As the owner of a small farm, today's read instantly caught my attention. I believe it's the third in a row of books surrounding Guapo and friends, but it's the first one I'm picking up. I highly doubt that will be a problem, though, and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what this crew is up to. And the mystery. I'm always a fan of mysteries...even little ones.
So, let's open this one up and see what is going on.
GUAPO AND THE MYSTERY OF GOODNESS GROVE
by Janet Zappala
Illustrated by Lara Calleja
Mascot Kids
Picture Book
38 pages
ages 5 to 10
COMING NOVEMBER 10th!!!
Look closely, young readers, the greatest clues are in the kindness we show.
In this heartwarming third adventure of Guapo, the gentle giant, a mystery unfolds.
Follow along with Guapo and his friends as every act of goodness brings them closer to discovering the heart of the mystery.
A portion of the proceeds from Guapo's Stories go to the Coachella Valley Horse Rescue in Indio, California, and Come Back Ranch Animal Sanctuary in Eagar, Arizona.
MY TIDBITS
Friendship, working together, and surprises follow this group of animals to create a wholesome adventure.
Guapo feels so sorry for a sad-looking tree, who appeared to be dying. He wants to save it and with the help of his friends, gives it water every day, but it doesn't really seem to be helping. When he and his friends assist a baby bird to return to its nest, they notice that the tree suddenly has leaves. Guapo has no idea how this change occurred so quickly and wonders if the good deed of helping the little bird had something to do with the tree's improvement. Not that it would really make sense. Or would it? These friends are determined to find out.
These pages pack tons of wholesome goodness and weave the plot around helping others. So, the messaging is very clear, but it works nicely with the group of friends and creates a lovely tale as Guapo and each of his friends do their best to find ways to help those around them. This forms a fun adventure as they hop from one good deed to the next. There's a touch of magic at the end to dab into the realm of fantasy, and this opens up to dreams.
The tale creates a lovely read-aloud for individual settings. I'm not sure it would work as well for groups, since there are several illustrative scenes on each page, at times, which would be more difficult to present. Plus, there is a larger amount of text, making this an ideal read for story times or bedtime reads.
Fans of animal adventures, friendships, and very wholesome reads are sure to enjoy this one quite a bit.
And here she is...
Janet Zappala: Following a career as an award-winning broadcast journalist – garnering six Emmy awards and 14 Emmy nominations – Janet became a bestselling children’s author, writing stories to teach children love and kindness. As a child, Janet would take in baby birds that had fallen from a nest in her backyard, and would care for guinea pigs and parakeets―not to mention her beloved terrier mix, Pepe. As a writer, Janet crafts tales to teach children kindness, compassion, and inclusion, built around real-life animal rescue tales. Janet was awarded the Children’s Author of the Year by the International Association of Top Professionals in 2025. She is a proud mother who is passionate about caring for children and animals. Learn more about Janet and Guapo’s Tales at her website.
Follow Janet on Social Media:
Instagram: @Janet_Zap
Facebook: @JanetZappala.GuaposTales
LinkedIn: @JanetZappala
1 comment:
I'm really drawn to the cover art and love that the story is steered by kindness, and care. Looking forward to checking out the full series.
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