Book Reviews | Here Wee Read- Part 13

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Book Reviews

Empty Shoes by Denise LaRosa (A Book Review)

Welcome to the Club: 100 Parenting Milestones You Never Saw Coming (A Book Review)

The Water Princess by Susan Verde (A Book Review)

Princess Cupcake Jones and the Dance Recital (A Book Review)

Even Superheroes Have Bad Days (A Book Review)

Rice & Rocks Book Review + A Giveaway!

Daddy Do My Hair? Beth’s Twists (A Book Review)

What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Pre and PostNatal Care

Puffy: People Whose Hair Defies Gravity (A Book Review)

Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist (A Book Review)

Animals by Ingela P. Arrhenius

They All Saw A Cat by Brendan Wenzel (A Book Review)

hereweeread

As the mom of a son, I can attest to Saturday mornings at the barbershop being a whole vibe!

For the little boy in this story, the barbershop is where his community lives. It’s a classroom, a playground, a sound studio, and an art gallery all rolled into one. It’s where you soak up the wisdom of elders, feel the rhythm of the music, catch the highlights of the game, and maybe grab a snack for just five bucks that’ll leave you full and happy.

This story made me feel like I was watching the energy and joy of Black barbershops with every turn of the page. Black barbershops are spaces filled with laughter, storytelling, and connection.

Daley’s artwork? Stunning. It captures the magic of these everyday moments, making them feel larger than life. And the text flows like a freestyle, making it perfect for kids to bop along to while they read.

Whether you’ve been to a Black barbershop or not, this book celebrates the beauty of Black culture and the little places that hold so much love and history. You’ll finish it smiling and thinking about your own special traditions.

Highly recommend. #saturdaymorningattheshop @simonkids @kendaleyart @keenanjones83

#hereweeread #childrensbooks #childrensbookstagram #picturebookoftheday #picturebooks #picturebookstagram #readeveryday #readdaily #booksforkids #picturebooksforkids #bookstagram #kidsbookstagram #booksforchildren #readingismagic #readmorebooks #readingisfundamental #weneeddiversebooks #diversebooksmatter #kidlitillustration #bookpiles #bookstacks

Creativity is about to take center stage, and you’re invited! Join Audible for Crayola Creativity Week from January 27 - February 2, 2025 for a free, week-long celebration dedicated to inspiring creativity in students, educators, and families. #ad

Here’s what you can expect: celebrity read-alouds, exciting activities and creators from all walks of life including authors, dancers, musicians, athletes, and NASA experts.

Plus, Audible knows that audiobooks are amazing creativity boosters, so they’re gifting a grand prize to winners of Crayola’s sweepstakes: The Audible Story Studio. It’s a mobile creativity cart packed with Audible memberships, tablets, headphones, art supplies and more. Note: You must opt-in to enter for a chance to win the sweepstakes and daily prize packs.

Are you ready to bring the magic home? Audible is offering a free 2-month trial right now. Click the link in my bio to get started. #audible #crayola #AmazonInfluencer

#childrensbooks #childrensbookstagram #picturebookoftheday #picturebooks #picturebookstagram #readeveryday #readdaily #booksforkids #picturebooksforkids #hereweeread #bookstagram #kidsbookstagram #booksforchildren #readingismagic #readmorebooks #readingisfundamental #blackbookstagram #readeveryday #readeverywhere #audiobookstagram #audiobooksforkids #audiblebooks

✨GIVEAWAY! ✨Here’s your chance to win two all of the books featured here courtesy of our friends at @sourcebookskids.

UPDATE: This giveaway is now CLOSED.

Enter to win these fantastic books for your home or school library just in time for Black History Month to enjoy all year long.

Here’s how to enter:
1️⃣ Follow @hereweeread and @sourcebookskids
2️⃣ Tell me in the comments if you will keep, gift, or donate these books if you win.
3️⃣ OPTIONAL: Share this post in your stories for an extra entry!

One (1) winner will be chosen the evening of Monday, January 20th. Open to all U.S. residents due to shipping costs. Good luck!

