Review of The Clubhouse

[Diana Lowery]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Clubhouse" by Vincent Mirante.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The title of this book is sure to spark some fond memories in the minds of many parents. The Clubhouse recreates a time when a group of friends decided to build a special place just for them. In this case, however, the friends are animals. The members of this club are a dog, a parrot, a squirrel, a duck and a lamb.

This is the second book in the series of The Amazing Adventures of Rascal, Buddy, Lambie, Ducky and Squirrel. The title characters are shown on the cover of the book with the actual clubhouse in the background. Only two of the characters have given names. Rascal is the dog, and Buddy is the parrot. These two, actual pets of the author, were the inspiration for the series. In real life, the other three characters are Rascal's toys.

I like that the theme of this children's book includes teamwork, diversity, and discovering unique abilities. As the crew plans their clubhouse, they must accept each other's limitations. As they make decisions about its use, they must allocate duties based on skills. Acceptance, patience, and communication are also incorporated into this seemingly simple story.

Vincent Mirante, author and illustrator, has formatted this book in a consistent style. The text alternates with pictures occurring on opposite sides in a methodical manner. There are two full-spread layouts, one in the middle and another at the end. The text passages are attractively framed in the same manner every time. Every illustration covers the entire page with no margins or white space. The colors are earthy and soothing.

The story opens with the characters waking up to a beautiful day. The line, "Not a single cloud was in the sky" is accompanied by an illustration of the five friends frolicking under a blue sky with two clouds. On the next page, a line of dialogue appears on the text side that is not attributed to a character. However, since only one character is depicted on the illustration page, it is easy to deduce who is speaking. I was pleased that these minor negatives did not continue for the rest of the book. I did feel that the ending was abrupt and too obviously led to the next book in the series.

The pluses of this book far outweigh the slight minuses. In addition to a clever book with an encouraging tone, Mirante goes one step further by offering the chance to get an autographed picture of the real-life Rascal. The link to his email is an excellent way to promote communication and to practice writing skills. A website with games and songs is also described on the back cover. I am rating this book four out of four because of the added steps taken by the author to incorporate a love of writing in young readers.

My recommendation is that his book is one that should be read aloud to pre-readers. The reading level is too advanced for very young children, but the storyline might be too simplistic for older children. The size and the layout of the book are perfect for a reading circle. Not all books are designed to be held and read with the book facing the audience, but this one is. It appears that Vincent Mirante has taken a lot of things into consideration in producing this gem.

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The Clubhouse
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes

[Chinaza Nnabuenyi]

Sounds like a children's book. Parents would benefit greatly.

[Gabriella Smith]

Sounds delightful, love that you included the background of where the characters came from.

[Ntombifuthi Londi]

This is such a wonderful book for kids. This novel inadvertently emphasizes the value of teamwork, which I appreciate. This is an excellent value to instill in children while they are still young. It appears to be a lot of fun. Great review

[Jydel]

The Clubhouse sounds like an interesting book. Am sure little ones would love to hear it read to them.

[Janet Kimetto]

That's a lovely cover right there. I also like what you said about the size and the layout of the book. Thanks for another wonderful review!

[Ruchi Raina]

Aww, this book seems so cute and heartwarming. I loved the cover of the book. The author has been creative by using Rascal's toys as the other three characters. As the book will teach children qualities like teamwork, diversity, and discovering unique abilities, it will definitely be a good read for them. Thanks for the amazing review.

[Medhansh Bhardwaj]

This is such a unique combination of animals- dog, parrot, lamb, squirrel and duck! This book will definitely teach children the value and importance of loving animals. Thanks for the great review!

[Diana Lowery]

Sounds like a children's book. Parents would benefit greatly.

I appreciate your comment.

[Diana Lowery]

Sounds delightful, love that you included the background of where the characters came from.

Thank you for your comment.

[Diana Lowery]

This is such a wonderful book for kids. This novel inadvertently emphasizes the value of teamwork, which I appreciate. This is an excellent value to instill in children while they are still young. It appears to be a lot of fun. Great review

Thank you for reading and commenting.

[Diana Lowery]

The Clubhouse sounds like an interesting book. Am sure little ones would love to hear it read to them.

Yes, it could lead to some good discussions.

[Diana Lowery]

That's a lovely cover right there. I also like what you said about the size and the layout of the book. Thanks for another wonderful review!

Thank you for your compliment.

[Diana Lowery]

Aww, this book seems so cute and heartwarming. I loved the cover of the book. The author has been creative by using Rascal's toys as the other three characters. As the book will teach children qualities like teamwork, diversity, and discovering unique abilities, it will definitely be a good read for them. Thanks for the amazing review.

You are too kind; thanks for reading my review.

[Kaushiki Parihar]

The book seems and adorable read. It's funny yet unique that the members of this clubhouse are animals. Children will surely love the book. Thanks for the beautiful review.