Review of Enchanted Everglades
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
- Brenda Creech
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 3382
- Joined: 09 Mar 2019, 13:34
- Favorite Book: The Reel Sisters
- Currently Reading: Rainbow’s End
- Bookshelf Size: 357
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-brenda-creech.html
- Latest Review: Was She Crying for Me? by Jerry Hyde
Review of Enchanted Everglades
Ocean River and Ellen Hansen had been best friends since they were six years old. Now they were twelve. On Ellen's twelfth birthday, her dad got killed in a traffic accident. Ocean accidentally created a disturbance at his funeral that Ellen thought he did on purpose because Ocean was a jokester and loved to make people laugh. Ocean tried to apologize, but Ellen told him to stay away from her. Two months after Ellen's dad died, Ocean's parents decided to give Ellen her birthday present. It was a weekend trip to the Everglades. Ocean and Ellen had not spoken to each other since her dad's funeral. Would this trip mend their friendship?
Ocean's dad had forgotten to book their airboat tour, but they had found someone to give them a private excursion. It was apparent right away that their tour guide did not know how to drive an airboat. When the guide lost control of the airboat, Ellen, Ocean, and Nano (Ellen's little dog) got thrown out of the boat. There was a loud crash soon after, and Ocean and Ellen were alone in the swamps of the Everglades. They needed to find their parents. However, the swamp areas around them were dark and full of deadly animals. The three had no weapons and very little food and water. They set off through the dark swamp area, hoping they were going the right way. What dangers would Ocean and Ellen encounter in the swamp? Would they find their parents? What if they were hurt, or worse?
The book Enchanted Everglades: Friend For Life by G. A. Kowatch is a children's fantasy adventure book with talking animals such as alligators, a stork, a turtle, a pelican, a python over sixteen feet long, and more. To Ocean's and Ellen's amazement, they can understand the animals, and the animals can understand them, and suddenly Ocean and Ellen have superpowers. How can that be possible? Some animals are friendly and want to help Ocean and Ellen find their parents, while others are more interested in having them as dinner. The story goes back and forth from Ocean to Gumbo, the alligator Ocean and Ellen befriended. Each chapter rotates between the two characters narrating their version of what is happening in the story.
What I liked most about this book were the black and white hand-drawn illustrations. They are stunning to look at, and they add so much to the story. Another favorite aspect of the book for me is the character of Gumbo. Gumbo is the son of the King of the Everglades and next in line to the throne. The problem is, Gumbo is not a hunter like his father and brothers; he helps others instead of hurting them. Gumbo does mindfulness meditation and yoga to calm himself down when he is frightened. He wants to make his father proud, but he can't be a killer like his brothers. The reader can learn many life lessons through Gumbo's example. The book teaches values, friendship, and loss, sometimes poignantly and sometimes hilariously.
This beautifully written book will become a favorite among children, parents, and teachers. There were only a couple of errors within the 276 pages. There isn't anything I disliked about this book, and I got caught up in the adventure myself. This book deserves a 4 out of 4 stars rating.
I recommend it to those nine years of age and older because it would be too difficult for a younger child to read. I encourage teachers and parents to have it in their library to read to younger kids. As an adult reader, I enjoyed the book.
******
Enchanted Everglades
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
-
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 27 Oct 2021, 09:50
- Bookshelf Size: 0
- Ugonna Nworka
- Posts: 54
- Joined: 09 Aug 2021, 04:23
- Favorite Book: Can I Be Frank?
- Currently Reading: Spirit-Controlled Temperament
- Bookshelf Size: 31
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ugonna-nworka.html
- Latest Review: JTs World by E. Alan Fleischauer
- 2024 Reading Goal: 50
- 2024 Goal Completion: 16%
- Angel_gaze
- Posts: 28
- Joined: 17 Sep 2021, 07:51
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 19
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-angel-gaze.html
- Latest Review: Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise by John K Danenbarger
- Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
-
- Posts: 458
- Joined: 24 Jul 2021, 11:50
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 91
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ekezie1998.html
- Latest Review: life lessons of wayne by shawn wayne swearingen
- Brenda Creech
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 3382
- Joined: 09 Mar 2019, 13:34
- Favorite Book: The Reel Sisters
- Currently Reading: Rainbow’s End
- Bookshelf Size: 357
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-brenda-creech.html
- Latest Review: Was She Crying for Me? by Jerry Hyde
Yes, it is a great children's book! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
- Brenda Creech
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 3382
- Joined: 09 Mar 2019, 13:34
- Favorite Book: The Reel Sisters
- Currently Reading: Rainbow’s End
- Bookshelf Size: 357
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-brenda-creech.html
- Latest Review: Was She Crying for Me? by Jerry Hyde
I know what you mean! I enjoyed reading this one! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
- Brenda Creech
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 3382
- Joined: 09 Mar 2019, 13:34
- Favorite Book: The Reel Sisters
- Currently Reading: Rainbow’s End
- Bookshelf Size: 357
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-brenda-creech.html
- Latest Review: Was She Crying for Me? by Jerry Hyde
The illustrations are excellent and really add to the story. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!Angel_gaze wrote: ↑02 Nov 2021, 06:23 This sounds like a fabulous adventure. I am tempted to read it myself so that I can enjoy the illustrations and meet the talking python. Thanks for an engaging review
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
- Brenda Creech
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 3382
- Joined: 09 Mar 2019, 13:34
- Favorite Book: The Reel Sisters
- Currently Reading: Rainbow’s End
- Bookshelf Size: 357
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-brenda-creech.html
- Latest Review: Was She Crying for Me? by Jerry Hyde
Thank you so much, and thanks for stopping by and commenting!Ekezie1998 wrote: ↑03 Nov 2021, 20:38 Quite an intriguing plot we have here. Would definitely love to have this book on my shelf. Great review.
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
-
- Posts: 250
- Joined: 10 Jul 2021, 05:26
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 36
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kirthana-shivakumar.html
- Latest Review: Depiction of women characters as Victims of Oppresion and Agents of action in selected short stories by Rushika Gill
- Brenda Creech
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 3382
- Joined: 09 Mar 2019, 13:34
- Favorite Book: The Reel Sisters
- Currently Reading: Rainbow’s End
- Bookshelf Size: 357
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-brenda-creech.html
- Latest Review: Was She Crying for Me? by Jerry Hyde
It is a great children's book! However, I got pretty involved in it myself! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!kirthana_shivakumar wrote: ↑06 Nov 2021, 01:53 This looks very interesting. It's also one of my favourite genres so I'll definitely give it a try. Thanks for the review!
"Like beauty in the eyes, the divinity of the rose may be in the nose that smells it, and the lover that beholds it." Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
- Adelle v
- Posts: 308
- Joined: 16 Aug 2021, 02:47
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 68
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-adelle-v.html
- Latest Review: We are Voulhire: A New Arrival under Great Skies by Matthew Tysz