Children's Book Review for The Adventures of Marvin and Friends: At the Valley of Fire by Rebecca Bodtke, Roka Roki (illustrator) with an Author Interview

 The Adventures of Marvin and Friends: At the Valley of Fire by Rebecca Bodtke, Roka Roki (illustrator)

Published:  September 3, 2024 by Blue Balloon Books

 

Taken from Amazon:  “You did it!” Marvin said. “You found the hidden treasure at Mouse’s Tank!”

The first installment of the series, this story is an exciting outdoor adventure set in a state park. Featuring the truck Marvin, his friend Vannigan, and their three doggie pals—Scout the Jack Russell and leader of the pack, Finn the Golden Retriever, and Finch the Brittany—this book teaches kids about the value of exploring nature and learning about their environment.

The group sets up camp and observes the impressive Arch Rock and the beautiful desert sunset. As the dogs venture off on their own to investigate Mouse’s Tank, Vannigan encourages them to keep an eye out for some amazing things. Finally, the gang celebrates as the dogs discover the hidden treasure of the valley—petroglyphs! Author Rebecca Bodtke’s engaging storytelling offers an accessible narrative that is sure to make any child look forward to their next trip outdoors.

 

My Thoughts:  My favorite aspect of this book is the pictures.  I liked that it showed so much of the outdoors, encouraging adventure and being outdoors.   The pictures showed how things you see every day, such as rocks, can be fun to explore.

The Adventures of Marvin and Friends at the Valley of Fire is a book with a lot going on.   There are rescue dogs, a helicopter pilot, mouse outlaws, and so much more.   From an adult perspective, there was too much going on.   The story jumped around some with the characters having their own adventures and not being on the same adventure.  

For an older child, possibly an elementary school age, this story will be enjoyable.   They will love the pictures, the story, and the characters.

Thank you to Blue Balloon Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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5 W’s of Writing a book and being an author…

Who? Who are you besides a children’s book author?

I’m a pretty simple person. I love my friends, family, and pups, and being outside.

What? What helped you decide to write a children’s book? Or how do you decide what to write?

My friend’s feisty three-year-old, Catalina, inspired me to write this book. I’d read her stories and

think to myself, I want something to read to her that will teach her the neat things about where

she lives (Las Vegas). I’m a big fan of State and National Parks, and the off-the-path places that

inspire us to explore. So, I combined those two things to write the book.

Where? Where do you do most of your writing?

I do most of my writing in my office, with the dogs sleeping in their respective corners. Scout

doesn’t like sharing.

When? When do you do most of your writing? How do you find the time in a busy life?

I fit writing in when I can. A few minutes here, an hour there. I don’t pressure myself to a specific

timeline during the week, and play catch up on the weekends a little.

Why? Why do you write? Do you write books other than children books?

Writing is my creative outlet. I’m hoping to write a chapter book at some point, but for now I’m

working on the sequel, The Adventures of Marvin and Friends at the Haunted Corral. It’s based

in the Kelso lava tubes and is about communicating and dealing with fears.