Released today,

Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32

Author: B.C.R. Fegan
Illustrator: Lenny Wen
Category: Illustrated Children’s Book
Suitable for: All Ages, ideal for ages 3-8
My Rating: 5 Stars
Format Read for Review: Kindle copy provided by the publisher/author/agent in return for an honest review.
Pages: 36

Description from Amazon: The magical Hotel of Hoo is a mysterious place with some very unusual occupants. As our guests explore the strange hotel, they are invited to experience everything it has to offer with just one warning… don’t ever look behind door 32.

This imaginative picture book aims to take children beyond the first ten cardinal numbers, and introduces them to the patterns of counting in a fun and accessible way. With rooms to explore and unique objects to count, children will enjoy lingering on each page as they make their way closer to the forbidden door.

~Review~

In Short: A cute book with fantastic art and fun rhymes. Every page takes the child on an adventure to a different room of the magical hotel, teaching them to count from 1 to 32. In the last room they learn the central moral of the story which is simply to respect other’s privacy. I recommend this book to children who are reaching that age where they don’t understand privacy and for fans of movies like “Despicable Me,” “Hotel Transylvania,” or “Coraline.”

Pros: The first thing I noticed was the art. It is beautiful! One of the most visually striking children’s books I have read, ever. The story is really simple but fun. Each page takes you to a different room with magical creatures. I’m sure kids will pick favorite rooms that they would want to visit at the magical Hotel of Hoo. The Seuss-like rhymes are really fun and make this book great to read out loud. It is easy to read but there is some advanced vocabulary, great for learning new words.

Cons: I have no notable issues with this book.

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Read a sample, find activities and more at the official site here.

~Excerpt~

Welcome to the magical Hotel of Hoo.
Where I’ll be your host, Mr Nicholas Noo.

I’m sure you’ll be happy in room number 1.
You’ll be my first guests; before you, I had none.
Please explore my hotel, but whatever you do,
Don’t ever look behind door 32.

Through door number 2 are the grumpy old clowns.
I don’t think they’re funny,
but they help clean the grounds.

Through door number 3 are the fidgety knights.
They itch and they scratch,
but they fix all the lights.

Through door number 4 is the room where we eat,
Whenever you’re hungry, come in, take a seat.
But just a reminder, when done with your stew,
Don’t ever look behind door 32.

 

 

 

BCR Fegan is a multi-award-winning author who has written a number of fairy tales and fantasies for children and young adults.

Raised on a small hobby farm only minutes from some of Australia’s greatest beaches, Fegan grew up inspired by the power of natures ambience. From the intensity of the frequent summer storms, to the overwhelming serenity of a lonely beach in the early hours of the morning. His ravenous appetite for both reading and writing soon saw him drawing on the transformational influence of the world around him to craft short stories, poems and picture books.

As time wore on, Fegan also found inspiration in the magic and depth of authors and compositors like Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. He was mesmerised by the potency of small but beautiful phrases that were carefully carved from the minds of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Alfred Lord Tennyson and Robert Frost. He grew to appreciate the worlds meticulously created by David Eddings, JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis.

Eventually, he began to forge his own complete works. Weaving his own magic, piecing together his own phrases and crafting his own worlds. Agonizing over plots that would inspire, characters that would be loved and circumstances that would delight. In time, his efforts saw a number of children’s books and young adult fiction produced. Through the efforts of TaleBlade Press, these works are now being published with that same careful dedication.

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