Children's Book Review - Zog's Big Question: An Interplanentary Tale of Wonder, Belief, and Big Questions by Adam Rice, illustrated by Mac Rice

Zog's Big Question: An Interplanetary Tale of Wonder, Belief, and Big Questions by Adam Rice
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fun, sweet sci-fi tale that simplifies a complicated concept.

Zog’s Big Question by Adam Rice and colorfully illustrated by Mac Rice delves into the quandary of faith versus science and helps young readers come away with a more comfortable understanding of this complex concept. Zog is a young Questling on the planet Luminos, where the inhabitants are cute, blue, water-drop-shaped creatures with triangular arms and legs and two expressive antennae. They also base their lives and culture on scientifically-proven facts and eat the bounty of the Knowing Fruit Tree. While they may sound comical, they exude a calm and friendly persona that children will find fun and completely non-threatening. Zog has heard that the inhabitants of the planet Terra accept some big ideas without scientific proof, and, finding this totally perplexing, decides to investigate the curious rumor in person. So, he leaves his home in a “borrowed” spacecraft and travels to Terra to see the truth for himself.

While the story was not what I expected, I enjoyed it nonetheless, finding clarity in the simple explanation of how and why faith and science can be complementary. However, I do think a more specific book description, or blurb, regarding the focus on faith is needed as the one provided is so broad, it is a little misleading. I appreciated that while the central characters on Terra, Sam and Max, come from a Catholic-like church, the story emphasizes all religious traditions and not just those of a Christian viewpoint. I liked that the children took Zog to a secular institution for answers, too.

Zog is engaging, and children will easily relate to his curious nature. The illustrations are rendered in calming blues on Luminos, with one drawing very reminiscent of a setting from the movie Avatar, and, once Zog is on Terra (Earth), greens are emphasized, too. At over 40 pages, it is more of a chapter than a picture book, and would be suitable for reading aloud at home, in Sunday school, or in religion classes. I would definitely like to see Zog return in future stories to tackle other adventures.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.


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Book Review: Thank You, Night by Dan McCauley; illustrated by Jo Loring-Fisher

Thank You, Night by Dan McCauley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beautiful and restful, perfect for before bedtime.

Thank You, Night is a lovely new children’s picture book by author Dan McCauley and artist Jo Loring-Fisher, and it would be the perfect wind down at the end of the day. At the close of the day, a young boy is unable to slip away from the thoughts and feelings of his day. But as he takes his customary evening walk with his father, the calm, loveliness of the night and his awareness of the natural world around him eases his mind and body to finally welcome sleep. The illustrations are captivating in their colors and execution, drawing your imagination in with the soothing text that accompanies them. I loved the gentle descriptions of the breeze tapping the boy on the shoulder and the muted background images that completed each scene. I recommend THANK YOU, NIGHT for young listeners and their older readers.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy via Netgalley.

For more information or to pre-order, click HERE!


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