with Harold and his purple crayon as he attempts to visit the moon, but misses and lands on Mars instead. Don’t worry, in this space fantasy Harold still makes it home in time for breakfast. I love how Harold talks about what people are afraid of and he bravely faces them with his art. I think this is my favorite Harold and the Purple Crayon picture book.

I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of Harold’s Trip to the Sky by Cricket Jonhson on Amazon.

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Make Way for the Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Make Way for DucklingsMake Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I remember having Make Way for the Ducklings by Robert McCloskey on my bookshelf when I was a child. I had an aunt and uncle who lived in Boston, where this fiction story takes place and they had sent the book to us. I don’t remember the story though. It made reading this children’s classic, like new today and I am glad I have this book to share with my great niece and nephews. I love how this bird family, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard looked for the perfect place, free from foxes, turtles and other animals, bicycles and other things with wheels to raise their ducklings. I also love how when the ducks were ready for their first adventure, the police were ready to make way for the ducklings. This is a perfect family picture book.

I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of Make Way for the Duckling by Robert McCloskey on Amazon.

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Corduroy Lost and Found by B.G. Hennessy

Corduroy Lost and FoundCorduroy Lost and Found by B.G. Hennessy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Corduroy Lost and Found by B.G. Hennessy is an adorable bear adventure just like the fiction animal adventures had by the character created by Don Freeman. It is great to see Corduroy continue on with new artists! In this children’s classic story, Corduroy finds out that Lisa’s birthday is coming and he wants to find the perfect gift for her. But on the way he gets lost. With the help of new friends, Lisa finds him, which is she really wanted all along. This precious family story is the perfect addition to story time. The illustrations by Jody Wheeler really bring this fantasy picture book to life.

I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of Corduroy Lost and Found by B.G.Hennessy on Amazon.

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Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang

Grumpy MonkeyGrumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jim Panzee woke up in a bad mood but he doesn’t know it, but luckily all his animal friends in the jungle are there for him and help him understand his feelings. It’s ok to feel what your feel, even if its s a beautiful day. Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang is a wonderful children’s fiction book that examines emotions with the use of humor. The illustrations by Max Lang are fun and inviting to any story time.

I got this book from my own personal collection. You can get your own copy of Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang on Amazon.

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Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble at the Yard Sale by William Katzwinkle and Glenn Murray

Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble At the Yard SaleWalter the Farting Dog: Trouble At the Yard Sale by William Kotzwinkle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Surprisingly, Walter’s family brought him to the yard sale and wondered why no one came to their yard sale, not even other animals. If you know about Walter, you know he is a dog with terrible, smelly gas. Walter probably should have stayed inside for the day but where is the humor in that? Walter’s amazing farting was so powerful, he only caught the attention of a wannabe bank robber with extra stinky crime on his mind, in Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble at the Yard Sale by William Katzwinkle and Glenn Murray. I was shocked that Father was willing to part with Walter for only $10 but in the end, Walter made his way home and saved the day. The fun illustrations by Audrey Colman really make this children’s fiction picture book extra fun!

View all my reviews

I got this book from my personal collection. You can get your own copy of Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble at the Yard Sale by William Katzwinkle and Glenn Murray on Amazon.

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You learn such amazing things when you read. Sometimes you just learn about yourself and what you like. Reading is one of the best things I ever learned. I hope you make time to read.

Be blessed.

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Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Christian, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Christian…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.

5 Books for March 2024

I do know that I am at least 3 days late with this article but I do believe that wonderful things can happen in only 3 days…which is why so many people celebrate Resurrection Sunday. In reality my family was really busy in the month of March which is why I am late but the books I chose for this month were really great and worth the wait.

I am wondering, did you ever get a chance to check out any of the other books I have reviewed? Let me know!

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Just You and Me by Jennifer Ward

Just You and Me: Remarkable Relationships in the WildJust You and Me: Remarkable Relationships in the Wild by Jennifer Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just You and Me by Jennifer Ward is a nonfiction book about symbiotic relationships in nature, on land and in the sea. These relationships have been created by what seems to be unlikely animal friends but they have learned to work together to take care of each other.

For instance a Nile crocodile can’t clean their own teeth so they allow an Egyptian plover bird to hop, safely into their mouth to eat the leftover food in their teeth and gums. The crocodile gets a clean mouth and the bird gets a full belly.

The colorful illustrations by Alexander Vidal add great interest in this picture book and help showcase the relationships of these unlikely friends. I think they also make for great conversations starters for children and grownups alike.

I got this book from the Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of Just You and Me by Jennifer Ward on Amazon.

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Homeless by Bernard Wolf

HomelessHomeless by Bernard Wolf
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Homeless by Bernard Wolf is a very touching nonfiction story told in the voice of Mikey, an 8-year-old boy. Mikey and his family are homeless and are living in a very hard and real scenario. This book was published in 1995, but there are still a lot of similar stories like Mikey’s

I don’t think this book is meant for very young children because they just won’t have the attention span, but for children 7 and older, I think this would be a powerful way to help children learn to empathize with people experiencing homelessness.

Wolf didn’t just write this biography, he also showcased the story with powerful photography that illustrated the family’s life. Both the writing and photography help to illustrate the difficulties of families that need help.

I got this book from the Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of Homeless by Bernard Wolf on Amazon.

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Rabbit and Squirrel A Tale of War and Peas by Kara LaReau

Rabbit & Squirrel: A Tale of War and PeasRabbit & Squirrel: A Tale of War and Peas by Kara LaReau
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The illustrations by Scott Magoon are adorable. This is my favorite thing about the picture book Rabbit and Squirrel A Tale of War and Peas by Kara LaReau. I really wanted to love this book but the animal characters: Rabbit and Squirrel loved gardening but never tried to share their produce. They were quick to judge each other and when the farmer kicked them out of their garden, they continued to blame each other.

The thought of them getting sick of blaming each other and growing a garden together is not enough for me. I realize this is a fiction book but I want a better moral to the story, not just for me but for the children that would be inspired by this book. I will be choosing a different book for storytime at my house.

I got this book from the Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of Rabbit and Squirrel A Tale of War and Peas by Kara LaReau on Amazon.

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Corduroy Takes a Bow by Viola Davis

Corduroy Takes a BowCorduroy Takes a Bow by Viola Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I haven’t read about Corduroy for years but I have already ordered Corduroy and A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman, the original creator of this fiction series, for my personal children’s book collection. These books will be in my next review. I so enjoyed Corduroy Takes a Bow by Viola Davis and it is in my shopping cart right now!

Lisa and her mother have gone to the theater for the first time. They are excited to see Mother Goose and of course Lisa has brought along her teddy bear, Corduroy. In true form, Corduroy has found a way to have an animal adventure while at the theater but still make it back into Lisa’s arms.

I love the illustrations by Jody Wheeler for this picture book. I love that both Davis and Wheeler stayed faithful to the original character of Corduroy, who is always lovable and heartwarming.

I got this book from the Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of Corduroy Takes a Bow by Viola Davis on Amazon.

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Fred’s Big Feelings The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers by Laura Renauld

Fred's Big Feelings: The Life and Legacy of Mister RogersFred’s Big Feelings: The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers by Laura Renauld
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved Mr. Rogers Neighborhood all my life. I would still watch reruns if I could find them. Mr. Rogers knew how to talk so I could understand my emotions and good ways to express them. Fred’s Big Feelings The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers by Laura Renauld is a very children’s-sized version of another nonfiction biography I have read and reviewed: The Good Neighbor The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King.

I am not sure a young child would have the attention span for this book because of the amount of history in it, but a child of 7 and up would appreciate this book. Especially the parts that talk about Mr. Rogers as a child. Parents will appreciate knowing how much time Mr. Rogers studied mental health as part of his spirituality journey so that he could project honesty and care into all of his programming. The illustrations by Brigitte Barrager add a lot to this picture book as well.

View all my reviews

I got this book from the Longview Public Library. You can get your own copy of Fred’s Big Feelings The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers by Laura Renauld on Amazon.

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I really enjoyed the books I found for March. Reading children’s books has become something I am really enjoying and collecting them for the children in my life is become a small hobby that makes me happy as well.

What are some things that bring you joy?

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Feel free to leave your comments below!

My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven. For anyone reading this that isn’t a Christian, unapologetically, I am a Christian, but I believe there is room for lots of beliefs and religions in the world. It is not my intent to offend people with different beliefs than I have and I would be open to open-minded conversations with no goals of changing anyone’s mind, but sharing information. If you are interested in becoming a Christian…Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.

If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this: Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world. I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me. I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.