Hello, friends! Our book today is The Sunny Adventure, written by Ira Alice and illustrated by Elena Teplova, a sweet tale of friendship.

A young fox named Redkin wakes up in her cozy den, nervous for the day; her mother has tasked her with hunting her own food for the first time, and bringing home dinner. Wondering how she should go about finding something delicious for her and her mother to eat, she notices the bright sun shining in the sky. It looks beautiful and warms her fur, and she wonders: perhaps the sun tastes as good as it feels! Determined to bring the sun home for dinner, Redkin sets off, but quickly finds herself in over her head in the unfamiliar forest. Stumbling into a swamp, she crosses paths with a small yet deceptively brave young toad named Loudcroak, who upon hearing Redkin’s quest to find the sun, offers to assist her in exchange for a tiny piece to eat as well. And so the two begin an adventure and a race against time, forming a surprising friendship along the way.

Charming. This indie early reader is a slightly longer title than we usually review, but the simple, straightforward language and easy-to-follow plot make it a solid choice for little ones beginning to tackle longer stories. There are some stumbles, mostly in logic: Redkin’s mother tells her to bring home her own food without ever teaching her how, and animals describe something as tasting like “warm pancakes” despite there being no indication of human interaction. Yet the story itself, while fairly basic, is quite sweet. Redkin and Loudcroak encounter several obstacles and other creatures, helping each other and forming a bond, one that is eventually tested when the two return to Redkin’s den and find that Loudcroak could technically be considered dinner (not to worry: the fox refuses to eat her new friend). It’s a pleasant, satisfying story, bolstered by some rather lovely illustrations of the characters against autumnal forest backdrops. The length was such that we had to take it in pieces for someone JJ’s level, but those ready to move to chapter books may enjoy this romp. Overall, it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)