The Legend of Grimm's Woods (Hocus & Pocus #1) by Gorobei Manuro Book Review Goodreads
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The Legend of Grimm’s Woods (Hocus & Pocus #1) by Gorobei Manuro Book Review

The Legend of Grimm’s Woods (Hocus & Pocus #1) by Gorobei Manuro Book Review

The lowdown on Goodreads

Publication Date September 4, 2018

Introducing a new series of interactive graphic novels–first published in France, and translated/transported to English language readers by Quirk Books.

Enter a world inspired by all of your favorite fairy tales–complete with gingerbread houses, a girl dressed in red, and seven children lost in the woods. Hocus & Pocus offers a new kind of reading experience–part game book, part graphic novel, and part Choose Your Own Adventure story. Readers can play as Hocus (a girl) or Pocus (a boy), choose a magic animal companion, and enter a colorful fairy tale forest of riddles, magical objects, and unusual characters. Succeed or fail, it’s all up to you!

The Legend of Grimm’s Woods (Hocus & Pocus #1) by Gorobei Manuro Book Review

Sarah: I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to feature some kid lit on Really Into This for a while. Lately, my family is REALLY Into Comics & Graphic Novels. As an avid fan of only plain old fiction, this is a world I am able to discover alongside my family. It’s a lot of fun so far. As soon as I saw The Legend of Grimm’s Woods Hocus & Pocus #1, I was instantly intrigued. I had a feeling my Channa, who is a 9-year-old reader, would enjoy it.

Channa: I first thought this book may be a little weird & cheesy. As soon as I started reading it, it was the opposite of that. It’s entertaining & really cool. I really like that it’s a do-your-own adventure book. This is different. Some of the twists are really surprising. Like, I didn’t expect Little Red Riding Hood to be evil!

A Book With Rules?

Sarah: Quickly, I reviewed the rules with Channa. Although it took a few minutes & a few repetitions of instructions, she got it.

Channa: Figuring out the rules is a little tough at first. After reading it twice, I understood what I would need to do.

Sarah: One thing that is interesting about this book is the added interactive elements. So, readers need to keep track of stars collected along the way. At the end of the book, the stars basically give you a grade of how well you performed in your journey. Another element is the feeding of your animal. Readers select between 3 animals & you need to take care of them & keep them fed. There are instances where the animals help you along the journey, but other times they need to rest.

Channa: I liked the animals being a part of the story. I wish I had a little more time to do stuff with my pet along the journey. Also, I liked meeting the other animals along the way. I really love wolves. So I liked the meeting the wolf & following the fox any chance I got!

Illustrations

Channa: The illustrations are really good. I like the bright colors & it makes the story more fun.

Sarah: I think the illustrations are beautiful! The colors are bright & vibrant and the lines in the characters have a relaxed feel. Does that even make sense? What I’m trying to say is that looking at the illustrations, you know it’s meant to entertain young readers. I find that endearing & enjoyable.

THE VERDICT

We are Really Into This book!

Channa: Although I’m not a huge fan of fantasy, Hocus & Pocus is cool. When I read stuff like Magic Treehouse books, I think it’s boring & slow. Reading Hocus & Pocus is fun, entertaining & unique.

Sarah: I think this book is a lot of fun for kids of all ages. As a parent, I like that you get what you put into it. What I mean is you keep track of your stars, you get a grade. You keep your animal fed, it helps you out. Don’t be afraid to take on a different persona & take a different path! It’s fun no matter what.

Do you have any favorite make your own adventure books we should check out?

Special thanks to Gorobei & Manuro, Quirk Books & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

Let’s connect with books!  We have all of our reviews on Goodreads!

Really Into This a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR

Momma, wife, baker, reader & smart ass. I am Really Into doughnuts, inside jokes, trash TV, pizza, 48 Hours & George Michael.

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