Review of Mike & Alex

Post by **patricia MGBEMENA** » 22 Feb 2025, 13:34

[Following is a volunteer review of "Mike & Alex" by Peter van Wermeskerken.]

4 out of 5 stars

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Oceans and seas are full of life, but the actions of humans are generally harming them. Mike and Alex, written by Peter van Wermeskerken, shows the impacts of overfishing, pollution, and many more on marine life. Mike and Alex are the main characters of this book, and they play huge roles in addressing issues caused by humans, whom they refer to as "two-leggers."

Mike is a giant rabbit, and Alex is a wild boar. Their journey begins with their guide, Jean-Pierre, a smaller rabbit who leads them through the dunes of Normandy to the sea. There, they meet dolphins who ask for their help since they are known for assisting other animals. The dolphins asked them to help take out a harpoon that whale hunters had stuck in a whale named Wally. With the dolphins' assistance, Alex and Mike got to Wally, who was at a sandbank in Cardigan Bay. Their challenge is finding a safe way to successfully remove the harpoon and help Wally return to the sea. Readers will discover through this book whether Mike and Alex will succeed in their mission.

Peter van Wermeskerken does a great job introducing readers to sea creatures like sperm whales, dolphins, sawfishes, octopuses, and many other animals. The book also would make readers understand the impact of activities we carry out on the sea. The book also effectively communicates messages like the benefits of teamwork, friendship, and other important life lessons. I particularly liked that the images of various characters were added, as they would help us better visualize the story.

Some areas could be improved in this book, such as some instances where images were placed between sentences, which affected my reading experience. Additionally, some chapter titles could be written better. I also encountered few grammatical errors while reading, which shows it was professionally edited, and considering the reasons above, I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I also recommend this book to children aged seven and above because of the vast knowledge that could be acquired about climate change, marine life, and more.

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Mike & Alex
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Gerry Steen · Post by **Gerry Steen** » 20 Mar 2025, 08:51

Marine life and the health of the oceans are crucial to our future quality of life on this planet. In light of this fact, Mike and Alex by Peter van Wermeskerken, is a children's book that must be part of a child's reading repertoire. Thank you for reviewing this book. I am adding it to my bookshelves.

Amy Luman · Post by **Amy Luman** » 20 Mar 2025, 11:13

I am not really into children’s books. The theme of helping wildlife, especially sea creatures, in this one, however, is something we really need to teach kids. Also anything that gets people reading and loving literature at a young age gets my vote. Thanks!

Hills Christopher Albert · Post by **Hills Christopher Albert** » 28 May 2025, 08:26

What a beautifully written review! I love that this book takes on such important environmental issues through the eyes of imaginative animal characters. Mike and Alex sound like such a fun and meaningful duo, and I really like that the story brings awareness to marine life and climate change in a way that kids can understand. It’s great to hear that the illustrations helped bring the characters to life, even if the layout was a bit distracting at times. Thanks for the recommendation—this sounds like a wonderful read for young readers and even adults who care about our oceans!"