Bright Sky Press Book Reviews

Recently, Bright Sky Press kindly sent three books for my perusal. I was impressed by the overall physical quality of the books. They were sturdy and well constructed. They were large enough to present well for read alouds to groups, and filled with colorful illustrations from various illustrators. Below are my impressions after reading them. I admire writers and illustrators and respect the months of heart and soul that they pour into the stories that they generously share. My Goodreads ratings are only a reflection of how I personally feel the books would match my students as readers.


River Royals: Master the Mississippi by Sarah Wynne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




Elizabeth Jane Bookman is a day dreamer with big dreams to shine in school. Unfortunately, paying attention in the classroom is not her best talent. Fortunately, she does possess a talent for a vivid imagination. As her teacher, Miss Fletcher, launches into a lesson about the mighty Mississippi River and the ten states it flows through, Elizabeth Jane slides down in her seat to to draw mermaids. When Miss Fletcher mentions the word crowns, Elizabeth Jane's ears perk up and she is suddenly imagining herself floating down the Mississippi River with her little brother, Henry in tow discovering the marvels each state has to offer them.

The Word Burglar by Chris Cander

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The Word Burglar would be a wonderful book to share with older students as part of a language lesson. I don't feel that younger students would be able to navigate the vocabulary enough to enjoy the storyline. Still, I might incorporate it into one of my library lessons on the importance of books and reading.

Some important points I understood from this story were:

Children are able to recognize that letters and words have meaning and once they crack the reading code, they will be in possession of this power.

Not being able to read can make a child feel small and insignificant. We can't let this happen.

Danielle and the Strawberry Fairies by Rini Ziegler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Danielle wakes her mother one morning with the question "Why are strawberries red?" Her mother decides to take Danielle and her little dog, Oscar to visit Mr. McDerwood's Strawberry Farm where a fantastical encounter with fairy princess, Merriberry awaits her. With a dash of golden fairy dust, Danielle and Oscar shrink down to fairy size and begin their quest to discover how strawberries become red.

What I liked about this book was the large and colorful illustrations, in particular, the page filled with lovely wild flowers. I also liked the humorous page when Danielle went to lift up her basket and found it a bit heavy and filled with little Oscar. The illustrations give strength to the story.

Have a lovely reading life.