Simon the Scared Rottweiler Virtual Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

Have you wondered what tools are available to help young children deal with anxiety? See what has worked for Simon the Scared Rottweiler, the title character from child psychologist Dr. Nicole Kluemper's picture book. Enter to win a paperback copy, along with a cozy blanket and a $50 Amazon gift card!

My Review:

Based on Dr. Kluemper's professional experience and her lovely furry baby, Simon the Scared Rottweiler tells a therapeutic tale suggesting simple and effective anxiety coping skills for young kids.

Tough-looking Rottweiler Simon shares a horrible school day filled with things that scare him, starting from a nightmare and his brother jumping out from under the bed in a clown mask, to bullies at school and ghost stories told by the kids at his friend Kevin's sleepover party. That's too much for Simon to handle in one day! Just as he's about to take flight from all the scary stuff, Kevin's older sister Angie comes to his rescue with a couple of tricks that have helped her overcome anxiety.

Adopting Simon's first-person perspective, the story shows closely what he goes through, how he feels, and the impact of anxiety on his behavior. Most of the scary scenarios are highly relatable for school-aged kids, making it easy for them to empathize with the poor puppy. The candid conversation between Simon and Angie reassures young readers that they are not alone for getting anxious from time to time and that there are fun ways to cope with anxiety in the comfort of their homes. The "thought bottle" sounds particularly appealing to glitter-lovers. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions are provided to help readers make their very own thought bottles. The book's back matter also teaches about belly breathing and includes useful resources regarding child anxiety and mental health.

By reading Simon's story, young children are encouraged to seek help from family and friends about things that bother them, instead of keeping all the fear and anxiety to themselves. In addition, they may learn not to judge someone merely by their look. Feeling scared is not necessarily a sign of weakness. Anxiety can be managed through practice, perseverance, positive thinking and professional assistance.

Colorful and comforting, Simon the Scared Rottweiler makes a great conversation starter as well as a handy toolkit for kids and parents to get better prepared for the common challenge of anxiety.

About the Book:

Ages: 4–8 | 34 Pages
Publisher: Nicole S Kluemper (2026) | ISBN: 979-8218884802

Simon is having a hard day. He wakes up to a bad dream, the fire alarm goes off at school, some big bullies bother him, and that’s not all! Just then, Kevin’s big sister Angie steps in and helps Simon by teaching him some skills for dealing with his worry that will last a lifetime.

Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org

The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil Virtual Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

Have you heard about Captain Polo, the eco-conscious polar bear that travels around the world and talks about climate change? Don't miss his latest trip in The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil, the fifth installment in the graphic novel series by award-winning author and conservation biologist Alan J. Hesse. Enter to win a five-book set of The Adventures of Captain Polo series!

My Review:

Loaded with wacky characters, action-packed pictures and real-life knowledge, The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil crafts an engaging, entertaining and educational tale that teaches about climate science, environmental protection challenges arising from myopic, irresponsible human action, and feasible solutions that everyone may become a part of.

In order to track down oil tycoon Tex Greedyman and stop him from destroying the Amazon, the world's most biodiverse tropical forest, Captain Polo changes course and ventures into Brazil. Alongside his nonverbal sidekick Penguin, folks from indigenous tribes and environmental organizations, our beloved polar bear continues his fearless mission to make humans aware of their mistakes and to save our planet before it's too late.

Through comical expressions, dramatic plot twists, and characters with distinct traits, the novel brilliantly immerses young readers in an exhilarating and amusing adventure infused with facts and insights. By following Captain Polo around, they learn about the language, culture and natural landscape of Brazil, including local plants and animals. Meanwhile, they are alerted to real threats to the biodiversity and sustainability of the Amazon ecosystem, such as deforestation caused by agribusiness and illegal logging, and emission of greenhouse gases in relation to fossil fuels and cattle farming. But the story doesn't end with simply exposing the problems. It further explores effective and executable solutions, leaving us with hope for helping improve the environment.

A unique educational feature of the book is the "Captain Polo's Climate Change Classroom" located in the back matter, where readers get more details and explanations about the words highlighted in blue in the main text. The illustrated glossary encourages curious minds to dig deeper into their interested topics while achieving a thorough understanding of what happens in the story. Moreover, this section is followed by "Captain Polo's Top 10 Climate Actions",  which suggest what we can do in our daily lives to support conservation and environmental protection.

Informative and imaginative, The Adventures of Captain Polo: Polo in Brazil makes a notable addition to the humorous, meaningful series. It'd sure delight budding globetrotters, nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts and environmental activists.

