Review: Junie B. Jones and The Stupid Smelly Bus - Adapted by Colleen AF Venable and Illustrated by Honie Beam - April 2025 As someone who devoured Barbara Park’s Junie B. Jones books back in the mid-1990s, I was thrilled when Penguin Random House Kids Graphic offered me the chance to review this fresh adaptation of Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus — now reimagined as a junior graphic novel. I vividly remember reading the original between 1994 and 1995, laughing at Junie B.’s sassy voice and wild adventures, and this graphic adaptation brought all those nostalgic feelings rushing back. The story follows Junie B. on her very first day of kindergarten, where she faces a massive hurdle: the dreaded school bus. From the title alone, you know exactly how Junie B. feels about the bus — she’s convinced it’s dirty, smelly, and full of mean kids. Her stubbornness, quirky logic, and hilarious antics shine through as she tries to navigate this new experience. Whether it’s deciding she’...

Review: The Moon in the Sky - Bruce Shutts and Illustrated by Amy Wummer - December 2021 I am not normally one for poetry but I do have a soft spot for children's books, this probably stems from working with children of all ages for 20+ years. Also, I love children's poetry as they are always fun and LOL moments and just so adorably cute. Bruce Shutt's book The Moon In the Sky is filled to the brim with poetry made for children and focuses on all parts of their everyday lives from getting dressed to toilet training to brushing their teeth and eating their dinner before heading to bed to sleepy land before they start their days all over again. The Moon in the Sky is the perfect bedtime story to read to your children and also use to introduce the art of poetry in their reading lives. This book is aimed at children aged 6-9 years old.  Each poem is also illustrated by Amy Wummer as what child doesn't love illustrations with their books as it makes the reading time more ...

Review: Little Gordon Grape - Arnold Dixon - September 2019 I love picture books, as a former children's librarian. This was my life for 14 years and so nowadays I love to see what cute ones are out there. Little Gordon Grape was so adorably cute and happy. The book is a Christian Kids Picture book written by a Methodist Minister. The book starts with Gordon Grape and his family of grapes in the vineyard. It is picking time to make the wine and Little Gordon Grape is so excited as this is what he sees as his purpose in life. However, when Gordon is picked, he finds himself dropping to the ground and rolling away. Little Gordon Grape becomes dejected and upset and believes he isn't important anymore. That is until the farmer finds him and gives Little Gordon Grape a pep talk about how everyone has a purpose in life and that God has a plan for every one of us and sometimes, we don't even know what that plan is and we are all destined for great things. This book would make a g...