You And I, Forever by Melissa Toppen

     Bentley and Anna are reconciled.  They realize their love is a once in a life time thing.  Anna knows Bentley will be there for her no matter what.  It's a good thing too 'cause it's about to get intense.  Everything is changing. It seems like once Anna deals with a hot situation, they keep coming.  She will learn just how strong she is, and more importantly, she'll find out just how strong the bond between her and Bentley is.  
     Bentley's life is changing too.  He's got so much business he's dealing with. The problem is, he just wants to be with Anna. He wants to make her life better.  He knows eventually she'll open up completely for him.  He just has to be  patient. Will they survive all the changes?

     This book is part of a series, but each one can stand alone and be wonderful too.  Bentley and Anna's story is one of love, acceptance and strength.  I adore this series. Passionate, intense and ever-changing, you can't help but love the characters.  The writing is solid. The characters very realistic.  However, get the tissues, cause you'll need them for this one.  It tugged at my heart throughout and made me see just how deeply one person can love another.  I was swept away on the first page and gently, but firmly returned to Earth when it ended.  I can understand the motivation for each character.  It's not always easy to accept the motivation though.  I'm certain you will want this heartwarming, loving and beautiful book in your library. Get the entire series, you'll love them all.

     I found no issues.

     I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because it's what writing should be.. a journey.

A Pig Tale by Paul M. Kramer

     Millie the pig hates getting dirty. Worse than that she's allergic to the dust and dirt. Her brothers call her unnatural.  The fact they live on a farm makes it all the more problematic.  When the farmer's daughter looses her pet dog, Millie is there to make her feel better.  Emily decided she wanted Millie to be her new pet. It was a perfect match. They were best friends.  Their friendship will be tested though.

     Mr. Kramer has a real hit in this one.  It's an amazing story of a pig who is different than others like her.  The back lesson is even those who are different can become you best friend.  The main story of love and acceptance is one all littles need. I felt this is a good parent-child discussion book. It opens the door to a subject many find hard to talk about.  I feel in love with Millie myself. It's an adorable story your children will love and you'll find yourself reading it again and again.

     I found no issues.

     I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because love and acceptance is an important thing for families to discuss.

OOPS! I Wet My Bed by Paul M. Kramer

     Cynthia is five years old. She's also experiencing something new.  She wakes up and is extremely wet. No one is sure why though.  Cynthia is given a new potty and her parents work with her to keep the potty monsters away.  Cynthia is worried about not being able to make it to the potty.  It really scares her when she tries to poop in the potty.

     I think this is a fantastic guide for parents beginning the potty training phase of their child's life.  There are many suggestions on how to get the ball rolling.  It's well written and the illustrations are amazing.  I like that this book let's parents and children know it's okay if you wet the bed, but there are ways to prevent it.

     I did find issues. Since most children this age (5), are afraid of monsters, I don't think the inclusion of them is a good thing. There are other ways to express what the monsters are trying to say.

     I gave this one 4 cheers out of 5 because of the monster issue. 

I Have a New Baby Sister by Paul M. Kramer

     Tommy's getting a new baby sister. He's not sure about this. His Mother says she'll be someone to play with and be friends with.  All Tommy knows is Mom and Dad spent a lot of time with his new sister. All Lulu does is sleep, poop and cry.
     Mom began to realize how excluded Tommy must feel. She began to teach him how to be a helper.  He helped do everything for Lulu. He decided she may not be so bad after all.

     Mr. Kramer seems to know just what to say to children to calm them and comfort them.   The teaching this book does is invaluable.  Sometimes it is difficult to find the right words and the right way to explain things to young ones.   I thought this book was clever and bright.  The illustrations will capture your child's interested right away.  You can't go wrong by adding this book to your children's library.

     I didn't find issues with this one.

     I gave this book 5 cheers out of 5 because raising children SHOULD come with a manual. *grin* 

Maya and Filippo Show Aloha by Alinka Rutkowska

The cruise ship Maya and her brother Filippo are on docks in Hawai'i.  The children can't wait to explore the islands. Maya and Filippo are introduced to the Aloha way of living.  They learn about the culture and beliefs of the islands, as they learn about Aloha.  Maya and Filippo take on some new challenges too.

    I adore these books. The lessons they teach children are amazing. While keeping the book fun and the pace the way it should be, Ms. Rutkowska slips the lesson.  I enjoy the fact younger children have this resource to learn about new things.  The concepts included give children a head start with learning about the world around them. Your littles will become friends of Maya and Filippo's in no time.

     I found no issues.

     I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because they are just delightful.

Oliver and Jumpy by Werner Stejskal

     Another adventure with Oliver and Jumpy. Our friends are off to enjoy meeting more new friends.  
Story 10: Unhappy Dog
  Meet Barky. He's left at home alone most of the time. He never gets the chance to run and play. Then he meets Oliver.
Story 11: Kite High
    Oliver and Jumpy are flying their parachute with a wooden carriage. They soon find they'll need help to land their parachute carriage.  A new friend might help.
Story 12: Butterfly Trouble
    Oliver and Jumpy meet some Butterflies. They end up letting too many go. Their new friend will help them fix things.

      Once again Mr. Stejskal takes the children on a lovely adventure with his friends, Oliver the cat and Jumpy the Kangaroo. Oliver and Jumpy like to jump into fun and helping others.  I love that these books are short and sweet. They also give children the chance to let their imaginations fly.  They can picture themselves with Oliver and Jumpy.  It's amazing how easy these are to introduce to your child's night time routine.  Perfect to send them off dreaming of wonderful adventure and new friends.  I have always had positive feedback from the children I share them with. We usually read the stories four or five times before we're sure it's enough.  Your littles will love these stories.

      I didn't find any issues.

      I gave this book 5 cheers out of 5 because they make us giggle and let our minds wander. 

Big Fish by Ahmad Amani

     Big fish is trying to fit in with the other fish.  It doesn't seem to work no matter what he does. Then he meets someone new. Someone as big as he is. They become great friends but Big fish gets sad when his friend begins to disappear. 

     I'm sorry I can't recommend this for children.  This book doesn't complete itself.  It seems to stop mid story and lets littles down. I wasn't impressed with the writing style either.  I did read it several times but it came across as only an incomplete book.

  Issues listed above.

     I gave this one 2 out of 5 because the story begins terrifically and then lets the reader drop.