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Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day
Shelli the Starfish feels like she doesn’t belong. Born with only four arms and the ability to glow in the dark, she longs for friends who will accept her for who she is.
When Kevin the Crab discovers Shelli’s sadness, he takes her on an adventure to meet his underwater pals. But just as Shelli starts to feel at home, disaster strikes—a ship is in danger of crashing in the dark, and their friend Eddie the Eel is aboard! Can Shelli’s special glow light the way to safety?
Join Shelli and her colorful new friends in this heartwarming tale about courage, acceptance, and how being yourself can shine the brightest light of all.
When Kevin the Crab discovers Shelli’s sadness, he takes her on an adventure to meet his underwater pals. But just as Shelli starts to feel at home, disaster strikes—a ship is in danger of crashing in the dark, and their friend Eddie the Eel is aboard! Can Shelli’s special glow light the way to safety?
Join Shelli and her colorful new friends in this heartwarming tale about courage, acceptance, and how being yourself can shine the brightest light of all.
30 pages, Paperback
Published September 30, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 25, 2025
Beautiful illustrations and a cute story. I think the story in the description above does not match the story in this book, and maybe goes with another story? This was written by a cardiologist in Huntington, West Virginia, as a gift for his granddaughter, I believe?Reason number 386 is best we don’t have grandchildren. We would give ours a carton of smokes and drums. Thanks for the copy!
November 12, 2025
The illustrations were colorful and inviting. The story was simple and the message of teamwork is clear. I have not read it to my preschool age child yet, and I wonder how he will respond to the book. When I am evaluating a children's book, I wonder what kinds of questions I can ask of the little person I am reading to, and this book has opportunities for engagement for the adult reading to the child.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
November 28, 2025
I'm interested by the title and description, and when I read the dedication, I was hoping for a sweet, heartwarming stories.
However, for a book that dedicated for a toddler, it's too mature in my opinion.
I'd say it's suitable for above 6 years old, with the content.
*Spoiler Alert*
1. Peter the Pelican is not needed for the story, especially if Kevin was deep in the ocean, how did Peter find him?
2. The title is about Magnolia and the gang save the day, but Magnolia is not that highlighted, even tho it's her idea that saves Kevin, but Octavius and Sherri did most work
I think the book has potential, it could be better with revision. Or if there's a second book, it could be improved as well.
However, for a book that dedicated for a toddler, it's too mature in my opinion.
I'd say it's suitable for above 6 years old, with the content.
*Spoiler Alert*
1. Peter the Pelican is not needed for the story, especially if Kevin was deep in the ocean, how did Peter find him?
2. The title is about Magnolia and the gang save the day, but Magnolia is not that highlighted, even tho it's her idea that saves Kevin, but Octavius and Sherri did most work
I think the book has potential, it could be better with revision. Or if there's a second book, it could be improved as well.
November 18, 2025
A missing friend, a brave crew, and one big ocean rescue!
A huge thank you 🙏to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher! I’m so grateful for this delightful book, and it was such a joy to read.
I will definitely be purchasing this book for my own collection. The story is sweet, the characters are memorable, and the message about teamwork and friendship is exactly what young readers need. It’s one of those books you can enjoy again and again during bedtime. Peter the Pelican is having a wonderful day. The sun is shining, the sky is clear, and flying feels perfect. Everything is going great… until someone realizes something important:
Where is Kevin the Crab?
Sammy the Sea Bass can’t find him. Willie the Whale is worried, too. Magnolia the Mermaid, Sherri the Shrimp, Octavius the Octopus, and all their ocean friends notice he’s missing as well.
The whole group needs to work together. Kevin is trapped in a fishing net near an old shipwreck at Pirate’s Cove. Sherri is strong for her size, but she can’t free him on her own. Luckily, every friend brings their own special skill to help.
This series may only have two books so far, but it already feels like a wonderful choice for bedtime reading. The characters are silly, memorable, and full of personality. Their names are fun to say, and together they create a warm feeling of friendship and community.
Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day teaches a simple but important lesson:
🧜🏻♀️When friends work together, they can solve big problems.
It’s not just Magnolia’s story; it’s everyone’s.
Octavius the Octopus is the star of this book. He’s long, strong, flexible, and can fit through tight spaces; kids will love him.
