Author: Eve Cabanel
Illustrator:
Ekaterina Ilchenko
Publisher: Twenty
Two House Publishing
Released: October
11, 2021
Format: Kindle,
Paperback
ISBN: 978-1777908812
Reviewer:
Ellwyn Autumn
Rating: 4
Lemon Drops
Review:
Book Summary:
Strange sugar crystals are coating Cucuruzza forest, the home of Eli the Moon Elf and her friend Luna. Anyone who touches the crystals turns into hard rock candy.
It is said that Hallowshine Dragon’s tears are responsible for this dilemma, and only his saliva can cure it if administered by nightfall the following day.
When Luna’s baby, Doudou, falls victim to the sugar crystals, Eli and Luna set out to find a cure for him. Their quest leads them to the sad and lonely Hallowshine Dragon.
After befriending the
dragon, the trio return to Eli’s house where Hallowshine Dragon gives Doudou a
big kiss. But are they too late?
Opinion:
Eli and the Mystery of the Hallowshine Dragon highlights the importance of tenacity and friendship.
Side by side, Eli and Luna overcome impossible odds to find a cure for an illness spreading across their home.
Ilchenko’s iridescent illustrations flow with the magic of childhood whimsy. Their charming soft hued sparkle will delight young readers and their adult counterparts.
I also appreciated the map of Cucuruzza at the beginning of the book. It offers a concrete visual for children as they follow Eli and Luna on their quest.
That being said, the story needs another thorough edit. Although highly imaginative, the story is long-winded and drags because of it.
This wordiness may hinder the attention span of younger readers. When I read the story aloud, I noticed just how long lengthy it is.
If I were to read this to my kindergarten class, I’d definitely paraphrase. There’s a whopping 38 pages of story.
The attention to detail found in the illustrations needs to apply to the text. The grammatical errors are simple to fix and would add to the integrity of the finished product.
I give it 3 ½ Lemon Drops!
Classroom Connection:
Age Range: Late
Kindergarten to 3rd Grade
Targeted
Vocabulary: exploring, mysteries, abyss, sync, unease, heebie-jeebies, urgently,
enchantment, wailing, saliva
Despite its verbosity, Eli and the Mystery of the Hallowshine Dragon is a book I’d add to my classroom library.
The illustrations are so beautiful. Children will enjoy
looking at them over and over again.
After a quick read through, a teacher could summarize the text and focus on the pictures to tell the story.
The book encapsulates the magic of fairy tales and
would make a nice addition to a fairy tale themed lesson.
Resources:
About The Author:
One of Eve Cabanel’s fondest childhood memories is when her French grandmother would make up wonderfully imaginative stories for her.
As a mother, Eve wanted to do
the same for her young son, so she created the enchanted fairy tale Eli and
the Mystery of the Hallowshine Dragon.
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