Shadow and Friends Costume Party


Children - Animals
35 Pages
Reviewed on 11/23/2020
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Books were really my thing. It seemed like every time I turned around I was obtaining a new library card due to the current one being stamped complete. Diving into a good book made any day perfect and you would be surprised at the number of books I read over and over. The creative side of me loves to be an amateur "shutter-bug" and we actually have an online art gallery. My nursing career was highly successful and I hung up my nursing hat in December 2012.

S. Jackson is a retired registered nurse; a member of the Catholic Church, and has taught kindergarten Catechism; she has worked in various capacities for The American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Cub and Boy Scouts, (son, Gene, is an Eagle Scout), and sponsored trips for high school music children. She loves all forms of art but mostly focuses on the visual arts; such as amateur photography, traditional, and graphic art as her health allows.

She has written more than 20 books with five more in various stages of production, and she is included in four anthologies.

A. Raymond is a member of the Catholic Church, and has helped his wife with The American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, Cub and Boy Scouts, and sponsored children alongside his wife on music trips. He devotes his spare time to fishing, reading, playing poker, Jeeping, and travel adventures with his wife. Both love spending time with their grandson, Austin, and granddaughter, Emma.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Digger liked digging in the dirt around the base of a large tree in the Schmidt family's backyard. It was his love for dirt and digging that made his parents name him Digger. He would dig around the tree more than once and Mr. Schmidt would add a fresh layer of dirt around the tree, and hide nuts for Digger and the other wild squirrels. Mr. Schmidt did a lot to help the squirrels, rabbits, and birds. One afternoon while digging, Digger dug up an actual treasure chest. Uncle Stubby and Digger opened the treasure chest and it was filled with different types of costumes that could be worn for costume parties. They decided to hold a costume party, and all the neighborhood squirrels, Shadow, a small dog, and her boyfriend Max, and the Rabbit Family were invited. The backyard was decorated by Digger's mom, Sparkles, and his grandma, Foxy, and it looked like a beautiful castle garden in a fantasy forest. Everyone arrived at the party. Uncle Stubby saw that a Troll had come to check out what was going on. Let's read the book to find out who wore what and get more details about the costume party.

Shadow and Friends Costume Party by S. Jackson, A. Raymond, and M. Schmidt is a fun and whimsical story that is delightful and adorable and will take young readers through the fantastical and entertaining moments of the costume party. The illustrations are vibrant and colorful. These create a magical element in the story and will keep children enchanted. The story conveys good messages like taking care of wildlife and is also about kindness. I like the way the author weaves the messages into the story, helping young readers learn new concepts while enjoying the story. It is a perfect book for parents and tutors to read out loud to kids as there are a lot of things in the book that will captivate children apart from the good messages.

Emily-Jane Hills Orford

Digger is a squirrel. He loves digging in the dirt, which is how he got his name. One day, while digging, Digger finds a big treasure chest. At first, he doesn’t know what it is. When Uncle Stubby helps him open it, all they find inside is costumes. Digger was hoping for a chest full of nuts, but, when Uncle Stubby tells him they can all dress up for a costume party, Digger is very excited. Everyone in the forest can participate. Even the raccoon, who usually isn’t friends with the squirrels, is included, as is Shadow, the friendly little dog. The costumes are fun, but the most fun is the preparation: the invitations, choosing the costumes, decorating the forest, and waiting for everyone to come.

S. Jackson and A. Raymond’s picture book story, Shadow and Friends Costume Party, is book 11 in the Shadow and Friends series. The characters are introduced with care and the plot develops from the finding of the treasure chest to the happy, fun events of the party. The colorful illustrations help carry the story along, as the creatures in this charming fantasy forest come together in friendship. This is a fun read, but also an educational story as young readers will learn the importance of being kind and getting along with others, even those who are different, and sharing good things with everyone, like the costumes in the treasure chest. Another important lesson is about caring for wildlife and the natural world around us, which is what the Schmidt family does in the Shadow and Friends series. A good read for young children.

Tiffany Ferrell

In Shadow And Friends Costume Party, Digger the squirrel was digging dirt around the base of his favorite tree where Mr. Schmidt would hide nuts for him and the other squirrels to enjoy. Both Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt believed in taking care of wildlife and they often left out food for the different animals in their backyard. One day while digging, Digger comes across a treasure chest. Not sure what was in it, Digger got his dad to find out. Inside the chest was a bunch of old costumes which made Digger decide to have a costume party. Inviting all his friends to the costume party, Digger's mom Sparkles and grandma Foxy decorated the backyard with a huge castle and knights to stand guard. Everyone dressed up and the party was fun for the squirrels and other animals. The party was a great success and Digger wanted to make sure it happened every year.

I thought Shadow and Friends Costume Party by S. Jackson, A. Raymond, and M. Schmidt is an adorable story that is both fun to read and has an educational message to share with its young readers. I thought Digger was a well thought out and imaginative main character. The artwork that goes along with the story is very unique and creative. I like how the author had an underlying message of helping and taking care of wild creatures. I also liked how there was a mix of real wildlife creatures as well as those straight out of a fantasy book like the troll and the unicorn. Overall, I thought this is a great read that children will enjoy. It’s a book I’d recommend.