Virtual Book Tour Words

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Words

Written by Katherine Davis-Gibbon

Illustrated by Anne Berry

Ages: 4-6 | 36 Pages

Publisher: Riverlet Press (2025) | ISBN: 978-1-737957690

Publisher’s Book Summary: A multicultural group of children discovers a park where everyone’s words come to life, looking and behaving a lot like kids. Some words are kinder and more inviting, while others are pushy or prickly or odd. Not every word makes the best first impression, but as they play and share adventures, the children connect more deeply with language. They learn that words have superpowers and grow to love them for their quirks. They see that words make excellent friends, who magically appear just as they’re needed and perfectly mirror how kids feel. The more these children bond with language, the more they tap into their inner voice— and as they dare to give it expression, they gain more respect for the power of words.

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Bookshop.org

MY REVIEW

Finding the right words can be hard sometimes, and some words can hurt our feelings while other words can lift our spirits. This playful look at words explores the ways we interact with words. For example, sometimes we search for them, or are unable to find the ones we want, and at other times we share them and use them to speak the truth.

The soft, watercolor hues of the illustrations welcome readers in and invite them to look closely and find the words worked into each scene. Some are fluffy green letters spelling out "bush" in some shrubs. Others show pairs in action with "zig" and "zag" swerving around on their skateboards or opposites like "push" and "pull" tussling on the playground. The first of these figures that readers see is made of the letters w-o-r-d, which show up very clearly in the figure's shadow. That will probably set off an I-spy hunt through the book to find all the words in their various forms.

As the text says, words are unique just like people. They may seem to always come in pairs, or to have an opposite with whom they are often compared, or even seem hard to find just when we need them. But they can also be healing and give us the chance to shine. Share this book with anyone who enjoys word play, or who worries about saying the wrong thing. Remember, "Words can be tricky, but they're always here waiting for you."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katherine Davis-Gibbon is an award-winning children’s book author and mother of two. Her debut book, My Old Friend, Then, was a Distinguished Favorite in the 2023 Independent Press Awards and 2022 New York City Big Book Awards, as well as a Finalist in the 2022 American Book Fest’s Best Book Awards. Her second book, Words, is a Distinguished Favorite in the 2025 Independent Press Awards.

For more information, visit: www.riverletpress.com

https://www.instagram.com/riverletpress/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075626097180&locale=en_GB

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075626097180&locale=en_GB

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21894533.Katherine_Davis_Gibbon

TOUR SCHEDULE

Friday, April 4, 2025 The Children’s Book Review Book Review of Words

Friday, April 4, 2025 The Starlit Path Book Review of Words

Monday, April 7, 2025 Crafty Moms Share Book Review of Words

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 icefairy’s Treasure Chest Book Review of Words

Wednesday, April 9, 2025 The Children’s Book Review Book Review of Words

Thursday, April 10, 2025 Mrs. Makes Reading Fun Book Review of Words

Friday, April 11, 2025 One More Exclamation Book Review of Words

Monday, April 14, 2025 Me Two Books Interview with Katherine Davis-Gibbon

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 Deliciously Savvy Book Review of Words

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 Froggy Read Teach Instagram Post about Words

Thursday, April 17, 2025 The Fairview Review Book Review of Words

Friday, April 18, 2025 Q&As with Deborah Kalb Interview with Katherine Davis-Gibbon

Monday, April 28, 2025 Cover Lover Book Review Interview with Katherine Davis-Gibbon

Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Lisa’s Reading Guest Post about Words

Thursday, May 1, 2025 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Book Review of Words

Friday, May 2, 2025 Country Mamas With Kids Book Review of Words

This post is sponsored by Riverlet Press. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.

Spring Reading 2025 Schooled in Murder (A Campus Sleuth Mystery)

The name Victoria Gilbert probably rings a bell if you are a reader of mystery books. She is the author of the Blue Ridge Library mysteries, the Booklover's B&B mysteries, and the Hunter and Clewe mysteries. I first came across her books while searching for mysteries that featured libraries and found her stories of librarian Amy Webber and the quiet town of Taylorsford where she takes over as head librarian in the public library. After trying that series, I branched out into the Booklover's B&B stories with Chapters Bed and Breakfast in Beaufort, North Carolina as the center for book-related events and local mysteries. Then came the Hunter and Clewe mysteries with a retired university librarian hired as the archivist for an eccentric 30-something collector, and both of them being pulled into mysteries. 

And now - a new series set on a college campus within commuting distance of Taylorsford, with some characters from the Blue Ridge Library stories crossing over. Besides familiarity with the author's other series, I was attracted to this book because my sister is an English professor at a small college and one of her good friends runs the campus writing center. When I read the description and saw that this book was set on the Clarion campus (where character Amy Webber's husband is a dance instructor) and that the protagonist was the director of Clarion's writing center, I couldn't resist.

I appreciate the way multiple characters are given plausible motives for the deaths that occur. I hate when a book points the finger of guilt too clearly at the culprit and there really is no mystery to the story. That didn't happen here. The first victim has stepped on far too many toes on campus and around the area. Between students, coworkers, campus administration, and his personal life - there are plenty of suspects. And I also enjoyed how Jen Dalton, the protagonist, used her background knowledge gained from being a successful mystery writer to help her sort through the situation. There is also added chemistry between Jen and Zachary Flynn, a psychologist who works with students through the campus health center. It is a bit of a mystery how their relationship will evolve, but that is also fun to try and figure out. And when a second death occurs, the tension ratchets up even more.

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, mysteries or stories in general that are in an academic setting, or if you already know you like the style of Victoria Gilbert's writing - then you should try this one. It just came out in January and should be the start of another great series.

I read an advance copy provided for review purposes, but I was a little slow on posting a review.