Codley and the Big Storm: Together We Can!, by Lisl Fair and Michaela Grace (illustrations by Ismedy Prasetya)

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Lisl Fair is back with another Codley adventure (my daughter is still hoping for a followup to her Lexi Fairheart story). This time Codley the octopus and his friends must rebuild Codley's home in a shipwreck when a storm on the ocean surface causes havoc on the ocean floor (not sure how realistic that is--does that actually happen?). Each of the various sea creatures helps with the cleanup in their own way. The manta rays, for instance, are very good at sweeping up debris. The book is cute and has a clear message about cooperation. Plus it shows a number of sea creatures exercising their unique talents which young children are sure to enjoy.

It's far too wordy to be a toddler book, however, and some of the dialogue is awkward to read aloud (particularly that of Pokie, the stammering blowfish). It's more likely a book for early readers aged 6-8. It's very cute and I liked it better than the previous Codley book, Codley and the Sea Cave Adventure.

Hit the jump for Magda's take!

UPDATE: Lexi Fairheart and the Forbidden Door, by Lisl Fair (illustrated by Nina de Polonia)

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I originally reviewed this book on July 12, 2012 (and on June 8, 2012, on my other blog, Cozy Little Book Journal), when the publisher sent me an email asking me if I would read a digital copy and give her some feedback. (You can read the original review here.) I thought the book needed a little work but definitely had potential. It had grammar mistakes, an unresolved ending and didn't distinguish between insects and spiders (which, sorry to give away the ending, is a plot point in the story). But the book has been reworked and re-edited and it looks better than ever. The illustrations are still the star, with rich and satisfying artwork on every page. The ending is much better than before, and my two-year-old certainly enjoyed the finished product (which I believe is still only available in digital format at this time). It's still a bit wordy for a picture book, and could maybe be condensed a bit. My daughter is younger than the target audience for the book (listed at 6-8 years), but she still enjoyed it. Her favourite part was "the cookies," the page in which it says that Lexi's curiosity has paid off in the past and shows her discovering a cookie jar. I think a lot of young children really enjoy solving "mysteries" within a text by looking at clues in the illustrations (which is part of the reason why picture books for young children usually don't have too many words, since the pictures tell the story as much as the text).

Lexi Fairheart and the Forbidden Door, by Lisl Fair (illustrated by Nina de Polonia)

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The following review originally appeared on my other blog, Cozy Little Book Journal, on June 8, 2012. Since that time the author has let me know that she will be re-editing the book before publishing it in wide release. So the following review may be out of date:


This book is beautifully illustrated and the story has potential, but it needs work. First, to state the obvious, the vast majority of children's picture books are 32 pages long (It's true. Go look at your kids' book shelves if you don't believe me. I'll wait.) so the author would probably want to adjust it a bit from the awkward 17 pages of the e-book edition is she plans to have it published by a major publishing house. Beyond that, though, it could use some editing. There are grammar mistakes, which aggravates me in children's books ("one of these creatures were on the loose"? Really?), and the ending is unsatisfying and flat. Why was the door so forbidden? What's the resolution to the story? Just because the book is for preschoolers doesn't mean
these things should be ignored. But with some editing, this book could become the first in a series.


Hit the jump for Magda's take!

Codly and the Sea Cave Adventure, by Lisl Fair and Michaela Grace (illustrated by

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The following review originally appeared on my other blog, Cozy Little Book Journal, on June 8, 2012. Since that time the author has let me know that she will be re-editing the book before publishing it in wide release. So the following review may be out of date:

This book is beautifully illustrated and, if the text were to be rewritten a little, it might make a lovely picture book. When I read that the author is a Speech and Language Therapist who is interested in writing children's books that are educational, I assumed that the character in the book who has a stammer (Pokie the pufferfish) would have some resolution. Maybe the book is about stuttering, I assumed. I was wrong. Pokie's stammer just seems to be a way to distinguish when he is the one speaking (though just adding words like "Pokie said" would have been much more effective for young readers). And, like Lisl Fair's other book (Lexi Fairheart and the Forbidden Door), it might be easier for her to get it published in print if she makes it the standard 32 pages instead of the hard-to-print 23 pages of the e-book edition. Still, my two-year-old really liked the beautiful pictures and I think the book has potential.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for writing a review, though the review did not necessarily need to be favourable, just honest. I frequently read and review books for this reason, but I am always very truthful (and, I hope, fair) in my reviews. Therefore any opinions expressed are strictly my own.

I look forward to the re-release of this book. I think with a little editing, it could be marvellous! 

Hit the jump for Magda's take: