OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Zoe-Chai Seed" by Catherine Ann Russell.]

In a world where strength might be confused with one’s physique, there’s a constant need for individuals with intellectual prowess to always stand out. Virtues like kindness, generosity, politeness and patience can only be nurtured if people embrace each other and appreciate the contributions of everyone in society, irrespective of how they rank against better contributors. The aforementioned and many other lessons are what I like most about The Zoe-Chai Seed by Catherine Ann Russell.

Princess Journee was out on a picnic with Mr. Owl, Mr. Hopper, Mr. Toad and Mr. Steed before they heard the Nine Gongs to Council. The whole group suspected there must be grave issues to be discussed, enough to warrant the kingdom elders’ gathering. They all made haste back to the kingdom, where the king informed them about the legend of the Zoe-Chai Seed. Although a few members were skeptical about the mission that proceeded after the meeting, they decided there was nothing to lose. What does the legend of the Zoe-Chai Seed say? What informed the king’s decision to get his kingdom involved in a legend they could not relate to?

I like the inclusion of a map at the beginning of the book. It helped me track the various routes taken by Princess Journee and her friends on their adventures. The inclusion of onomatopoeic sounds not only added aesthetic beauty to the text but also brought the dialogues to life, enabling the reader to form mental images of the characters’ interactions. Although some of the pictures in the book are colored, other illustrations are in black and white, which I think should have been colored. This is what I disliked about the book. Children’s attention while reading thrives on attraction and pictures that are not colored may be quite unattractive.

I love the fact that the moral lesson of this book is founded on a biblical verse without limiting the audience of this book to Christians. The concept of generosity is a universal virtue that people across all denominations relate to. The book will also teach readers to be appreciative of each other, irrespective of how insignificant their contributions may be.

The book is exceptionally edited, as I did not find errors in it and I award it four out of five stars. Unfortunately, I have to deduct a star because of the pictures that were not colored. Illustrations serve a complementary role in children’s books and inconsistencies in their presentation are likely to detract children from their enjoyment of the book. I recommend this book to children between the ages of seven and ten.

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The Zoe-Chai Seed
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I just read the review of the part 2 of this particular novel and I was curious as the events that lead to the discovery of this seed. I hope I see this novel on the shelf someday!

For a book that narrates an adventurous journey, a map is a welcome idea. It will help readers navigate the story better. Thank you for the amazing review.

This is a captivating and compelling narrative. I like it for the fact that your review could help me to have a clue about the book. Good job.

Simplicity is beautiful, and Hellen, your review is straightforward and likable. Children, who are the primary audience of the book, will find it easy to read and will be drawn to pick up the book.