Benny the Biplane loves to fly.  He was made to fly in a war, then the war ended and he was grounded.  Then he got to fly with a carnival where people did tricks, but the carnival closed down.  Finally, a woman chose Benny for an important mission of delivering food and toys to children and Benny was happy.  

This is a wonderful story, perfect for children 2-6.  Simple, short sentences paired with real photos of biplanes are able to keep the interest of children, especially ones that love things that go!  I really liked that this book was able to introduce a little history of the biplane along with some real jobs that biplanes were used for.  It also touches upon the subjects of having a purpose and fulfilment providing an easy way to introduce children to those topics.  I would have loved a sentence about what makes a biplane special (I correctly guessed bi went with the two wings) so I could answer this inevitable question that my child asked me.

This book was provided for free in return for an honest review. 

​Gertrude the goat and Toby the tortoise are fast friends who live at McFarland farms.  Every Friday they enjoy going on an adventure.  This Friday, they plan to sneak off the farm and into town to chow down on some candy.  On their way into town Gertrude and Toby meet a variety of characters and when they get to the store they realize they might have a problem that some of the characters they met might be able to help them with.  
A fun adventure with many unexpected twists and turns.  I and the little one loved this unlikely duo, showing that friends come in all shapes and sizes.  As Gertrude and Toby go on their quest for treats, they meet some recognizable fairy tale characters.  This made a fun question and answer game as to which story each character came from.  Gertrude comes up with an inventive way to use gifts from each character they meet in order to solve their problem, resulting in a funny and exciting ending.  Colorful and whimsical illustrations follow the story nicely and tie everything together.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

Gertrude the Goat and Toby the Tortoise are up for another adventure!  This time, they decide to go out and about when Farmer McFarland takes his prize pig to the county fair. On their way into town, they meet several characters including a flying carpet. However, once Gertrude and Toby reach the Hay Bale Market, they hear a cry for help and discover that it is their friend the Gingerbread Man!

Another fun adventure with two lovable friends!  This time the mischievous pair meets even more fairy tale characters and made new friends with Hansel and Gretel. I loved the question and answer portion throughout the book where Gertrude asks Toby "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" This made it fun to ask when reading to little ones.  Gertrude finds a way to help their friend the Gingerbread Man with a little inventiveness and the help of a new friend, the carpet.  Colorful, lighthearted illustrations clearly illustrate the action and each page and round out the story.

This book received from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. 

Gertrude and Toby are off for another Friday Adventure!  This time they are going fishing at Trout Lake.  However, they are constantly being interrupted by a young boy shouting that a wolf is coming. Finally, the young boy is caught by the wolf. Gertrude and Toby decide to help the boy, but end up leading the wolf straight to his favorite meal, the three pigs!

One more amusing adventure for Gertrude and Toby, this time combining the fairy tales of The Boy Who Cried Wolf and The Three Little Pigs.  I loved that Gertrude and Toby continue to show that friends can have differences and that teamwork is best.  This unlikely pair also shows ingenuity for the silly problems that they tend to get into.  My little one loved the colorful but simple pictures of the comical animals.

​This book was received for free in return for an honest review.