Category: Press & Reviews

Candace’s Book Blog: Storm Buddies and Plush Toys

elaine

Candace’s Book Blog
January 10, 2016

I received the Storm Buddies book and the plush toys that come in the cloud for review. The book is a short paperback that was a quick and easy read that’s designed to help kids with their fear of storms. The plush toys are in the book at the end and are meant to help comfort a child who is fearful of storms. If you have a child who is afraid of storms this book may be helpful.

While my kids aren’t afraid of storms, they are afraid of other things (or we just don’t have enough storms to know). The plushies are definitely good for that as they are perfect for sleeping with and in fact can be a pillow once the three animals are inside the cloud. I was thinking that this also makes them good for traveling with since you can keep them together.

While the book is good for children fearful of storms other children may not connect with it fully. However it’s a good opportunity to discuss fear in general and how different people are afraid of different things.

The illustrations weren’t our favorite. They are all similar to the cover. Illustrations are definitely about taste and because we didn’t care for them much it doesn’t mean others won’t.

My kids favorite was the plushies, for sure. We’ve had them for a few weeks and they get played with often and they are slept with every night. My son is afraid when he’s alone so they are his ‘friends’ and my daughter just likes playing with them like they are her pets.

If you have a child afraid of storms you may want to consider this. The plushies themselves were a hit here and I think many kids would enjoy them.

Gorge News Center Podcast

elaine
on

Storms can represent a sudden and frightening change in the environment. They’re noisy and disruptive and can rattle more than windows. If you’ve ever had a child in your family who has been frightened by storms, you’ll be interested in Melissa Pope’s solution. Her own son had that problem and eventually, she found a way to help kids cope.  She shares it through her new book Storm Buddies, and the plush stuffed animals themselves in their cloud pillow.  Melissa spent a number of years as a teacher and that made it easier to identify with them and write the book.

You can hear our interview with her by clicking on the podcast below.

Listen to the podcast here.

Children’s Book Review: Storm Buddies (with plush toy set)

elaine

Hollywood Jesus
January 8th, 2016
Andrea Stunz

Inspired by her son, Melissa Pope’s children’s book, Storm Buddies, is a fictional tale about a little boy named Tommy who is terrified of stormy weather. Tommy overcomes this fear with the help of three small animals, called the Storm Buddies, who live in a cloud pillow under Tommy’s bed. The Storm Buddies have “superpowers” that help calm Tommy during scary thunderstorms, ultimately comforting him to sleep.

“My eight year old watched the news, weather channel and the sky at all times,” Pope says. “It disrupted his daily schedule, sports and all activities after school because he was so focused on what might happen with the weather. I wish he would have had the Storm Buddies in his young life.” ~Melissa Pope, Author

Pope hopes her book will be a great relief to young children who may have experienced the frightening effects of hurricanes, violent storms or tornadoes.

I found the concept of this children’s book delightful. In fact, my own daughter promptly grabbed the cloud pouch with the plush characters inside and took them upstairs with her. The plush toys are well-made, cute and cuddly. I suspect they are just as the author intended. I also love that the story was written with older children in mind. It gives kids of all ages permission to be scared and to ask for help in coping with their fears.

While I loved the concept of this book paired with the adorable plush toy set as well as the permission Pope offers for children of all ages to be scared, the story seemed to end quite abruptly. I think the author missed out on an opportunity to proclaim God as our ultimate comforter and hero. He gives us tools to use, yes, but he is the One with the super powers. The Creator of the storm is the comforter in the storm – along with a soft little kitten, puppy and horse, of course.

I must mention that I didn’t love the part of the story where the dad and siblings made fun of Tommy’s fears and gave him a hard time, this is the way life is sometimes. It’s unfortunate but it’s true. By including this in the story, I’m sure that children who are also being made fun of will be comforted in knowing he/she is not alone.

All in all, I like this book set. It’s thoughtful, heartfelt and cuddly cute. I am pleased I had the opportunity to review it. It’s a great little book with colorful and relatable illustrations. The plush toy set is a very clever addition. It would make a great gift for a child who is fearful of storms. I can see this being a book being read to children everywhere as they sit in their parent or grandparent’s lap as a storm approaches.

