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Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 25 Aug 2024, 10:28
by Adrian Bouknight
[Following is a volunteer review of "Will You Talk to Me?" by Margie Carstens.]
Book Cover
5 out of 5 stars
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“Will You Talk to Me?” by Margie Carstens tells the story of a young girl on a journey of self-discovery and confidence-building. Through her interactions with a hummingbird, she learns that big things can come in small packages. The story imparts an important lesson: every person is uniquely and beautifully made, and one can have confidence in oneself despite life's challenges and struggles with self-perception. This story conveys a valuable moral lesson in a way that many children will enjoy.

I shared this book with my 2-year-old daughter, and she loved it! She was captivated by the artwork and enthusiastically exclaimed, “Wow!” upon seeing the various animals and beautiful illustrations. She particularly enjoyed the small details, such as the starfish hairpin and seashell necklace worn by the main character. These details help keep young children engaged as you read the book to them. Even though she is only 2 and a half, she understands concepts like love, beauty, and the importance of recognizing that beauty in ourselves, making her a suitable audience for the book. After finishing the book, I asked my daughter if she would like me to read it again, and she eagerly shouted, “Yeah!”

I don't have anything negative to say about this book. There were a few instances of larger words, such as “intimidating” and “mesmerizing,” which are slightly more advanced than those found in other children's books I commonly read. However, I don’t think this detracted from the overall flow or message of the book. My daughter can pronounce multisyllabic words, and as a child who knew the entire alphabet by the time she turned 2, I think it's fine to include a few larger words to help expand her vocabulary. I also found the font size and color of the text easy to read. Adding a faded white background to the text on each page, as done on pages 5 and 8, might enhance readability, but this is more of a subjective suggestion.

Overall, I thought “Will You Talk to Me?” carried a wonderful message. Even at just 2 years old, my daughter has already experienced bullying, so I believe the book’s message is very important to her and to children worldwide. The emphasis on loving oneself, embracing our unique traits, and offering unconditional love to others is a timeless and significant message, even for adults. The book's vibrant colors and displays of biodiversity were captivating and kept my daughter engaged. Additionally, the book was well-edited and free of typographical or grammatical errors. For these reasons, I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

******
Will You Talk to Me?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 26 Sep 2024, 09:56
by Kshitija Sonawane
There are very few children's book which talk about character building directly instead of as a story. I like the story format more but this can work too. You did a good job with this review.

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 26 Sep 2024, 23:00
by Stephen Christopher 1
That's awful that bullying (in 2024!) starts as early as 2 years old. I hope your daughter got something from this book that helped her deal with it. Her emphatic ''yeah' to having you read it again is the real proof that the book is a winner.

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 27 Sep 2024, 11:18
by Alissa Nesson
I love that the goal of this book is too encourage confidence and self-discovery. It’s never too early to show children that they are beautiful and valuable. I also appreciate that it contained some bigger words, possibly leading kids to ask what they mean, which is extra valuable if they hear or read the book multiple times. It’s wonderful to hear that your daughter loved it.

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 28 Sep 2024, 05:20
by Laney K
A children's book with character having a journey of self discovery sounds quite impactful. I think helping children to accept other and themselves from a young age is important. Thanks for the informative review.

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 28 Sep 2024, 05:39
by Qwerty Writes
It reminds me of a story I read (when I was younger) of a girl who befriended a talking lizard and she learned that just like the lizard the people around her were unique interesting people too and it helped her to make friends. The book sounds sweet and I'm glad that it educates children in bits that will help them understand bigger concepts like 'bullying'. I can't say I'd read this for myself but I'd definitely do it for my nieces and nephew. I loved your thoughtful insights on the book and enjoyed the anecdote you added, overall it was a good review. 8-)

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 29 Sep 2024, 14:58
by Julie Marie Basil
As someone who is also a parent of young children, this sounds like a lovely book with a wonderful message. Thank you for a well-written review!

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 29 Sep 2024, 21:10
by Adrian Bouknight
Hey, thank you for the responses, everyone! Much appreciated!

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 30 Sep 2024, 02:52
by Sarah Vinchu
Wow! This book appears to be beneficial for young readers. The cover page is quite lovely. I believe that self-discovery and confidence-building are essential factors for a child to understand about themselves. This wonderfully produced book contains a wealth of learning information and moral ideals. I particularly enjoyed the minor details you provided about the starfish hairpin and seashell necklace. These things make daughters happy. Great review. I'll choose this to read.

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 30 Sep 2024, 13:31
by Zanne Crystle
Adrian Bouknight wrote: 25 Aug 2024, 10:28 [Following is a volunteer review of "Will You Talk to Me?" by Margie Carstens.]
Book Cover
5 out of 5 stars
Share This Review


“Will You Talk to Me?” by Margie Carstens tells the story of a young girl on a journey of self-discovery and confidence-building. Through her interactions with a hummingbird, she learns that big things can come in small packages. The story imparts an important lesson: every person is uniquely and beautifully made, and one can have confidence in oneself despite life's challenges and struggles with self-perception. This story conveys a valuable moral lesson in a way that many children will enjoy.

