Best Chef In Town Review

Author: Lori Rotter

Illustrator: Vaughn Duck

Publisher: LFR Creative, LLC

Released: June 29, 2025

Format: Hard Cover, Paperback, ebook

Price: ebook $2.99

Genre: Children’s Picture Books

ISBN: 979-8-988752967

Page Count: 20 pages

Reviewer: Ellwyn Autumn

Rating: 5 Lemon Drops

Available on Amazon

A great recipe for teamwork, fair play and humility!

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Reedsy and agreed to give an honest review.

Favorite quote from the book:

“Sam accepted the crown, and he wore it with pride,

And walked with Chef Romi, a peer by her side.

Sam, I saw you as help, not an equal to me.

From now on we’re partners, just wait and you’ll see.”

Review:

Book Summary: 

Celebrated, Chef Romi Rabbit is the best chef in town and loves to boast about it. Upon learning of a cooking show competition, she leaps at the chance to enter, confident she’ll win the crown.

Romi makes certain her sous chef, Sam, knows that she’s the star chef, and he is just her assistant. She chooses to entertain her fans rather than cook, leaving Sam to rush and prepare spaghetti and meatballs before time is up.

Finally Romi arrives in the kitchen, joining Sam and taking charge. Amidst the commotion, a sugar mishap threatens the meal. Thanks to Sam’s quick thinking the dish is saved and it serves up an award-winning surprise.

Opinion:

Using playful rhymes, Best Chef In Town emphasizes the value of teamwork and acknowledging a job well done. Romi’s journey from self-centeredness to selfless appreciation was refreshing. Sometimes stepping from the spotlight out of appreciation for another’s contribution is the best choice.

Vaughn’s illustrations are colorful, exciting, and hilarious—perfect for children!

There’s also a Sweet Chocolate Pasta Recipe at the end of the book for readers to recreate Sam’s special dish!

Educational Influence:

I review books through an educational lens. Things I consider: Would I read this to my Pre-K/Kindergarten class? Is there value in the story that will teach my kiddos something new or reinforce a concept or skill?

I analyze the story by focusing on some of the key elements I taught my students during a read aloud: characters, plot, language, setting and illustrations. Other characteristics I look for are text quality and theme.

Characters:

When analyzing a story with students, the characters should be genuine, relatable and elicit emotion. Romi is a dynamic character. She bcomes an admirable role model for children once she stops bossing Sam around and recognizes his valubale contributions.

Plot:

In a Pre-K/Kindergarten classroom, we describe the plot as the Beginning-Middle-End. Some stories present better examples of this concept, but many offer rich opportunities to explore various story elements.

There is a definite break down of Romi’s personal growth shown through the plot. In the beginning, she’s prideful and shows little regard for others. Throughout the middle her vanity peaks as she perfomrs for her fans ignoring the rules of the contest, and dismisses Sam so she can take credit for the dish he cooked. By the end, she humbles herself and acknowledges Sam’s shrewd performance deserves the award.

Setting:

The story takes place in two locations pertinent to the story: Cafe Romi and the TV studio where the cooking competition occurs.

Language:

Vocabulary is key in children’s books. It’s one of the critical elements I taught my kiddos before each reading. I’d focus on five key words and develop an understanding of the words through the read aloud and related activities.

Fun, character driven dialogue pushes the story forward and encapsulates their personalities.

Text:

This story’s punchy rhyme is fun and easy to follow.

Theme:

Illustrations and text combine to show the value of teamwork, fair play and a big plate of humble pie!

In short, this story encapsulates the moral lesson that everyone has value and should be appreciated for their contributions. Teamwork is the dreamwork!

I give it 5 Lemon Drops!

Classroom Connection:

Best Chef In Town is perfect for a lesson on friendship or a discussion on teamwork, fair play and possibly a cooking lesson.

Age Range: The author recommends 4-8 years.

Targeted Vocabulary:

Bragged, renowned, sous chef, smirked, panic, scurried, prepped, lacks, stomping, hurting, flurry, tour de force, divine, beamed, clever, pride

Resources: Click the image to access the Pinterest Board with the resources.

About The Author:

Lori is an award-winning toy designer and picture book author. Her large extended family keeps her laughing and inspires her story and toy ideas. Like her toys, Lori loves adding small details for kids to discover. Lori lives in New York with her husband, Steve, lots of fish, and two silly dogs.

About the Illustrator:

Vaughan loves drawing pictures that make kids giggle. He lives downunder in Australia where it’s always sunny.

You can visit Vaughan at vaughanduck.com.

Naomi's Imagination A Car Ride Like No Other Review

Authors: Kiana Holder, Arya Holder, Thea Holder

Illustrator: Kiddoreads

Publisher: Kiana Holder

Released: June 6, 2025

Format: Hard Cover, Paperback

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

ISBN: 978-1069421302

Page Count: 29 pages

Price: Hard Cover $24.00, Paperback $14.00

Reviewer: Ellwyn Autumn

Rating:  4 Lemon Drops

Available on Amazon

For Giveaway please visit Ellwyn Autumn.

This book will have you finding inspiration in the most unlikely places!

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author and agreed to give an honest review.

Review:

Book Summary: 

A long car ride with her family leads Naomi to discover the power of her imagination. She draws inspiration from the landscape whizzing by outside the car.

Naomi shows young readers the fun of imagination through adventures like swimming with mermaids and sledding down a cupcake mountain.

