Children’s Book Review: Pepe Builds A Nest By Theodore Jerome Cohen

PEPE BUILDS A NEST 
An Illustrated Storybook

By: Theodore Jerome Cohen

Published: January 6, 2017

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Fiction

It’s time for Pepe the Penguin to build a nest for his family to begin to grow. Building the nest is hard work, gathering stones from the shore and moving them into a circle in a safe spot on the beach. Pepe is particular, choosing the best stones for his nest. Otto, another penguin, decides it would be easier to just steal Pepe’s stones to make his nest. So, when Pepe has his back turned, Otto begins to steal his stones to make his nest. Pepe notices his stones are missing and confronts Otto. Will the bully win in this instance or will Pepe be able to have his nest ready for Miss Amber to sit?

What always amazes me is when authors can rhyme their way through an entire book. It’s hard enough to write an engaging children’s story, but then to also have it rhyme is even more challenging. Cohen’s tale has a 2/4 rhyming scheme that makes the story perfect for a read-aloud. The illustrations are realistic penguins and not cartoonish. I think kids will love this story and parents too. The lesson in the story offers parents an opportunity to discuss with their child how to handle a bully or someone who isn’t treating them very nicely.

The paperback version of this book is also available in Spanish and French. It is also available as an eBook. This book is great for preschool-second grade kids. There are two more books in the Pepe series. To see all of Cohen’s books, click HERE.

Theodore Jerome Cohen – source

Theodore Jerome (Ted) Cohen is an award-winning author who has published more than ten novels—all but one of them mystery/thrillers—and two books of short stories. He also writes illustrated storybooks for children (K-3) in the series Stories for the Early Years. During the course of his 45-year career, he worked as an engineer, scientist, CBS Radio Station News Service (RSNS) commentator, private investigator, and Antarctic explorer. What he’s been able to do with his background is mix fiction with reality in ways that even his family and friends have been unable to unravel!

Dr. Cohen’s writings (he holds three degrees in the physical sciences from the University of Wisconsin – Madison) have received the highest reviews from Feathered Quill, Hollywood Book Reviews, Kirkus Discoveries, Pacific Book Review, Reader Views, and Readers’ Favorite, among others, with many of his books recognized for their excellence through medals awarded by several of these same organizations following their annual book competitions. In 2017, for example, Readers’ Favorite awarded Dr. Cohen’s first short story anthology, The Road Less Taken: A Collection of Unusual Short Stories (Book 1), a Silver Medal while the National Association of Book Entrepreneurs (NABE) awarded the same book its Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best in Category: Short Stories. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), Dr. Cohen’s articles often can be found in that organization’s BULLETIN as well as in Story Monsters Ink magazine.

From December 1961 through early March 1962, Dr. Cohen participated in the 16th Chilean Expedition to the Antarctic. The US Board of Geographic Names in October 1964, named the geographical feature Cohen Islands, located at 63° 18′ S. latitude, 57° 53′ W. longitude in the Cape Legoupil area, Antarctica, in his honor. And given he is an avid communicator (Dr. Cohen has been a licensed Radio Amateur since 1952, and holds an Amateur Extra Class license (call sign: N4XX)) and an accomplished violinist (he played with the Bryn Athyn (PA) Orchestra from 2007 through 2013), it is not unexpected that stories involving the Antarctic, radio, and music are found throughout his writings.

In addition to his adult and children’s books, Dr. Cohen writes Young Adult (YA) novels under the pen name Alyssa Devine. His YA novel The Hypnotist (Lexile® measure 930L) currently is in the Core Genre (Mystery) Reading Program at Neshaminy High School in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he is a guest lecturer on the subject of mystery writing.

Dr. Cohen and his wife, Susan, live in southeastern Pennsylvania, not far from where Washington crossed the Delaware River to surprise the Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey, on the night of December 25-26, 1776. For more information, check out his website, HERE.

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I will be linking up this review on Booking Mama’s regular Saturday feature, Kid Konnection. This is a place for bloggers to share posts related to children’s and YA books. You will find spotlights, reviews, and sometimes even giveaways by clicking HERE, every Saturday.

Thanks to the author for sending a copy of this ebook for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase the book through the above links, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com.