My grateful thanks to the author Jen E. Lis for copies of her children’s books Up All Night and Babies Have All the Fun in return for an honest review.

Up All Night

The story of a boy stayed up all night because he didn’t want to go to bed – and his misadventures the next day. Full color with fun, humorous illustrations.

Babies Have All The Fun

When Griffin sees how good life is for his baby brother Elwood, he wants to be a baby again. But Griffin soon learns there may be something even more exciting to be than a baby.

You’ll find both books for purchase here in the US and here in the UK.

My Review of Up All Night and Babies Have All the Fun

It can be tough being an older brother!

Firstly, I have to comment on the wonderful illustrations in both these children’s books. There’s a brilliant fusion of naivety through the watercolours used and sophistication in the facial expressions that will appeal to adults and children alike. Nicolle N. Loza is a very talented artist. The pictures really give a vibrancy to the stories.

I think both stories are extremely well pitched to the age group. They are perfect for bedtime stories or for developing readers to read to themselves. Reviewing from a British perspective and thinking about literacy, the American English would need to be explained and explored and could lead to some interesting discussions about language use and development.

I felt quite sorry for Griffin in Babies Have All the Fun when baby brother Elwood receives all the adult attention. Sharing this book with young children where there are new siblings would be a fantastic, non-threatening way to deal with jealousy and to discuss different family roles. It might also serve as a reminder to parents that a new baby can leave existing children feeling vulnerable. There’s some lovely humour in the story too so that reading Babies Have All the Fun is a positive experience.

Up All Night also has that lovely accessible layer of fun and humour as Babies Have All the Fun, when the child in the story is so tired he accidentally tries to write with a carrot on a blackboard, or eats the dog’s dinner for example. However, what I really loved about this particular story is that it serves to illustrate the importance of sleep for children in a way that they can relate to so easily. I can imagine parents using this story with a huge sigh of relief as part of the bedtime training for their own child.

Both Up All Night and Babies Have All the Fun are really lovely books for young children with very cleverly interwoven themes and beautifully illustrated. I really recommend them.

About Jen E. Lis

Jen E. Lis is a mom, pharmacist, and children’s book author. She and her husband graduated from Purdue University College of Pharmacy. Their experience raising their two boys has served as inspiration for their writing. As all parents and caregivers can relate to – never a dull moment with kids! Jen’s books are meant to be fun for families to share.

You can find out more on Facebook and on this website. Jen has just joined Twitter @JEL_Author and I’m sure she’d appreciate a follow!