Review - Summertime with Snowman Paul

Summertime with Snowman Paul (Snowman Paul)
by Yossi Lapid
illustrated by Joanna Pasek
Date: 2022
Publisher: Yosef Lapid
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 46
Format: e-book
Source: author

Can a Snowman have Fun in the Summertime?

“The story has excellent kid appeal, presenting endearing characters and a cheerful summer setting.” – Kirkus Reviews

Sure, Paul is a snowman – but should that preclude him from having fun with his best friend all year long (including the Summer)?

Snowman Paul doesn’t think so, but hot summer days do pose some obvious problems for a snowman.

Snowman Paul is ready to give up when his best friend (Dan) comes up with a brilliant idea that saves the day.

“A wonderful book meant to teach children the values of friendship and perseverance. Kids will have a blast reading the book.” Readers’ Favorite

Funny and stunningly illustrated with full-page watercolors, this tale will delight children and parents alike. It is ideal for beginner readers, and it will make bedtime fun for toddlers, preschoolers, and even older kids. It makes a great gift, and it belongs in any children's books library.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Snowman Paul is back, and this time he's braving the summer heat!

This instalment of Yossi Lapid and Joanna Pasek's cute picture-book series does require a bit more suspension of disbelief than some of the others. A snowman in winter? Makes sense. A snowman in summer? Well... I'm sure you can see the issues. For his part, Snowman Paul realizes he doesn't really fit in with summer. However, he seems to be more concerned about how other people see him than... you know... melting into a puddle of water during a heatwave.

But never mind. The story is cute, with the narrator, Dan (who also happens to be Paul's best friend), helping the snowman come up with a plan to make summers a little more bearable.

Pasek's illustrations are lovely, as usual, and really set the tone for a sweet summer read.

Maybe a snowman is just what we need to keep cool during the summer months!

Thank you to Yossi Lapid for the e-book copy of Summertime with Snowman Paul.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.57 out of 5

Review - Mommy, Mommy, Where Is the Moon?

Mommy, Mommy, Where Is the Moon?
by Serene Chia
illustrated by Sinem Kılıç Rabito
Date: 2022
Publisher: Serene Chia
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 34
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon

A delightful bedtime story to be shared with your little ones before you tuck them in!

Kaitlyn and her mommy love to spend their nights looking for the Moon. Sometimes, they find it. Other times, the Moon plays peek-a-boo.

“Mommy, Mommy,” said Kaitlyn. “Where is the Moon?”
“It’s up there,” said Mom. “Are you looking hard enough?”
“There!” Kaitlyn pointed. “It’s hiding. Silly Moon.”

• Creates a fun bedtime ritual with your children
• Learn new fun facts about the Moon together

Come join Kaitlyn and her mommy on their search and pick up some fun and interesting Moon facts along the way!

(synopsis from Amazon; see it on Goodreads)

I'm not quite sure how to rate this one. The story is simple. The illustrations are adorable. Kids will probably like it. On the other hand, the use of too many (ugly) fonts, the inability to distinguish between dialogue tags and action beats, and a confusing remark about the moon might make adults think twice.

The book revolves around a little girl named Kaitlyn, who notices the moon (or lack thereof) in the sky and asks her mother a series of questions about it. She wants to know where it is when she can't see it. Sometimes it's hidden by clouds. Sometimes it's behind buildings. Other times, it's just in a different phase. (This is the part I felt was confusing. Kaitlyn's mother tells her she can't see the moon because "it moved in front of the Sun". I don't think that's quite the right way to phrase that; wouldn't that technically be an eclipse?)

The pictures are super cute and very colourful, with lots to look at. They're probably the strongest part of the book. Unfortunately, the integration of the text on the pages sometimes seems a bit amateurish, and it looks like an afterthought.

There are some activity pages at the back, but I don't think they're really necessary.

Overall, this is an okay picture book. I can see it having appeal at bedtime, especially given the subject matter.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5