I shared this book with my 2-year-old daughter, and she loved it! She was captivated by the artwork and enthusiastically exclaimed, “Wow!” upon seeing the various animals and beautiful illustrations. She particularly enjoyed the small details, such as the starfish hairpin and seashell necklace worn by the main character. These details help keep young children engaged as you read the book to them. Even though she is only 2 and a half, she understands concepts like love, beauty, and the importance of recognizing that beauty in ourselves, making her a suitable audience for the book. After finishing the book, I asked my daughter if she would like me to read it again, and she eagerly shouted, “Yeah!”

I don't have anything negative to say about this book. There were a few instances of larger words, such as “intimidating” and “mesmerizing,” which are slightly more advanced than those found in other children's books I commonly read. However, I don’t think this detracted from the overall flow or message of the book. My daughter can pronounce multisyllabic words, and as a child who knew the entire alphabet by the time she turned 2, I think it's fine to include a few larger words to help expand her vocabulary. I also found the font size and color of the text easy to read. Adding a faded white background to the text on each page, as done on pages 5 and 8, might enhance readability, but this is more of a subjective suggestion.

Overall, I thought “Will You Talk to Me?” carried a wonderful message. Even at just 2 years old, my daughter has already experienced bullying, so I believe the book’s message is very important to her and to children worldwide. The emphasis on loving oneself, embracing our unique traits, and offering unconditional love to others is a timeless and significant message, even for adults. The book's vibrant colors and displays of biodiversity were captivating and kept my daughter engaged. Additionally, the book was well-edited and free of typographical or grammatical errors. For these reasons, I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

******
Will You Talk to Me?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
This is a very thoughtful review that does a good job of explaining the content and purpose of the book. I appreciate that the book includes confidence-building, especially because the internet exposes children to negativity younger and younger. Books like these are great for helping parents instill a strong sense of self in their children to prepare them for the harsh realities of the world.

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 07 Oct 2024, 04:32
by Priya Murugesan
It looks like a perfect children's book! You have analyzed the book well and I enjoyed reading your review!

Re: Review of Will You Talk to Me?

Posted: 16 Oct 2024, 09:08
by Gerry Steen
Adrian Bouknight wrote: 25 Aug 2024, 10:28 [Following is a volunteer review of "Will You Talk to Me?" by Margie Carstens.]
Book Cover
5 out of 5 stars
Share This Review


“Will You Talk to Me?” by Margie Carstens tells the story of a young girl on a journey of self-discovery and confidence-building. Through her interactions with a hummingbird, she learns that big things can come in small packages. The story imparts an important lesson: every person is uniquely and beautifully made, and one can have confidence in oneself despite life's challenges and struggles with self-perception. This story conveys a valuable moral lesson in a way that many children will enjoy.

I shared this book with my 2-year-old daughter, and she loved it! She was captivated by the artwork and enthusiastically exclaimed, “Wow!” upon seeing the various animals and beautiful illustrations. She particularly enjoyed the small details, such as the starfish hairpin and seashell necklace worn by the main character. These details help keep young children engaged as you read the book to them. Even though she is only 2 and a half, she understands concepts like love, beauty, and the importance of recognizing that beauty in ourselves, making her a suitable audience for the book. After finishing the book, I asked my daughter if she would like me to read it again, and she eagerly shouted, “Yeah!”

I don't have anything negative to say about this book. There were a few instances of larger words, such as “intimidating” and “mesmerizing,” which are slightly more advanced than those found in other children's books I commonly read. However, I don’t think this detracted from the overall flow or message of the book. My daughter can pronounce multisyllabic words, and as a child who knew the entire alphabet by the time she turned 2, I think it's fine to include a few larger words to help expand her vocabulary. I also found the font size and color of the text easy to read. Adding a faded white background to the text on each page, as done on pages 5 and 8, might enhance readability, but this is more of a subjective suggestion.

Overall, I thought “Will You Talk to Me?” carried a wonderful message. Even at just 2 years old, my daughter has already experienced bullying, so I believe the book’s message is very important to her and to children worldwide. The emphasis on loving oneself, embracing our unique traits, and offering unconditional love to others is a timeless and significant message, even for adults. The book's vibrant colors and displays of biodiversity were captivating and kept my daughter engaged. Additionally, the book was well-edited and free of typographical or grammatical errors. For these reasons, I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

******
Will You Talk to Me?
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Your daughter is the reviewer, and you are her assistant when it comes to appreciating children's books. Well done! The message of self-acceptance and knowing that we all have value in this world is so important to be ingrained into children's minds. We sometimes as parents and grandparents need to be reminded of this important message as well. I thank your 2-year-old daughter for letting us know about the quality of this book. Adrian, thank you for writing this enlightening review. I will add this book to my bookshelves for my grandchildren.