The One and Only Sparkella Makes A Plan, more meh with a little STEM

How this end-cap book at Target escaped us in 2022 is a mystery. The One and Only Sparkella Makes A Plan is the sequel to 2021’s New York Times-bestselling book, The One and Only Sparkella. It’s from Channing Tatum with illustrations by Kim Barnes and follows most of the same path as its successful sibling. The curveball in Makes A Plan is that she’s having a sleepover that evening and she wants to build a castle.

Sparkella has grand plans for her castle and shows them to her dad. It’s less of a plan and more of a sheet that features dozens of dazzling colors and sparkles amidst blurred lines that represent each respective room. When she gathers the materials for her castle she’s unimpressed because the rocks, cardboard, and tape are lacking her zazz and sparkle.

She gives it her best shot and builds a castle, but it quickly falls apart. Sparkella is bummed out that she and her friend won’t be able to go to a sparkle land that she’d promised. It’s here when her dad points out that his motorcycle was old and busted up when they got it also. However, thanks to her help, colors, and dazzling, they made it into a flashy motorcycle that’s fit for Vegas. The two get their heads together, repurpose her crushed castle and incorporate aspects of it into a scaled-down version that fits on her bedazzled bed so that her sleepover can visit the magic sparkle land.

Young girls who are into unicorns and sparkly things will enjoy The One and Only Sparkella Makes A Plan. The colors are bright and the illustrations will really engage those girls aged three through seven. The front cover also has some of its letters elevated, with, of course, sparkles in the letters of the book’s title.

There’s nothing really special about Makes A Plan though. This is a case where the author’s notoriety plays into the book’s awareness, store placement, marketing, and sales. And, as we’ve said before, any vehicle that gets kids into the love of reading is great. However, if you’re looking for a STEM-centric book there are better options. If you’re looking for a girl-centered sparkle book then there are many others that are just as good, better or cheaper.

The One and Only Sparkella Makes A Plan is by Channing Tatum with illustrations by Kim Barnes and is available on Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing.

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