Blurb About: Night Songs - Anne Miranda

• Title: Night Songs

• Author: Anne Miranda
• Paperback: 24 pages
• Paperback Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (March 25, 2016)
• Library Binding Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Juv) (April 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1512263451
• ISBN-13: 978-1512263459

"Night Songs" by Anne Miranda is a wonderful book. Natural flowing rhythm, a quiet voice, and lovely hand painted collage make this book a delight to read and look at. 

I am sure that I am not the first person to make the comparison between the poetic rhythm of Anne Miranda's "Night Songs" and Debra Fraiser's "On The Day You Were Born". I do not say that as any kind of insult because I truly love both books. I secretly hope that the two Authors know each other in some way. 

If you hold poetry close to your heart and would like to introduce your children to the art form without using the rhyme-y "poetry for kids" type books, I urge you to check out Night Songs. 

Buy it Here

More about the Author Here

Blurb About: The A to Z Guide to Jobs for Girls - Charles C. Dowd

• Title: The A to Z Guide to Jobs for Girls

• Paperback: 32 pages

Author & Illustrator: Charles C. Dowd

• Publisher: Riveting Press (February 23, 2016)

• Language: English

• ISBN-10: 0996926011

The A-Z Guide to Job for Girls is an awesome book! 

The guide is quite a clever way to introduce a bit of equality and feminism into a young girls life. Because, hey guess what, girls really CAN be whatever they want! A mathematician, rock star, a linebacker, a tattoo artist, a scientist, or whatever she can dream up.

Dowd’s illustrations are incredible as always. Unique and comic inspired with their exaggerated features and bright colors.

Both of my young girls loved this book! Highly Recommended. 

Buy it Here

More about the Author/Illustrator

Indie Authors/ Illustrators + Self Publishers

Are you a self-published or Indie published Children's Book Author? You should check out The Storybook Factory on YouTube.

Its a wonderful channel created by a High School student that narrates books by Authors like us!

This is the narration of my book, Zoo of Emotions, that they did. I love it!!

Blurb About: Mr. Red's Balloon - Cindy Y. Shaw

• Mr. Red's Balloon

• Author: Cindy Y. Shaw

• Publisher: Shaw Creative Inc. (June 7, 2014)

• Language: English

• ISBN-10: 0990422607

Cindy Y. Shaw hit a home run with the illustrations in Mr. Red's Balloon. They are bright, fun, scream line weight perfection, and come across in printed media beautifully. You can tell that Shaw is a meticulous illustrator, not letting a single stroke out of line. 

The story follows Mr. Red, a chipper little fellow, who teaches his friends about being grateful and finding happiness from within. 

Buy Here: http://amzn.com/0990422607

Blurb About: Elphie and Dad go on an Epic adventure - Hagit R. Oron, Or Oron

Blurb About: Elphie and Dad go on an Epic adventure

Author: Hagit R. Oron

Illustrator: Or Oron

Publisher: Orons (February 5, 2016)

ASIN: B01BJ5Q576

Elphie and Dad go on an Epic Adventure is an illustrated picture book following a cute little elephant and his Dad on a simple errand re-branded as an adventure by a smart father. The illustrations are clean and simple and the language un-flowery.

I think the point of this book is to show the difference between adventure and danger. That you can fight a cloud lion without running into the street and so on. I do wish that point had been massaged out a bit more as it’s a little lost in the “milk” errand and Dad elephants fretting over safety. Although its looks like this is just the first in a series so perhaps there is more to come!

I think my 3.75 year old would like this one. 

Buy Here: http://amzn.com/B01BJ5Q576 

Blurb About: Little Bird, Little Bird, It's Time For Bed - Adam Lewis

• Little Bird, Little Bird, It's Time For Bed
• Author: Adam Lewis 
• Publisher: Heritage Press
• Publication Date: February 21, 2016
• ASIN: B01C31S5WI

• Little Bird, Little Bird, It's Time For Bed by Adam Lewis is a bedtime story with a twist for kids who are perhaps interested in a bit of Mystery. Where is Little Bird? The whole town is looking for him!
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The illustrations are simple and of good quality. The language is repetitive but not annoying. 

My only reservation is that it is somehow a tad scary. I think Lewis could have done without the "Little Bird could be Hurt" and "Little Bird could be scared" pieces. The last thing I want my kid to be thinking about at bedtime is being lost, hurt and scared. 

Overall It's an OK/Good cheap kindle book with a nice cover and illustrations.

