Review

Nestled in the heart of Austin's Brentwood neighborhood, Birdhouse Books and Gifts is a vibrant independent bookstore that opened its doors in September of this year. The store boasts a playful kids' corner brimming with books for readers of all ages and offers author readings, book discussions, and children's story times.

Ever wish a bookstore could just roll into your neighborhood? That’s exactly what Lioness Books does! This awesome mobile bookshop cruises around Texas, bringing a handpicked selection of books right to your doorstep. Think of it as a book truck that offers more than just great reads—it creates community connections by hosting fun pop-up events, book signings, and author meet-ups. Perfect for those who want to dive into new stories and chat with fellow book lovers without ever leaving the neighborhood!

Explore this charming new gift boutique and event venue in the small Hill Country town of Jonestown, nestled on the shores of Lake Travis between Lago Vista and Cedar Park: dax + jade.

Launched by mom and local resident Amy Stewart, dax + jade quickly won the hearts of the community, particularly among Moms and kids who have an affinity for creativity and handcrafted body and beauty products. 

Today’s featured book, Stronger Than She Thinks by Nancy Kerrigan, reviewed by our reader and local mom Sabrina, is based on a true story about the Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan. 

Today’s featured book The Sun and The Planets by Patricia Geis, reviewed by our reader and local mom Yvette, is a very detailed and informative adventure about earth and outer space, with pop-ups, pull-outs, sliders, and foldouts.

Today's featured book Adelaide and The Cosmic Rescue Squad by Zoe Twist is about a team of young trick or treaters who have to brave the dark by helping a tiny witchlet Zara create magical light bubbles for all the worlds children.

Attention, fellow book enthusiasts, parents, and caregivers of budding bookworms! Is your little one an avid reader or do they simply adore listening to your soothing voice as you read to them?

We are inundated with numerous requests to review children's books, and unfortunately, we can no longer keep up with reviewing all of them ourselves. It pains us to decline authors, as we hold a deep love for books and a strong desire to support the incredible individuals who both educate and entertain our precious little readers.

Recognizing that many of you have young book lovers at home or have experienced this joy in the past, we wanted to gauge your interest in a "Read and Share" program. This program would offer you the opportunity to receive free books in exchange for providing book reviews. Interested? Read on for details.

Today's featured books, My Daddy is a Monster/My Kids are Monsters and My Mummy is a Monster/My Children are Monsters by Natalie Reeves Billing and illustrated by Lisa Williams are part of  “The Monstrous Me Collection”. Both books are uniquely engaging and describe one story from two points of view, the children's and the father's and mother's respectively. Once you reach a certain place in the book, you flip the book over and read it again, it’s the same, yet different.   

Who's going to be the monster today, Mom or Dad?

Read the book review of a fellow Live Grow Play Austin reader and enter for a chance to win your own copy.

Today's featured book Perry the Fairy and her Tail by Tsila Glidai and Illustrator Tamar Efrati  is a charming lesson about acceptance, self- confidence and inclusion told by the sweetest grandmother to her curious granddaughter. This is the first book in a series of Tell Me A Story, Grandma Glee. Children ages 4-8 will enjoy this book as they engage in rhyming sentences on each page and beautifully hand- drawn pictures to compliment every page.

It’s fall, y’all, and what’s better than cozying up at home with the kids and a fun board game on a cold, rainy day? We just got a new board game and we love it: Ravensburger 3D Labyrinth!

Just like in the classic and other versions of Labyrinth, the goal of this game is to be the first to collect all of your treasures by moving walls and open passages of a Labyrinth, and to foil and block your opponents. Better get your thinking hat on!

Read our review and enter for a chance to win your own copy of the game.

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4