Mary L. Schmidt, S. Jackson and A. Raymond
I was gifted Shadow and Friends’ Costume Party by the author, Mary L. Schmidt in exchange for an honest review. Although I’m an adult and this is a children’s book, I ended up buying it because I loved the illustrations so much. They’re quirky and the scrapbook style reminds me of the Spot What books.
The story is about a squirrel named Digger who invites everyone to a costume party. I do wonder why the title is Called Shadow and Friends’ Costume Party and not Digger and Friends’ Costume Party. However, the writing is so tight and flows effortlessly, I find the issue with the title not a deal breaker.
One of the highlights is when the narrator asks the reader if they know what the word “perplexed” means, and proceeds to give the definition. Making the reader an active character is a good way to keep children’s focus. Plus it teaches the child a new and complex word that they can boast about at school, and possibly earn extra points with their teachers.
Another thing I appreciate in this book is the inclusion of characters that are typically considered evil. For instance, Troll and Fox, who the other characters are at first wary of, turn out to be friendly. This teaches children acceptance and encourages them to take the time to understand others regardless of what they look like or how they seem to be.
To conclude, this is a delightful read and a perfect Storytime book. I would definitely recommend it to parents and family members with children who are avid readers and/or like being read to.
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