Children's books

Dog Gone by Amanda Harvey
G: 3 of 5 rattles. It was cute. Illustrations were cute. It had a good message of giving something new a try.
B: 2 1/2 of 5 rattles. It's probably a good book for a child nervous about leaving a beloved pet in the kennel or in the care of another when on vacation.

Hunches in Bunches by Dr. Seuss
G: 4 of 5 rattles. It was interesting to see the older Dr. Seuss in this. It was his last book.
B: 5 of 5 rattles. Unfortunately, I identify with the procrastination of the protagonist!

Who is Your Favorite Monster, Mama? by Barbara Shook Hazen and Maryann Kovalski
G: 2 of 5 rattles. I didn't like the whole monster motif, but it would be a good story for kids with jealousy issues toward their siblings.
B: 4 1/2 of 5 rattles. This rating is conditional. First of all, it would be wonderful during Halloween. Second of all, it's really geared toward a middle child.

Dinosaur Train by John Steven Gurney
G: 3 of 5 rattles. The illustrations were fantastic. The story was a bit weak.
B: 2 1/2 of 5 rattles. The illustrations in this book are spectacular. I want to tear them out and frame them. The story...eh. It's probably a good example of why so many published children's books are written and illustrated by the same person. I doubt it could be published on story alone.

Where are my Chicks? by Sally Grindley and Jill Newton
G: 2 of 5 rattles. I didn't like the hypocritical chastising of the chicken and the goose. The illogical nature of once they got to five "chicks" she didn't point out that it was a goose and not a chicken. And the owl is really not that wise because he couldn't tell the difference between a goose and a chicken.
B: 1 of 5 rattles. Perhaps this is an example of a book a child will love and I just don't get. A couple of things bothered me. It's a counting book, but the illustrations weren't consistent in the counting. Next, Mother Hen and Mother Goose were rather nasty to each other. I thought the snide remark from the goose at the beginning just made Mother Hen seem above her--until she made the same comment at the end. It does not model mature or polite behavior.