Tag: Raven Howell

Caramel reviews Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell and Alexander Santos

Today Caramel reviews Grandma Yogini, a neat picture book written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Alexander Santos. As usual Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

The book bunnies are delighted to be reviewing this book as part of a Blog Tour for Grandma Yogini organized by WOW! Women On Writing.

Caramel reviews Grandma Yogini, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Alexander Santos.
Caramel reviews Grandma Yogini, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Alexander Santos.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, today we are talking about a brand new book called Grandma Yogini. 

Caramel: Yeah, it is a book about a grandma of these two children named Henry and Meredith. They are excited to play with her, and she teaches them some yoga.

S: It seems like she teaches them and some of their friends too, right?

C: Yeah. It seems like these kids and their friends do everything together. They are always doing things with one another’s grandmothers. One grandma bakes for them and another couple kids. Another grandma teaches them how to draw and so on. 

S: So it seems that the two kids and their friends all like to spend time with their grandparents, right?

C: Yes. And that is totally the way it should be. Grandparents are awesome! 

S: Yes, I agree. I loved my grandmother a lot and luckily spent a lot of time with her. You love spending time with your grandparents, too, right?

C: Yes, of course I do!! They are always so fun! We watch TV and movies, we eat awesome food, and we talk about things, they always have the best stories! And I love it!

Caramel is reading Grandma Yogini, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Alexander Santos.
Caramel is reading Grandma Yogini, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Alexander Santos.

S: Let us get back to Henry and Meredith’s grandma. So she is a Yogini, which apparently means a female master of yoga. 

C: Yes, that is what the book seems to imply.

S: And in the book she teaches some yoga moves to the kids and their friends, right?

C: Yeah. The book gives you the full instructions, and you can see the kids doing the poses. It is kind of cool, almost like an instruction manual so you can learn some new moves. Especially if you want to be an eagle or a cat or a snake. There is always a yoga pose for that! But there does not seem to be one for a bunny. 

S: You are right. At least Grandma Yogini does not teach the kids a bunny pose. 

C: No she doesn’t. That’s kind of sad. But they do a kangaroo pose, and kangaroos hop, like we do. So there is that. 

S: Alright, let us count that as a plus for the bunnies then. So you might remember that you reviewed another book by this same author. 

C: Yes, it was called Blink and Glow. There were two kids in that book, too. And they were always smiling. They are always smiling in this book, too. They are always happy. 

S: Yes, this is a happy book too, right?

C: Yep. and it should be. Kids are happy with their grandma. And they are learning to do some cool animal poses. Then when she is leaving, the grandma tells them that the next time grandpa comes along, he will teach them Tai Chi. 

S: Have you ever done Tai Chi, Caramel?

C: No. But I did do some yoga in preschool. It was nice and calming. 

S: Yeah, it can be relaxing and calming for sure. But it can also be really challenging. Tai Chi is kind of like that too, I think. I tried it only once. 

C: Cool. I might want to give it a try some day. 

S: Maybe you will. So all in all, did you enjoy this book Caramel?

C: Yes, I did. I love my grandparents, so it was a natural book for me. Grandparents are awesome! 

S: Yes! I love that, Caramel. Okay, so this is a good time to wrap up this review. What do you want to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading Grandma Yogini, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Alexander Santos and now wants to know more about Tai Chi.
Caramel enjoyed reading Grandma Yogini, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Alexander Santos and now wants to know more about Tai Chi.

Caramel reviews Blink and Glow by Raven Howell and Ann Pilicer

Today Caramel reviews Blink and Glow, a brand new picture book written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Ann Pilicer. As usual Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

The book bunnies are delighted to be reviewing this book as part of a Blog Tour for Blink and Glow organized by WOW! Women On Writing.

Caramel reviews Blink and Glow, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Ann Pilicer.
Caramel reviews Blink and Glow, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Ann Pilicer.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, tell me about this book.

Caramel: It’s about a boy named Leo and a girl named Lily. They like animals.

S: That sounds good.

C: Yes, but they like animals, and so they catch a firefly and a salamander, and they want to take them to school the next day for show-and-tell.

S: Hmm.

C: Then they show the animals they caught to their grandma and their grandma helps them realize that they both need to be free. So then they release them.

S: I see. So they learn that the firefly and the salamander need to be free and that they can enjoy and appreciate them better from a distance.

C: Yep. I mean, I’d like to play with a salamander just as much as any other little bunny–

S: I’d say maybe more…

C: Maybe, but so yes, I’d like to play with one too, but if I touch it and put it into a jar like Lily does, the salamander could get hurt. And nobody likes to be put in a jar. I would not like to be put in a jar.

S: Yep. But many young bunnies do not know that immediately. Right? Many young ones like to catch butterflies, capture birds, pull the tails of kitties, and so on.

C: I guess. Oh, do you think maybe that is why the author wrote this book?

S: I think you are on to something Caramel!

C: But I do not know of anyone who would pull the tail of a kitty, Sprinkles. And as a little bunny, I’d think the kitty could hurt me back easily.

S: You are right of course. But there are children who do such things, without thinking of how it might be cruel to the animal. And even those who do try to be nice and love the animals could hurt them unintentionally.

C: Yes, I can see how if you tried to catch a butterfly, for example, you could really hurt it because you have really small paws.

S: Yes, though yours are even smaller!

C: Maybe, but maybe not for long! I am growing, you know!

Caramel is reading Blink and Glow, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Ann Pilicer.
Caramel is reading Blink and Glow, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Ann Pilicer.

S: Okay, let us get back to the book. Tell me a bit about the pictures.

C: The pictures are really colorful! And you know what I noticed?

S: Tell me.

C: The children are always smiling! On each page! Okay, there is one page where Lily is not totally smiling, but everywhere else she is!

S: Well, overall the book is a happy book, don’t you think?

C: Yes, that’s true. Hmm, maybe that is why they are smiling! They love animals, and they are excited about them. And then they learn how not to hurt them so they are happy that they won’t hurt them. And at the end, their grandma teaches them how to make salamander and fireflies out of craft stuff. So they have fun with that too.

S: Oh yes, we should probably tell our readers that at the very back of the book, there are two pages of instructions on how to make a firefly suncatcher.

C: Yes! And the way to make the salamander seems very easy too. The book tells us how to make them out of craft sticks.

S: Cool!

C: Yes, definitely.

S: Alright Caramel, so it seems like you enjoyed reading this book.

C: Of course. I like all books about animals, and the children learned something important, about not hurting animals. So that is also good.

S: I agree. So maybe it is time to wrap up our review then.

C: Why not?

S: Okay, what would you like to tell our readers then?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel loved reading Blink and Glow, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Ann Pilicer, and recommends it to all little bunnies who love colorful books and fun stories about animals.
Caramel loved reading Blink and Glow, written by Raven Howell and illustrated by Ann Pilicer, and recommends it to all little bunnies who love colorful books and fun stories about animals.