Review + Guest Post: Adventures with Buster by London Lake Pickett

Title: Adventures With Buster

Author: London Lake Pickett

Publisher: Self

Source: paperback 35 pages, received from author for honest review

Links to Buy: | Amazon | Guide Dog Store | Pet Praise Products |

Book Synopsis:

"Adventures with Buster" is a children's book that will entertain and educate readers about guide dogs and blindness. This is the first book in which London Lake Pickett shares experiences she has had with her guide dog named Buster.

Mom's Thoughts:

I loved this book so much!  Instantly, I had this warm feeling spread over me as I started the book, mainly because of the respect and love you can feel the author has for this wonderful animal.   These two are terrific characters!

Buster is a fun and adorable friend to London.  But he is also her guide dog and helper too.  I love how London takes the time to explain to the readers what this entails and points out some very important things for us to know about guide dogs.  She really takes us through the whole adventure of how her and Buster were brought together.  We really feel like we are right there along with her.  

But Buster isn't the only character in this non fiction story that grabs our attention too.  London is an amazing person who really shows us how much she truly loves Buster and enjoys her life with him.  

I really enjoyed the first time Buster meets a frog.  That was very entertaining for me, as well as my children.  

The length of the book isn't too long so to keep young children engaged as well as older kids.  It is very informative but also has an entertaining vibe to it too.  I really loved this story and definitely recommend it to children, adults and everyone in between!  

*****

Jacey's Thoughts (4 yrs old)

My favorite animal in the whole universe is dogs so I really liked this book!  My mom read it to me aloud and I learned a lot about what to do and not to do when seeing a guide dog.  

Never try to pet a guide dog when they are working!  This could cause them to do something bad and not pay attention to their job.  I remember that!

I also liked all the different commands Buster knew.  He really is smart!  My dog only knows how to sit, lay down, and sing.  So Buster is pretty cool!

*****

Anthony's Thoughts (9 yrs old)

I learned a lot while reading Adventures with Buster  about guide dogs and training them.  Buster is a very well trained animal that completely ignored cats while leading Ms. London down the street.  Most dogs have to at least bark at cats, if not chase them; but not Buster!  He just walks right on by it.  

There was a lot of information in this story about Ms. London's blindness which helps us understand more about blindness.  It also tells us how to act around guide dogs, especially when they are working.  I really liked the list of commands at the end of the book that goes through all the directions that Buster can do.  Very cool!  

Besides information, this was a fun book to read.  It didn't take me long to read it at all and I really loved it.  Buster even got to fly on a plane and he was so well behaved.  I don't think my mom would have been as good as Buster; she is scared to death of flying.  

I think everyone should pick this book up because not only does it help us understand more about guide dogs and it is really entertaining.  You will definitely laugh at some of the interactions Buster has with other animals.  The frog was probably my favorite!

*****

After finishing this wonderful book, I contacted the author and just knew I had to have her on to do  a guest post for us too.   London is a fun and sweet person and I recommend for everyone to read her book as well as letting her know.  You will come away with a warm feeling from talking to such an optimistic woman!  Without further ado, let's welcome Mrs. London Lake Pickett!!!!

“Adventures with Buster” is my first book. I wrote it as a way to share experiences I

have had with my guide dog, Buster. He is such a blessing in my life that I wanted other

people to know about him. Most of us rarely see a blind person with a guide dog so

Buster and I like to visit schools and other groups to teach them about guide dogs and

blindness.

When we visit groups of people, I have two messages for them. One is that most blind

people have a little bit of vision. Unfortunately that little bit of vision does not allow them

to see well enough to get around and do things easily. The second message is the

importance of ignoring a guide dog (or any other service dog) when he or she is wearing

a harness. The dog is doing an important job so he or she should not be paying

attention to you.

To learn more about Buster and me, you can read “Adventures with Buster”. We would

love to hear what you think of the book so my email address is in the book. “Vacations

with Buster” is my next book. I will let you know when it is published!

