LitPick Review
Little Joe, a black and brown dog with great big ears, loves his family, and he loves to go on adventures with or without Anna, the little girl in his family. After waking up one morning, he is visited by his friend Hopper, a frog. Hopper asks if Little Joe would like to come over to his home because he is making delicious fly soup. Little Joe excitedly accepts the offer and the both of them head to Hopper’s home. On the way, torrential rain starts falling and they must seek shelter. When they arrive at Hopper’s home, the rain has flooded out where Hopper lives. They decide to head deeper into the forest under the trees. Once they go deeper into the forest, they meet up with other animals. Who do Little Joe and Hopper meet? Does everything work out when they meet the new animals in the forest?
Opinion:
I thought this was a truly adorable storyline! I loved how Little Joe, a dog, and Hopper, a frog, were best friends. Plus, when they were seeking shelter out of the heavy rain, they started meeting up with other animals in the forest trying to seek shelter as well. I feel this teaches children that you can have friends of all different varieties and being that you come from all different backgrounds, you can learn from each other. Children will want to emulate Little Joe and Hopper’s friendship because they were very close and always enjoyed their time together. I found the relationship that Little Joe and Hopper shared to be a special one because you don't really ever see a dog and a frog going on adventures together in a children's book. So, this story was fresh and unique.
I also enjoyed how the story mainly played out within the forest area that was close to Little Joe’s house. He didn’t have to go far to always have a new and exciting adventure. I feel this also teaches children that even if you don’t know a location, it doesn’t mean you won’t have fun there. You have to think of every new place as a place to learn something new there.
The illustrations provided by Tincho Schmidt could be found spread throughout this story. They were done in muted colors and perfectly complemented the written story. Each illustration was crafted to fit the entire page for readers to stop and enjoy in between the written pages of the story. Tincho Schmidt was born in Argentina and at a young age developed a passion for art. Eventually, he attended a university to study graphic design. Today, he is a professional illustrator with over 40 published titles to his name.
Mike Darcy is the debut author of the Little Joe series. He holds degrees in Digital Forensics, Applied Mathematics, and a Master’s in Public Administration.
Overall, Little Joe and the Big Rain is a children’s book that readers of all ages can enjoy. The characters are fun to get to know, the storyline is entertaining to read, and the lessons offered will have children wanting to reread this story over and over again.