#childrensbooks #childrensbookstagram #picturebookoftheday #picturebooks #picturebookstagram #readeveryday #readdaily #booksforkids #picturebooksforkids #hereweeread #bookstagram #kidsbookstagram #booksforchildren #readingismagic #readmorebooks #readingisfundamental #blackhistorymonth2025 #blackhistorybooksforkids #blackbookstagram #blackhistory365

It’s my book birthday times two! 🥳

Today two things published from me:

1. A picture book entitled Black Joy illustrated by @lhaizamorena published by @quartokids.

2. A beautiful set of Black Hiatory flash cards written by me and @artish.reader and illustrated by @artish.reader, published by @unionsqandco @wmebooks.

You can find both wherever books are sold.

#childrensbooks #childrensbookstagram #picturebookoftheday #picturebooks #picturebookstagram #readeveryday #readdaily #booksforkids #picturebooksforkids #hereweeread #bookstagram #kidsbookstagram #booksforchildren #readingismagic #readmorebooks #readingisfundamental #hereweeread

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is a name kids should know because she’s making history and inspiring us all. Here are three cool facts about her that you’ll want to share with young readers:

1️⃣ She’s the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. Yep, Justice Jackson made history in 2022. She shows us that hard work and staying true to yourself can break barriers.

2️⃣ She was a storyteller before she became a justice. As a child, she loved reading and writing stories, even winning speech and debate contests.

3️⃣ She’s a working mom. Justice Jackson juggled law school and parenting her daughter. She’s proof that you can chase big dreams while raising a family.

Justice Jackson’s story reminds children and adults to dream big and stand tall, no matter the challenges.

Did you learn something new about Justice Jackson from this post? 👇🏾

#justicekentajibrownjackson #ketanjibrown #ketanjijackson #blackhistory365 #blackhistorymonth2025 #blackhistoryeveryday #blackhistoryfacts #blackhistoryeveryday #blackbookstagram #blackbooksession #blackbookst#kidsbookswelove #picturebookart #picturebookstagram #childrensbookstagram #childrensbooks #booksfordays #booksforkids #hereweeread

Are you looking for a screen-free way to keep the kids entertained AND get their creative juices flowing over winter break? #ad

Lately, our family has been loving the @audible x @crayola collection. My kids are enjoying listening to stories like Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Margarita in the Spotlight while coloring and creating their own fun scenes from the stories.

These screen-free activities allow my kids to listen to stories, and get super creative together. It’s the perfect way to spark their imaginations and spend quality time together.

Oh, and did I mention Audible is offering a 2-month free trial?

Head to the link in my bio to start your family’s listening adventure today! #audible #crayola #AmazonInfluencer

#childrensbooks #childrensbookstagram #picturebookoftheday #picturebooks #picturebookstagram #readeveryday #readdaily #booksforkids #picturebooksforkids #hereweeread #bookstagram #kidsbookstagram #booksforchildren #readingismagic #readmorebooks #readingisfundamental #blackbookstagram #blackbookstagrammer #audiobooksforkids #audiobookstagram #audiobooksofinstagram #audiobooksforfree

History just got a whole lot more exciting!

Check out my forthcoming January 2025 set of 31 beautifully illustrated Black history flash cards published by @unionsqandco.

These flash cards introduce visionary Black Americans who’ve helped shape our world. From creative scientists and inventors to fearless activists, brilliant artists, and groundbreaking athletes, young readers and historians will uncover stories that inspire.

Each card is packed with facts and amazing true tales, and the bonus booklet? It’s full of fun ways to bring history to life with children’s book recommendations, games and activities. These flash cards are great for young historians and the grown-ups who love them.

Available online, at independent bookstores, and at @barnesandnoble stores nationwide.

#younghistoriansclub #younghistorians #blackhistory365 #blackhistoryeveryday #blackhistoryfacts #blackhistorymonth2025 #unionsquarebooks #flashcardsforkids #flashcards #blackbookstagram #blackbooksession #blackbookstagrammer #hereweeread