This week’s roundup of Mom’s Choice Award winners features children’s picture books, juvenile books, educational products + more! Be sure to scroll through the entire list so you don’t miss any of our new award-winners! All the items you see below won a Mom’s Choice Award during September 29, 2024 to October 5, 2024.
Every week companies, inventors, and publishers from around the world send us their products for evaluation. Only the best earn our designation.
The Day Time Began
Written by Mary Ellen Roberson; Illustrated by Joanna Garcia
Full online description for The Day Time Began:
Go back to the beginning –- before there was time. Take a seat as God expresses His goodness and glory in the story of creation!
The Day Time Began is a lively and lyrical retelling of the story of creation. With over 160 different kinds of realistically illustrated animals to discover, this book is sure to excite pre-school through 2nd grade children about God’s greatness and the wonders of His marvelous creation.
Biblically based, this rhymed retelling of Genesis 1 is a perfect gift book for children and new parents. The full color pages declare the glory of God as the world is created one day at a time. Sun, moon, and stars shine out in space, sparking curiosity about the world out there. God’s amazing animals fill sea, sky and land. Can you name them all? And the man and the woman, they “were the best of God’s plan.”
The Day Time Began is also a valuable teaching tool for homeschool parents, Sunday School teachers, and Bible Club teachers. The rhymed stanzas make the story easy to memorize, giving children a fun way to learn the days of creation.
Want to bring the story to life for family fun or classroom presentations?
A video of accompanying motions can be found at maryellenroberson.com.
Children’s Picture Books:
Religion & Spirituality
Skybound!: Starring Mary Myers as Carlotta, Daredevil Aeronaut and Scientist
Written by Sue Ganz-Schmitt; Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno; Edited by Carolyn Yoder
In this STEAM picture book, take to the skies with Mary Myers, aka “Carlotta,” an aeronaut and inventor whose careful scientific work improved balloons and our understanding of flight, weather patterns, and the atmosphere. In the 1850s, proper young ladies were supposed to keep their feet on the ground (literally and metaphorically), but Mary dreamed of flying. Luckily, she married Carl Myers, a balloon enthusiast whose dreams were just as lofty as hers. Together, they designed and constructed balloons of all shapes and sizes, a difficult and dangerous job that required knowledge of chemistry, engineering, and meteorology. But how could they know which balloon designs worked best? They needed someone adventurous who could do balloon tricks for crowds while recording flight data. Mary knew just the person . . . herself! She gave herself the stage name Carlotta and anxiously awaited her first flight. Would she make it into the air? Could she collect the data they needed? Mary battled thick clouds and bone-chilling cold, but she went higher and farther than she hoped, and returned ready for her next flight.
Children’s Picture Books:
Science & Technology
Sammie and Pumpkin: Based on a True Story
Written by Alanna Albano; Illustrated by JiaJia Hamner
Janie is so excited to meet her new dog, Sammie! They have lots of fun going on walks and exploring, but when Janie takes Sammie to the dog park to play, she discovers that Sammie is resistant to meeting new friends. Sammie hides and barks at everyone, scaring away the other dogs. Can Janie help Sammie learn how to be a friend? Even though it seems impossible, an unexpected visitor on Janie’s doorstep might just be able to help.
This is an inspiring and heartwarming story about how the value of family and the power of friendship have the unique ability to bring out the best in ourselves and others.
Children’s Picture Books:
Domestic Animals & Pets
Pigs Have Wings
Written by Kathleen Welton; Illustrated by Chau Pham
Pigs Have Wings is a touching tale of Miz Peg, who wants nothing more than to dance and sing. With short legs and big feet, it’s harder for a pig than you would think. Peg gets all tangled up trying to twirl. Everyone laughs and tells Peg “don’t you know, pigs don’t have wings.” Peg is finally able to leap in the sky when a baby bird lands on her head and shows her how to hip and hop. A wise owl helps her learn that we all have our own wings when we believe. From that day on, Peg dances with all her heart. She finds her own way to shine! With light-hearted rhymes and high-stepping illustrations, this tale is gentle inspiration for everyone who wants to find their own wings within-and imagine they can accomplish anything.
