Title: Spunky’s Special Friend
Author: Maureen McGrath
Publisher: ARPress
ISBN: 979-8-89389-177-5
Pages: 22
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Reviewer: Beth Adams
Hollywood Book Reviews
Every person as well as most everything is unique, making each individual different from the others. It is the difference between us which is special and should be celebrated. This is the theme of the creative illustrated children’s book titled, Spunky’s Special Friend, by author Maureen McGrath.
In Maureen McGrath’s book readers are introduced to Spunky, a playful puppy with floppy ears and a happy personality, but quite a bit smaller than others, making it difficult to jump over logs and keep up with the other dogs. So Spunky often was alone, spending pensive time thinking about things, and wishing for a playmate. Low and behold, one day a butterfly named Sarah gently lands on Spunky’s nose and asks if it is alright to rest there because it was very tired of flying and keeping up with the larger butterflies. Spunky, of course, is delighted to have company – and over time Spunky and Sarah become good friends. On rainy days, the butterfly would take cover under Spunky’s ears to protect itself from the weather. Over time they became best friends. The story asks the question: can a puppy and a butterfly have anything in common? Then the moral is told, “Sometimes those who are most different get along the best.”
This wonderful book is ideal for youngsters to learn self-confidence and acceptance of others who may be smaller or have different characteristics. The artful illustrations are very appropriate for the storyline, offering minimalist hand-drawn characters of both Spunky and Sarah, allowing children to follow the action and learn the morals easily. The book’s story pages quickly yet brings a totally comprehensive theme as well as a bit of an adventure to readers, making it ideal for a bedtime read. There are many elements showing the skill of the author and illustrator, bringing the text and images to a basic level of “less is more” – so to speak, truly an accomplishment of editing.
Spunky’s Special Friend has a whimsical tone, a fun-loving adventure, loving characters creating a happy feeling for all readers. It is an example of skilled storytelling, making this book a perfect addition to a family library with youngsters, or even a baby shower present as it appeals to both boys and girls equally. Spunky’s Special Friend is a great read for anyone seeking an uplifting story about the power of friendship. I wonder what’s next for Spunky in the future?