A Not So Misfit Odyssey by John F. McCarney is a well-written children’s book filled with valuable life lessons as well as interesting nuggets of information. Each chapter begins with an “acorn of wisdom” that teaches useful bits of information to the reader. For example, one such acorn taught me that an oak tree on a Dehesa is in fact one of the most life-supporting trees in the world as it can shelter and feed around 200 animal species. I found the acorns of wisdom to be very interesting as they taught me a lot about the animals, plants, and places in the book. While the acorns of wisdom offer overt knowledge, the story itself is filled with subtle life lessons that can be applied to people (not just to Juanito and his friends).  

One of the main lessons taught it the book is that life journeys are not truly about where you are going, but who you are going there with. This can be seen throughout the book with how the animals may be trying to get to a place where they can live freely, but their personal growth comes from traveling with each other. For instance, at the beginning of the book Juanito was a big believer in the natural order, which he believed meant he could take all the acorns he wanted even when others were hungry, yet as the story progresses that belief slowly changes from his interactions with others. Over the course of the story, he changed from a selfish pig who only cared for himself to a pig who appreciated and cared for his friends.  

The author did a great job with pacing the story and allowing Juanito’s change to be realistic and not instant. The story follows an even pace that keeps the reader interested without being too slow or too fast. I particularly loved the way the author described the different settings in the book as it allowed me to form a clear picture in my head of each place. Overall, this book is a great read for kids and young teens as it is an entertaining story that teaches valuable lessons through fictional lenses.