Patti Reeder Eubank

"When Halloween comes near, / Two black cats read and peer / At the ABCs of treats and fun, / That make Halloween loved by everyone." So begins this rhyming Halloween alphabet book, as the two black cats cavort through an A to Z of spooky fun, from dusty attics to Zemula and Zerelda the witches. Each letter has an accompanying verse, often mentioning more than one Halloween item, and the accompanying artwork depicts the cats enjoying or interacting with those items...

I had never heard of author/illustrator Patti Reeder Eubank before an online friend's recent review of ABCs of Halloween—thank you, Kathryn!—but I'm glad to have discovered her work. The rhyming text here read well, introducing lots of interesting Halloween vocabulary, while the illustrations were appealing—colorful and cute, with two adorable feline stars. Not surprisingly, the witchy scenes were some of my favorites, particularly the ones attached to letter Q, when the cats are whispering in a witch's ear, and to letter W, in which a coven goes flying through the air. All in all, a solidly appealing Halloween alphabet book, one I would recommend to picture-book readers looking for such fare.… (meer)

What a sweet way to say goodnight! Patrica Eubank’s board book, Bedtime Snuggles, ushers in night time with simple rhymes and colorful illustrations of moms of all types snuggling with their children. The farm quiets down, and the animals all gather in their lambs, chicks, kittens and puppies. I loved the expressions on the mama animals’ faces as they put their babies to bed. This book is a perfect way for you and your toddler or preschooler to end the day.

Recommended.

Audience: children ages 2-5

(Thanks to Worthy Publishing for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)… (meer)

Bedtime is always a special time to read a book and Bedtime Snuggles will help youngsters snuggle with their parents as they read how various animals snuggle up with their mothers for the night. I love that the book has a bit of rhyming flow to it, and the words are easy enough that youngsters are going to want to read along. The illustrations really pair perfectly with the story, they are bright and colorful which will allow the images to capture youngsters eye and imagination as they read the story. A board book that is sturdy enough for repeated use, I can easily seeing it become a favorite read. I found the illustrations delightful and loved the final pages where mama was snuggling up with baby in the nursery while a cat is snuggled with her kittens and a dog is with her puppies. The perfect book to help youngsters wind down as they prepare to fall asleep.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.… (meer)