The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived (Picture Book) - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Schiffer Publishing via Edelweiss. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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Title: The Bravest Knight Who Ever Lived
Author: Daniel Errico
Illustrator: Shiloh Penfield
Recent Release Date: April 28, 2019


Synopsis: Knights, dragons, and princesses are the things all good fairytales are made of, but what happens when the tale has an LGBTQ ending? Follow Cedric on his journey from his days on a humble pumpkin farm to the adventures that lead him to become a full-fledged knight. Once a knight, discover how he uses his cleverness and courage to vanquish a fire-breathing dragon and rescue a beautiful prince and princess. It is only then does Sir Cedric face his most difficult challenge. Will he follow his heart, and prove that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is choose for yourself how your fairy tale ends?

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Review: It is so great to see a children's picture book with these themes. This is a simple story, but such a great message. A young boy with pumpkin armor grows up to be a squire. Then a knight. Then conquers a dragon. And finds true love. It is all so adorable. The pumpkin imagery throughout the story is also great.

I give this book a 5/5. Great art and a great story. Small humans should all have this book read to them.


--PAUL

Phoenix Goes to School: A Story to Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Children - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Jessica Kingsley Publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: Phoenix Goes to School: A Story to Support Transgender and Gender Diverse Children
Authors: Michelle Finch & Phoenix Finch
Upcoming Release Date: July 19, 2018

Synopsis: My Mommy tells me I'm perfect and to be brave.

"You know who you are," she says,

"Just be yourself and always listen to your heart."

With those words of encouragement from her Mom, Phoenix is preparing for her first day of school. She is excited but scared of being bullied because of her gender identity and expression. Yet when she arrives at school she finds help and support from teachers and friends, and finds she is brave enough to talk to other kids about her gender!

This is an empowering and brightly-illustrated children's book for children aged 3+ to help children engage with gender identity in a fun, uplifting way. It supports trans children who are worried about being bullied or misunderstood. 

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Review: This picture book is a cute, short story about a girl being nervous about how people will react when she wears a dress to school. A young girl and her mother wrote this story together about their own personal experiences. In addition to the story, there are also resources included with the book. There are questions to use to initiate a conversation with children about gender. There are also resources for adults and parents about trans issues.

There is plenty of colorful artwork in this picture book. Phoenix is relatable to any child. The fact that this book was written by a daughter and her mother makes it even more adorable. I give this picture book a 5/5.


--PAUL

This is a Taco! - Paul's REVIEW

*I received this book as an eARC from Lion Forge via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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Title: This is a Taco!
Author: Andrew Cangelose
Ilustrator: Josh Shipley
Upcoming Release Date: May 1, 2018

Synopsis: This is a squirrel . . . "Hey, I may be a squirrel, but my name is Taco! And I don't eat nuts and tree bark—blech—I prefer tacos!" The natural predator of squirrels is . . . "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who is writing this book? I do not like where this is going." This hilarious send-up of a children's nature primer teaches kids that the most important story is the one you write yourself.

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Review: This picture book is cute and humorous. It starts off as an informative tale about squirrels, but a certain squirrel named Taco takes over the narrative. Taco decides to rewrite a few things. Laughs ensue. 

This is a really cute, short book. There are a few squirrel facts, but this is mostly a comedy book. I give this picture book a 4/5.


--PAUL