Don’t ever look behind door 32 #PictureBookReview 13

The magical Hotel of Hoo is a mysterious place with some very unusual occupants. As our guests explore the strange hotel, they are invited to experience everything it has to offer with just one warning… don’t ever look behind door 32.

Don’t ever look behind door 32 is a picture book about a hotel Hoo, its host Mr. Nicholas Noo and 2 small kids, a boy, and a girl. The kids are the first guests in the hotel. Mr. Nicholas Noo takes them around to explore the place right from door 1 to door 31 but with a special warning, repeated every single time, not to look behind door 32.

On the tour, the kids discover unusual, spooky but useful occupants in almost each of the rooms. For instance, the itchy knights who fix the lights, the dancing zombies who mend shirts and pants, the elves who assist in the library, the purple goblins who are vets, the ghosts who are chefs and many more. Some are scary while some other are not.

At last, when they reach door 32, in spite of his warnings, Mr. Noo lets them know and have a peek behind door 32. What did the kids find?

My review –

This is an adorable book with colorful & quirky full-page illustrations and lots of intelligent rhyming going with the number 32. The suspense as to what is behind the next door keeps the little readers excited and guessing.  It is amusing, entertaining and educational at the same time.

For the young readers, it talks about cardinal numbers beyond the usual number 10 in a fun and accessible way. There are references to various monsters, beasts, and their professions. Monsters, though, are supposed to be scary always make for endearing characters in children’s books.

The ending is an unexpected surprise and a good one.

My Verdict –

Don’t ever look behind door 32 is the most favorite read at this point in time in my home. My 7-year-old son, D, liked it immensely. He voluntarily stood up in the class to talk about this book when the school opened this week after the half-term break. This is the impact of this book on children. It would not be an exaggeration to say this book has all the necessary ingredients to become a classic. I would definitely recommend it.

Author – B.C.R. Fegan

Illustrator – Lenny Wen

Release Year – First published in 2017

Publisher – TaleBlade Press

Age group – 3 – 8 years

Available on – Amazon India, Amazon UK

I received a free copy of this book from the book publicist in exchange for an honest review.

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