The Children’s Book Review | December 14, 2013
By Stephen Butler; Illustrated by Valerie De Grijs
Hardcover: 32 pages
Age Range: 3-7 years
Publisher: Dewberry Ventures LLC (2013)
ISBN: 978-0-5781291-7-4
What to expect: Royal Characters, Blueberries, A Lesson in Moderation
From author Stephen Butler comes an artistically original series, The Adventures of Princess Victoria and Prince William. This first installment, The Blueberry Bush, sets out to remind us “sometimes too much of a good thing isn’t so good.” The bonus: kids also learn about the benefits of drinking water.
Valerie De Grijs does a wonderful job executing the watercolor illustrations that set the scene for a “Once Upon a Time” romp in which Princess Victoria and Prince William playfully ride into the forest and discover a delicious bush of blueberries.
Like any blueberry-loving person would do, royal or not, the childish pair gorge themselves on the plump and juicy berries until their tummies are full and their skin has turned blue. Their blue skin is quite startling, and, like most children in times of trouble do, they ride quickly home to Queen Mommy for help. She smiles and pours them a big glass of water, which they gulp until their skin returns back to its normal peachy coloring; and then they take their full bellies off to bed for a sleep. Butler’s short and sweet tale of moderation is brought to life with De Grijs’s talented artwork—the text blends well with the splashy watercolor illustrations.
This is a book best to be enjoyed with a ready-for-bed child, a full tummy, and a glass of water nearby. The large and well-placed text also makes it a great choice for beginning readers, too.
Add this book to your collection: The Blueberry Bush
Available for Kindle, too.
For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/TheBlueberryBush
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