Willie the Whale is another favorite. Even though the ocean is huge, big creatures like him can swim fast and help in amazing ways. He also becomes a big, steady helper during the rescue. The writing is gentle, clear, and fun to read out loud. It doesn’t rhyme, but the sentences flow nicely, making it perfect for children who are moving on from board books but still enjoy simple stories. The plot might feel familiar, but the playful language and easy-to-remember characters make it special.
Magnolia the Mermaid and the Gang Save the Day gives readers everything they loved from the first book, plus a new message:
Teamwork makes big challenges easier.💛 When friends work together, even the biggest problems feel small. It’s a delightful ocean adventure that librarians, teachers, and parents will enjoy sharing with young readers.
A huge thank you 🙏to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher! I’m so grateful for this delightful book, and it was such a joy to read.
I will definitely be purchasing this book for my own collection. The story is sweet, the characters are memorable, and the message about teamwork and friendship is exactly what young readers need. It’s one of those books you can enjoy again and again during bedtime. Peter the Pelican is having a wonderful day. The sun is shining, the sky is clear, and flying feels perfect. Everything is going great… until someone realizes something important:
Where is Kevin the Crab?
Sammy the Sea Bass can’t find him. Willie the Whale is worried, too. Magnolia the Mermaid, Sherri the Shrimp, Octavius the Octopus, and all their ocean friends notice he’s missing as well.
The whole group needs to work together. Kevin is trapped in a fishing net near an old shipwreck at Pirate’s Cove. Sherri is strong for her size, but she can’t free him on her own. Luckily, every friend brings their own special skill to help.
This series may only have two books so far, but it already feels like a wonderful choice for bedtime reading. The characters are silly, memorable, and full of personality. Their names are fun to say, and together they create a warm feeling of friendship and community.
Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day teaches a simple but important lesson:
🧜🏻♀️When friends work together, they can solve big problems.
It’s not just Magnolia’s story; it’s everyone’s.
Octavius the Octopus is the star of this book. He’s long, strong, flexible, and can fit through tight spaces; kids will love him.
Willie the Whale is another favorite. Even though the ocean is huge, big creatures like him can swim fast and help in amazing ways. He also becomes a big, steady helper during the rescue. The writing is gentle, clear, and fun to read out loud. It doesn’t rhyme, but the sentences flow nicely, making it perfect for children who are moving on from board books but still enjoy simple stories. The plot might feel familiar, but the playful language and easy-to-remember characters make it special.
Magnolia the Mermaid and the Gang Save the Day gives readers everything they loved from the first book, plus a new message:
Teamwork makes big challenges easier.💛 When friends work together, even the biggest problems feel small. It’s a delightful ocean adventure that librarians, teachers, and parents will enjoy sharing with young readers.
November 10, 2025
The Gang (and Magnolia) Save the Day.
Overall: 3⭐
Plot/Lesson:° 3📍
Smiles: 3😁
Illustrations: 3🖌️
Suggested Ages:
Read To: Under 5 y/o
Read By: Earl Readers+
ReRead Requests: 0
For two kiddos who are currently obsessed with Mermaids, this one didn't hit the mark.
I think the title caused a fairly large misconception - Magnolia is a very minor character in the book, and the kids would have preferred to see a lot more of HER as she's the titular character.
I did love the alliteration of the names, Magnolia the Mermaid, Kevin the Crab, etc. I loved the use of teamwork to overcome and the way people's combined strengths came together to save the day.
However, overall, the story seemed incomplete and rushed. I really wanted to like this one more, but the kiddos just didn't seem to connect with this one.
A huge thank to George J. Linsemeyer III, Atmosphere press, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
All opinions are our own.
NOTES:
° = Our Plot/Lesson rating is how well the kiddos picked up on the morals/lessons learned or well received the facts were.
^ = A, reads at 2-3rd grade level, voracious reader
* = C, knows her letters, but memorizes stories well!
Overall: 3⭐
Plot/Lesson:° 3📍
Smiles: 3😁
Illustrations: 3🖌️
Suggested Ages:
Read To: Under 5 y/o
Read By: Earl Readers+
ReRead Requests: 0
For two kiddos who are currently obsessed with Mermaids, this one didn't hit the mark.
I think the title caused a fairly large misconception - Magnolia is a very minor character in the book, and the kids would have preferred to see a lot more of HER as she's the titular character.
I did love the alliteration of the names, Magnolia the Mermaid, Kevin the Crab, etc. I loved the use of teamwork to overcome and the way people's combined strengths came together to save the day.
