Review by mariana90 -- The Tales of Little Lady M

[mariana90]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Tales of Little Lady M" by Diego Di Mauro.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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The Tales of Little Lady M is a children’s storybook written and illustrated by Diego Di Mauro. It follows the adventures of a small princess named Misha, nicknamed Little Lady M, in the land of Oaks Bridge: a realm full of magical creatures such as elves, gnomes, fairies and talking frogs.

This book isn’t a conventional novel with a beginning, middle and end. It appears to start off that way, but it quickly adopts an episodic format, where each episode comprises one of Little Lady M’s adventures. This means that the first couple of chapters, employed by the author to set the place and characters, are a tad pointless. Even though the action is always set in the same place, the use of a whole chapter (there are only eleven in the book) to simply describe the land of Oaks Bridge is a bit much.

On a positive note, the adventures are light romps where Little Lady M encounters people who need help or some very naughty creatures who are swiftly dealt with. Most have a nice little lesson at the end in the form of a short poem, reminding the princess of the importance of listening to a friend's advice or of being wary of strangers. I really enjoyed that all the characters speak in rhymes, though I found some to be a bit forced.

The illustrations are distinctive and lively. The bright colors and simple lines are very attractive and eye-catching. With an average of one illustration every five pages, I thought that the book could have used some more, considering it is aimed at small children. The pages without any drawings are not appealing to them: it’s simple, Arial-style lettering on a white background.

I give this book 2 out of 4 stars. It could have gone through a few more rounds of editing to achieve a more cohesive structure. Also, probably due to the fact the author’s mother tongue isn’t English, some rhymes and expressions seem unnatural to the ear. Having said this, the tales themselves are lighthearted and entertaining enough for kids aged between four and six to enjoy.

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The Tales of Little Lady M
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[AvidBibliophile]

It sounds like little Misha has quite the memorable adventure in this magical realm! The elves, gnomes, fairies, and talking frogs would certainly delight my whimsical senses! The author’s use of an episodic format sounds intriguing, although I do agree that a greater frequency of illustrations might help keep younger minds more fully engaged. Thank you for this lovely review!

[mariana90]

It sounds like little Misha has quite the memorable adventure in this magical realm! The elves, gnomes, fairies, and talking frogs would certainly delight my whimsical senses! The author’s use of an episodic format sounds intriguing, although I do agree that a greater frequency of illustrations might help keep younger minds more fully engaged. Thank you for this lovely review!

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