3 out of 4 stars
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Charlie and Joe is a children’s book written by DJ Morrow.
Charlie is a baby otter and does not have parents. However, other otters look after him and make sure that he is fed properly. On the other hand, Joe is a baby Tabby Cat. He usually sits on top of a cliff and watches others play. His parents left him when he was four weeks old, and he does not have any friends. Tired of being alone, he decides to take a journey down the cliff and try to become friends with the otters. While the other otters ignore his presence, Charlie befriends him. How this friendship blooms, how the other otters react to this new friendship and whether (and why) they accept Joe into their ‘family’ forms the rest of the plot.
Charlie and Joe teaches children not to judge others quickly, to be sensitive to others’ emotions and to accept differences. The story is told from both Charlie and Joe’s perspectives. I could connect with both the characters and was rooting for their friendship throughout the book. I found the plot unique and interesting. It held my attention throughout and I was genuinely curious to know what happens to the characters.
This book contained a lot of text, with very few illustrations. Further, the illustrations were small in size and simply showed how Charlie and Joe looked. A reader would not be able to understand most parts of the storyline simply by looking at the illustrations. I believe that illustrations are a very integral part of children’s books and I would have liked the book much more if it had larger and more elaborate illustrations.
The book was very easy to understand and followed a good pace. However, I found many grammatical mistakes, such as “he so much wanted a friend” and “he can’t remember the last time..” (Instead of “He could not remember the last time..”). Further, I found the writing informal, with the use of words such as “yep”. According to me, the book needs another round of professional editing.
The book has a unique and interesting plot, which will hold the reader’s attention throughout. Further, it teaches children important lessons of acceptance and kindness, without being dictative. However, the book needs better illustrations and another round of professional editing. Hence, I would rate the book 3 out of 4 stars. The book is very easy to understand and the message is clear, and hence I would recommend the book for any child who can read (or is patient enough to listen to) a large amount of text.
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Charlie and Joe
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