However, overall, the story seemed incomplete and rushed. I really wanted to like this one more, but the kiddos just didn't seem to connect with this one.
A huge thank to George J. Linsemeyer III, Atmosphere press, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
All opinions are our own.
NOTES:
° = Our Plot/Lesson rating is how well the kiddos picked up on the morals/lessons learned or well received the facts were.
^ = A, reads at 2-3rd grade level, voracious reader
* = C, knows her letters, but memorizes stories well!
January 6, 2026
That was so much fun!
My son loved the story and the illustrations. The story was adventurous and so heartwarming with friendship between sea creatures. The illustrations were good, colorful, and resemble so much with the real ones.
Though my son was questioning the storyline where Peter The Pelican discovered Kevin The Crab trapped inside the shipwreck. He said shipwreck was on the sea floor and pelican can't swim deep in the water. Well well well... My (soon to be) 5 years old son already used his logic 😅 What I could say to him was everything can happen in fiction world. I said maybe Peter The Pelican heard Kevin The Crab screaming for help and Kevin himself told Peter that he had been trapped. Fortunately my son satisfied with my answer and let the plot hole the way it was.
Thank you to George J. Linsenmeyer, Atmosphere Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.
My son loved the story and the illustrations. The story was adventurous and so heartwarming with friendship between sea creatures. The illustrations were good, colorful, and resemble so much with the real ones.
Though my son was questioning the storyline where Peter The Pelican discovered Kevin The Crab trapped inside the shipwreck. He said shipwreck was on the sea floor and pelican can't swim deep in the water. Well well well... My (soon to be) 5 years old son already used his logic 😅 What I could say to him was everything can happen in fiction world. I said maybe Peter The Pelican heard Kevin The Crab screaming for help and Kevin himself told Peter that he had been trapped. Fortunately my son satisfied with my answer and let the plot hole the way it was.
Thank you to George J. Linsenmeyer, Atmosphere Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.
January 13, 2026
Along very similar lines to the author's previous effort (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) comes this advert for teamwork, as the ocean critters realise the crab of the gang has not been seen for a long time. This however was inferior, in my mind, and riddled with issues and flaws. There's not a cloud in the sky we're told on the first page – but there are clouds in the images, and they're not in the sea. Where is our crabby friend? Tucked up in a shipwreck and accessible via one porthole, and so probably impossible for Peter the Pelican to see him on his fly-by. Multiple words in the file I saw were split down the middle with an extra, random space.
All told I'd probably stick to the previous volume, even though there is nothing heinously wrong with the message here. It's just too simplistic and similar to be worth much consideration.
All told I'd probably stick to the previous volume, even though there is nothing heinously wrong with the message here. It's just too simplistic and similar to be worth much consideration.
November 20, 2025
Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day by George J. Linsenmeyer III and illustrated by Art Soluki and Hossien Soluki
The illustrations in this book are a delight to look at and the use of color is appealing to any child.
The story is about teamwork and how to work together to get a task done. It would be a good book to use to discuss this with children.
In this story Kevin the Crab has gotten himself trapped in a Pirate Ship. His friends become worried when he is missing and look to find him.
I like the way the author used the name game in this book. Sam the Shrimp, Magnolia the Mermaid, Octavious the Octopus and more. I think by doing this it helps children remember the real name of the sea animals.
This book would be a good nighttime story and good for a story time book.
The illustrations in this book are a delight to look at and the use of color is appealing to any child.
The story is about teamwork and how to work together to get a task done. It would be a good book to use to discuss this with children.
In this story Kevin the Crab has gotten himself trapped in a Pirate Ship. His friends become worried when he is missing and look to find him.
I like the way the author used the name game in this book. Sam the Shrimp, Magnolia the Mermaid, Octavious the Octopus and more. I think by doing this it helps children remember the real name of the sea animals.
This book would be a good nighttime story and good for a story time book.
January 4, 2026
Magnolia and the gang saved the day, and overall, I really enjoyed this book. The illustrations were a standout for me. The colors were wonderful, and the artwork felt clean and uncluttered, with just enough detail to bring each scene to life without becoming overly busy or textured. It made the pages feel calm and inviting, which is perfect for very young readers.
My only small hesitation was the repeated use of the word gang. I understand that this is a book for very young children and that it’s part of the title, but it did feel a bit repetitive. Even one or two synonyms sprinkled in might have helped vary the language slightly.