Buy Here

Blurb About: How to Catch a Monster - Michael Yu, Rachel Yu, June Yu, Eric Yu

• How to Catch a Monster
• Authors: Michael Yu, Rachel Yu, June Yu, Eric Yu
• Publisher: Fat Moon Books (December 26, 2013)
• Publication Date: December 26, 2013
• ASIN: B0095807LK

• ISBN-10: 1481260537

How to Catch a Monster is a wonderfully illustrated book with nice rich colors. Unfortunately I can't seem to find info on who illustrated it! Nice to see good illustrations on a $.99 kindle book. The pictures make up for the short comings in the story line. 

How to Catch a Monster was written by the entire Yu family, including the kids, which I find charming. Some of the reviews on Amazon reference the plot being a bit muddy and I have to agree.

Buy the Book Here

Find out More About the Family Here

Video Blurb About: Zoo of Emotions, Teneisha Jones (That's Me!) and Amy Churchwell

Buy Zoo of Emotions Here

SuperKids - Anya Damiron, Pablo Pino

• SuperKids
• Author: Anya Damiron
• Illustrator: Pablo Pino
• Publisher: Lucia'Stories; 1 edition (December 12, 2015)
• ASIN: B019BERLX4
• ISBN-10: 9945082965

SuperKids is a wonderfully diverse, beautifully illustrated and well designed book. Everything from the writing to the layout is top notch. The world needs more books like SuperKids!

I love that the disabilities in this book are not named and instead are shown as special abilities. Really wonderful concept perfectly executed. 

Buy the Book Here
About the Author
About the Illustrator

Blurb About: The Zebra Said Shhh -M. R. Nelson, Tamia Sheldon

• The Zebra Said Shhh
• Author: M. R. Nelson
• Illustrator: Tamia Sheldon
• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Publisher: Xist Publishing (February 14, 2013)
• ISBN-10: 1623954401

The Zebra Said Shhh is a bedtime picture book featuring zoo animals. The language is very repetitive and simple and therefor may do better with the young-toddler-or-under crowd. Some of the illustrations are lovely and I imagine that kids would like them.

I've got to be honest with this one, I think the kindle one is worth the .99 cent price but I would be a bit disappointed if I paid $9.99 for the physical version. The story is just not one that I would want to read over and over again. 

Buy the book here
About the Author
About the Illustrator

Blurb About: Fearless Beans - Melissa Heye and Kathy Montoya

• Fearless Beans
• Written By: Melissa Heye
• Illustrated By: Kathy Montoya
• Publisher: Self Published; 1st edition (2013)
• ISBN-10: 0615886647
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Fearless Beans is about a small white dog who gathers up bravery for every adventure that comes his way. The phrase “really, really ready” is repeated throughout which could be fun to use as a theatrical point when reading the story out loud.

I imagine a 3-5 year old would like hearing this story out loud but it may be a bit wordy for anyone younger. 

Buy on Amazon

Learn more about the Author

Blurb About: The Snail and the Whale - Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

• The Snail and the Whale
• Written By: Julia Donaldson
• Illustrated By: Axel Scheffler
• Age Range: 3 - 7 years
• Grade Level: Preschool - 2
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Puffin Books; Reprint edition (April 6, 2006)

It comes as no surprise that Julia Donaldson, Author of The Grufflo, is an incredible Children's book writer. She has absolutely done it again with The Snail and the Whale  (Ok, Ok it was 10 years ago, but it's new to me!). The creativity and originality burst through on every page with every twist in the plot and rhyme in the stanza. Donaldson is the champion of wordsmiths in the world of poetry for children. 

Axel Scheffler's Illustrations are perfectly simple where they need to be and more complex and detailed when called for. I particularly love the brush texture added to the waves. 

I do not want to give away too much about the plot as I really hope you pick up this book and find out for yourself, but I will say that it involves a Snail with life goals and a friend who helps him along the way. 

Buy the book HERE
Learn more about the Author HERE
Learn more about the Illustrator Here

Blurb About: Millie Moo - Roger Priddy

• Millie Moo
• Roger Priddy
• Series: Touch and Feel Picture Books
• Board book: 20 pages
• Publisher: Priddy Books (November 5, 2005)

Roger Priddy is no newcomer in the world of picture books although his creations usually fall in the children's reference category with titles like First 100 Words. Millie Moo is the exception to his usual grid layout of point-and-say learning books. 

Millie Moo is a 'Touch and Feel' book with a plot, which is a bit of a rarity. The reader is asked to guess what animal they are feeling before turning the page only to be surprised with a silly unexpected hybrid such as a fish with fingers or multi-colored zebras. So where are all the farm animals? You will have to keep turning the pages to find out. 

