It's the Ninja!

IT’S THE NINJA is a children’s picture book about a young ninja. He’s got all the makings of a ninja: quick and silent and invisible…until he doesn’t. He’s vulnerable to several things, stubbing his toe and being attacked by a current amongst those, but his major weakness is Martina. He can never bring himself to talk to her.

What I Loved:
The illustrations were cute. The colors and the linework, while definitely professional, manage to capture a kid’s imagination and creativity very well. It’s charmingly illustrated to fit perfectly alongside the story,

The story was cute. I enjoyed the little ninja and all his antics. There is a charm to how children’s brains and imaginations work and this book allows readers to feel that charm again. It captures the simple things like the way kids feel invisible when hiding behind a pole.

What Left Me Wanting More:
While children’s books can use repetition effectively, this one didn’t hit the right note. The repetition made the book feel longer than it was. I had wanted more variation in the story, not something where I can immediately guess what is going to happen in the next picture. Some readers will really enjoy the repetitions and getting to giggle over the ninja’s actions, others will find that it just doesn’t work for them.

Final Verdict:
Overall a cute story, IT’S THE NINJA will appeal to the little kids. Especially those that get nervous and feel they need a special disguise or toy to be able to be in public. It was an interesting approach to the subject, even if it did feel a bit flat at times. The illustrations were really cute and the author managed to portray a young ‘crush’ with charm.

Full of cute illustrations and a repetitive type of story, IT'S THE NINJA is a cute read for children at bedtime,