Review: Queen Vernita's Visitors by Dawn Menge

Title: Queen Vernita's Visitors
Author: Dawn Menge
Pages: 36
Publisher: Outskirts Press, Inc. (May, 2008)
Genre: Childrens
Edition: Standard, many thanks to Ms. Menge for sending me a copy of her book!



Perfect for : Reading with a child, Great gift book for child

In a nutshell: A wonderfully colorful book, with great illustrations and catchy phrases - it is sure to be a favorite among both children and parents. The book has been designed to help children learn about the days of the week, months and seasons, all while having fun. As an added bonus, kids and parents are given some fun ideas for things to do during each month. My son is not quite two years old, and he loves looking at the pictures, pointing and interacting with us while we read him the story. I can see that this book will be very useful for many years to come!

From the Back Cover:
Queen Vernita invites twelve wonderful friends to visit with her during each month of the year. Queen Vernita and her friends enjoy fun activities throughout the Oceaneers Kingdom. Parents and teachers will love teaching the monthly calendar, days of the weeks and seasons through the storytelling adventures of Queen Vernita and her friends.

First Paragraph:
Vernita was the Queen of the majestic world called Oceaneer. She lived in a beautiful castle that was covered in ivy and red roses.

My Review:
What more can I say? This book is wonderful, providing both entertainment and learning among the vibrant and colorful pages!

Characters: Queen Vernita has a wonderful collection of friends of varying ages, both male and female. With each new character comes a new month and new activities. These characters are sure to be a favorite with children.

Story-Line: I think the story-line was cute and very age-appropriate, while being fun for adults to read. The bonus is that the repitition of the days of the week, and the same format for each month should make it easier for children to learn. What a great idea!

Readability: This was a very fun and easy-to-read story for all ages, but aimed at the pre-school aged children.

Overall: A great story with wonderful illustrations. This book is sure to be a favorite of both children and adults, and while it is not geared toward very young children, my not-quite-two year old loves it!



About the Author: (from the back of the book)
Dawn Menge has a Masters Degree and clear credential in Special Education. She has worked with the severely handicapped population for eleven years. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction. She combines imagination with practical skills to make learning fun. Dawn used her experiences within her life to create Queen Vernita's characters and her kingdom. Queen Vernita's Visitors is a story that is woven around Dawn's friends and family.