If you are interested in learning more and watching the Puppy Cam please visit the Southeastern Guide Dogs website here: http://www.guidedogs.org/puppycam/

Book Review: Captain No Beard: An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life & Pepper Parrot's Problem with Patience: A Captain No Beard Story by Carole P. Roman

Title: Captain No Beard: An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life
Series: Captain No Beard
Author: Carole P. Roman
Publisher: Michael/Okon
Date of Publication: April 12, 2012
Source: received from author for honest review,paperback 40 pages


Amazon Synopsis:

Captain No Beard and his pirate ship The Flying Dragon set sail for a voyage of the imagination with his fearless crew of four: First Mate Hallie, Mongo the Monkey, Linus the loudmouthed lion, and Fribbit the floppy frog. Normally a young boy named Alexander, his cousin Hallie, and three stuffed animals, once they board his bed their world is transformed into a magical vessel, sailing the seven seas on dangerous and exciting adventures! Captain No Beard - An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate's Life named to Kirkus Reviews' BEST OF 2012 for Children's Indie Books, and garnered the star of remarkable merit! "Roman charms with an imaginative,whimsical picture book that will entertain even the oldest pirates." Kirkus Review

Mom's Thoughts:
I am such a huge fan of pirates. There is just something breathtaking about walking around saying "Aarrgh!" or "Ahoy Mateys!"  that seems like it makes your day just a tad more fun.  
You should try it-you might like it.  Talk like a pirate with your kids while you go about the chores or pretend you are the captain and they are your first mates.  It will bring a smile to your kids' faces, and probably yours too.
So my boys and I were super excited to find this cute little series about a captain and his unlikely crew sailing the imaginary seas.  I think the title is adorable~Captain No Beard~ because he literally has no beard.  He is a very interesting pirate captain, not to mention his shipmates as well.  He has a mix of animal friends that help navigate on his boat, The Flying Dragon.   For example,  there is Mongo the Monkey, Linus the loudmouthed lion and of course, Fribbet the Floppy Frog.   
I love the alliteration that is going on right here.  It is so much fun.  In fact, I think that was the first thing my son, Mikey, pointed out to me.  
This isn't specifically a "learning" book; but I do think it could be if you really wanted it to be.  I do, however, think this is a great teaching tool for imagination.  I appreciate the fact you have the adventure the crew goes on and then always at the end, the captain and his first mate, Hallie, find themselves back home.  
I think this book is great for both sexes as it doesn't really play to either one.  It is just fun to read, fun to pretend with, and fun to imagine.  
I have to give it five stars *****

Michael's Thoughts -7 years old 
Captain No Beard is a very funny pirate that is a kid just like me.  I love the monkey; in fact he is my favorite.  It is cool to say his name: Mongo the mast climbing monkey.  I laughed really hard when Captain No Beard pulled out a dictionary to look up the famous pirate phrase, "Shiver Me Timbers".  And after everyone figured out what it meant they ran off doing their chores on the ship.  My little brother and me started saying that while we were cleaning our room.  It was pretty funny. 
I give it five stars *****

Jacey's Thoughts - 4 years old
My favorite part was when Mom would read us the different pirate phrases, using her best pirate voice.  And then she would tell us we needed to repeat the words so we could be pirates too.  We were honorary members of the Flying Dragon.  Besides his first mate, all of his crew is animals.  I love animals!  I did wish he had a dog since dogs are my favorite animal in the whole wide world.  
Oh and the pictures in the story were very cool!
I gave it four stars ****

                                Title: Pepper Parrot's Problem with Patience

Author: Carole P. Roman

          Series: Captain No Beard Story

                                   Date of Publication: CreateSpace-Jan. 19, 2013

                                                         Source: received with first book from author in exchange for our honest opinion of it.

Goodreads Summary:

The crew of the Flying Dragon are sailing again. This time, new crewmember, Pepper Parrot is having a hard time keeping up with the drills. Captain No Beard and his mates join together to help Pepper achieve her goals with patience and tolerance.

Mom's thoughts:
I know my kids (and myself) can always use patience when it comes with dealing with many issues we face everyday as part of a family, part of a community, and even being part of this world and this great little story helps us see why.  
Ya'll know I love my alliteration and there it is smack dab in the title!  This was a wonderful story to read with my kids.  I even found my older, more mature, (yeah right) nine years old twins listening in and chuckling at Pepper.  
That is actually one of my favorite aspects of the book: the humor Ms. Roman  works into it.  It is simple enough for the kids to get a kick out of it but even the adults can smile at the Pepper Parrot and the crew's patience or lack thereof.  
I think this book has a bit more of a learning vision than the first book because of course, patience is a virtue we could all have a little more of.  Especially Pepper the Parrot.   I think Pepper Parrot's Problem with Patience could be a great teaching tool for kids as a fun imaginative read that helps children unlock their potential  to do great things.  As long as they can be patient enough for those great things.  
I loved Pepper and loved how the story turned out for Pepper!  Five Stars!!!!  *****
The Boys' Thoughts:
( Conner ~ 9, Anthony ~ 9, Michael ~ 7, & Jacey ~4)

