Common Sense Reviewer

  • Patricia Tauzer
  • Patricia Tauzer
  • California

About Me

What My Kids Love Now

My 2 kids are grown now, and they love spending time with their children...my 3 "grandgirls," as I call them. When we are all together, we read, play make believe, build castles and towns with blocks, bicycle to the library, hike out of doors, putter in the garden, dance, swim, play music and otherwise have fun. Some of our favorite days are spent together at the San Francisco Zoo, picking strawberries in the Capay Valley, or wading in Cache Creek.

House Rules

When the Kids Are Asleep…

My Biggest Challenge Is:

Titles You’ve Reviewed

  • Book: Waddle: A Scanimation Picture Book

    I rate this titleonand give it4.0

    Optical animation is mesmerizing, and fun for all ages.

    This book will appeal to just about everyone. The text is simple and playful enough to add a little extra fun to a book that is mainly about the fascinating illustrations. The youngest kids will ...

  • Book: Skippyjon Jones: Lost in Spice

    I rate this titleonand give it4.0

    Fun, spicy Mars trip with kids' favorite big-eared cat-dog.

    The story is a silly one, filled with original and very unexpected happenings, just the kind you might find in the imaginary adventures kids create themselves. None of it really makes too much ...

  • Book: Four Friends at Christmas

    I rate this titleonand give it4.0

    Sweet, simple holiday tale to share with friends.

    This is a happy little story that kids will love. First of all, it is about four animal friends (a frog, cat, dog, and pig), the fun of Christmas, and, of course, Santa Claus. The text is a simple, ...

  • Book: The Mitten (20th Anniversary Edition)

    I rate this titleonand give it5.0

    Elegant art makes this anniversary edition a real treasure.

    This kind of accumulating story is always entertaining, especially when such large animals squeeze into a very small space ... and somehow there is room for them! But the classic Jan Brett ...

  • Book: Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson

    I rate this titleonand give it4.0

    Daughter's memory of her bigger-than-life, courageous dad.

    Any story of Jackie Robinson has the potential to inspire. Most of us have heard, or read, about how he patiently blazed a pathway into racially segregated baseball of the '40s. But this memory, ...

  • Book: But Who Will Bell the Cats?

    I rate this titleonand give it5.0

    Fable retold with fabulous artwork and an updated twist.

    The illustrations in this book make it a real keeper. Readers of all ages will find the artwork both captivating and original. And the story is a classic.  A slightly altered version of one of ...

  • Book: The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth

    I rate this titleonand give it5.0

    True story about an amazing boy who thought outside the box.

    This is just the kind of story that inspires kids. And, though of an earlier time, Philo has the kind of life most kids can relate to. He is a regular kind of kid who wonders about things, goes to ...

  • Book: What Sisters Do Best/What Brothers Do Best

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    Predictable but fun family book to share.

    The message is pleasant and friendly, the writing simple and straightforward, and the illustrations playful. The cute cuddly animals bring a sense of joy to the pages. The story is fairly ...

  • Book: Finn Throws a Fit

    I rate this titleonand give it4.0

    Artwork gives humorous spin to tale of a "terrible two."

    Most parents who have raised a toddler have had days like this. In the heat of the moment, the toddler seems impossible, and harried parents grasp for solutions, none of which seem to work. Then ...

  • Book: There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    Clever, but more an art project than a kid-friendly book.

    The presentation is what this book is about, and it's one that is clever and original though not really all that kid-friendly.  The familiar song is told in print that is a little hard to read, the ...

  • Book: Once Upon a Twice

    I rate this titleonand give it4.0

    Clever, spooky nonsense adventure isn't for sensitive kids.

    The tone is definitely spooky, the language playfully imaginative, and the illustrations rich, and beautifully magical. Quite a combination! With mice prowling through the rice field, predators ...

  • Book: Dinotrux

    I rate this titleonand give it3.0

    Earth-pounding action will thrill truck-loving dino fans.

    DINOTRUX will thrill any kid who loves trucks and dinosaurs. The story is a simple one, much like that of the primitive creatures that roamed the earth in times past. Inside the covers, the ...

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