Giraffe comes up with the idea to surprise Chimpanzee and enlists the help of his friends-Elephant, Snake and Money. The story follows a group of animal friends as they try to find the ideal spot for their friend’s birthday party. Finding the perfect party location more complicated than the group of friends realises. Giraffe starts to lose hope until they discover a location hiding in plain sight. The Author does a great job expressing thoughtfulness and generosity of friendship through the group’s determination to host the best party for Chimpanzee. This book is a quick read, with simple characters and easy to follow prose. Well edited with an entertaining plot, Where can we have the party? Is a sweet story of friendship and fun parties for young readers. (Tesha Bacon Book Tour Reviewer)
A nicely produced short story for younger readers. I would have preferred sharper illustrations, but the colours were bright and bold, and pictures matched well with the prose. The story seemed to end a little too soon. I would have enjoyed a longer party scene with more games and fun. An activity page (perhaps an illustration to colour, or a discussion section) could have extended the enjoyment of the book. (Deb Barwick Book Tour Reviewer)
I think that the book is suitable for very young readers (and pre-readers with a helper involved). The illustrations are charming and serve the narrative well. In particular, I appreciated the expressiveness of the animal characters in the art, as their emotional state should be helpful to young readers in understanding the tone of the dialogue. The animals’ joyous expressions as they put effort in to prepare a special day for their friend set a nice, heartwarming message. The setting of the Hungle Bungle Jungle also feels worthy of mention as a fun phrase for early learners. (Tim Marshall Book Tour Reviewer)
I found this children’s book a pleasure to read, with plenty to engage my adult mind! I enjoyed the use of rhyme and rhythm at the start of the book and found the illustrations throughout, charming and appealing. The use of expressions on the character’s faces worked particularly well. I enjoyed the narrative of the characters having to negotiate a venue that would suit all the attendees and think this would help children to realise the importance of compromise. I also liked how they all worked together to prepare for the party, showcasing the importance of teamwork. (Michelle Marshall Book Tour Reviewer)
A sweet simple children’s story about friendship, problem solving, creativity and determination. The dialogue is realistic and suitable for the audience it is targeted for, and the story moves along at a comfortable pace. The characters are likeable, although the author doesn’t go in depth with character descriptions, so it is what the reader sees demonstrated through the illustration work in the story, that will aid in establishing connections. Giraffe is the main protagonist in the story, as he moves from friend to friend asking for help. (Kirsty McKay Book Tour Reviewer)
Where can we have the party is an amusing and entertaining read for children that will have them imagining their own animal birthday party! The characters included can all be found in the jungle, meaning that the story is instantly believable. Furthermore, each character has a subtle personality trait that can be seen within the pages: monkey’s humour, snake’s quirkiness, giraffe’s sincerity. However, exploiting these traits further would strengthen the story. An engaging read, the pace of the story is unique, and very different from other children’s stories. The repetitive nature of the phrases used within the story will hold children’s attention as well as the fact that the story quickly builds towards the party at the end. If the author were to make a slight tweak to the sequencing of the pages, it would improve the consistency and potentially make the plot more appealing. The dialogue is strong and used to tell the story as well as to reveal the traits of the characters. As the majority of the story is told through dialogue, the author has carefully considered the speech incorporated and ensured it is purposeful, and strong in delivering the narrative. There were a few errors in the editing and with consistency. The tale will provide great enjoyment for younger readers. I do think slightly brighter colours and sharper outlines would be beneficial in that it would make the book itself more attractive and attention grabbing for children browsing the shelves of a book store. Overall, an enjoyable read for children. (Josephine Park Book Tour Reviewer)
Overall we award 3.5 stars.