This is a great book with lots of funny parts!  We all decided that probably the best part is when the crew and Pepper is trying to figure out what left and right is and Pepper keeps getting confused!  It's also cool that the trick Hallie teaches Pepper to learn left from right is the same trick our mom taught us too!  That is pretty amazing!  
Another funny part is when everyone keeps saying, "AARGH!" all the time.  Conner laughed so hard he snorted and then everyone was laughing from that too.  
We loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes pirates, using their imaginations, or just a really  good laugh!  We decided it deserves five stars!  *****
We did have one question though:  How was Pepper the Parrot going to be the cook??  That would have been definitely a funny sight!

Connect with Carole P. Roman:
Website | Goodreads | Twitter | 

Get your own copy at:
 Amazon | 

REVIEW: Zombie Dog by Clare Hutton

Title: Zombie Dog
Author: Clare Hutton
Series: A Rotten Apple Book #2
Pages: 192
Publisher:  Scholastic, Inc. 
Date Published:  August 1, 2012
Format:  Paperback
Source:  Bought

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Rotten Apple Books: Unexpected. Unforgettable. Undead. Get bitten!

Becky's family has moved right next door to the creepy, abandoned McNally house. Rumors fly around school about the ghosts and monsters that live there, and Becky isn't sure what to believe. Even her mischievous dog, Bear, stays away from it.

When Becky starts hearing mysterious howls coming from next door, paired with an awful smell, she starts to wonder if the rumors might be true. Snarls and glowing eyes confirm it--something is over there, and it's not happy. Worse, Becky's parents are blaming Bear for all the unexplained damage around their property. Can Becky stop this creature before it's too late?

The house beside Becky has rumors about monsters and ghosts.  Weird things start happening and then there is a rotten smell from next door.  Zombie Dog was a scary book.  I liked when they discovered the zombie next door.  Nate and Becky were trying to put it to rest.  They tried Bear's ball because Becky had thrown away the zombie's ball and the zombie was mad about it.  When they found the zombie dog I got nervous.  I think this book was really good and very scary.  I think anybody that hears about this book should read it.  They will probably get freaked out! 

Jessica - Age 8


Mom's Thoughts
Jessica loves Monster High, but the books are geared more towards middle/high school grades.  We picked this book up (along with book #1, Mean Ghouls) at the book fair thinking that it would be similar.  In reality, these books are more like Goosebumps or Fear Street books.  This isn't necessarily a bad thing, just an FYI.  I don't think Jessica would have chosen them had she known how spooky they would be, but she really enjoyed Zombie Dog!  I thought the story was great, too.  Jessica and I are looking forward to reading Mean Ghouls next.  I recommend these books to anyone that enjoys spooky stories.  I think they are aimed more towards girls, but I see no reason why boys wouldn't enjoy them, too.

ARC Book Review: Muddled Up Farm by Mike Dumbleton, Jobi Murphy

Title: Muddled-Up Farm
Author: Mike Dumbleton 
Illustrator: Jobi Murphy
Publisher: Star Bright Books
Expected Date of Publication: Mar. 15, 2013
Format: paperback, hardcover 32 pages
Source: received from Net Galley

Pre-Order your copy at: | Star Bright Books |

Book Description:
Muddled-up Farm is a very special place. From the cat to the cow, the pig and the goat it is full of surprises that will have young readers laughing out loud as they discover everything that is mixed up on Muddled-up Farm! Muddled-up Farm is a Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable Book.

Mom's Thoughts:

I love reading books that are colorful, fun, and have learning hidden among the pages too.  This book has it all!  The illustrations are so bright, even a grown up could get a kick out of this book.  

Not to mention that the animals are a little different than on a regular farm!  My four year old laughed at all the different (and wrong) sounds of the many animals on this farm.  It was also very easy for him to follow along to and this will definitely be a must have for our library, especially since my older sons enjoyed reading it with us.  I give it 5 stars!

Jace's Thoughts:

My favorite colors are rainbow colored and this book has all the colors.  I loved it!  I also liked all the animals not knowing the sounds they were supposed to make- like the cat saying "moo".  That was so funny!  I told my mommy I wanted to get this for my birthday so I can read it every night and sleep with it.  I love all the animals too!  I think everybody should read this book.  It is so much fun!  

Add Muddled-Up Farm to your Goodreads shelf by clicking here.