Showing posts with label Christmas Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas Books. Show all posts

Friday, December 19, 2025

Stewbot And The Race To Save Christmas Review

 


Author: Stewart Sutters

Illustrator: Stewart Sutters

Publisher: Robot Books

Released: October 1, 2025

Format: Hard Cover, ebook

Price: $17.99, $3.88

Genre: Children’s Picture Books

Age Range: Author recommends 3-8 years

ISBN:978-1739540753

Page Count: 32 pages

Reviewer: Ellwyn Autumn

Rating: 3 Lemon Drops

Available on Amazon

You can’t steal Christmas with Stewbot around!


Favorite quote from the book: 

“Santa’s sleigh has been stolen!” the chief elf cried out.

“The thief was dressed like Santa… And had a BIG SNOUT!”





Review:

Book Summary:

Baxter Claws is causing trouble again. This time, he wants to steal Christmas, and Stewbot is the only one who can save it! Baxter wants to replace toys with stinky dog chews for girls and boys.

When it’s discovered that this devious dog stole Santa’s sleigh, Santa turns to Stewbot for help. Stewbot springs into action. With a ‘sharp’ plan, he blasts off in his rocket ship and makes it a ‘point’ to ruin Baxter’s scheme.





Opinion:

Stewbot and the Race to Save Christmas is a fun rhyming story filled with action-packed pictures that will make kids laugh. 

From the characters’ comical expressions to the representation of Santa’s workshop, I enjoyed the vivid details on every page.

I particularly loved how the Elf Face Recognition System showed Baxtar’s criminal profile.

Sutter features a strong lexicon, which is bound to improve youngsters’ vocabulary skills.

Geography skills could also be developed by addressing the world map featured at The North Pole.

To supplement the reading, a map or globe would help educators, parents and children find Amsterdam, Japan, and Kiritimati.

This book is filled with entertaining and educational facts about Kiritimati. I’d never heard of Kiritimati until I read this book. Thank you, Stewart Sutters, for teaching me something new!

I give it 3 Lemon Drops!






Educational Influence:

Classroom Connection:

Stewbot And The Race To Save Christmas could be a great contribution to discussions regarding naughty/nice behavior and what if questions (What if Baxtar Claws had succeeded in delivering the stinky dog treats? What if Santa Claus had cancelled Christmas?).

Other ways to extend the book:

Search for Amsterdam, Japan and Kiritimati on a globe or world map. Read about Halley’s Comet. Assemble a world map puzzle. 

Age Range:  4-7 years


Targeted Vocabulary:

Explores, phenomenal, naughty, baffled, cancelled, clever, scattered, bum, gargantuan, throttle, autopolite, zoomed, zig-zagging, scrapped, Halley’s Comet, Amsterdam, Japan

Resources: Click the pictures to access the links.









About The Author & Illustrator:





Stewart always wished he could invent a time-travelling machine to visit his favourite people and places throughout history. But since that's not possible, he found a new way to explore: writing and illustrating children's stories.

Inspired by the three little people in his own life, he began a series of adventures designed to celebrate the special bond between children and grandparents. Each story is a journey into a world of fun, laughter, imagination, and a little bit of silliness.

A resident of the seaside town of Leigh-on-Sea, Stewart infuses his love for whimsical adventures into every page. This is Stewart's second book in the series of adventures featuring a time-travelling robot, called Stewbot.






Thursday, December 4, 2025

Elf Dust Book Review

Author: Nancy E Merrill

Illustrator: Colleen Sgroi

Publisher: Pear Tree Publishing

Released: October 21, 2024

Format: Paperback

Price: $10.95

Genre: Children’s Picture Books

Age Range: Author recommends 2-9 years

ISBN:979-8311413855

Page Count: 30 pages

Reviewer: Ellwyn Autumn

Rating: 3 Lemon Drops

Available onAmazon

Look out Elf on the Shelf!

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





Review:

Book Summary:

Did a Christmas elf visit your home? Check; they’re good at avoiding detection by pets and humans. Look for the magical elf dust they occasionally drop. If you find some, know an elf was there, watching for gift ideas and fair play.




Opinion:

Elf Dust, a rhyming story, sweetly describes the magic of Christmas. Every stanza has a fun, playful ABAB rhythm. The colorful, cute pictures are filled with tiny details that make the reader want to find hidden treasures.

I give it 4 Lemon Drops!


About The Author:





Nancy is a mom of two children who were born in Hong Kong where she lived and worked for many years. Living there was an important element in the creation of Elf Dust.


High-rise apartment life meant there were no chimneys and Santa wasn’t going to land on the roof. Something had to be found to ignite imagination and magic for her kids. Elf Dust did not disappoint.

As word spread in this international neighborhood, the anticipation grew as her children shared their excitement about the Elf Dust discovery with friends.


Other children soon discovered the magical dust in their homes too. And the stories, about what the elves looked like and what they did in each home, took off.


Today, Nancy lives in South Carolina after a consulting career around writing, communications and creativity. She is delighted to offer Elf Dust to all who celebrate Christmas and the magic of imagination.



About the Illustrator:





Colleen dreamed of being an artist since she was a young girl. Her work is available world-wide on puzzles, calendars, prints and greeting cards, and her art has been included in films by major motion picture companies.


Her illustrations in children’s books have earned her a Moonbeam Best Illustrator Award, Feathered Quill Book Award, Mom’s Choice Awards, IBS International Book Awards and has delighted children everywhere.


She owned Colleen Sgroi Gallery and Art Center for eighteen years and now works out of her home studio in Massachusetts, where she produces watercolor classes for independent students around the world, inspiring them to find their own creativity.


Colleen loves to read, paint, walk in nature, travel and enjoy time with family and friends.