If parents are looking for a fun series that teaches kids vital interpersonal skills, they don’t need to look any further than The Adventures of Oliver the Clownfish, a series by author Stephanie Guzman.
When readers first meet Oliver in Invitation Slip-up, the cheerful clownfish is not his usual happy self. It seems everyone has been invited to Sally the seahorse’s birthday party except he. It sure doesn’t help that his friend Paul is talking about what a great time it will be. Hurt and angry, Oliver finally confronts Sally, which leads him to find that sometimes things aren’t the way they seem.
In Acting Cool, Oliver and Paul enjoy playing with their new neighbor, Dolly, a dolphin whose body is covered in neon shapes. They spend the rest of the summer together, but when school starts, their friend Sally says she isn’t going to play with Dolly because of the way she looks. Paul and Oliver want to be cool, so at first they go along; but in the end, Oliver decides he must do what is right.
My youngest daughter (6) and I have read these books, together and separately. She is drawn to the vibrant illustrations provided by P.S. Babu (Invitation Slip-up) and TD (Acting Cool), and the ease with which she can read through them. I, on the other hand, like a story where animal characters display human characteristics and deal with human conflicts. I feel this makes the message of the book easier for children to accept and appreciate. Most of all, though, these are delightful stories that will engage your youngster. I’m sure my daughter and I will be reading The Adventures of Oliver the Clownfish again.
Rating: 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Invitation Slip-Up
Acting Cool
The Children's and Teens' Book Connection 