Lost and found

Gepubliceerd op 19 april 2023 om 15:00

Title: Lost and found

Author: Natalie Shampanier

Illustrations from: David Pavon

Genre(s): Children's fiction

My rating: 4/5 stars

Other books written by this author: /

Find Natalie Shampanier here:

The story:

Lost and found is story written on rhyme. It follows some forgotten toys at a summer camp. The young Dino doesn't want to sit on a shelf the entire day, and makes a plan to escape the camp. Some other toys follow him, and together they make a small journey in the big world. While trying to find themselves new homes. Unfortunately, this  doesn't go right the first try, but all the toys will find a bright new house, to call their home.

 

The characters:

Of course, mainly all the characters you see and follow are toys. This doesn't mean they don't feel alive. Because they do. It's like following some children in their path to find a loving home. The author did a really good job in making the toys feel alive. Also, all the toys get introduced widely different, and the author gave them all other personalities, making each their own. Also, if you think more about it, you can see that every toy symbolizes a characteristic a real person can have. The author did a really good job making all the toys lovable characters, who each have their own personality.

 

My opinion:

I always love to know as less as possible about the story before reading the book, something that happened with this book. Of course, I had read the blurb, but that was everything. I went into this story without some opinions beforehand, so I could enjoy it to the fullest. I loved the way it was written. The rhymes flowed smoothly, and the author didn't lower the pacing with making everything rhyme. The story consistently stayed in the same pacing, and it wasn't hard to follow or understand the text. The words and sentences used are all widely understandable, but the text hasn't been made too childish. Which makes it fun for an adult to read this story as well.

Also, if you read this as an adult you understand the underlying meaning of this story as well. As I said for the characters, they all kinda reflect real children. They reflect children in need of a safe and loving home. Children who are trying to find a loving place for themselves. Hidden inside the toys who go on this adventure together. I believe the author put in this meaning in a good way, it's not too much on the foreground, since that's the story from these toys, but it's there.

I really enjoyed reading this story, and I love what it's about. The ending was even more perfect than I could have imagined, and it all fits together so well. Oh, yeah, I haven't even talked about all the beautiful illustrations. They make the story complete, and are made so beautiful. I have looked at all the illustrations for a long time, trying to see every little detail inside of them. The colors are soothing and they always make the text complete.

 

Conclusion:

Lost and found is a beautifully written picture book, with a lot of big, beautiful illustrations. The story is nice to read aloud or read for yourself, and the meaning is also wonderful. You can feel super lost, but in the end, you will be found by a loving family.

 

Let's finish with one of my favorite quotes from the book:

"And just like that - his world felt right."

- Natalie Shampanier, Lost and found.

 

{I received this book as a review copy, wherefore I thank the author from this book, but this doesn't influence my opinion on the story}


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