Welcome to March! Spring is nearly here, and with it will come the rain. To celebrate the season it’ll be “raining” books here on Domestic Dork!

There will be some giveaways for you and lots and lots of book reviews throughout the month of March sponsored by Thomas Allen & Son!*  If you love children’s literature, like me, you won’t want to miss out!

I was an avid reader as a child. I spent a great deal of my free time perusing the library and would come home with teetering stacks of books almost as tall as my young self. That hasn’t changed, and neither has my love for kid lit. I may have added adult fare to my proverbial plate, but I still read children’s books (and not just to Lucy). Some of my prize possessions are books from my childhood, and I continue to buy and add more children’s literature to my own personal library (which is kept away from messy, careless toddler hands until a certain person is able to share with care). Good children’s and young adult books are charming, touching, funny, educational, any number of wonderful things. They are imaginative and have narratives as rich and compelling as most novels meant for adults. Some of my all time favorite books, even now, were written for children or teens.

As an artist and art lover, I have a deep love for picture books. Some of the finest art I’ve seen has been the illustrations created to accompany a story for children. Actually, if you want a cheap way to get artwork for your child’s walls your best bet is often buying two copies of a wonderfully illustrated story, one for the bookshelf and one to remove pages for framing.

So, with my love for children’s literature and the art that is paired with it, it seemed natural to include both areas in my review criteria. Each book review will include the following categories and a rating from one to five stars (five being the best, of course):

STORY

Writing: Is it written well (not awkward to read aloud, no glaring grammar issues, etc.)?

Content: Is the content enjoyable (is it a good story, or suitably poetic verse, etc.)?

ILLUSTRATIONS

Style: Is the style of the art unique or otherwise appealing?

Skill: Is the art well executed?

KID FACTOR:

Mom’s Opinion: Do I feel it is a good read for a child audience?

Toddler’s Opinion: Did Lucy seem to enjoy it?

OVERALL RATING

Obviously, taste is highly subjective. So please don’t be offended if I poo-poo a book you love. It’s not personal. Additionally, I may include other factors when I determine my overall rating.

I hope you are as excited as I am for the rest of March! My first review is about a book specifically celebrating this month. I think you may end up wanting to order a copy right away. And “beware the Ides of March**” because if you miss that day’s review/giveaway you will be sorely disappointed!

*They provided the books but the reviews are not paid and all reviews are my honest opinion.

**March 15