Showing posts with label Gabi Murphy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gabi Murphy. Show all posts

Friday, April 1, 2022

Review: Ten Little Fireflies by Deb Gruelle

Today's read comes from an author, whose first book, Ten Little Night Stars, I adored (you can take a trip back in time and read that post here). So of course, I was thrilled to get my hands on the latest book. Even more so because I've always been a fan of fireflies...and roasting marshmallows, although that probably has little to do with the story even if it's on the cover.

Anyway, let's head on and take a peek.


TEN LITTLE FIREFLIES
by Deb Gruelle
Illustrated by Gabi Murphy
Zonderkidz
Board Book
20 pages
ages 0 to 4




From the creators of the wildly popular book Ten Little Night Stars, comes Ten Little Fireflies, a board book that introduces little ones to numbers as they count down to bedtime.

Ten Little Fireflies:

Is perfect for little ones ages 0-4
Is an early learning concept book of numbers one to ten
Has soothing rhymes making this the perfect bedtime read
Easily wipes clean of little fingerprints and smudges
 This sweet counting book written by Deb Gruelle, the great grandniece of the creator of Raggedy Ann, features:

Popular woodland animals like hedgehogs and owls
Is perfect for baby gifts, birthday gifts, and holiday gift giving
Fits into little hands


GOODREADS    /   AMAZON   /   B&N    /    BOOK DEPOSITORY


MY TIDBITS


Learning to count joins the glimmering of little fireflies for bedtime fun.

Ten little fireflies start off this book, each one twinkling and flying with big, bright smiles. As each page-spread continues, one firefly takes off. By the end, only one firefly is left, but even it might not stick around very long.

The illustrations are adorable. The characters are animals set in a human-like world, each one sweet and friendly. There are lots of details to be found, giving the reader something new to discover with every visit. The fireflies are also cute and joyful as they fly this way and that. The scenes are inviting, bright, and yet, ease into bedtime with the night settings.

The text is written in rhyme and is age appropriate for 2 to 4-year-olds. There's a bit of action described—what the fireflies and playing animals are doing—before it explains what one firefly does as it leaves. The next number (after a firefly is gone) is the first word on the next page. The rhymes are sweet and make a nice read-aloud, although some sections flow better than others. 

It's a cute read, which is sure to bring smiles and gently teach counting along the way.



And here she they are...


Deb Gruelle is the great-great-grand-niece of Johnny Gruelle, the creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy, so she grew up on his whimsical stories. One of Deb’s most fulfilling roles in life has been to be a mom and raise her three children, who are now adults. She has been certified as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) to help children in foster care navigate the court system and has volunteered at her local women and children’s shelter and at Habitat for Humanity. She also enjoys indoor skydiving, snorkeling, and counting stars.


Gabi Murphy’s career in art was built on the enthusiasm of a bubbly, eccentric art teacher who claimed with exuberant arm waving: “Darling, you must do art!” She has been a freelance artist for over 35 years and has spent happy hours creating lots of cutesy, fluffy characters. She has recently studied acrylic and oil painting at ISoA and has also discovered an interest in digital art. Everything and anything can trigger a scribble session, but color is her greatest inspiration.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Giveaway! Ten Little Night Stars by Deb Gruelle

I reviewed a lovely board book over here on Bookworm for Kids a couple of weeks ago, and after seeing it, the author, Deb Gruelle, was nice enough to offer a signed copy to me to give away! *squeal*


And the winner is. . .
HAROLD!!!



If you'd like to take a peek at my review, head on over here.
If you'd like to throw in your hat for a chance to win this beautiful book (and it is pretty with shining stars and everything), just say so below and leave you email address or Twitter name so I can get a hold of you.

The winner will be drawn at midnight on March 17th, and announced on Kidbits as well as over on Bookworm for Kids on March 18th. The winner will also be contacted over email or Twitter (depending on what they leave in the comments) and has 48 hours to claim their prize. The author is sponsoring this giveaway. The winner must be a resident of the U.S. and there is no possibility of a monetary or substitute prize. And who would want that anyway? The book is really a treat as it is.

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Review: Ten Little Night Stars by Deb Gruelle Illustrated by Gabi Murphy


TEN LITTLE NIGHT STARS
by Deb Gruelle 
Illustrated by Gabi Murphy
Zonderkidz
Board Book/ Religious
20 pages




One!

One little night star,

Twinkling in deep blue.

I run inside to take my bath,

Then there are…

Two!

Ten Little Night Stars is a sweet bedtime counting book perfect for the youngest readers. One by one the stars come out in the night sky as cute and cuddly animals go through their bedtime routines. This board book will encourage children to turn the page with interactive and engaging rhyme, and will take them through bath time, story time, and sleep. Written by Deb Gruelle, great-great-grand-niece of Johnny Gruelle, the creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy, Ten Little Night Stars is the perfect bedtime story for parents and children alike.



MY TIDBITS

This book screams cute, while offering a lovely read to help those sleepy eyes close and drift into dreamland.

Through simple counting and flowing rhyme, young animals head to bed and cuddle in for a good night's sleep. The board book is sturdy with a slightly fluffy cover to make it perfect for small hands. The book will withstand some abuse and is easy to wipe off from minor messes. But it's the cover which catches attention. The glistening, golden stars catch the eye, while the big elephant supporting the smaller one sets the perfect, warm mood.

With a loud one, the first page starts off the counting. Each spread has the number and a cute four-line poem, which lead various, young animals from a bath all the way to falling asleep. The style is calming and repetitive, perfect for little eyes to start drooping. Following familiar activities, it's a gentle read which suggests caring, support and love the whole way through. This is a religious read but it's kept subtle and flows into an everyday setting.

The illustrations are bright and carry enough detail to allow young listeners room to make discoveries of their own and point them out. The text is simple enough for even little ears and packs enough emotion to make it fun to read-aloud. While the rhyming glides along smoothly, there a couple spots which caught off guard and broke pace.

This is a wonderful book for a last read before heading off to bed and is sure to become a favorite.


I received a complimentary copy from Booklook Bloggers.