Risky Roo the kangaroo gets into all sorts of scrapes in and around the house. Hayden, his friend, has a magical safety badge which flashes red when he does something risky. He teaches Risky Roo to be careful of the various dangers around the house, such as the cleaning chemicals under the sink, the electrical outlets, the unattended swimming pool, the beehive, the barbecue, and so on.
The author has kept the tone conversational to appeal to young children. However, each page has a rule/instruction so it tends to sound like a directive. Perhaps the instructions could have been woven into more of a story or the content could have been written in verse.
Nevertheless, the illustrations are eye-catching and colorful. My young son enjoyed looking at them and asking me all about them.
The book ends with a Risky Roo taking a safety pledge, which is essentially a summary of the 10 safety rules discussed in the story.
I would recommend this book to parents of young children to help them stay safe. However, it needs to be read to them in such a way so that they're not afraid to explore. The author echoes this sentiment perfectly in his bio -- "Kids will get scrapes and bruises—that is all part of growing up—but teaching important safety concepts may help prevent life-altering injuries."
I enjoy reading books across a wide variety of genres--historical fiction, literary fiction, mystery & crime, thriller & suspense, women's fiction, and self-help.
I believe balanced reviews are essential to help readers discover new writing, especially those by indie authors.
