The Nocturnals: The Moonlight Meeting Book Review

Tobin the pangolin awakens one evening to the smell of a sweet pomelo.  Following the scent, he reaches the golden fruit and prepares to take a bite.  The pangolin soon realizes that he is not alone.

A strange creature leaps down from the trees above claiming that Tobin is a thief.  Feeling threatened, Tobin  releases a smelly gas.  The two begin to quarrel when the bushes suddenly start to rustle.  Could the pair be in even bigger trouble than they thought?

I love this first installment in The Nocturnals Grow and Read Early Readers Program series.  Tracey Hecht and Rumur Dowling's characters are enchanting.  I especially love how each character has his/her own distinct personality.  I definitely felt a wide arrange of emotions while reading this story.  My heart ached for poor Tobin.  I laughed at Bismark and I could totally relate to Dawn's serenity and wisdom.

Waymond Singleton's illustrations are truly captivating.  Each creature is beyond adorable and has his/her own specific facial expressions.  While the story takes place at night, Singleton makes wonderful use of white space and does not make the illustrations too dark.

This is a wonderful read for children ages 5-9.  They will fall in love with the kindly characters and the mysteriousness of a nighttime setting.  I cannot wait to read the next book in The Nocturnals series.

Don't Forget Dexter! Book Review

Dexter T. Rexter is the coolest dinosaur around.  He lives with his best friend, Jack.  One day, the pair go to the doctor for a check-up.

Dexter was so into his coloring that he did not see Jack leave.  He tries everything he can to get Jack to come back.  Panic sets in as Dexter worries that he may be left at the doctor's office forever! 

What if Jack left Dexter behind on purpose?  What if he is being replaced by other toys?  Will Dexter spend the rest of his days alone?

I absolutely adore this book!  I fell in love with Dexter on page one.  I love how expressive his eyes and eyebrows are.  I truly connected with the plot as well.  When I was young, I had a stuffed bear named Curly that literally went everywhere with me.  My heart would have broken if he had gone missing.

I think that showing the bond between a child and toy through the eyes of the toy is especially gripping.  I was crying right along with Dexter.  I believe that adult readers will also resonate with the theme of feeling forgotten.

Ward's illustrations are simplistic yet powerful.  Dexter is simply adorable!  Not to mention that he is my favorite color, orange.   I also love the subtle details such as Dexter's tummy and claws looking like sheets of notebook paper that a child would draw on.

This is a fantastic book for readers of all ages.  Children will love snuggling up with their favorite toy as they cheer Dexter on in his quest to find his best friend. 

Not Quite Narwhal Book Review

Kelp has always known that he is different from the other narwhals.  His tusk is not as glorious as his friend's.  And he still has not mastered the art of swimming.

One day, a swift current carries Kelp far from home.  He surfaces and sees an animal in the distance that looks just like him!  Stepping onto land for the first time, Kelp begins his search for the magical creature.

He emerges from the forest to find a meadow filled with what must be land narwhals.  Kelp is then informed that the creatures are actually unicorns and is told that he is one too!  How will his underwater friends take this shocking news?  Should Kelp remain on land with his unicorn kin forever?

This is one of my absolute favorite children's picture books of all time!  I love everything about the story.  I can totally relate to Kelp and his feelings of being torn between two worlds.  I think that everyone will be able to relate with Kelp and his journey to find out who (and what) he really is.

Sima's illustrations are adorably fantastic!  I fell in love with Kelp the moment I saw him in the clam shell.  Sima is a master of facial expressions and I love the diverse color palette that she uses which can be seen throughout the book.

Readers of all ages will adore Kelp and cheer him on in his quest to find his true identity.  This book is sure to become a children's classic and will delight readers for years to come.  I hope that Kelp will return to share more of his adventures with the world.