Finding Fuzzy

A YOU-DECIDE Tale of a Lost Friend

Children - Grade K-3rd
44 Pages
Reviewed on 03/16/2014
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Author Biography

CAT MICHAELS ... started writing stories in fourth grade and hasn’t stopped since.

After earning an M.S. degree in special education from the University of Kansas, she spent two decades helping students from kindergarten to college reach their potential.

She also managed communication and resource development programs for an international high-tech company. After recession and downsizings, she returned to her education roots, serving at a community college as a writing coach and learning specialist for students with Asperger’s syndrome and learning disabilities.

Cat spins tales of everyday life, with a twist of magic mystery, that open young minds to new ways looking at the world. Illustrations by watercolor artist Irene A. Jahns help bring that world to life.

Cat and her family live in North Carolina where she designs playful gardens, dabbles in all things digital, and writes.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Darin Godby for Readers' Favorite

Author Cat Michaels and illustrator Irene A. Jahns do a wonderful job of presenting a children's story about a young girl Jenna who loses her blue plush stuffed rabbit named Fuzzy. They were always together and when Jenna had to go to school, or someplace where she couldn't take her best friend, she was very lonely and sad. When Jenna's family took a spring vacation, Jenna and Fuzzy were happy together, enjoying the journey. Jenna had so much fun playing in the water, building sand castles on the beach, and enjoying the sun. However, at the end of the day, she discovered that Fuzzy wasn't with her. Somewhere along the way she had lost Fuzzy.

Jenna was truly sad without her favorite stuffed animal, Fuzzy. She had a hard time sleeping and it was difficult to enjoy the next day's adventure. While fishing or walking on the beach, Jenna was trying to have fun, even without her favorite friend. While author Michaels doesn't finish the story, she allows the reader to step in and become the author. Finding Fuzzy: A You-Decide Tale of a Lost Friend not only gives the reader adventure and pleasure, but it allows one to conclude the story as they decide. This is a fun-filled, enjoyable read.

Mamta Madhavan

Finding Fuzzy - A YOU-DECIDE Tale of a Lost Friend by Cat Michaels and illustrated by Irene A. Jahns will take readers on a trip with Jenna and her family to sandy beaches. Jenna is on her perfect vacation when she finds out that her rabbit pal Fuzzy has gone missing. Fuzzy was Jenna's best friend and kept her company all the time. She manages to carry on without Fuzzy but then things take a turn when she runs into a cat and her kittens. She finds that the kittens are resting on Fuzzy. Now she is in a dilemma of whether to leave Fuzzy for the kittens or take him back with her.

The book is very original because of its open ending, which gives young readers the opportunity to complete the story as they wish. The illustrations are colorful and they give life and movement to the tale and the characters. The wonderful imagery and the sketches enhance the visual appeal of the theme. It is a good book for story telling and read-aloud sessions because it enables each child to be creative and interactive and come up with their own ending.

The idea of giving kids the freedom to choose the ending is great because kids get an opportunity to make their imaginations work and come up with something different. In fact, it will be fun to have this read in a classroom and see what ending each child chooses!