Book Review of Charli’s Pawsome Park: An Architectural Adventure
Sponsored* | All opinions are our own
The Children’s Book Review
Charli’s Pawsome Park: An Architectural Adventure
Written by Vicki Scott Burns
Illustrated by Mel Schroeder
Ages: 6-8 | 96 Pages
Publisher: Emmolly Books (2026) | ISBN: 978-1-964845-04-3
What to Expect: STEM, learning, problem solving, architecture, teamwork, animals.
Second in the fun and engaging Charli Explores STEM series, this book takes readers on another daydream adventure into the sciences—this time, landscape architecture.
When their teacher invites a local landscape artist to their class to discuss her design for the new local park, Charli and her friends are fascinated. Ms. Martin explains the design process to them, from consulting experts and selecting plants to creating the design using CAD software. Inspired by everything Ms. Martin has to share, Charli drifts off into a daydream—all about designing an amazing playground for dogs! Using special architectural tools, she designs something perfect for dogs like her own to play in off-leash, and works through the initial problems to come up with a winning design. It’s just a daydream—but maybe one day architecture will be her future too!
As a main character, Charli is curious and imaginative, encouraging readers to dream their own dreams about what is possible through STEM education. One fantastic aspect of this story and the series as a whole is how it focuses on the specific details of different STEM careers, such as the specific tools and projects a landscape architect might work with. These details help readers imagine themselves in these roles and relate them to their real, everyday lives. The story is presented as short chapters with simple text and lots of dialogue, and the colorful digital illustrations help readers picture more complex elements, such as what CAD software does.
Informative and inspiring, this is a great story and a great series for readers who love to think about what they could be when they grow up.
Buy the Book
About the Author
Vicki Scott Burns started dreaming about being a children’s author when she was 8 years old! Her dream finally came true in 2007, when her first book, Zamboni’s Bath, was published. Her second book, Zamboni’s Goal, was published several years later. Before becoming an author, Vicki taught 2nd Grade and 3rd Grade.
For more information, check out www.vickiscottburns.com.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of Charli’s Pawsome Park: An Architectural Adventure. Learn more about getting a book review …
