This group of non-fiction books had mixed reviews from the grandkids, but the ones with animals in them, were winners, especially with the 5 year old.

GOA Kids: Angel and Her Wonderful Wheels: a True Story of a Little Goat Who Walked With Wheels by Lauren Lauricella, Published October 2nd 2018 by Walter Foster Jr.

5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I love this series. It is wonderful for children to learn about animal rescue when it comes to farm animals. Many children today have never been to a farm but have a pretty stereotypical view of the perfect farm with cows, horses, pigs etc. In the Goats of Anarchy, there are aspects of the typical farm, but with a real twist, rescued animals who all have some sort of disability. In this addition to the Goats of Anarchy series, we meet Angel, a small goat who was found abandoned in the snow. When Leanne Lauricella rescued him, she realized he couldn’t walk because he only had two legs. How did she help, she got Angel her own pink cart and when Angel learned how to use it, she flourished. This is a great story about friendship, responsibility and respect to animals, as well as the rewards and successes of animal rescue. The story is simplified for children. I love the illustrations in this book. They are cute and kids will love looking at them. At the end of the book are actual photos of Angel in her cart, as well as other animals that live with her. There is also a short explanation of the farm and Angel’s growth. If you love animals, want to support animal rescue or introduce children to the plight of animals with problems, then read this book. A great addition to any library, family, public or school. I will watch for more books from GOA. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

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41189343Follow That Bee!: A First Book of Bees in the City, by Scot Ritchie, Expected publication: April 2nd 2019 by Kids Can Press

4 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Follow that Bee! is an informative nonfiction picture book aimed at young children. There is a lot of information, but it is delivered in an engaging and entertaining way to keep children interested while learning. In this book, 5 children visit a local, urban bee-keeper. They learn about the basics of bee life (pollination, hives, bee roles, communication and more). He also explains why the number of bees and hives are dwindling and what they can do to help, such as planting specific flowers that attract and feed bees. The book is full of interesting information and bright pictures and would be a great one to use when teaching about bees, environmental awareness, ecology and changes to our world and being good world citizens. A great addition to a school or class library. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

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Easter by Mary Lindeen, Published July 1st 2018 by Norwood House Press

3 Stars 🌟🌟🌟

Mary Lindeen has authored many non-fiction books for young children and beginning readers that are wonderful. This is a nice, short book for children learning about various holidays, this one introducing Easter. It talks about animals being born in spring that are associated with Easter such as lambs, bunnies and chicks, a lot of facts about Easter Eggs, and things families do together. It is a secular story and does not discuss the Christian aspect of Easter, besides showing a family sitting in church. It is a beginning basal reader that had realistic pictures to accompany the words. The text is short, perfect for emerging readers. At the end of the book there are activities a teacher or caregiver could do with the reader as well as a list of words used in the book. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

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Valentine's DayValentine’s Day by Mary Lindeen, Published July 1st 2018 by Norwood House Press

3 Stars 🌟🌟🌟

This is another nice, short book for children learning about various holidays, this one introducing Valentine’s Day. It shares information about how and why hearts are used to symbolize the day, especially about love and friendship. Flowers, candy, cards and sweets are also shared by people in the book. A very simple introduction. It is a beginning basal reader that had realistic pictures to accompany the words. The text is short, perfect for emerging readers. At the end of the book there are activities a teacher or caregiver could do with the reader as well as a list of words used in the book. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

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40828084Baby Animals with Their Families by Suzi Eszterhas, Expected publication: March 15th 2019 by Owlkids

5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

What is more precious than showing children pictures of baby animals. This is the final book I read with my grandchildren in the Baby Animals series. It highlights ten different animal families with their parents showing them doing various things. The animals vary in geography as well as some being well-known and others not being as familiar such as a topi or sloth. The illustrations are beautiful photographs taken by Suzi Eszterhas, who is a wildlife photographer and animal activist. All the photos in this book are of baby animals and their families in the wild, with exceptions of some at the back of the book as added material. The text included are short anecdotes describing what is happening in the pictures as well as identifying the animals. This is a great read aloud story for young children, probably best 4 and up. I read this with both of my grandchildren and they were arguing because my 2.5 year old granddaughter kept turning the pages as she just wanted to look at the pictures, and my 5 year old grandson wanted to listen to the text and talk about the animals shown. As Suzi Eszterhas says at the end of the book, “I think it’s important for kids to connect with animals and nature. You can do this by looking at photos, reading books, or just going outside with your family to play and explore your world, like these baby animals.” This is a great non-fiction book to add to school and family libraries. A good book for any animal lover. The publisher, Owlkids Books, generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.