SPOTLIGHT and REVIEW
Squishy Face and the Moon
by Jennifer Oneal Gunn
Squishy Face and the Moon is currently on tour with Worldwind Virtual Book Tours. The tour stops here today for a spotlight and my review. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
Squishy face is a little girl in a big world, which often frightens her. Luckily, she has Big Mama to guide her and show her the way. In this book, Big Mama teaches little Squishy Face about the moon.
Book Video
Praise for the Book
"The author has noted that our first teachers are our parents. I agree whole heartedly. I LOVE this, and I think that this book serves as a good starting point for discussions about the moon, and a bit about overcoming fears." ~ Kirstin
"I would definitely recommend this book for parents to read to their children; not only does it teach the child about the basics of the moon's cycles, but it acts also as a heart-warming reminder that we can overcome even the scariest things in life with the help of our mamas (and sometimes, as Big Mama taught us, we can even come to love the thing that once frightened us)." ~ Rebekah
"This is a really cute book! It is a really cute story, and a nice lesson about the moon for little kids. It has cute illustrations." ~ Fabulous Jen
My Review
By Lynda Dickson
Squishy Face is frightened when she wakes up and sees the full moon shining
through her window. But her mother (Big Mama) takes her fear away by telling
her all about the moon, its phases, and its influence on the oceans.
This is an educational book designed to teach young children about the
moon and to show them that they can overcome their fears by learning a bit more
about the unknown. I can appreciate the author's intentions in writing this
book but, unfortunately, it fails in the execution. There is no explanation as
to why Squishy Face is suddenly afraid of the moon. By the way she speaks, she
appears to be at least five years old and would have seen the moon through her
window on many occasions. The drawings, also by the author, are amateurish,
with a combination of drawing and computer graphics. However, I did like the
inclusion of an illustration of the moon's phases. The sentences tend to run on
and are too long for the target audience. Finally, the story ends rather
abruptly; I would have liked to have seen Big Mama take Squishy Face back to
bed, no longer afraid.
This appears to be the first book in a series. The author has dedicated
this book to her own little "Squishy Face", her daughter Alezabeth
Marie.
About the Author
Jennifer Oneal Gunn was born January 2, 1979, in Carthage, Missouri, to parents who would end up the parents of three children. At an early age, she started learning and knowing her imagination. It was evident, there was always something inside her, waiting to get out. Today, a single mother of two, Jennifer writes in a plethora of different genres; from nightmare-inducing horror to feminine poetry. She's studied the art of writing since she was fourteen. She also uses her passion for reading in her career as a freelance editor, formatter, and cover art designer. Recently, Jennifer has also given way to her artistic side. She illustrates children’s books sometimes, too.
Her titles include Mystik Legends, Devil's in the Details - Reboot, Fire, Ice & Blood -The Story of Jake and Holly Book 1 (Revenging the Evil series), The Heart of a Woman (poetry), Squishy Face and the Moon (children’s) and some free reads on her website.
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