If My Moon Was Your Sun, book review (children's book)

Book review:

If My Moon Was Your Sun
by Andreas Steinhöfel | Nele Palmtag
Pub Date: 01 Nov 2017

This is one of those books your read to your child (or class) so they become more emotionally intelligent, while you, the adult, choke back tears. This book was touching because of the idea of a young boy loving his grandfather so deeply, but also in the way the character's voice was so distinctly 10 years old. Max is in that perfect stage between misunderstanding the way adults act because of his childishness and understanding the same scenarios more profoundly than even the adults. He was the perfect character to portray such a sweet story of love for someone he knows, deep down, isn't going to be around forever.

It's a longer book and would work well for teaching making inferences, voice, plot structure, and a few other elements. It's likely a story to which upper elementary to middle grade students might relate.

★★★★

The Ageless Beauty Grail, a book review

Book review:

The Ageless Beauty Grailby Sandra Bloom
Pub Date: 08 May 2018

This book is for those women who are facing hair-loss or other unexplained (by their doctor) symptoms of what one might think is simply aging. This is for that woman with a lot of symptoms that she doesn't understand and who is willing to look into holistic treatments. This ideal reader is also in want of one introductory resource to explain to her in a somewhat narrative way the basics of what goes on in one's body and how changes in diet and environment can help.

The book was readable and pretty comprehensive. It didn't break ground, but if someone has never looked into holistic or food-based, anti-toxin lifestyle changes, this would be a good one to choose.

★★★

Edison, book review (children's literature)

Book review:

Edison
by Torben Kuhlmann
Pub Date: 02 Oct 2018

Firstly, the illustrations in this book are gorgeous, of excellent quality, and highly detailed. Secondly, I love that there exists a passionate engineer-minded artist who wants to introduce these scientific ideas to kids in a children's book. The story is decent for a children's story, obviously enhanced by the illustrations. However, the word choice and lack of complexity in the syntax leaves something to be desired. It feels quite casual, as if the author didn't think a child could understand a higher level of vocabulary or less obvious conversation. I would rather a parent participate in the book with the child to help them understand (especially, again, with the help of those fantastic illustrations) than for the language and vocabulary to be dumbed down. I write this from the perspective of an elementary English learner teacher. Overall, I would like to have this book on my daughter's shelf because of the science and the illustrations, but I would probably ad lib some more interesting dialogue and vocab.

★★★