Children’s Book Review: Can I Call 9-1-1 NOW? by Theresa Carcioppolo
This is a children’s picture book written by a local ‘to me’ author and 911 Dispatcher. An interview with her will appear tomorrow!
Can I Call 9-1-1 NOW?
Author: Theresa Carcioppolo
Illustrator: Christa Mabrey
Published: April 9, 2022
24 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: May 21, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
Join Turbo the tortoise as he learns when and when NOT to call 911.
Jessica’s Review:
This is an entertaining and enlightening children’s picture book that helps to show young children when and more importantly when to not call 911! It is a short book at just 24 pages that accomplishes what it sets out to do and with the colorful pictures, it will keep young readers attention AND help them to learn some important things too!
Each page has just a couple of sentences to it which is simple enough for the littlest reader to understand. And the pictures go well with those sentences! The pictures are bright and colorful and Carcioppolo has taken her love of reptiles and bring them in as characters in the story.
The book gives great examples of things all young children (and yes adults as well) should know such as their address and their parent(s) phone number. Examples are also given of what is and is not an actual emergency of calling 911. We see Turbo wanting to help others and call 911 when he shouldn’t. We even have one instance where he did call 911 when it wasn’t needed: When there was a cat stuck up in a tree!( And you know this has actually happened!). Of course, we also see Turbo save the day by calling 911 when it actually was needed.
This is a book that all young children should read and learn from. Carcioppolo has done a great job with a short book sharing what small kids and big kids need to know!
Book Birthday Blitz: A Review of Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks by Sally Fetouh
Today I am taking part in the Book Birthday Blitz for Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks by Sally Fetouh and illustrated by Alexis Schnitger. This children’s picture book was released last year and I am sharing my review. Happy First Book Birthday!
Author Sally Fetouh was inspired to write this touching story by her own daughter who has Down syndrome, feeling it was important for her and other children like her to be able to see themselves in literature. Two years ago, after reading a different story about a girl with Down syndrome to her daughter’s preschool class, Sally says, “The children were so engaged in the story and asked questions. They were very accepting and loving of their friend—my daughter. I left with a heart overflowing with emotion and that inspired me to write my story.”
Book Description:
When young Jana receives heaps of beautiful socks from her parents after learning how to put on socks all by herself, she can’t wait to show her friends at school. They are always kind and patient with Jana when they play together. Jana decides to share a pair of her new socks with each and every friend. This calls for a school sock parade! All of the children had so much fun showing off their colourful socks together that they gave a very special and huge gift for their kind and generous friend, Jana, a box of more socks!
There is cheerful text and whimsical illustrations that bring alive this heart-warming story of kindness and inclusion featuring a character with Down Syndrome.
Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks
Author: Sally Fetouh
Illustrator: Alexis Schnitger
Published: May 21, 2022
40 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: May 18, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Jessica’s Review:
Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks is a colorful picture book aimed at children ages 4 and up and focuses on friendship, kindness, and inclusion! Jana has Down Syndrome and she was able to get her socks on herself! Her parents celebrate this accomplishment and Jana takes socks to all the kids at school. This is a simple yet fun book with the illustrations that enhance the story 1000%! The illustrations are watercolor like for me and could tell the story themselves!
We have lots of inclusion and diversity in the pictures presented. The story along with the pictures really show how that even though we are all different in our own way, but that’s ok! The world would be very boring if we were all the same!
This short children’s book can also teach: The focus in the story is socks and how they are all different. Socks reference the extra chromosome that people with Down Syndrome have. Did you know that Chromosomes look like socks? There is also a hashtag: #lotsofsocks which has a campaign: Lots of Socks.
We need more books like this that both children and adults can enjoy and learn something from!
Purchase Links:
Through the author here.
Amazon US
Amazon UK
About the Author:
Writing is very much a part of who author Sally Fetouh is as a human being. As a child, writing was a way for her to express herself and all of the stories and ideas she had in her head. Now, as an adult, she has been inspired to write a beautiful story of kindness and friendship, Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks, a heart-warming picture book loosely based on her daughter who has Down syndrome.
It was important to Sally that her daughter and other children like her were able to see themselves represented in literature. The idea came to Sally when she visited her daughter’s preschool to read a story about a girl with Down syndrome. The loving, accepting, and inquisitive responses from her daughter’s classmates inspired her to write a story reflecting these caring friendships.
Sally believes a great book is one that has impactful characters and a story that provides a new experience or perspective to the reader that stays with them long after the book is closed. She hopes that her young readers with disabilities or those who are different in some way will be able to relate to the main character and see a little bit of themselves, while also aiming for other readers to gain insight into the world of Down syndrome and the importance and impact of kindness and friendship.
When she isn’t writing thought-provoking children’s books, Sally works as a lawyer and a photographer. She enjoys being in nature, hiking, and horse riding. She lives with her family in Sydney, Australia. Jana’s Brightly Coloured Socks is her debut picture book.
Contact Sally:
Instagram @sallyfetouh
Goodreads
It’s Brave to Be Kind
It’s Brave to Be Kind: A Kindness Story and Activity Book for Children
Author: Natasha Daniels
Illustrator: Ela Smietanka
Published: July 7, 2020
50 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Read: August 9, 2020
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Discover the value of kindness—a story and activity book for kids
Show kids that being kind is awesome! It’s Brave to Be Kind goes beyond other kindness books for children, combining the effectiveness of a storybook with the fun of play to teach kids ages 5 to 7 how to be amazingly kind people.
All kindness books for children should be this inspiring! Not only will kids learn how important niceness is through an engaging—and adorably illustrated—story, but they’ll also be able to practice being kinder every day with simple and fun activities you won’t find in other kindness books for children. Whether it’s taking care of themselves when they’re sad or helping out around the house, help young readers find out how fun being kind can be.
This standout among kindness books for children includes:
- A story of kindness for kids—Give kids a supportive role model in Alex—a young girl who meets someone different and finds out how she can be kind, even when others aren’t.
- Practice being nice—This top choice among kindness books for children encourages them to try out fun challenges that provide ways to grow their kindness and share it with the people around them.
- Advice for parents and caregivers—Get tips for using both the story and activities to effectively teach kindness and empathy to kids.
When it comes to kindness books for children, you won’t find a more complete package than It’s Brave to Be Kind.
Jessica’s Review:
This children’s book is aimed for ages 5-7 and it delivers spot on with that age group. The illustrations are colorful and help to completely convey the story presented. The illustrations also show diversity among the children.
Alex is our main character and she loves being a different sort of kid ( all the way to the way she styles her hair!), but she is also kind which includes being accepting of others, being caring and brave. When new student Jon joins that class, he is also different: He is from another country and does not speak English. The other kids treat him differently. Alex feels bad about the way jon is being treated and she befriends him. Over the course of the story, she shows the others kids that despite their differences that they can all become friends.
This book is also meant to be an activity book. There is an introduction to parents/caregivers and teachers telling that this short book is meant to be the start of deeper conversations with your young child. This is more than a ‘read to your kid’ book. There are also ‘kindness challenges’ at the end for kids to put what they learn into practice. Examples of different type of kindness are given. There are also websites given to help parents/ caregivers/ educators have more resources for help with teaching children all about kindness.
I received a copy from the publisher via Amazon Vine.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK