In the Amazon With My Pajamas On is a delightful read for smaller kids. That being said, there was much the author could have done with the book. I was excited thinking that I would get to see a lot of good illustrations and depictions of the amazon, but was a tad disappointed when I came to the end without much of the amazing amazon being touched upon.I would have loved to see more than the bees, snakes and the trees.
The story is that of a little boy who finds himself in the middle of the Amazon in the middle of the night. The author tries to follow a poetic style through the story telling which is mostly soothing but jarring at some places. I bet it would have been an even better read if it was in prose. I felt the author constrained at some places in trying to keep up with the style being poetic rather than prosaic.
The concept of the story was very endearing. I was confused as to why the king of the jungle happens to be a cat, but it clears up in the end. The illustrations were good, but as I touched upon, could have included more of the mighty amazon.
I found some of the passages were extremely well written, with a lot more meaning to them. This one would be a great example:
“If I could have wings,” (he wished for these things),
“Then straight out of here I could fly.”
“I’d fly out of this place with a smile on my face,
And I’d fly ’til I landed in bed.”
But this could not be true, the little boy knew
That he’d just have to walk out instead. “
That conveys a deeper meaning than just the face value of it. Wouldn’t you think? A reader could as well take it as you won’t be able to get out of a bad situation wishing you had wings, you have to walk out of it. Brilliant!
The little boy’s quest to his bed takes him to the king of the jungle who happens to be a cat who is happy by himself as
Alone, it would seem, to be was his dream
For he liked it this way, just because.
Clap! Clap! Nice thought, but some children might find that hard to understand as to why anyone would want to be alone, just because. But we parents know why, don’t we? Just because!
All in all “In the amazon with my Pajamas on” is a great read for your kids. There is drama in it, there is mystery in it, there is the value of friendship in it and most of all there is a little boy in it who wants nothing more than to be asleep in his bed at night. Not to mention that he loves to read before sleeping and dreams this wonderful dreams with his king cat in tow!
The author is this story is Jeff Kauffman who lives in Woostock, IL. You can reach out to him by email: jtkaufmann@sbcglobal.net
The wonderful illustrations are by: Maycee Ann Reyes.