Melissa Pope is a children’s book author, but before becoming an author, she was an elementary teacher. She and her husband have been married for 21 years, and they live with their three sons in the St. Louis area. Storm Buddies is Melissa’s first book, but she’s working on several others to help kids cope with other fears, such as dental visits, getting shots, and more.

Visit, www.stormbuddies.com to find out more about the author, illustrator and future projects.

The book set can be purchased at Amazon.com.

Feathered Quill Review

elaine

Quill says: This is a book that will definitely be that “calm in the storm” that so many need. And they will absolutely love the gift of these three life-long pals. Great job!

Storm Buddies (Paperback w/Plush Toys)

By: Melissa Pope
Illustrated By: Beth Zyglowicz
Publisher: 1st Books
Publication Date: August 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4918-1097-2
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: December 2015

Any child or parent (any human, for that matter) will agree: every single one of us suffers from at least one fear. Whether that be the creepy spider, the Stephen King-‘esque’ clown, the boss who has the power to fire us…the list goes on and on. But one of the largest fears out there still remains those loud storms that produce scary lightning and thunder. The kind that keeps us awake and makes us want to crawl under the bed. Well, believe it or not, there is now an answer to that problem.

This amazing (and much-needed) book, written by Melissa Pope, delves into that fear. Not only does it help and support kids, but Pope also uses plush “buddies” to drive home her point. With this incredible book (also available with just the paperback) comes a small, blue, soft pillow—and inside, three “buddies” await. A kitten, a horse, and a puppy are all there to hold and snuggle with while reading the book.

This is a tale of Tommy, a young boy who owns that fear of storms. His family has tried everything they can to help Tommy not be so scared, from praying for him to giving him snacks and bringing out the flashlights when the house goes dark from the storm. But poor Tommy just can’t be calmed. Until…one night while brushing his teeth, Tommy sees something move under his covers. (Another fear?) Not at all. When he looks, there is a blue pillow in the shape of a cloud with those three small animals inside that promise Tommy they will not only calm his fear, but they will also be his buddies forever.

It is no surprise that the author was able to ‘hit the mark’ for all the children out there. Once an elementary school teacher, Melissa is now a stay-at-home Mom. She loves spending time with her three children, and this is a tale that’s actually based on one of her own child’s fears. Her goal was to create characters that would come alive when children needed them the most. And, as it was with Toy Story, these characters are a true delight to behold.

Quill says: This is a book that will definitely be that “calm in the storm” that so many need. And they will absolutely love the gift of these three life-long pals. Great job!

Little Red Reads

elaine

December 23, 2015
Little Red Reads

Storm buddies wold be the perfect gift for a child with anxiety. The plush toys are high quality and the zip up cloud they come in is super soft. It’s a wonderful comfort item to take to bed in times of stormy weather. All of my children loved the three animals and took turns playing with Pope’s plush characters. We highly recommend the full set of book with the toys, as even our older children enjoyed each animal and the theme and message of the story.

Inspired by her son, Melissa Pope’s children’s book, Storm Buddies, is a fictional tale about a little boy named Tommy who is terrified of stormy weather. Tommy overcomes this fear with the help of three small animals, called the Storm Buddies, who live in a cloud pillow under Tommy’s bed. The Storm Buddies have superpowers that help calm Tommy during scary thunderstorms, ultimately comforting him to sleep.

“My eight year old watched the news, weather channel and the sky at all times,” Pope says. “It disrupted his daily schedule, sports and all activities after school because he was so focused on what might happen with the weather. I wish he would have had the Storm Buddies in his young life.”

Pope hopes her book will be a great relief to young children who may have experienced the frightening effects of hurricanes, violent storms or tornadoes.

A fictional tale about a little boy, who is terrified of stormy weather. He overcomes his fear with the help of three small animals called THE STORM BUDDIES, who live in the cloud pillow. The bundle comes with the book, cloud pillow, and three stuffed animals.

