Kaeti Vandorn

Reggie is house-sitting while his friends/relatives go on summer vacation; he's also sort of in hiding, having had a bad experience adventuring, but not yet being able to explain to his adventuring partner Clovis that he's afraid of caves now. Then Reggie meets exuberant, enthusiastic, lively Emily, who lives in the forest with her parents and sisters. Reggie and Emily become friends, each drawing the other a little out of their comfort zone and giving them another perspective. They also show more meet lots of neighbors and invite them to a beach party - and a sea serpent named Selma is invited, too.

Emily and Reggie are original creations, friendly little monsters who can stretch and change size. The color palette starts dark (indoors/underground), but most of the story takes place under sunny skies. I found the story a little confusing at first but ended up liking it a lot.

"The world sure is filled with strange things." (Reggie, 147)

"It takes a lot of practice to be brave." (Emily, 194)

Back matter: Let's Draw Monsters! (shape design, textures and patterns) show less

What a fun book! The Grinch Takes a Vacation is a great read for young kids, especially if they love funny stories. The graphic novel format makes it super easy to follow so that kids can read it independently without much trouble. After being surrounded by Whoville’s holiday cheer for so long, the Grinch decides he needs a tropical getaway—and, of course, things get pretty funny as he, the Grinch, tries to relax. The illustrations are so bright and fun, making it intriguing for kids, show more and the story is packed with humor and heart. My daughter thought it was so funny and couldn’t stop giggling, let alone put it down! I’d definitely recommend this to any kid looking for a silly book, especially during the holidays! show less

Random House has launched a series of Dr. Seuss books turned into graphic novels, and, while none are inspiring, this one is better than Dr. Seuss Graphic Novel: Green Eggs and Ham Take a Hike: A Green Eggs and Ham Story. That’s damning the book with faint praise, but so be it.

The Grinch, no longer so misanthropic, still lacks a lot of knowledge of what normal people — I mean, Whos — are like. In this case, the Grinch learns about vacations. Author Kaeti Vandorn manages to imbue this show more chapter book with some humor and whimsy. Luckily, the Grinch isn’t seen as something for preschoolers, but rather a life lesson for all. Definitely worth a read.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Random House Children and Random House Graphic in exchange for an honest review. show less

Gr 2–5—Following a frightening experience exploring a cave, Reggie, a shape-shifting monster, withdraws from the world, but everything changes when he meets a new pal while house-sitting. Vandorn's expressive illustrations bring
to life a sweetly surreal setting, and her gentle story is threaded with a subtle yet potent message: With a good friend
by one's side, even the most daunting problems can be resolved.