book review

A Strong Girls' Guide to Being

January 17, 2020 by Anne Sweet 5 Comments

A Strong Girls’ Guide to Being: Exercises and Inspiration for Becoming a Braver, Kinder, Healthier You (Paperback)

The Blurb

Relax and reflect, as you write in this inspiring journal that teaches the art of mindfulness. When school, friends, family and life become stressful, teens and preteens can forget they’re worthy, beautiful people, capable of achieving whatever they set their mind to. That is why it’s so important for girls to cultivate mindfulness.
This guided journal encourages them to practice exercises that promote positive changes, including carrying out random acts of kindness, noticing small moments in their day that bring joy, practising gratitude, unplugging and unwinding from technology, and so much more. Girls will be inspired throughout with quotes and short biographies of notable women in history who have changed the world.
As they write, and follow the simple exercises on positivity, girls will gain a sense of calm, ignite their imagination, and become the best, happiest, and strongest version of themselves.
This journal prompts you to Try power poses that display confidence and strength–and create your own! Bring more positive emotions into your life by jotting down the things that make you laugh–like an inside joke with your BFF Dream big, by coming up with the wildest, more outrageous goal you can imagine Gain confidence by writing a go-to statement that helps you face challenging moments

Pages from the book, responding instead of reacting and unplug and unwind — *Unplug and unwind*

Our Verdict on A Strong Girls’ Guide to Being

Did you keep a journal when you were younger? I know I did, I had quite a few secret journals where I would write down all my feelings as well as recording my daily activities.

My girl’s do this too, especially my tween. She loves writing in her books and drawing little pictures to go with it. A Strong Girls’ guide to Being has it all set out in chapters you can always choose which one to write in. From being positive, dreaming big, being healthier, braver and kinder. There is nothing more you could ask from a journal like this. Each page includes both something to read and space for you to write in.

Kindness counts, keeping a kindess journal — *kindness journal*

Throughout the book there are quotes from inspirational women and towards the end there is a chapter on who these women are.

Never doubt that you are valuable, powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to persue and acheive your own dreams.
Hilary Clinton

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Be Happy Be You – Book Review

January 11, 2020 by Anne Sweet 4 Comments

Be Happy Be You

The Teenage Guide

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Collins (9 Jan. 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0008367566
ISBN-13: 978-0008367565
Product Dimensions: 14.8 x 21 cm

The Blurb

This positive and insightful guide gives you the tools to build your confidence, eliminate negative feelings and boost happiness in all areas of your life.
Being a teenager has its own unique challenges, but it’s also the perfect time to shape your own mental wellbeing and happiness. Scientists reckon 40% of your happiness is within your control, that’s A LOT of happiness and this book will help you to harness it…There are tons of ideas to try from creating an anxiety toolkit, to planning a digital detox and meditating, plus you’ll learn the science behind why they work. Carry out the activities by yourself or with family and friends and take your happiness into your own hands!

My Review of Be Happy Be You

I’m so excited to be reviewing this book, Be Happy Be You, written by my blogging friends Becky and Penny. I’ve not been asked to review the book and I paid for it myself. The link above however is an (obvious) affiliate link to the book on Amazon. The book can be bought from other outlets.

My first impressions was how bright and exciting the cover was. No need for images just a bold red background and big white text…and a smiley of course.

As a Mum of a Teenager and a Tween I’m always grateful of any help they can get through these difficult years. I do my best, but sometimes it’s so hard for them to talk about their feelings. Being able to dip into an informative book is the next best thing to Mum.

From how to make friends, and how to deal with peer pressure, to getting along with siblings. This book will give a teenager advice and coping strategies that are easy to read and digest. It also explains the science behind the advice, not in a long winded text book way, but simple and precise with some fabulous diagrams to help understanding.

With it’s 40 chapters covering all the thing a teenager may worry about, it will certainly teach them how to choose to be happy. My girls are already getting stuck in and I’m sure it’s going to be a useful resource for them.

Discovering Energy – Book Review.

December 12, 2019 by Anne Sweet 1 Comment

Discovering Energy is the fabulous new book from Button Books. It continues the series of books illustrated by Eduard Altarriba. You can see my previous reviews of My First Book of Quantum Physics, Discover our Solar System, Discovering Architecture and My First Book of Relativity.

The Blurb

We all know energy is important, but what exactly is it? What is electricity exactly? And how do combustion engines, nuclear reactors and solar panels actually work? If you want to know more about all the ways humankind harnesses energy, or how we produce the energy that our civilisation runs on, this beautifully illustrated book is the perfect introduction to understanding the many exciting ways that energy affects our lives.
In Discovering Energy we look at where energy comes from, how our understanding of it has evolved and the many different ways people have learned to harness it to make our lives easier. From the discovery of fire, through to advances in nuclear power, everything is explained and brought to life with dynamic diagrams. With climate change meaning that we need to find new sources of energy for the things we rely on and this book also looks at the exciting developments that will make clean, safe and sustainable energy for the future. This book shows us that energy is all around us – in the warmth that comes from the Sun, the movement of our bodies, the power stored in rivers and oceans and even in the force of the wind.

