Reviews

New House For Mouse

“This book is a must read for anyone who’s either fostering children, who’s been placed in out of home care or who just wants to understand what children like Mouse are going through.” – Michelle L. Romero, Department of Child Safety Program Manager

“Diversity, inclusion, emotions, teamwork and of course…new friendships all in one sweet story! Above all, it’s the normalcy of it all.” – Magdalena Benavidez, M.Ed. Counseling

“I was already excited to read New House for Mouse when I saw that the illustrator was Ryan Law, who has contributed to other top-notch picture books…. So many books on difficult topics either brush over the complicated feelings one might experience or stay rooted in the heavy parts of the situation in a way that may hurt rather than help children wrestling with the experience, but this one balanced both aspects perfectly. I would be happy to give this book to children, both inside and outside the foster care system.” –Savannah Aldridge for Readers’ Favorite

Harry Can Hear

“A book for every collection, offering an upbeat story to educate and inform of differences in hearing ability, a much-needed representation, and how “misbehavior” can be simply another kind of challenge that needs to be addressed. A wonderful little book.” –School Library Journal

“Hearing loss is often referred to as an invisible disability since it is not commonly spoken about and difficult to see. Harry Can Hear helps raise awareness about hearing loss and normalize the use of hearing aids in children. As a hearing healthcare professional, it is great to see literature that informs children about those issues from a young age”. – Karla Navarro, Au.D.

“Hurray for Fynisa Engler’s storytelling abilities. How wonderful to see hearing screenings and hearing device use scripted in a way that makes it matter of fact and, as Harry’s sister said, “cool!” His story will appeal to all children who have differences, all children who have peers with differences, and all adults who sometimes need reminders that “behavior” is communicating something.” – Patti Sorrow, MA, CCC-SLP Speech Language Pathologist

“For adults looking to give the children in their lives the gift of understanding diverse experiences, Harry Can Hear is a wonderful book to add to their collections. Fynisa Engler tactfully shows how those around Harry were under the mistaken impression that Harry never listened, and the impact that this had on Harry’s life. I also loved Engler’s decision to explain what a hearing exam involves, making the procedure familiar to any reader who may be about to undergo a similar test, or helping hearing readers understand what hard-of-hearing friends have experienced. I also deeply appreciated how the narrative remained centered on the character with the disability. Milanka Reardon illustrated an expressive and joyful protagonist who is adorable, playful, and exciting to follow from page one. The beautiful pictures, along with language simple enough to be mastered by early readers, make this tale a must-read.” –Savannah Aldridge for Readers Favorite

New School For Mouse

“Another great Foster Mouse story from Fynisa Engler and Ryan Law! New School for Mouse depicts some of the challenges of foster life in a child-appropriate way, for instance, missing friends and family, being treated with contempt, and starting over in a new place. The illustrations feature several adorable and expressive characters from the first book in the Foster Mouse series that I love. I appreciated seeing these characters learn to overcome a problem through kindness and inclusion. This is an excellent story for group reading time and at a perfect level for beginner readers to attempt independently.” Reviewed by Savannah Aldridge for Readers’ Favorite

“A tender story about a young mouse who is sent to live with a foster family and attend a new school away from his home and friends. Mouse faces overwhelming feelings of anxiety on his first day of school, but soon makes friends with a rabbit classmate who is deaf and also feeling lonely. Verdict: a nice addition to collections that are looking for more books with representation of characters who live in foster care.” School Library Journal

Party At Arnie’s

“A fun and engaging story with Party at Arnie’s. The story can teach children about being responsible and that sometimes pets can be extremely messy. The illustrations are detailed and young readers will love the different dogs and their antics. The story was well-written, and entertaining, and I liked how it ended, though poor Stanley did get the blame for it all. The author has a talent for telling a good story and making it fun. I think that kids who like dogs will love the book and it would suit the 3 – 6 age range. I would recommend Party at Arnie’s.” -Reviewed by Samantha Gregory for Readers’ Favorite