About the Book:

Ages: 8–13 | 61 Pages
Publisher: Alan J. Hesse (2025) | ISBN: 978-9942489579

Adventure. Comedy. Climate change. A race across Brazil that could change everything. When Captain Polo, the world’s most determined polar bear, continues his journey south from the open-ended mid-Atlantic finale of Pole to Pole, Antarctica finally seems within reach—until ruthless oil tycoon Tex Greedyman sets a dangerous plan in motion to exploit the Amazon. Polo and his ever-practical sidekick Penguin are pulled into a race against destruction that sweeps them across one of the most dynamic countries on Earth—from shark-filled waters and electric-eel rivers to burning forests and vast southern ranchlands. Blending humor, high-stakes adventure, and real environmental science, Polo in Brazil brings big global challenges—deforestation, fossil fuels, Indigenous rights, and climate action—to life in a vivid, page-turning story.

Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org

Take Back the Internet with Radiant Mobile! Win an Amazon Gift Card!

Are you looking for a mobile network that provides you with full control over what your children can see online on their cell phones? Check out Radiant Mobile, the first ever Christian mobile carrier and the first mobile plan to block inappropriate content before it reaches your phone. Join Radiant Mobile today and enter to win an Amazon gift card below!

About Radiant Mobile

Built on faith. Committed to families. Designed to protect.

Radiant Mobile is America’s first Christian wireless carrier that lets parents decide what enters their child’s phone, what their kids see and when the screen goes off.

Radiant Mobile exists to serve families who want a mobile experience that reflects their values - reliable service, fair pricing, and protections that actually protect.

Every Radiant Mobile plan features unlimited talk, text and data, runs on the country's largest and fastest 5G platform, and allows you to keep your current mobile number.

What Makes Radiant Mobile Unique?

Radiant Mobile is the only carrier that provides protection from harmful content via network-level filtering while other carriers depend on device-level filtering. This means that undesirable content is blocked before it ever reaches your phone and that it can't be bypassed by apps or different connections. Multiple layers of protection mechanisms are in place to prevent tempering with the parent-controlled, network-level filtering. Aside from hard-blocked categories, parents are allowed to fine tune their control over 120+ categories, including whitelisting certain sites within each blocked category. Parents can also set up independent controls for each child based on their age.

Mrs. Gourd Virtual Tour: Review and Prize Pack Giveaway

Have you felt exhausted and exasperated when the kids exhibit endless energy around bedtime? Then rest assured that you're not alone. Need some inspiration for how to manage chaotic bedtime? Check out Mrs. Gourd by Jody Bucher and you could win a signed hardcover copy along with fun goodies related to the book!

My Review:

Based on the author's real-life experience, Mrs. Gourd weaves a hilarious, heartfelt tale about bedtime routine, problem-solving, the joy of reading, and creative parenting.

The story starts with three young children running around the house with their furry friends when it's time to settle in bed. Their mom tries in vain to calm them down and disappears in despair. A lady in red with a booming British voice, known as Mrs. Gourd, shows up to take over bedtime. She works magic with her amusing accent and the stories she reads.

Narrated by the little girl in the family, the story vividly recounts a crazy yet funny night when the kids are too excited to rest, leaving their mom with no choice but to improvise and transform into Mrs. Gourd. While it's fairly easy for readers to detect the resemblance between Mom and Mrs. Gourd, the little ones in the story find Mrs. Gourd to be a completely different person. It is through the eyes of a young child that we see both the frustration and creativity of a loving mom.

Built on a situation that seems incredibly familiar to young readers as well as their parents, the story speaks to every family that has experienced bedtime challenges. As they giggle through the pages, young readers may realize what they can do to help make mom's life easier. Their moms and dads, on the other hand, may be inspired to get creative about searching for the bedtime routine that works best.

In addition to highly realistic scenarios and relatable characters, the book charms young readers with animated, adorable, colorful and playful pictures that bring laughter, warmth and sweet memories to their reading experience.

Written with humor and authenticity, Mrs. Gourd stands out as an entertaining and heartwarming read for the entire family, sparking ideas to make bedtime less stressful and more enjoyable.

About the Book:

Ages: 4+ | 40 Pages
Publisher: Ingram Spark (2026) | ISBN: Hardcover: 979-8-9894987-1-0 | Paperback: 979-8-9894987-0-3

Anyone who’s had to put children to bed knows how unpredictable the routine of bedtime can be. Enter—Mrs. Gourd. When Mom finds herself at her wits’ end, Mrs. Gourd’s unexpected arrival changes the course of bedtime—in a good way. Taking charge in her persnickety, silly way, Mrs. Gourd wrangles in bedtime, leaving the reader amused, and best of all, those little ones drifting off into dreamland. When all else fails, it’s Mrs. Gourd to the rescue!

Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org