Journey to Jumbalot by Ryan Wakefield

Brimming with imagination and magical jumbled-up creatures, Journey to Jumbalot by Ryan Wakefield details the delightful adventure of a curious cat in a strange new world. In search of his human, Alby ventures to a land that is similar to our own, but doesn’t follow the same rules of physics, evolution, or basic reality. This wildly creative children’s title is ideal for young readers who enjoy the whimsy and fantasy of children’s books, but also want to move up in their reading level. The writing is straightforward and easy to read, the vocabulary is diverse, and there is a good amount of humor throughout the story. The dialogue is occasionally exposition-heavy, but the narration balances this by being unpredictable and mysterious. From a simple premise and an unlikely protagonist comes an expansive and entertaining new realm for readers to explore.