Title: The Adventure of Mr. Icket – The Kindhearted Cricket
Author: Martha Abrams Marrow
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing LLC
ISBN: 978-1-64803-758-0
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 30
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Hollywood Book Reviews
Two huge details become obvious to readers of The Adventure of Mr. Icket – The Kindhearted Cricket by author Martha Abrams Marrow. First, readers are shown an overabundance of creativity in the story of Mr. Icket, a cricket, complete with rhyming galley text. And secondly, fantastic illustrations by artist Stephen Adams brings these fanciful characters to life. These two elements come together to make this book a “Best in Class” for the genre of illustrated children’s books.
The story is about an adventure where Mr. Icket waves goodbye to his family and goes far away from home. He sacks-out, so to speak, on a potato bag, munching a snack and relaxing, then actually goes into the farm to work with others harvesting the vegetables in the field. Next Mr. Icket relaxes by a beautiful lake when a fisherman grabs him and tries to hook him onto his fish hook as bait. Narrowly escaping yet slightly injured, he finds solitude back on the farm along with his animal friends – when all of a sudden, a turtle tries to eat him! Again, escaping the jaws of the turtle, Mr. Icket goes and visits a beekeeper’s farm where he samples honey.
Going back to the farm, then playing with his friends, days pass quickly and it becomes time for Mr. Icket to go home to his family – but not without having one last spectacular adventure. He hitches a ride in a hot air balloon! Returning home with gifts for his family including some potatoes and a jar of honey, Mr. Icket recounts the lessons he learned on his adventure: “Number 1. To be happy and do very little grumbling. Number 2. To be strong and humble.”
The Adventure of Mr. Icket – The Kindhearted Cricket has everything young children will cherish over-and-over when reading what exactly a fun personified cricket can do. Author Martha Abrams Marrow has made it look easy, however subliminally has much thought-stimulating text woven with the words and synchronized with the pictures for readers to learn: such as kindness; thrilling life threatening events; teamwork; and love. I wonder what adventures might await Mr. Icket in future books? A talented cricket like Mr. Icket seems just too good not to have a sequel!