[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Princess Ella and the Great Squirrel Chase" by Ken Waldecker.]

5 out of 5 starsShare This Review

Two things especially thrill Princess Ella: riding on a swing and licking a lollipop. So, when her father, the king, returns home and gifts her a sucker, she just has to adventure into the remaining one of the pair that make her world. While at the playground having a great time, something got out of control. She implores the assistance of a squirrel, but that only makes things complicated. There are surprises in the following "hide and seek."

This story just cheered me up and got me out of some stressful situations. I would say the gripping narration and the vivid illustrations of Mr Squirrel's personality did the magic, especially the scenes on pages sixteen and seventeen. I am glad to have come across this book.

The story is concise and perfectly blended with high-end illustrations, exactly as a children's story should be. This was what I liked the most. Some children may find it difficult to choose which is their favourite: the gripping, concise narration or the amazingly saturated drawings. The word choices are simple. Also, the story began with an engaging generic introduction, "Once upon a time."

A little suspense and conflict slowly creep into the storyline as Princess Ella tries to recover her sucker. In addition, there are some lessons to learn from the story, especially from Princess Ella's eventual view of the whole incident and her disposition to create a friendship out of what would have been labelled an enemy. Furthermore, this book was thoroughly edited.

I didn't dislike anything in this book, and based on the aforementioned positive aspects, I rate it five out of five stars. Princess Ella and the Great Squirrel Chase, written by Ken Waldecker, is recommended to readers aged three to eight. This is the first book in the Princess Ella series. I enjoyed reading this first outing and hope to read subsequent books in the series.