The first book of the Heartwood Hotel Series by Kallie George and illustrated by Stephanie Graegin for Little Brown Books for Young Readers was truly delightful. I really believe that well written early chapter books that are aimed toward girls are hard to find. This is a gem. It has adorable illustrations and deals with issues like friendship, hospitality, honesty, bravery, and jealousy. Each one of these forest critters was well written with real emotions and can teach our kiddos a valuable lesson about their own character.
Though the main protagonist is a girl mouse named Mona, I would recommend this book to boys too! I look forward to reading all 4 books in this series and my daughter does too!
Ages: 5-10
Themes: friendship, hospitality, honesty, bravery, jealousy
