4 More Children's Books Reviews

 Hello friends!

I really enjoy reviewing and writing about children's books, so I decided to make one more post like these. If you'd like to read my opinions on some more children's books, you can check my previous relevant post here. 

Here are the last 4 children's books I read with my son and how I felt about them...

"Frog is Frog" by Max Velthuijs

This is a very cute little story that talks about how everyone is different and it's okay. Everyone has their own strong points, abilities, and characteristics and we should be proud of who we are and what we're able to do. Focusing on other people's strong points or advantages doesn't only feel bad, but also doesn't help unravel who you really are and your actual unique qualities. It carries a beautiful message for children and it does it in a simple and fun way. I gave it 3/5*. Out of the three books, I think that this one was my favorite, the one that resonated more with me and made me feel and think.

"Frog in Love" by Max Velthuijs

One thing I like about this series is how it uses different animals to show the different people in the society. So Frog is in love and his loved one is different, but of course, it doesn't matter to him. This book deals with many complicated emotions and shows how in love and friendship what matters is not our differences, but the things that connect us. It also shows how other people's opinions won't mean anything if your love is honest and real. It is a heart-warming story. I gave this one 3/5* as well and out of the three books in the series, this was definitely the sweetest.

"Frog and a Very Special Day" by Max Velthuijs

Frog has been promised that today is a very special day, but can't seem to figure out why, so he goes around trying to find out. If I had to find a message in this book, I guess it would be that we can make our "special days" by ourselves and not simply by waiting for something extraordinary to happen out of the blue, or maybe that good and thoughtful friends are what make a day special. Out of the 3 books that I've read from this series so far, this one was my least favorite. This is why I gave it a lower rating 2/5*. But it is still a fun little read.

"Ouch!" by Ragnhild Scamell

This book was definitely the one my son and I had the most fun reading and came back to re-read it a couple of times. It tells a story about a Hedgehog who has just finished building his nest but has been caught and keeps getting in trouble as different things get stuck on him and his friends hurry to his aid. The illustrations are simply beautiful and very much to my taste, I really enjoyed looking at them. The story is simple, but it is fun and the writing is wordy and very enjoyable overall. I think that it would be a nice way for children to get in touch with and start learning numbers because every page keeps counting how many things got stuck on the Hedgehog. My son is 5 years old, but this one could definitely be read to younger children as well, as it is simple and fun. I gave it 3/5*, even though it feels more like a 3,5*, but not quite a 4* either.

Overall, all of them were nice and I would recommend them if you're looking for something to read with your children. I would love to hear your opinions about these books if you've read them and I'd also love to hear any recommendations you might have.

Thank you for reading!

My favorite quotes and why I love them/what they mean to me || Part I

Image from: https://bookriot.com/45-best-aww-inspiring-quotes-books/

Hello, my awesome book friends!

I have wanted for some time now to make a post like this where I talk about some of my favorite quotes in fiction and talk a little bit about them. I didn't want to just drop some quotes anyone can simply Google, I wanted to share why I love them, what they mean to me, what kind of thoughts and feelings they spark inside me and, maybe, find people who agree or find my thoughts interesting in some way. 

So, I went on my Goodreads account and started reading every single one of my 300 plus quotes, trying to find my favorites, the most unique, those that stand out, and those that really mean something, not just those that I enjoyed or found funny. The more I searched, however, the more quotes I found and I suddenly realized that there was no possible way that I could talk about all of them in one single post, so I gathered some of them for today's post and there will be some more of them coming in a future post soon. The quotes are in no particular order, they don't indicate preference or significance. If anything, the order is completely random depending on which ones I found first... There is also no particular "motif" in the quotes I've picked, some are more poetic, some are simpler, some come from classic works and others come from contemporary fiction... A little bit of everything, really. So, with all of that being said, here we go...

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

This quote is from "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" which is a book I have never read, so I cannot comment on how well the quote goes with the rest of the text or how well it reads. I have, however,  watched the movie and this was where I heard the quote and it immediately rang a bell inside my head. Because this is so deeply and fundamentally true! 

We are so ready to believe our own misconceptions or preconceived notions about ourselves and so ready to value (or not) ourselves accordingly. We tend to believe we deserve this thing or this type of behavior and this thing, this behavior, or this particular type of person is the one we tend to attract more or to accept more when we attract it. We know we deserve this when in reality we may deserve much better, but we still are willing and ready to accept the love we think we deserve rather than the love we might actually deserve but aren't strong/courageous/ready enough to go for. We are scared to claim what is right or good for us because that is what we think we deserve. We don't realize it, but most of the time in life we accept that which we think we deserve, nothing more, nothing less and it's why we get what we get in life. It is a direct connection to how we value ourselves. Such a true statement...

***

"It is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities."

This quote is widely known and recognized not only by Harry Potter fans but by a wide audience who has read it in the HP books or seen it in the movies.

This line is said by Dumbledore, the main mentor figure in the Harry Potter universe, it goes nicely with the rest of the text and it is proved to be right time and time again throughout the story. The characters, of course, have unique abilities and cool skills and it is shown throughout, but it is really their choices that make them stand out and prove what they really are inside.

It is the same in real life, our choices are what make a difference. Our abilities may be great and unique, but, in the end, what counts is if and how you chose to use them, how you chose to act in life. Whether you have the courage to step up, use your abilities in the best way possible and for the best means possible, and whether you have the ability to understand and judge when and how to act accordingly. It all comes down to choices, so, in a way, our ability to choose and to make our path in life is the greatest of all our strengths and one of our biggest privileges. It's also an important thing to understand because it proves that no matter how many or great talents you have compared to the next person, all that matters in life is what you choose to do with the cards you were given. So, nobody is inherently better off than anyone else, really, and anyone can end up in a better place regardless if they have more or fewer skills, only depending on their choices. Your abilities and talents are things you were given, or skills you developed, they are part of you, but they are not who you are, your character... No... Who we are is our choices, our characters and personalities are the sum of our choices.

It is a simple quote really, still such a powerful and truthful one and I think it is beautiful. 

***

"It takes 10 times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart."

Another widely-known quote, this time from the Hunger Games trilogy, which also happens to be one of my favorite stories in general.

This quote carries so much meaning and has so many layers and possible explanations because it refers to Finnick's past trauma that he had to get over, his current situation threatening to destroy him again, it also refers to Katniss' situation, Peeta's struggle and it can pretty much be applied to every other character within the series as most of them are trying hard to deal with their own traumatic experiences. Finnick is warning Katniss to try and not fall apart because getting back together after this could take all the courage and strength in the world and a long time of working with yourself. He tells her that there is a coming back from dark places but it is a hard way.

This quote is also so deeply and painfully true in real life and I think it's a quote that most of us can feel deep inside. We've all been through some trauma in life, we've all been through hard times and many of us have probably at some point or another fallen apart. So we can understand how hard it is to try to put yourself back together after falling apart and how much of a toll that falling apart takes on your mind and soul. We can also feel how it is to fight against falling apart, to try to keep yourself together in hard times, because we've gone through it in the past and don't want to go through it again. To put yourself back together you may need not only time and effort, but you may also need professional help and a lot of support from people who care about you, and working on yourself may be the task of a lifetime.

Suzanne Collins has written a wonderful story and the more I read it, the more I realize that this woman really knows about trauma and how to write about it in a way that is not disturbing, insulting, or melodramatic, but in a way that is realistic and impactful. This is one of the few quotes that show it and I love it! It's strong, real, and to the point.

***

"Oh, to reach the point of death and realize one has not lived at all."

A simple quote really, but very real and impactful. I cannot remember where I read it but it was written by Henry David Thoreau.

It's so common for us to be overconsumed by our routine and problems, that we kind of forget to really live. Sometimes we forget what really counts, and what is important in life and we tend to focus on the unimportant and forget to live. And how horrible would it be for anyone to reach the point of death just to realize that they have not lived at all, that they have wasted their life on things that didn't really matter. It is a scary thought, for me at least and this is why I was caught off-guard when I read this quote and I kept staring at it and kept thinking about life.

***

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone if it is to keep its edge."

Okay, what can anyone say about this quote? It's simply a masterpiece just like most of Martin's writing. The layers, the depth of meaning, and the artful use of the simile are just a few of the reasons I love it. 

It compares two seemingly different things (the sword and the mind), which even though vastly different, can both be used as "weapons" in one way or the other, and two also very different things (books and the whetstone) which can both be used to sharpen said "weapon" making the first obvious point that any skill - physical or mental - needs exercise and "sharpening". In a second layer of interpretation, this quote is also used to juxtapose the physical capabilities which in this story and instance are being represented by Jamie - and possibly any other capable fighters - and the mental abilities which in turn are represented by Tyrion, and consequently, to juxtapose Jamie with Tyrion and the fact that even though they are brothers, they are complete opposites. Jamie and Tyrion represent two different kinds of minds and two different kinds of "fighters" and each of them chooses their own "weapons" in battle and, in turn, this quote also talks about those two opposing types of fighting. It shows how some people will pick one way to deal with things, while some other people will choose differently. It also shows how one person's strengths can be someone else's weaknesses and vice versa.

This quote goes deeper than you may think at a first read and the more you look into it, the more meaning you could possibly find. This is one of the reasons I love it. It's filled with all the wisdom that has been painfully acquired by Tyrion through years and years of not fitting in and struggling to keep up in an unfair - for him at least - world, and this is also something that many of us can relate to. And, to top it all off, this is a quote about books! I mean, how could any book-loving person not love it even just for this...

***

This post is one of my favorites I've created and I'd love to go on, but I think it's getting too long, so I will leave the rest of my quotes for the next one. I would love to hear your favorite quotes from fiction and why you love them! Feel free to leave a comment and follow if you enjoy my content!

Thank you for reading!

Until the next time!