Blog tour [Review] T-rexes Can’t Tie their Shoes

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TITLE: T-Rexes Can’t Tie Their Shoes
AUTHOR: By ANNA LAZOWSKI Illustrated by STEPH LABERIS
PUBLISHER: Double Day Books For Young Readers
RELEASE DATE: June 2021
GENRES: Children’s, Picture book

Thank you Turn the Page Tours and RandomHouseKids for the early review copy and opportunity to be on this tour!

Where to Buy: Penguin Random House Website

Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis

A funny and encouraging alphabetic book about all the things animals CAN’T do but kids CAN! Every parent teaching their children new skills will be happy to have this super-positive picture book on hand.

Bees can’t ride bicycles, penguins can’t play ping-pong, and zebras can’t go zip-lining. No one is good at everything, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying! Here is a funny and encouraging picture book for any child learning how to tie their shoes, ride a bike, spell their name, or do a variety of new things.

Follow a hilarious alphabet of animals, and see all the things they can’t do but kids can—from doing gymnastics to flipping pancakes to playing a xylophone. Along the way, young readers will learn that it’s okay if they can’t do everything; they can still have a LOT of fun trying.

Review

When reading this book, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was an alphabet book. Suffice to say, my nephew and I had a couple of giggles throughout the story. It is both entertaining and encouraging. I appreciate the main message to kids that it’s okay to not be good at everything while still enjoying the thing you are doing. Each page introduces the reader to a new animal and the thing they cannot do. At the end, we are shown all the wonderful things they could do instead. Along with the beautiful illustrations, bright colors and occasional giggles I provided my nephew while reading T-Rexes Can’t Tie Their Shoes to him, I enjoyed the positive cadence the book had and the motivation is will provide to young readers.

Overall, I would recommend this book to any parent or person who ha a young child in their lives and is learning their ABCs.

About the Author

Anna Lazowski wrote her first picture book for a class assignment in the sixth grade and has been creating stories ever since. Now an award-winning radio producer, Anna has an MA (Journalism) from the University of Western Ontario and a BFA (Hons.) from the University of Manitoba.

Giveaway!

Up for grabs is one (1) copy of T-REXES CAN’T TIE THEIR SHOES! This giveaway is limited to US readers only.

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1e4a114d46/?

Blog Tour [Review]: Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil

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Title: Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil
Author: Danette Vigilante
Release Date: August 17, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade Mystery

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and Jolly Fish Press for the early review copy and opportunity to be on this tour!

Where to buy: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | IndieBound | Book Depository

Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis

Tia Lugo has a deadly secret.

Tia Lugo considers herself an ordinary thirteen-year-old girl. She just wants to enjoy the end of summer, which means hanging out with her best friend and neighbor, Julius, and ignoring her Puerto Rican grandmother’s embarrassing reliance on creepy candles, weird-smelling herb bundles, and eerie statues—all available for sale at the nearby botánica. But when Tia witnesses a murder late one night from her bedroom window, everything changes in an instant.

Now, Tia is terrified to tell anyone what she’s seen. What if the killer comes after her too? He knows where she lives. Even worse, Tia believes he’s sending her secret messages, reminding her to stay quiet. Desperate to keep herself and her family safe, Tia turns to the last place she ever thought she’d go: her grandmother’s favorite shopping spot, the botanica.

Review

Tis Lugo tells no evil is a thrilling middle grade novel about a murder mystery and the one witness to afraid to say what she saw. Danette masterfully captures Tia’s ever-changing emotions as she tries to do the most right thing to her without telling everyone what she has seen. The story takes you on twists and turns that will keep you turning the page wondering if your prediction was right. It led to an even bigger twist that will make you question your detective skills – it’s okay, it’s a twist that is gasp worthy.

The story succeeds in showing Tia’s growing fear and the actions she takes to protect her own identity, her secret and the people she loves. Speaking of Tia, she is such a well written character!  Tia is from a Puerto Rican family with a grandma dedicated to believing in the powers of a good botanica. Tia also has asthma and although it is a key point to the story, her asthma does not define who she is. Seeing this as a Latina who is asthmatic, it was refreshing to read a story where the illness did not take away from the character. Tia in good faith believes her actions are the right thing to do even as a reader we just wanted her to say something. I had to step into the shoes of Tia to understand how hard it would be to say the thing you want to say when the murderer is amongst the people in her community.

Along with Tia, we are introduced to Julius, Tia’s best friend and her grandmother. Both characters were equally loveable in their own ways. Julius is sincere, caring and can never get mad at Tia even when he finds out that Tia was keeping a big secret from him. Julius is the great example of a friend who will ride or die for you and I absolutely loved seeing their friendship grow through the story. Tia’s grandmother is wise beyond her years, dedicated to protection and will not stand for anyone discrediting her beliefs, even her own son; Tia’s father. That dedication and warmth Tia’s grandmother receives from her local visits from botanica become vital in Tia’s own search to feel more safe. While she was bullied because of her grandmother’s belief, as the story moves along you see Tia’s perspective change and appreciate her grandmother for who and what she believes in.

Overall, Tia Lugo speak no evil is a thrilling and strange read. It gives you goosebumps without the need for the gore. The author manages to make a spooky read be more than just the spookiness we get in most murder mystery novels. You have the main theme of the fear of the unknown and that driving theme wraps up nicely into an ending you didn’t expect but still love anyways.

About the Author

Danette Vigilante grew up in the Red Hook Houses in Brooklyn, New York. She continues to live in NYC with her family and sweet pup, Luna. One day she hopes to move to a place where the sun is always shining, and the air is warm. Danette is the author of TIA LUGO SPEAKS NO EVIL, THE TROUBLE WITH HALF A MOON, a 2012-2013 Sunshine State Young Readers award nominee, and SAVING BABY DOE, a 2014 pick for the New York Public Library 100 titles for Reading and Sharing list. Danette encourages literacy in her community via a Little Free Library installed on her front lawn.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Facebook