This Is The Glade Where Jack Lives, an offbeat, charming tale

I just had to look up the difference between a glade and a moor, essentially one is reserved for shooting while the other is merely an open space in a forest. This Is The Glade Where Jack Lives immediately reminded me of the book that it reminded you of. This Is The House That Jack Built is that backward told tale that was as great as the person reading it to you. If the reader is full of emotion and passion, then the story leaped off of the page. This Is The Glade Where Jack Lives, Or How a Unicorn Saved the Day takes that template, amps up the silly factor, and adds some fabulous illustrations to make a great good-night that will leave kids four-eight laughing regardless of when they read it.

The book grabs young reader’s attention from the moment they look at the cover. The book’s title, dragon’s scales, and the unicorn’s horn all have glitter that sparkle when the book is tilted in any direction. Factor in that there are also a couple of fairies, a gnome and mermaid pictured and the hook is perfectly baited to draw in young readers.

This Is The Glade Where Jack Lives starts off simply with a unicorn grazing near some mushrooms and a tree that’s been hallowed out for a small gnome to live. Then we meet the gnome and see the cake that fairies baked that kick off the dominoes that lead the madcap journey of some fable characters. Pay attention, because on most of the pages you’ll be able to see a small hint as to what’s coming up in the story.

Be on the lookout for a gray imp, the stone bridge, the troll under the bridge, goblins behind a tree, and many other things. These Easter eggs are small and blend into the background. They are things that older readers will suddenly see after they’ve read the book once or twice. This is one of those books, it’s something that kids will read, read again, laugh at, and ask you to read it to them for a couple of seasons.

Each page is loaded from corner to corner with color and detailed illustrations that keep young eyes moving. The illustrations are fun, active and leave readers with a smile regardless of how many times you’ve seen them. The text has a rhyming pattern that young readers of the inspiration source material will love. Astray, clay, spray, delight, contrite and so many more rhyme on each page until the happy and logical end.

Kids will also appreciate that This Is The Glade Where Jack Lives is slightly surly. It is not rude, but it’s got a sense of humor that acknowledges, with a subtle wink and nod, that this isn’t a typical princess, unicorn, or fable book. Sure, there’s a unicorn in the story, but it’s not a cutesy mythical book with uber rounded images. The book has a playful sense of mirth that will endear itself to those ages beyond those who would normally age out of it. It’s a frisky, funny book that’s as great for a real-along time in the classroom as it is a great-goodnight book.

The Is The Glade Where Jack Lives Or How A Unicorn Saved The Day is by Carey F. Armstrong-Ellis and available on Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Abrams Books.

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