DogoBooks.com Review

elaine

From DogoBooks.com

My middle son (now 15) was terrified of storms when he was younger. He would make himself sick with worry. I always wished he would have had something to comfort him during stormy weather. I have tried to create characters that can come alive when children need them the most. Hopefully, this book will be helpful to lots of boys and girls who share in my son’s fear of storms.

Storm Buddies protect your children during a storm

elaine

From Stuffed Party

Some children may be scared during storms. Storm Buddies are stuffed animals that have been created especially for these cases and will help calm the child.

Storm Buddies are a creation by author Melissa Pope. Her son was extremely frightened by storms and she tried everything she could think of to calm him down but nothing worked. So this inspired her to write the book called Storm Buddies. It features three animals that protect children during storms and keeps them safe.

Along with the book, there are stuffed animals versions of the three characters. This way they have the calming effect and help the children cope with the storms.

“My 8 year old watched the news, weather channel and the sky at all times,” Pope says. “It disrupted his daily schedule, sports and all activities after school because he was so focused on what might happen with the weather. I wish he would have had The Storm Buddies in his young life.”

“Storm Buddies” is a fictional tale about a little boy named Tommy who is terrified of stormy weather.Tommy overcomes this fear with the help of three small animals, called The Storm Buddies, who live in a cloud pillow under Tommy’s bed.

The buddies are a horse, tiger and a dog. They are small and perfect for cuddling. They come in a set of all three for 14.99 dollars. If you get the book too, the price is 19.99 dollars.

Storm Buddies are a perfect example that stuffed animals have a therapeutic effect. We have already covered their helpful effect over children that need to cope with crime or depression.

Storm buddies help kids cope with bad weather

elaine

Channel 5 News

Superheroes Soothe Stormy Weather Fears in Melissa Pope’s New Book

‘Storm Buddies’ tells calming story for children fearful of storms.
PRWEB  – St. Louis (PRWEB) January 14, 2014

Inspired by her son, Melissa Pope’s new children’s book “Storm Buddies” (published by AuthorHouse) is a fictional tale about a little boy named Tommy who is terrified of stormy weather.

Tommy overcomes this fear with the help of three small animals, called The Storm Buddies, who live in a cloud pillow under Tommy’s bed.

The Storm Buddies have superpowers that help calm Tommy during scary thunderstorms, ultimately comforting him to sleep.

“My 8 year old watched the news, weather channel and the sky at all times,” Pope says. “It disrupted his daily schedule, sports and all activities after school because he was so focused on what might happen with the weather. I wish he would have had The Storm Buddies in his young life.”

Pope says her book will be a great relief to young children who may have recently experienced the frightening effects of hurricanes, violent storms or tornadoes.

About the Author
Melissa Pope has been married to her husband, Joe, for 21 years and they have three sons. She taught elementary school for a number of years before becoming a stay-at-home mother when her second child was born.

Interview segment by KSDK, May 14,2015

http://www.ksdk.com/media/cinematic/video/27226169/storm-buddies-help-kids-cope-with-bad-weather

 

Superheroes Soothe Stormy Weather Fears in Melissa Pope’s New Book

elaine

‘Storm Buddies’ tells calming story for children fearful of storms.
PRWEB  – St. Louis (PRWEB) January 14, 2014

Inspired by her son, Melissa Pope’s new children’s book “Storm Buddies” (published by AuthorHouse) is a fictional tale about a little boy named Tommy who is terrified of stormy weather.

Tommy overcomes this fear with the help of three small animals, called The Storm Buddies, who live in a cloud pillow under Tommy’s bed.

The Storm Buddies have superpowers that help calm Tommy during scary thunderstorms, ultimately comforting him to sleep.

“My 8 year old watched the news, weather channel and the sky at all times,” Pope says. “It disrupted his daily schedule, sports and all activities after school because he was so focused on what might happen with the weather. I wish he would have had The Storm Buddies in his young life.”

Pope says her book will be a great relief to young children who may have recently experienced the frightening effects of hurricanes, violent storms or tornadoes.

About the Author
Melissa Pope has been married to her husband, Joe, for 21 years and they have three sons. She taught elementary school for a number of years before becoming a stay-at-home mother when her second child was born.

Interview segment by KSDK, May 14,2015