Review: A good choice for 8-12 year-old-readers but it could use an illustration or two
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 1, 2014
As usual I received this book for free in exchange for a review.  This time it was directly from the author and despite that kind consideration I give my candid opinions below.Firstly, I should note that I'm reviewing this as a children's book.  None of the listings I have found are specific on that fact but I'm judging based on the content and the previous reviews of the title.  If you are looking at this book for an adult audience, please note that the themes and writing are very much for that of a young audience.When looking at a children's book I look at three basic questions.  The first is whether or not the book has anything which would be inappropriate for children.  Sadly, more and more one has to be on the lookout for such things in books marketed to younger readers.  Luckily, this book is free from all negative influences with no references to sex, drugs or violence.  So no worries in that category.The second question is the inverse of the first asking whether children will learn anything positive from the book.  In this case, I think they will.  Without giving too much away, an alien creature has come to Earth and is forced to fit in with human culture.  The uniqueness of this book is that it views the Human race from a distinctly different viewpoint and gives kids a new twist on how their culture and society might be viewed from the outside.  That's a nicely circumspect viewpoint to convey to a child.The last question is whether young readers will be entertained by the book.  I'd say that's highly probable as well.  The plot is quirky and fun and would likely engage readers in the question of what will happen next to this odd visitor from another world.  The only down side I see is that the text is completely unadorned by pictures of any kind.  Any child loves an illustration or two and in this case especially it might help their ability to engage with the story if they saw a drawing of this strange visitor.  Adding that aspect to the story would improve it significantly.In summary, I think Krish's story for young people would be a great choice for any young reader.  It should be noted that especially sophisticated readers may poo-poo the idea but the 8-12 age range should be thoroughly engaged.---As always I endeavor to make my reviews as helpful as possible. If I've accomplished that goal then I'm very glad! If I haven't or if there's something else you think I should be telling you then don't hesitate to leave me a comment so I can do better with the next review.