Favorite quote from the book: “She rides a sled, soaring over giant cupcakes and crashing into a mountain of sprinkles. Laughing, she thinks, "I'm doing that again!"

Opinion:

Naomi’s Imagination A Card Ride Like No Other highlights how a little girl copes with a long and boring car ride alongside her younger sister, Reyna. This experience will resonate immediately with youngsters. During family trips, most of us spent our childhoods in the backseat with our siblings.

I appreciated Naomi’s patience with her younger sister and the polite way she accepted her mother’s suggestion to use her imagination to create her own fun.

Naomi is a wonderful role model for children dealing with a dull situation that they have no control over. She entices them to make the best of the moment by using their minds to create magical worlds where they’re in charge.

The book’s interactive questions were a plus; they let young readers’ imaginations work alongside Naomi’s. These open-ended questions will spark creative storytelling, lively discussions, happy memories, and richer vocabularies. Readers can further engage with the book using the bonus comprehension questions at the end.

Colorful illustrations highlight each special moment Naomi shares with family and in her fantasy realms.

Minor suggestion: Including a brief explanation of the CN Tower would help readers unfamiliar with it.

I give it 4 Lemon Drops!

Classroom Connection:

Naomi’s Imagination would make an excellent addition to a Family Theme or a discussion on imagination. The rich vocabulary used in the text will enhance young learners' word usage.

Age Range: The author recommends Baby-8 years.

Targeted Vocabulary:

Imagination, sighs, enormous, sparkling, shimmery, sparkles, comfortable, vibrant, lush, mighty, tilts, sheepishly, honour, grumbles 

About The Author:

Kiana Holder is a passionate author whose love for fantasy and sci-fi began in her childhood. Her diverse and imaginative storytelling spans genres from all types of fantasy and romance for adults to engaging tales for young readers, with a strong focus on ensuring representation for Black and Brown kids.

When she isn’t immersed in her writing, Kiana embraces the fulfilling role of being a super mom, skillfully balancing her creative endeavours with family life. Her dedication to both her craft and her family shines through in every page she writes.

Social media:

Instagram: @storytellingwithkiana

TikTok: @storytellingwithkiana

Kiyomi And The Sacred Dreamlily Review

Author: Kristi Shimada

Illustrator: Eko Setiawan

Publisher: Dreampath Publishing

Released: June 2, 2025

Format: Paperback, Kindle

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

ISBN: 979-8989912254

Page Count: 44 pages

Price: Paperback $16.99, Kindle $4.99

Age Range: ‎ 6 - 9 years

Reviewer: Ellwyn Autumn

Rating:   3 1/2 Lemon Drops

Available on Amazon

A story of friendship and finding your life path.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author and agreed to give an honest review.

Review:

Book Summary: 

Kiyomi was born from the seed of a Sacred Dreamlily. One day, a gust of wind transported the Sacred Dreamliy to the Golden Temple, Master Fuji’s home.

To ensure their safety, Master Fuji put Kiyomi and the Sacred Dreamlily in the Sacred Pond of Life. Not long after, Kiyomi befriends Roku. The Dreamlily’s journey begins again, taking the pair on an adventure.

During their quest to return to the Pond of Life, Kiyomi and Roku encounter and befriend more characters who help Kiyomi find her true home and her life’s path.

Opinion:

Kiyomi and the Sacred Dreamlily is a heartfelt story about friendship and the personal journey we all take in life. The basic premise is imaginative and uplifting. A cast of eclectic characters model kindness and fellowship young readers will appreciate.

Kristi Shimada’s prose is charming and easy-to-read. One of my favorite lines is found in Chapter 1 on page 1. “The exquisite blue flower shimmered in a brilliant white light. Her soft petals were subtle yet strong.”

Setiawan’s vibrant illustrations give the story a sweet, energetic feel.

I’d like to briefly discuss a few story details that will improve the reader’s experience.

Kiyomi’s creative shrinking ability, used with the Dreamlily, felt rushed and out of place in the story. A short explanation of its origins would help the reader understand this skill better.

The dialogue is too formal and doesn’t sound like real conversation. Simpler words and fewer contractions would make it more kid-friendly.

I have some doubts about how it ends. To avoid spoilers, I’m not going to reveal what occurs, but I felt it detracted from the story’s enchanting quality.

I give it 3 Lemon Drops!

About The Author:

Kristi Shimada is an award-winning children's book author. She wrote and illustrated her first unpublished book, The Little Shoe Shop, when she was eight. As a child, she loved the story Cinderella because she saw the inner beauty, kindness, and strength in Cinderella, and she loved books with happily-ever-after endings.

As a visionary artist and registered hypnotherapist, Kristi is passionate about how her stories empower the inner spirits of children and adults who read her books. She feels that having colorful illustrations is essential to the readers' experience. She believes every book she writes has a sprinkle of magic that brings a story to life.

Kristi lives in Washington with her loving husband, Chris, and their tuxedo cat, Jasper. She has five children and ten grandchildren, whom she loves dearly.

She is the author of Mariko and the Magic Mirror, The Enchanted Starflower, The Samurai's Gift, Princess Serafina and the Mystical Unicorn, Princess Serafina and the Jeweled Circle, Princess Serafina and the Wings of Heaven, Megumi & Kukana Friends Forever, Journey to Rainbow Valley, The Samurai's Gift Among the Forest, The Sea Princess, Pistachio the Owl, The Samurai's Gift A Ninja's Promise, Dragons of Lilia, and Dragons of Lilia: A New King.