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Reviews - Books for Children
Our Song, A Growing Field Adventure - Review
By Cynthia Kirkeby
Oct 16, 2006, 12:24 PST

© Robert J. Aukerman
When a book arrives that claims it is a cross between a book by Dr. Seuss and Tim Robbins, my attention is piqued, such was Your Song, A Growing Field Adventure. Unfortunately, the book didn't even come close to delivering what it claimed.

Authors, especially self-published ones, should be careful to whom they compare themselves, when they put together their publicity materials. To compare himself to one of the best children's authors in the history of literature seems to have come from a largely inflated ego in this case. I really was at a loss as too what Seuss-like quality Sunflower Publishing was refering to in their publicity materials.

Our Song is a book with a moral, but not much else. The illustrations are adequate though uninspired and they certainly have nothing in common with Dr. Seuss' whimsical illustrations. The characters look stressed or depressed throughout the book, and the computer-added color is flat and largely uninteresting.

When I read the text of the book, I was hoping for material that had a Seuss-like rhythm, but I was hugely disappointed. Not only did it not have anything remotely like Seuss' prose, it was grammatically horrible. This book was in desperate need of an editor.

Touting himself as a Tony Robbins for kids, this author hopes to inspire and enlighten kids, however, his skill as an author is lacking the wit, charm, and even basic skills needed to reach his goal. Unfortunately, Mark Hoog should learn from his idol Tony Robbins, and learn his craft so that his next foray into children's publishing is able to convey his message in a witty or at the very least a grammatically correct manner.

I am unable to recommend Your Song by Mark E. Hoog for children despite the good intentions of the author.

If you would like to learn more about the ook or its author, please visit their website at Growingfield.com

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