Review of The Adventures of Dock and Nettle

[Erin Dydek]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Adventures of Dock and Nettle" by James L P Johnson.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Adventures of Dock and Nettle is a children’s chapter book by James L. P. Johnson. This 78-page book follows the adventures of two squirrel brothers and the delightful cast of woodland creatures that they encounter while learning life lessons. Dock and Nettle discover new ways to conquer boredom, use bravery in the face of danger, and learn to work together. These ornery squirrels are sure to charm and delight readers young and old through eight standalone stories.

I loved how this book featured a particular thought or topic to focus on at the beginning of the chapter. The author used this insightful teaser to get the reader thinking about the lesson before demonstrating the concept throughout the short story. The lesson recap also provided applications and an easy-to-understand message for parents to share with their children. I also appreciated how Dock and Nettle learned some lessons from their mistakes and other lessons from their mentor figure, Mrs. Thorn.

Parents with multiple children may also find it refreshing that the brothers in the story work together to solve problems and learn to watch out for each other. I loved how the two squirrels had different personalities and discovered ways to use their strengths to help each other in different situations. Nettle was typically the brother that got them into trouble, but he learned a lot from Dock’s example. Dock also learned a lot from Nettle’s playful creativity.

While the squirrels found themselves in danger more than once, the author always provided a safe and well-devised solution to get the brothers home safely. The book included an extensive vocabulary, and the chapter book format would be best for advanced young readers. The Adventures of Dock and Nettle would also be a great book to share aloud with younger readers who can’t handle entire chapters independently. This book even includes adorable illustrations of the squirrel brothers and other forest critters throughout the pages.

I didn’t find anything that I disliked about the book. Unfortunately, I did notice quite a few comma splices and other proofreading errors, which required me to reduce the rating to three out of four stars. Each story was entertaining and well written, and the lessons about bravery, responsibility, and awareness were all presented in an age-appropriate manner.

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The Adventures of Dock and Nettle
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Victor Kilyungi]

I know for a fact that the childhood version of me would have loved this book. Thank you for this great review.

[sunny4life]

I think I've got just the right audience for this in my home.

[Miriam nkere]

What a good book of togetherness and love. Being there for each other in trying times. This is wonderful for children, it will teach them how to treat their brothers, sisters and friends. Good review

[El_limitless]

The book sure has the message of synergy between siblings and siblings growing in families need that message to live happily. Great review.

[Haripriyanka]

This book is really good for both children and adult in giving a very good message.

[Mandeep kaur 23]

This book is very useful for childrens
After reading this book children can apply their understanding in their day to day life..

[Emily_Jen]

I think the illustrations of the squirrels provided would pique the interest of the children and make the book more appealing to them. Nice review.