Tag Archives: toys

Dec8

Ann Can’t Sleep by April Peter

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Ann Can’t Sleep by April Peter, picture e-book, 21 pages, published in 2017.

Ann is having trouble getting to sleep. A toy to cuddle will help, but which one is her perfect bed-time companion?

Ann Can’t Sleep is a lovely book, perfect to share with toddlers and preschoolers at bed-time. The rhyming language is soothing to read, with short, easy words forming a fun and engaging story.

The illustrations are bright and bold; perfectly appealing to young children. I really liked all of the pictures, but I especially liked the illustrations where Ann was active and having fun with her toys. Riding the donkey is my favourite. I did notice on the page when Ann picks out the plane to sleep with, the illustration below that shows her sleeping with the doll again, instead of the plane!

This e-book is let down by its typography. The words run together on every page, and at least once, letters actually overlay each other. As an adult, it is reasonably easy to correct such errors whilst reading, but for an early reader, this would be difficult for them to decipher.

Ann Can’t Sleep is suitable for children from birth through to early primary school, and is best shared aloud.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.

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Feb18

Lost and Found at the Library by Jeneane Kendall

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lostandfoundcoverLost and Found at the Library by Jeneane Kendall, e-book, 19 pages, published in 2016.

Cooper the teddy bear and Floppy the toy rabbit have been accidentally left at the library by their owners. They are placed in the “Lost and Found” box to wait. Once the library staff leave for the night, a fairy appears to help the toys. Floppy and Cooper set out to explore the library. They look at books, check out the computers and even make a sign for the library window.

With a couple of well-loved toys exploring a library when no one is around to see, and a bit of magic, this book was a pleasant and easy read. The story was straight forward, and the language simple. It is not a picture book, though there are basic coloured illustrations scattered through the book, it is more of a short story. I think it would be good for young children as a reader book when learning to read.

I liked Cooper and Floppy, they reminded me of toys I had as a child. To me, my stuffed animals were always alive, and having adventures, just like Floppy and Cooper! This is the sort of story I would have enjoyed reading as a child, and I like it now too. It was too long for my toddlers to sit through, but was perfect for my first grader.

Lost and Found at the Library is suitable for lower primary school children.

 

*I received this book as a digital copy from the author, who asked me for an honest review of this book. I did not receive any other remuneration, and the review is composed entirely of my own opinions.