Review: Baxter Goes to Imagination Land by Jennifer Hart

BAXTER GOES TO IMAGINATION LAND

Adventures with Baxter the Dog

Book One

by Jennifer Hart

Picture Book

38 pages

ages 4 to 8

Jennifer Hart's debut children's book. The first in a series of mostly made-up adventures inspired by a mostly real dog named Baxter. Follow your imagination past the sneaker trees and cupcake bees to a place only you can see.

40 full-color illustrations done with ink and watercolor guide beginner readers as they explore Baxter's land of imagination filled with colorful characters, funny surprises and an adventure that will inspire kids to get creative.

         

MY TIDBITS

I've already read another book in this series and found Baxter to be a wonderful dog. And yes, these books can be read in whatever order is preferred, since they don't build on each other.

Baxter finds himself in a strange place, on day. He's upside down and right side up in a forest of planted sneakers. And that's just the beginning of this quirky and giggle worthy adventure.

My favorite aspect of this book is the imagination. It allows everything to fly in all directions, and in some loose ways, reminds me a little of Dr. Seuss. It's not only okay to be ridiculous, it's actually desirable in these pages. But yet, it has a nice tale of friendship, too. The rhymes allow the cute story to unfold and leave tons of smiles lingering after 'The End' is reached.

The illustrations are whimsical and allow the imagination to unfold in all of its glorious ways. The colorful landscapes swoop with curls and lines, letting young listeners delve into Baxter's world. It's a treat simply to flip through these and enjoy every page.


To find out more about Baxter and the lovely books...

https://www.baxterthedogbooks.com/
Facebook and Instagram: @Baxterbooks

Review: Baxter Meets His Monster by Jennifer Hart

BAXTER MEETS HIS MONSTER

Baxter the Dog Books

by Jennifer Hart

Picture Book

46 pages

Baxter The Dog is no stranger to fantastic creatures. In his first adventure, "Baxter Goes to Imagination Land," he met a cast of colorful characters. However, on a dark, stormy night, he is surprised and unsure when something strange and wild shows up at his door. Will Baxter judge a creature by their size, their color and by the shape of their paws, or will he learn that monsters aren't always monsters after all?

Baxter The Dog Books is a series starring Baxter The Dog that encourages children (or kids at heart) to get creative, be kind, and seek adventure. "Baxter Meets His Monster" has 40-pages of colorful hand-drawn illustrations by Jennifer Hart. The full-page art and rhyming storyline set the scene as Baxter takes his readers through a funny, heartfelt bedtime story about friendship.

If you can't get enough Baxter The Dog, please check out "Baxter Goes to Imagination Land," "Baxter Returns to Imagination Land, Coloring and Activity Book, " and "Baxter's Sweets and Treats."

Be sure to follow Jennifer Hart and Baxter The Dog on Instagram and Facebook @baxterbooks.

         

MY TIDBITS

Imagination radiates from every page in this tale about a sweet dog and a very unexpected monster.

Baxer the dog can't believe his eyes—something crashes a hole in his fence! With the fog, it's hard to see what it is, but it appears to be furry and huge. His mind races in all sorts of directions as he tries to imagine what type of monster it is. Despite all the amazing possibilities he comes up with, none come close to reality.

The artwork in this book is lovely, each page allowing imagination to take flight in swoops, curls and color combinations that bounce off of the page. It's a treat to simply flip through the book and experience the tale through the art. Especially the monster benefits from the illustrations and will make young listeners gasp, giggle and want to cuddle it...if their arms were long enough, that is.

While I want to say that this book shows that the imagination can be worse than reality, that doesn't quite fit. Baxter's imagination of what the monster might be is amazing in so many ways. Young listeners will love every 'monster' he comes up with, and this makes it a lovely read-aloud. The end result is very surprising, but fits the imaginative direction nicely. Of course, there's a warm ending with a wholesome message, which makes it wonderful for the intended age group. The entire thing is written in light rhyme, which sometimes flows better than others, and the vocabulary is fitting for the age group.


To find out more about Baxter and the lovely books...

https://www.baxterthedogbooks.com/
Facebook and Instagram: @Baxterbooks