The Rhyming Tales of Mimi the Moon Princess: The Making of a Princess

Written by: S. B. Christian and E. W. Rhodes

Illustrated by: Helen Gottberg

I am deeply honored to have the opportunity to review another Timeless Tales Press book. The minute I saw the cover I knew I would love sharing this book with my deer-loving son, and y’all, I was right.

The first book in the “Mimi the Moon Princess” series introduces us to our young heroine, Mimi, and her fawn friend, Chandra. Their meeting feels like destiny, and they are soon fast friends. As their relationship grows, so does their bond: their ability to communicate telepathically transfers into Mimi’s dreams, where she joins Chandra on magical adventures. “The Making of a Princess” is a new type of fairy tale focusing on the power of friendship, and because of her deep connection with Chandra, Mimi’s world is altered forever in a magical, wonderful way.

A bit of a disclaimer: I can normally tell which of my children I’ll lose based off the length of the story or the words on the page. I could tell early on my three-year-old would not be held attentive the whole way through. He did, however, love flipping through and seeing all the pictures. I consider any time spent with a book a win.

The watercolor illustrations by Gottberg are dreamy and whimsical, and they are definitely my favorite part of this book. My son was enthralled with each page, specifically with Chandra’s appearance and growth throughout the book; our sweet little fawn grows into a mystical buck, and the evolution is stunning. Personally, the lilacs were my favorite bit; they used to bloom near my teenage home, and I miss them terribly. Each page has so much beauty, and I am so excited to see her work in the following books.

If you have a deer-obsessed child like mine or you’re looking for a sweet, magical tale you should definitely check out “The Making of a Princess.” I’ll be reviewing Book Two in the coming days, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

The Balcony

By: Melissa Castrillon

It should come as no surprise by now that I am obsessed with Melissa Castrillon’s illustrations. My children are, too. They love her curls and sweeping lines. Her work feels both dreamlike and whimsical, and I love whimsy.

“The Balcony” is a story told through (mostly) illustrations, and it is beautiful. Moving is always hard on children, and in “The Balcony” we see a little girl cope with that change through her garden. As she nourishes her balcony garden something magical begins to happen – joy begins to spread. The people around her are impacted in a wonderful way, and the community comes together.

Castrillon’s illustrations are rich and thorough. I often find myself flipping through pages over and over again, finding new details, new sketch marks, new beauty.

“The Balcony” is about new beginnings, hope, and love, and it’s a beautiful addition to any library. What’s your favorite wordless book?

Snow: The First White Christmas

Images from Timeless Tales Press Instagram account

Written by: E. W. Rhodes

Illustrated by: Katrin Budeeva

I was so honored to receive an advanced copy of “Snow: The First White Christmas” to review. I’m not familiar with other Timeless Tales Press publications, so I was excited to delve into “Snow”.

“Snow: The First White Christmas” is a bit of an origin story. Once upon a time, there was no such thing as snow; not at the North Pole, not for Christmas, not at all. A little elf named Snow would change all that, though. Snow has a playful spirit, kind heart, and deep determination to not let Santa down. In fact, he’s so dedicated to making this Christmas the best Christmas ever he completely wears himself out, and takes a nap so deep I was quite envious.

At first read, my heart hurt for Snow. He had done his very best, dedicated so much time towards his goal, and things don’t turn out at all as he hoped. Poor Snow is crushed.

Images from Timeless Tales Press Instagram account

Good thing I like to read children’s books at least three times before reviewing. (I find you pick up on things initially missed – especially with tiny hands darting at pages, and little voices asking many, many questions.) After my second read, I began to see another side to this sweet story.

Sometimes we do everything right. We dedicate the time, put in the effort, check all the boxes, and things still don’t go our way. As a Type A planner, it is deeply frustrating to know I’ve done everything within my power, and things sometimes still don’t work out right. It’s in those moments I have to decide how I’m going to move forward. I can allow myself time to grieve, but then what? Was it all time wasted, or can something beautiful come from the disappointment? In Snow’s case, something wonderful, even magical, comes from his initial sorrow, and ultimately turns his tears into laughter.

“Snow: The First White Christmas” feels deeply nostalgic to me, but I cannot put my finger on why. Perhaps it’s the stunning watercolor illustrations by Katrin Budeeva that feel deeply reminiscent of my childhood. Each page has such stunning detail, and, quite honestly, the illustrations were my favorite part of the book. Whimsical is the word that keeps coming to mind as I flip through these lovely pages.

Images from Timeless Tales Press Instagram account

“Snow” is a sweet Christmas book, that offers parents a chance to talk to their children about hard work, disappointment, and recognizing the beauty amongst the two.

Thanks to Timeless Tales Press for the opportunity. “Snow: The First White Christmas” was released today, November 8, 2021.