Review: The Ship-Shape Shop by Frank Rodgers

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

Salty’s junk shop is Janet, Sam and Granny’s favourite shop. But snooty Mrs Grimbly-Whyte wants it knocked down, and the town council agree with her. But ‘never say die’ is Granny’s motto… she comes to the rescue with a brilliant plan and soon the whole family is busy creating a wonderful new shop.

MY TAKE:
I was on the fence about requesting this book because while the premise intrigued me, I wasn't too sure about the illustration style suiting my tastes.

In The Ship-Shape Shop, a junk shop is threatened to be closed down by a snobby townsperson and the town council. To save their favorite shop, Janet, Sam, their parents and Granny, put a plan into action that just might change the town and the town council's opinion about the shop.

I'm very glad I have this book a chance because I really enjoyed it. It had a quaint, whimsical quality about it that reminded me of children's books I read when I was young and that had been published years, and even decades, before I was born.

The illustrations, which I had initially been skeptical about, turned out to be a perfect fit for the story's vibe. The layout was such that there were usually two illustrations per page, one smaller and one bigger, and it was certainly an interesting approach, but was a good call since this doesn't feel like the kind of book that works with a full-page illustration on each page.

The illustrations were quite old-school-ish in style, and they looked like they were done in colored pencils, which I rather liked. My toddler certainly like the illustrations when I showed it to him.

I really liked this book, and I hope to read more in the series, especially if they include Granny and Salty, who I totally ship together, even if this is a children's book and that sort of thing doesn't happen in these books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hungry Horse for the e-ARC.

THE GOOD:

1. It's a sweet, imaginative story.
2. Granny is a very likable character.
3. It's the kind of book that parents and children can both enjoy. 

THE BAD:

1. Some may not be fans of the old-school feel of the book. 

READ IT IF:

1. You like children's books set in small towns.
2. You feel nostalgic for children's books written years ago.
3. Your child likes sailors and ships.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?