e-ARC Review: The Rat by Elise Gravel

The Rat
by Elise Gravel

Hardcover, 32 pages

Published August 5th 2014 by Tundra Books

(first published August 14th 2013)

ISBN 1770496580 (ISBN13: 9781770496583)

edition language : English

One in a series of humorous books about disgusting creatures, The Rat is a look at the black rat. It covers such topics as the rat's long, agile tail (it's good for balancing and picking noses), long teeth (they can chew through anything, including books) and disgusting taste in food (delicious electrical wires in tomato sauce, anyone?). Although silly and off-the-wall, The Rat contains real information that will tie in with curriculum.

(taken from GOODREADS)

What I Think

I loved this book. A LOT!

Let's start with the cover. It has a simple, wonderful illustration and first time I saw it, I was caught. Like, I really really had to get it. And knowing it's promoting real information in humorous way, I requested it right away. And I'm not disappointed. At all.

Presented with cute font (one that looks like children hand-writing, I love those kind of fonts!), every page gave a short factual information about rat. There's also one or two BIG word that worked like a theme/title for the page. Although the illustration had said it itself very clear. It also had a little humor, told by the rat, in every page which I think it's cute because I felt like the rat is either helping or encountering the narrator with their own view/opinion.

I don't like rats in real life. I hate it because, yeah, they're disgusting. But I must say I really love these rat characters in this book. 

I'm sure my nieces and nephews will find this book entertaining. Some information in this book helped me to gain more understanding about rat. Especially about how they manage to skip the trap we set most of time. Or how they manage to get into the house, the kitchen, the cupboard and so on. Of course, an adult is expected to read along with young readers to explain more about this and that. 

As an adult who loves cute books with wonderful designs and illustrations, it's definitely a must have. I can't wait to read the other books in the series and collect them all.

BUY THIS FROM

AMAZON  or 

BOOK DEPOSITORY

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

e-ARC Review : F Is for Feelings by Goldie Millar, Lisa Berger, Hazel Mitchell

F Is for Feelings

by Goldie Millar, Lisa Berger, Hazel Mitchell

Paperback, 40 pages

Free Spirit Publishing

Young children often need help learning and practicing their “feelings words” so they can express themselves well. When children learn from an early age to share their feelings in clear and healthy ways, they are more likely to grow into adults who feel capable of handling life’s challenges. Friendly and positive, this picture book uses an alphabet-book format to share and reinforce emotional language and the ideas that while some feelings are more comfortable than others, all emotions are natural and important. Charming, colorful illustrations accompany the sweet and simple text. A section in the back provides tips and activities for parents and caregivers to reinforce the themes and lessons of the book.

What I think:

I liked this book. A lot. 

At first glance of the cover, well, I didn't really care at all and almost skipped it. But then I think, hey, I could learn something from this, and teach or share something to my nieces and nephews. 

And I'm so glad I decided to read the book.

I didn't think that feelings can be listed in alphabet. I learned psychology and I should've known that there are lots of emotions. But since there are some basic, so sometimes I just paid attention on that. My bad!

Anyway, so I started reading the book, stopped in every alphabet and emotion, trying to understand and to translate it in bahasa. I also imagined it what to explain to my nieces and nephews once I get the chance to read this book with them. Although it might need some effort, the illustration and the example in every alphabet and emotion was very helpful. It helps the reader to differentiate between one emotion to the other.

Yes, this book is great for children. But for a grown up who would deal with kids, this book gives the activity guide for adults so that they can increasing the value of the book for the young readers. For example: how to explore, share and discuss the content of the book, the feeling. We can start from any emotion that interest us most.

There are lots of people out there (kids and adults) who have difficulties in expressing their emotions. Sometimes they put the wrong label for what they actually feel because they don't really understand the feeling and themselves. I do, too, sometimes. So this book would be a great start to understand about feeling better.

I really really think this is a great book and I can't wait to read and share it with my nieces and nephews.

I received the e-ARC via Net Galley. Thank you so much!