Doonsey Returns picture book delivers fun and kid-sized lessons in ecology

I'm a giant fan of great children's books that tackle kid-sized issues like the environment and respect for marine life. Author/Illustrator Rhonda Paglia has drawn me in as she covers both topics AND has young readers giggling in her latest picture book, Doonsey Returns: the Great Rescue.

​About the Book

Title: Doonsey Returns: The Great Rescue | Author/Illustrator: Rhonda Paglia | Publication Date: July 2017 | Publisher: Angels Landing Publishing ​ | Pages: 32 |
​Recommended Ages: 3-8
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Young Soferton needs help fast.  She's come to the shore to play with her Beach Buddy friends, mysterious sand critters that come to life on ocean winds ...

BUT 

...her pals are missing!  She sends a message to Doonsey, a wise friend who happens to be a red talking crab with green googly eyes, in hopes he can locate them.  

Will Doonsey get her message in time and help Soferton find the Beach Buddies?  And what’s all the excitement happening farther down the beach?  Doonsey and Soferton are off to investigate and lend a helping hand.

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My Review

The author also creates colorful, bright images in a folk-art style that bring the story to life with details of all things beachy.  Paglia's illustrations fill the pages and add depth to the story.  I especially love her treatment of the sea turtle hatch, with its kid-friendly language about the environment and drawings of babies “boiling” up from their nest.

Speech bubbles for dialogue also move the story along in addition to traditional text page placement.  Sometimes, illustrated characters are super-imposed on actual beach photographs, giving readers a strong sense of place.  Children will feel as if they’re at the beach alongside Doonsey and Soferton, rescuing Beach Buddies and baby sea turtles.  
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Doonsey, Soferton and the Beach Buddies from the first Doonsey book star in this story that is easily read as a standalone tale.  Soferton kicks off the action, but Doonsey is the real star.  He hurries to Soferton’s aid to hunt for the Beach Buddies, Paglia’s sand creatures that are pure creative pleasures and come to life briefly before blowing away on sea breezes.  In the second half of the book, Doonsey and Soferton rescue sea turtle hatchlings and help fragile babies make their way to the ocean.

The e-book version I read had an easy-to-use fixed layout that made the illustrations pop. Oh, and I must mention the goofy knock-knock jokes Doonsey likes to tell.  Kids will love them, and you'll grin, too!

What Parents, Teachers Will Like

Doonsey Returns encourages children to use their imagination by crafting their own beach buddies from natural elements found along the shore.  Photographs of sea buddies created by other children will motivate and guide them.
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The story also shows that littering is harmful to marine life. This can lead to rich discussions about how young readers can be part of the solution. 

Paglia draws on her years in the classroom to craft an even richer literacy experience by adding extension activities after the story.  Her kid-friendly definitions and sea turtle facts at the end of the book cement learning.  

My Recommendation
Five meows

I highly recommend this funny, imaginative picture book for pre-school through early primary grades.  It helps children understand how their actions can impact the environment as they enjoy a good tale.  A gotta-read for lovers of the sea and knock-knock jokes!

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​Meet the Author/Ilustrator

​Rhonda Paglia, or Grammy Pags as she is often called, is a retired elementary school teacher turned author/illustrator of tales for children and non-fiction for kids and grown-ups. She has received many awards for her 11 books and is a member of SCBWI, Penn Writers, and West PA authors. 

​Rhonda and her husband live in Hermitage, PA.  They have three adult children, five grandchildren, a pup named Bella, and a wondrous, kid-friendly garden with gnomes. 

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Disclosure: I completely enjoyed this story and voluntarily provided my honest review of an advance reader copy of "Doonsey Returns" by Rhonda Paglia.

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