My daughter is a huge dog fan. So, when I had the chance to take a peek at this read, I wasn't going to say 'no'. It sounds like it's going to be an exciting adventure with lots of animal fun. There are colored illustrations, too, which is always a treat. I'm looking forward to meeting this poodle and can't wait to see where the adventure takes it.
PANSY'S RAINBOW
The Fantastic Journey of Pansy the Poodle
by Cynthia Bardes
Illustrated by Virginia Best
Middle Grade Animal Adventure
128 pages
ages 7 to 10
When a family of toy poodles is abandoned in a box, a flood separates Pansy from her sisters and brothers. The pup washes up at the feet of James, an itinerant singer and street magician, and his friend and shelter-mate, an intuitive rabbit named Winkie. The two show her loving care and are determined to help her survive, but they can't grant Pansy's greatest to find her family. Pansy's perilous journey home brings her a diverse array of new friends, each with a special gift for helping her along. Together, the little band experiences a variety of adventures―some dangerous, some breathtaking, and some downright magical. Each new and enthralling encounter teaches Pansy a valuable skill or lesson, and each moves her closer to her goal. Little does she realize that as she searches for her “real” family, she is creating a brand-new and precious one by learning to give and receive love. With a touch of magic―or perhaps just a deepening knowledge of her own heart and skills―Pansy finally traverses the rainbow and finds her “pot of gold”―in the form of a little girl named Avery, who is destined to become her best friend and fellow adventurer.
MY TIDBITS
With adventure, friendship, and a tiny dab of magic, this is a journey with more than a few surprises along the way.
Pansy is washed away from her family, and luckily, rescued by a kind man from the streets. Together with his rabbit, Winkie, he entertains with magic tricks and more, which also means that he leaves Pansy in the box to rest while he's away. But she's not lonely for long as there are new friends to meet. Soon, she's part of a loving group, who battles rats and helps her to locate her 'pot of gold'.
Pansy is such a likable poodle, and her situation makes her easy to sympathize with. She's lost her family, and while she's finding new friends, it's understandable that she longs to return to her true family. The adventure flows along well, making sure something is happening on every page. When Pansy isn't meeting new, wonderful characters, she's dealing with other problems. These add the right amount of tension and excitement without going overboard for the intended audience age group.
This fits well for those readers, who are sure of their words but aren't quite ready to dive into larger reads. The chapters are kept short, and the font as well as line spacing makes for easy reading. There are lovely illustrations sprinkled in, as well. Even reluctant readers won't be scared away by this one. The vocabulary is especially great for the lower end of the middle grade audience and does help improve reading skills.
Pansy's adventures are very entertaining and draw in even more than I expected they would. While there are wholesome messages about family and friendship, there's also a hint of magic...just enough to give a dusting of fantasy. It's a cute story with quite a bit going on and will no doubt have readers wishing they could have a dog like Pansy, too.
Discover more!
There are 8 picture books surrounding Pansy and her adventure as well. And you can learn more about these as well as about the author and illustrator...here:
https://pansythepoodle.com/
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