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Check out this wonderful four-star editorial review of "Libby the Lobivia Jajoiana" from The Wishing Shelf Book Review!

2/26/2021

‘An important message of self-worth and self-acceptance all wrapped up in a sweet picture book. Highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf

A lot of people think that writing a picture book is simple compared to, say, writing a novel. But, trust me, it's not; and I would know as I have written a few myself. You see, with a picture book, every word is important. And not only that, the rhythm of the words, how they flow on the page, is vital if it's to be successful. Thankfully, the two authors of Libby the Lobivia Jajoiana seemed to get this as, not only is the message perfect for younger children - parents will love it too - the rhythm of the writing and the vocab is, for the most part, spot on.

So, it's probably best if I tell you what the story is about. Well, in a nutshell, the story follows a little cactus and how she feels when the very pretty Violet is placed on the shelf next to her. Sitting next to such a pretty flower is not very good for Libby’s self- confidence. But, in the end, after a short adventure involving a naughty cat, Libby discovers she has self-worth too.

I must also devote a little ink to discussing the drawings. Wow! They are, in every way, wonderful. There is a sort of ‘warm’ feel to them. Charming, wonderfully colorful, the characters simply jump off the page. Gordon Bagshaw, the illustrator, is a very talented fellow. For my two daughters - they enjoyed this book with me - they were the best part of the book. Yes, they enjoyed the plot, the characters, and the setting, but it was the colorful drawings that had them enthralled. There are plenty too, and they, along with the cleverly plotted story, kept them enthralled for the evening.

After saying all of that, there are a few things that need work. Firstly, the title is very difficult for a young child to pronounce or even understand , and this might be off- putting for them. Secondly, although the story is well-written, it is possibly slightly too long and I think a good editor would cut it here and there, helping with the pacing. Remember, most parents, at the end of a long day, don't want to spend TOO long getting a child to sleep.

So, would I recommend this book? Totally. Who to? I think it’s perfect for 6 – 8 year olds. There will be a few words the children won’t know, but that’s okay. With the help of the fabulous illustrations, the adult can explain it to them. And, let’s face it, that’s what a good picture book is all about.

Enjoy!

A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk

Tell me what you think...I wanna know! Leave your thoughts in the comments.I've also updated Kuri K9 Massage's site, if you want to check that out.Coming soon, Triple Take Production's brand new site - stay tuned for more, but here's a small taste:

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Tell me what you think...I wanna know! Leave your thoughts in the comments.
I've also updated Kuri K9 Massage's site, if you want to check that out.
Coming soon, Triple Take Production's brand new site - stay tuned for more, but here's a small taste: