Book Review John J. Hammerlink Finds His Imagination

 Book Review "John J. Hammerlink Finds His Imagination"

Author and former educator Bette Seres believes in the power of critical and creative thinking skills with the need to develop them early on in a home setting as well as in the classroom. Her second book, "John J. Hammerlink Finds His Imagination," is an important resource for developing these thinking skills with some easy ideas for problem-solving. The book is suitable for children ages 5-7 as a read-aloud due to the length of the text. Seres's book promotes classroom and home discussions on problem-solving and decision-making. Her characters and the storyline are relatable to children with an underlying message that being open to innovative ideas generates collaboration with fresh approaches. Bold, fanciful, colorful illustrations punctuate the storyline. The main character, John J, appears spunky and friendly. His great-grandmother's appearance and actions put the word fun into the storyline.

John J. learns to think creatively using his imagination with the help of his great-grandmother, Gigi. While visiting John's family, she noted that spending a lot of time on his tablet for entertainment does not encourage imagination nor creativity. Gigi was a firm believer that children in her time were more creative since they used their imaginations to play games rather than depending on electronic devices. Much to John J's surprise, his great-grandmother is quite resourceful and proves to be a lot of fun. She creates a pirate game for them to play using materials found around the house. When John J's best friend Lucas comes on the second day of Gigi's visit, they are each given a large cardboard box. She encourages them to use their imagination to create something new with readily available materials. The next day, John J and Lucas use their imagination and turn the tables on Gigi. They devise a detective game for her with clues. At the end of Gigi's visit, they all agreed that learning something new is fun and can happen at any age.      ` 

As a reader, I came away with the notion that critical thinking skills need to be encouraged more for children in a home and school setting, opening up their minds to numerous possibilities. 

"John J. Hammerlink and the Really Big Think" and "John J. Hammerlink Finds His Imagination" can be ordered through your local bookstore. These two books are also available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Thrift Books.  

ALL ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bette Slater Seres is retired from a 30-year career as an educator. She had the opportunity to work with students and teachers in creative and critical thinking. Her children's book John J. Hammerlink was a creative pursuit as it came from her deep belief in the power of critical thinking and her love of working with children. She hopes her book will show young children how critical thinking is while making parents aware that children must be problem-solvers and decision-makers. Seres spends her summers on Gilmore Lake in Park Rapids, Minnesota, and in Davenport, Iowa, in the winter. She is a past participant in the Northwoods Art and Book Festival.