In our house, we love to read Millie Moo with a cowgirl accent as if Millie Moo herself, a hyper-color cow, is rounding up her farm full of animals after another hard day on the plains.

Blurb About: Uni the Unicorn - Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Brigette Barrager

Uni the Unicorn
Author - Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Illustrator - Brigette Barrager
Age Range: 4 - 8 years

• Hardcover: 48 pages

• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (August 26, 2014)

This book, even though as a self publisher I hate to admit it, is a perfect example of why big publishers can absolutely blow the small guys out of the water sometimes. Spot UV printing and a subtle foil title on the dust jacket along with an incredible illustration and layout make it impossible leave alone. I don't even like unicorns and I can't stop staring at this book. Amy Krouse Rosenthal wrote a simple and cute story line which honestly does not need to be anything more because Brigette Barrager's illustrations could carry any text. 

Both Rosenthal and Barranger have a huge portfolio of work which I will absolutely be following after seeing the quality of this picture book. In a word, it's lovely. 

Buy Uni the Unicorn on Amazon.com

Learn more about the Author

Learn more about the Illustrator

Blurb About: Bluebird - Lindsey Yankey

• Bluebird

• Lindsey Yankey

• Grade Level: Preschool - 3

• Hardcover: 32 pages

• Publisher: Simply Read Books (January 26, 2014)

If any book in my children's library could transport me back to Art School, it's Bluebird. Lindsey Yankey meticulously illustrated this book using mixed media with an artists eye and heart. Each 2-page layout is built like an art project in itself worthy of framing. 

This is another book that I so wish my children adored as much as I do, because I could truly look at it every night. 

Buy Bluebird at Amazon.com

Learn More About Lindsey Yankey Here

Blurb About: On The Day You Were Born - Debra Frasier

On the Day You Were Born
Debra Frasier

• Age Range: Baby - 3 years
• Board book: 24 pages
• Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers; 1 Brdbk edition (October 1, 2006)

On the Day You Were Born is perfectly constructed for reading out loud and is a true work of poetry. You will find no child-like rhythms or rhymes between these pages, however, it will have you feeling like you are on stage, a piece of lined paper in hand, reading to your fellow poetry fans. 

Honestly, I wish my kids, ages 1.5 and 3.75,  liked this book as much as I do. I keep it around hoping that they will grow into it. 

Buy On the Day You Were Born on Amazon.com

Learn more about Debra Here

Blurb About: So Many Stars - Andy Warhol

So Many Stars - Andy Warhol

• Age Range: 1 - 8 years

• Grade Level: Preschool - 3

• Board book: 20 pages

• Publisher: Mudpuppy; 2 edition (August 12, 2014)

In So Many Stars, Andy Warhol, with the help of his mother Julia, explore the concept of "So". Each 2-page layout in this picture book is well balanced and obviously designed by a true artist. Dark & light, solid & patterned, a balance of colors, and finished with hand written text that adds a sweetness to each page.

Younger children will love the small mirror at the end, as you read the words out loud, "i love you so / So there you are". 

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Buy So Many Stars - Andy Warhol on Amazon

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Official Introduction and Submission Policy!

What Do I Do Here?

I write short reviews of short books. I try to be honest, with care. 

Will I Review Your Picture Book?

Sorry, I am currently closed for submissions. 

What Qualifies Me To Review Picture Books?

I graduated from Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) in 2006 with  Bachelors of Fine Art. While there I created a number of illustrated artist books and dove headfirst into printmaking. 

As a kid, I adored books like Outside Over There. So addicting was the strangeness of that book.... As a teen I devoured comics featuring female heroines, or anti heroines as they were. As an adult I got into graphic novels and then as a parent, picture books. The relationship between the written word and illustrated emotion is something I look for in all Art and Design. 

I also self-published a picture book called Zoo of Emotions. I knew my limitations in illustration and hired Amy Churchwell to create the art featured. I agree that as the Author I may be biased, however, I think it's a beautiful book. 

You can also find me: on my new Author Blog, my Zoo of Emotions About the Author page, Twitter, some of my creative work at Coroflot.com, Amazon Author Page, and Goodreads Author Page. 

Who am I?

I am a coffee addicted mother of two under four, a reader, an artist and an author. I live in Atlanta, GA but grew up in Sticksville, NH where I literally walked a mile, up hill, both ways to school, only after checking the barn thermometer to make sure it was above zero degrees. If it was in fact below zero degrees...I got a ride. Now you know why I live in Atlanta!