Book Reviews #kidlit #childrensbook

I would like to welcome you all to a new section of my blog: Book Reviews! As an author, I am asked on a regular basis to review other author's work. Sometimes, it can be a little uncomfortable because I am put in the position of having to say, "no." It is not that I am unkind, it is that if I am going to review a book, my first loyalty and consideration will always be to you. It is with that in mind, that I implemented a new book review policy. You can read it here:  Review Policy. 

What I look for in a book:

I will admit that when it comes to grading a book, I am fairly easy. A story only has to capture me. I do not dissect a storybook into tiny bits in a negative sense, but will dissect it in a positive, uplifting way when it makes me laugh, catch my breath, cheer or cry. Yes, a simple child's book can make me do all these things. To earn a 5-star rating, a book just has to make me "feel." The only exception to this, even if it makes me feel all of these things, is when it is littered with formatting/grammatical issues—I do not mean the errant, misplaced comma—and wrong word usage. When I stumble over these too many times I cringe. I can, and do, accept a few throughout a story but too many will take even the best of books and drop it to a 4-star rating for me.

What you can expect:

I am working on a two-fold project. First, reviews will be placed here on my blog. Ultimately, I will be putting together, when I can find a moment to spare, a Recommended Reading List on my website. It will be in a handy printable .pdf format for your use. I encourage you to take it to the library, to a bookstore, or use it to find selections on Amazon or Barnes & Noble—where ever you acquire your books. These will all be books that I have read and that are, in my opinion, suitable for children. I will also list the recommended age/grade level of the book. 

Why am I doing this:

I am passionate about children's literacy. My own daughter was an infant when I first started putting books in front of her. She is now an avid, life-long reader and the comprehension she garnered from learning to read at a young age benefited her throughout her years of studies, and continues to do so into the present. I want this for your child. I want them to be successful. 

Along the way if I can help introduce my fellow authors' work to your children, I am happy to do that, also. 

I hope you find this new program helpful. It is my goal to assist parents and teachers in any manner within my means to foster a child's reading habits.

Wishing you all the best,

K. Lamb