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Assessed by Awesome Indies
November 22, 2017
5 Stars
The Adventures of Gracie & Monkeybear, Book 1: Summer is a fantastic children’s book just in time for the holidays – packed with wonderful illustrations, a fun adventure and an important message about helping others. The titular Gracie is a young girl with an active imagination who goes on a journey with her faithful dog, Monkeybear. Their quest takes them on an archaeological expedition, to meet a friend from outer space and finally to the depths of the ocean. Along the way, Gracie and Monkeybear help out a tyrannosaurus, an alien and a whale who are all having bad days. The theme of helping those in need is prevalent through out, and Gracie and Monkeybear serve as kind and unselfish role models who show that you can make friends with anyone, regardless of your differences. The theme that you can do anything if you put your mind to it is also prevalent throughout.
The illustrations are beautiful with lots of little details and it’s clear the artist put a lot of love into the aesthetic piece of the book. The bright colors of Gracie’s imagined world are engaging and attention-grabbing when contrasted with the browns of “normal” reality, which are mostly relegated to the background. The story is easy to follow, and parents looking to grow their child’s vocabulary will find some good ones in here. While adventurous girls who like to play outside might be the most obvious audience, there is something that every kid should enjoy in here. If you’re looking for a well-written and wonderfully-illustrated book for a child in your life this holiday season, The Adventures of Gracie & Monkeybear is a real winner.
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