Our Opinion

Kids love to read and kids love to learn.

We all need to begin somewhere and this book aimed at 8 to 12 year olds is a simple but clever look at energy of all kinds. From the energy you use in your own body to move and exercise to the energy produced in nuclear power stations.

The book is presented in an easy to read way with loads of fabulous illustrations. It’s hard back with good quality pages so you know it will last for ages. Kids will want to read this book and when they do they will be learning.

I’m always happy with these books, they are a great resource and I find that even I learn something new each time. With this book your child will learn about the energy we produce now and how we can be more energy efficient in the future.

It also fits in well on the bookshelf with the other titles and my kids will pick these books up over and over, even if it’s just to flick through.

nuclear fusion, discovering energy pages

This book was gifted to us in return for our honest review.

Wild in the City – book review

December 4, 2019 by Anne Sweet Leave a Comment

Wild in the City, A Lonely Planet Kids guide to urban animals around the world.

Wild in the City

Currently reduced from £12.99 to £7.79!

The Blurb

Be on the lookout! Things are about to get really Wild in the City with Lonely Planet Kids
Discover the secret lives of more than 30 extraordinary creatures that share our cities with Wild in the City, the beautiful new book from Lonely Planet Kids.
Cities may seem unlikely places for animals to thrive, but there can be worlds of surprising opportunity for animals in urban areas. From relaxing in parks and raiding dustbins, to scaling skyscrapers and dive-bombing hotel pools, see how animals have learned to make the most of the city, whether they have only recently moved in or have simply learned to adapt to their surroundings.
Young readers will discover honey-making stingless bees in Rio de Janeiro, geckos that eat pesky household bugs, and hyenas in Ethiopia who help to keep the city clean by eating food waste from meat markets and rubbish dumps. Animals can have more influence on the city you live in than you might realise, and it is always handy to know how to spot a leopard in the darkness or what to do if you find a curious polar bear leaning through your kitchen window!
Written by Kate Baker, with beautiful illustrations from Gianluca Foli, Wild in the City will be enjoyed by adults and children alike, with essential tips on how we can make sure our cities are a home for both us, and our local wildlife.

Our Verdict

This is a hardback book with some beautiful illustrations. It’s a must for any animal lover. It gives locations of city animals and how to spot to them. From bugs to bears you can find them all in this book.

At the beginning of the book there is a map which gives a brief and colourful illustration of where the animals can be found. For example, foxes in the UK. The guide will tell why they like living in the city, what they look like, where to see them and what to listen out for.

My first impression was that I was dissapointed by it not having photographs, but then I looked more closely and appreciated the lovely illustrations by Gianluca Foli. They really are lovely and add so much more to the book.

This book will be well read and loved by children and adults.

You can read more of my book reviews here ; Raisiebay’s Library

Disclosure: This book was gifted in return for my honest review.

Hidden Wonders -book review

December 3, 2019 by Anne Sweet Leave a Comment

Hidden Wonders – A lonely Planet Kids Guide to the planet’s wildest, weirdest places

Book is currently reduced from £14.99 to only £8.99!

The Blurb

Take a journey into the unknown and discover the planet’s wildest and most wonderful sights. Paddle through the eerie glowworm caves of New Zealand, ride with the wild horses of the Namib desert, swing off the end of the world in Ecuador, and be amazed at hundreds more wonders you never knew existed!
This travel companion for the incurably curious is your guide to finding the world’s most amazing secret places. So grab your compass and let’s get started as you explore the far corners of our world. Start your adventure in the west at Hawaii’s Pineapple Garden Maze, before travelling along the line of longitude to Vanuatu’s underwater post office.
Get ready to bungee jump off a road to nowhere in the Brazilian jungle, or lose yourself in the world’s largest maze. Whether deep underwater in a prehistoric grotto or high on a cliff at the tip of a rock troll’s tongue, afloat on waters as pink as a rose or swimming with pigs on a sandy beach, adventure awaits around every corner.

Our Verdict

A lovely hardback book with quality paper and gorgeous illustrations. This book would make a lovely gift for any chid aged 9 or over. It’s recommended up to 12 years but it’s one of those books that will interest anyone of any age.

With loads of photographs and short stories, it’s easy to dip into and find something interesting to read. A lot of these places you will have probably never heard of. And there is a whole 240 pages to digest. It will be a book that’s treasured for a long time.

You can read all my other book reviews here : Raisiebay’s Library

Disclosure: This book was gifted in return for my honest review.

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book review

A Strong Girls’ Guide to Being: Exercises and Inspiration for Becoming a Braver, Kinder, Healthier You (Paperback)

The Blurb

Our Verdict on A Strong Girls’ Guide to Being

Be Happy Be You

The Teenage Guide

The Blurb

My Review of Be Happy Be You

The Blurb

Our Opinion

Wild in the City, A Lonely Planet Kids guide to urban animals around the world.

The Blurb

Our Verdict

Hidden Wonders – A lonely Planet Kids Guide to the planet’s wildest, weirdest places

The Blurb

Our Verdict

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