Children’s Picture Books:
Inspirational / Motivational
King Avalanche the Great: & Other Fantastic Cat Tales
Written by Viviana Falleti; Illustrated by Claudia Gadotti; Edited by Marylin Krepf
This book, with its delightful seven cat tales, will spark the interest of young readers and cat lovers of all ages. The stories run the gamut of cuddly, sneaky, bouncy, and sometimes mischievous cats! From the tiny kitten Little Boots, who was rescued by a boy, to the pampered Siamese cat, who becomes a philanthropist; these charming stories are based on true events, with a little artistic license mixed in.
Children’s Picture Books:
Bedtime Stories
Hello Hero
Written by Chanie Brod
Musya Eckhaus
Discover your Super Powers with Hartie the Power Pal!
Hello Hero is not just a story; it’s a personal adventure for each child. Through engaging rhymes and scenarios, Hartie guides readers through the realization that heroism is woven into the fabric of their daily lives—from standing up for truth to showing kindness to others. This book serves as a mirror, reflecting the power and potential within each child to make heroic choices every day. It’s a tool that empowers them to recognize their own strength, kindness, and courage, showing them that they possess the power to be heroes in their own lives.
Perfect for:
Fostering confidence in children
Starting conversations about feelings
Inviting children to share their wins and challenges
Counselors, therapists, social workers, and caregivers of all kinds
Children’s Picture Books:
Bedtime Stories
Art Smiles Card Game
Designed to teach your child about various art styles, history and the artists behind them, each card features uplifting smile that brings each style to life. Perfect for combining fun with cultural enrichment, this game will have your kids exploring and appreciating art in a whole new way!
Educational Products:
Ages 5 to 8
Amos THE Famous
Written by Karen Berglund; Illustrated by Michele Katz; Edited by Sharon Jennings
Do you love MAGIC SHOWS? UNEXPECTED twists? Reinforcing GOOD MANNERS and SOCIAL SKILLS? VOILA!!! Amos THE Famous does it all!!
Lovable (but very impulsive) Amos the bear dreams about becoming a famous magician. His plan unravels at the worst possible moment, leaving all his forest animal friends speechless—including Amos! An unexpected twist leads to a magic show NEVER SEEN BEFORE!
WRITTEN IN RHYME, Amos THE Famous will delight magic lovers of all ages as it reinforces manners, social skills and the importance of doing the right thing, all in a most magically fun way. This books emphasizes the importance of following your dreams, for you never know who you might help along the way.
Author Karen Berglund is known for writing humorous children’s books and hiding hints in the illustrations.
Children’s Picture Books:
Developing Social Skills
Adventures at Lake Omigosh
Written by Scott Sollers; Illustrated by Bryan Janky
Felix and Harry, two best friends, are super excited to go away for the summer to Camp Horizon, a sleepaway camp in the woods of New Hampshire. There they can bike, hike, and ride canoes on Lake Omigosh. But something mysterious lurks in the depths of the lake. For many years, people have claimed to have spotted a mysterious creature drifting on the surface of Lake Omigosh. One day, when Felix and Harry decide to go canoeing, a bad storm arrives, putting the two in real danger. Who will come to their rescue when their canoe flips over and the boys are left stranded in the middle of the lake?
Juvenile Books (Level 1 – Ages 5 to 8):
Fiction – General
Where Are the Women?
Written by Janice Hechter; Illustrated by Janice Hechter
When a group of New York City Girl Scouts learn that there are no statues of women in Central Park, they are stunned.
Then, they organize and combine forces in a quest to change that. The girls raise funds, spread awareness, provide testimony, and convince the city that there needs to be a statue of women inside Central Park. What started out as a discovery on a field trip turns into a four-year process of not giving in or giving up.
In this powerful true story, young girls make an enormous impact on securing the
placement of the first monument depicting women in Central Park.
Gold – Juvenile Books (Level 1 – Ages 5 to 8): Non-Fiction – General
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