One of the fun parts of my job is reading books before they come out. And reading books that are below my physical age because I can say I am “reviewing” it for work. Of course, I usually just say that I’m reading for fun as I’m not embarrassed to read a book for a six to ten-year-old. And the below two books are those kinds of books.
The nice thing about Detective Duck V02 The Case of the Missing Tadpole is that you do not have to read book one, but it helps and as it introduces you to the characters you’ll meet, probably a good idea to do so. Now I’ve loved the actor and author Henry Winkler, author Lin Oliver, and illustrator Dan Santat for as long as I can remember. I love the humor and the messages of his and Oliver’s books. And not to mention Santat will always have a place in my heart. However, this second volume in the Detective Duck series was not as cute as the first one. However, while I did not have the same “wow” factor, it is still a cute story with its usual nod to environmentalism and being a good detective. Santat has adorable illustrations (as usual) that do have his signature style, but are also unique to this series. These images make the package come together. I read via an online reader copy, but should be available for purchase at your local independent bookstore or to borrow from your local library.
Now, Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies by Megan McDonald and Lenny Wen did not “blow me away” but I know a lot of kids who will enjoy this book. If you like fairies, a little mystery and action to your stories then this is a book for you. The adventures of a young girl in the fairy land behind the door of her hiding/reading spot is delightful. The illustrations of this story are wonderfully colorful and have a nice amount of details. They really pop and are what kept me going. I enjoyed reading them as much as the story. And the story itself is familiar, but fun to read. We know the story of a girl in Fairyland having adventures, but it is clever enough to not be exactly the same. The adult readers will get a kick out of the humor, while kids will be rooting for Eliza and her new friends. As it is due in February 2025 I read via an online reader copy.