Check out My Newest Book Review For "Adventures with Allie and Friends: Chef Cherie's Cafe" PLUS Enter A Giveaway! #AdventuresWithAllie ~

This post is sponsored by Melanie Moore. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Adventures with Allie and Friends: Chef Cherie’s Cafe

Written by Melanie Moore

Illustrated by Juan Diaz

Ages: 3-8 | 40 Pages

Publisher: Mascot Publishing (2025) | ISBN: 979-8891385351

Publisher’s Book Summary: Meet Allie! She loves helping her friends any way she can. She is always on the lookout for new ways to make a difference.

In this first book about her adventures, Allie helps Chef Cherie with her restaurant.

Will you come along with Allie and Chef Cherie?

PURCHASE LINK

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Bookshop.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melanie Moore is a native West Texas girl born into a loving Christian family. She was born with several disabilities, but that never stopped her! When she was a little girl, she participated in elementary-level cheerleading, sang in the school choir, and played the clarinet in the marching band. In her spare time, she loved reading The Berenstain Bears, The Babysitter’s Club, and the Sweet Valley High series. Some of her favorite pastimes were vacationing in the mountains of New Mexico, family get-togethers, and picking pecans at her grandparents’ farm.

After graduating from high school, she went to Hardin-Simmons University, where she was elected Treasurer of the Social Work Club and earned a Bachelor of Behavioral Sciences in Social Work. During that time, she interned for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Abilene. She helped connect children with possible mentors. She was also a mentor to a little girl in the program.

After college, she worked for the public school system in her hometown. She explored her creative side while working with speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, music therapists, behavior specialists, autism specialists, teachers, and students. With the encouragement and guidance of her supervisors and coworkers, she created social stories and a small categorical book for speech-language pathologists.

Melanie has spent most of her career working with children with special needs. She credits her success to the students she works with every day. Her motto is that we must first seek the needs and wants of each student and allow them to teach us before we can teach them. These days, she is mostly focused on family days completed with a rousing game of Train, attending a Supper Club ministry at her church, volunteering with the Education Foundation, and maintaining a goal of walking three miles every day—or at least she tries!

https://www.facebook.com/AllieAdventures

MY REVIEW

I recently sat down with Melanie Moore’s Adventures with Allie and Friends: Chef Cherie’s Café, and right from the first page I felt like I was invited into a cozy kitchen full of hope and little surprises. The book introduces us to Allie, who loves helping others, and her friend Chef Cherie who runs the café. Together they embark on a fun adventure where Allie learns that making a difference can look like something as simple as creating a delicious menu or lending a hand in unexpected ways.

What I loved most about this story is how it blends friendship, kindness, and a real sense of purpose in a gentle way. The vivid illustrations (40 pages in the hardcover) make the café scene come alive, and the fact that it’s aimed at ages 3-8 means it’s accessible for younger kids while still charming for adults reading aloud. Allie’s eagerness to help, and the way Chef Cherie trusts and mentors her, create a warm dynamic that feels real and encouraging.

If I were to share what stands out most:

*The theme of service and community…. the idea that you don’t have to be big or famous to make a positive impact; sometimes just showing up counts.

*The setting of the café is inviting and tangible…..kids (and readers) can imagine the smells, the sounds, the bustle of friends gathering, which makes the story more immersive.

*The tone is hopeful and uplifting without being preachy; it simply whispers “you matter” and “you can help” in a soft yet confident voice.

I absolutely loved this read so much and to be honest….if you’re looking for a children’s book that quietly teaches about friendship, service, and the joy of being part of something meaningful, Adventures with Allie and Friends: Chef Cherie’s Café is a lovely pick. It’s perfect for read-alouds at home or in a classroom, and it leaves you smiling…. thinking about what simple act you might do today to brighten someone’s day (just like Allie does). I look forward to more adventures with Allie and her friends.