LitPick Review
Poor Bajette has lost her cat, Rocco, and has spent the entire morning looking for him. Taking a break at the local luncheonette, she looks outside the window and can’t believe her eyes. There is a clear balloon floating near the window where she is seated. She loves balloons so much that she can’t resist going outside to look at it. The balloon starts dancing around near her and actually changes to pink. From this moment on, she follows the spirited balloon on an unforgettable journey that allows her to meet many different people all in need of a helping hand along the way. Does she ever find Rocco the cat while on her fun journey?
Opinion:
The first thing that stuck out to me that I loved was that the cast of characters was very diverse. I feel this teaches children that even if someone looks or acts differently than you, if they need assistance, lend them a hand. Kindness offered always comes back tenfold to someone willing to assist others. Claudia Christine Colonna did a wonderful job showing how Bajette was compassionate to everyone she met, no matter who they were, and her kindness was appreciated by everyone throughout her journey.
Another thing I loved about this story was the different range of environments Bajette was taken through while following this fun and enthusiastic balloon that kept changing colors as Bajette met different people. I feel children will learn that people need assistance in all different communities and walks of life and that you should always be ready to help people even if it’s out of your community.
The illustrations provided by Ed Hose were vibrantly colored and were eye-catching for the readers to get immersed in right from the very first page. Readers will want to stop to look at the detailed pictures which were provided on almost every single page of this fun children’s story. The illustrations perfectly complemented the written word and could be enjoyed by readers of all ages. Ed Hose has been an illustrator since 2001 when she received her BFA in Illustration and Design. She loves working with the combination of hand-drawn illustrations and digital imaging. She does her drawing in pen and ink, and then colors them with the computer. She also loves to paint and sculpt.
Claudia Christine Colonna wrote this children’s story from the inspiration she received from growing up and seeing how her parents always wanted to help others, even when they were experiencing tough times themselves. This moved her to want to create a children’s story that not only honored her parents, but also could teach children that they should always help others in need no matter what their own circumstance is. One thing that readers will love is if they send an email to the author, she will send you “Magic of Smiles” stickers so you can pass stickers out wherever you go and meet new people. Her mission in doing this is to spread smiles wherever you might travel.
Overall, Bajette’s Balloon is a story that readers of all ages can enjoy and learn from. It has a great cast of characters, eye-catching colorful illustrations, and a wonderful lesson of spreading kindness to others you meet.