That said, this is still an adorable story with charming visuals, and it’s easy to see why it would be a hit with its intended audience.
My only small hesitation was the repeated use of the word gang. I understand that this is a book for very young children and that it’s part of the title, but it did feel a bit repetitive. Even one or two synonyms sprinkled in might have helped vary the language slightly.
That said, this is still an adorable story with charming visuals, and it’s easy to see why it would be a hit with its intended audience.
November 6, 2025
Thank you Atmosphere Press and NetGalley for this gifted digital copy.
Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day is a sweet, feel-good children’s story full of teamwork, friendship, and a little sprinkle of adventure. Magnolia and her animal pals jump into action when their community needs help, showing young readers how even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. The bright, charming illustrations keep the story fun and engaging, and the simple lessons about bravery and working together come through in a way kids can easily understand. It’s a cheerful read that leaves little ones feeling empowered and proud to help others…just like Magnolia and her gang.
Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day is a sweet, feel-good children’s story full of teamwork, friendship, and a little sprinkle of adventure. Magnolia and her animal pals jump into action when their community needs help, showing young readers how even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. The bright, charming illustrations keep the story fun and engaging, and the simple lessons about bravery and working together come through in a way kids can easily understand. It’s a cheerful read that leaves little ones feeling empowered and proud to help others…just like Magnolia and her gang.
November 6, 2025
This was a very cute and charming story about a mermaid and her friends as they go on an adventure to check out a spooky shipwreck! This book discussed the meaning of friendship, teamwork, and togetherness which are important aspects of a young person's life especially during development. The illustrations are absolutely adorable and colorful and caught my daughter's eye immediately. She absolutely enjoyed this story as she was waking up from a nap especially when it came to seeing the fish! Definitely a cute read for young readers and their family and friends.
I received this ARC book complimentary from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received this ARC book complimentary from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 2, 2025
I liked the idea behind this story and it was a nice one to read with my daughter.
The illustrations used in the book were nice and bright and I liked that they were colourful and the text wasn't clouded by the images as that is one of the bug bears for me as a parent as it makes the story harder to read for my daughter who does struggle at times with her eyesight.
The story was simple and easy to follow and it had a strong message of teamwork and not just panicking when a friend is in peril. The friends work together to solve a problem.
It is 3.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and Amazon - highly recommended!
The illustrations used in the book were nice and bright and I liked that they were colourful and the text wasn't clouded by the images as that is one of the bug bears for me as a parent as it makes the story harder to read for my daughter who does struggle at times with her eyesight.
The story was simple and easy to follow and it had a strong message of teamwork and not just panicking when a friend is in peril. The friends work together to solve a problem.
It is 3.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and Amazon - highly recommended!
November 14, 2025
Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day” by George J. Linsenmeyer is a very engaging and light children’s book. The text is easy to follow, with short passages on each page, complemented by beautiful and detailed illustrations.
Based on my experience with three young children (two 2-year-olds and one 4-year-old), I would suggest a recommended age of 2+. Even though 2-year-olds may not fully understand the storyline or the themes of friendship and teamwork, they still enjoy the colourful and funny characters, especially while looking for Kevin the Crab
Based on my experience with three young children (two 2-year-olds and one 4-year-old), I would suggest a recommended age of 2+. Even though 2-year-olds may not fully understand the storyline or the themes of friendship and teamwork, they still enjoy the colourful and funny characters, especially while looking for Kevin the Crab
November 27, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
It's a cute story about a mermaid and her friends searching for their friend, the crab.
I liked how the names of the characters were all alliterations, as well as the bright and colourful art style. It also introduces various kinds of sea animals (and specifically, various kinds of fish) to the reader. Additionally, the story of team work and how various talents and skills can work together to find a solution to a problem is also a valuable lesson for young readers.
It's a cute story about a mermaid and her friends searching for their friend, the crab.
I liked how the names of the characters were all alliterations, as well as the bright and colourful art style. It also introduces various kinds of sea animals (and specifically, various kinds of fish) to the reader. Additionally, the story of team work and how various talents and skills can work together to find a solution to a problem is also a valuable lesson for young readers.
November 28, 2025
Magnolia and the Gang Save the Day is an adorable, beautifully illustrated underwater adventure. The vibrant colors and magical ocean scenes gave me major Little Mermaid vibes in the best way. I loved the cute alliterative character names and expressive artwork! Some grammar felt a bit off, and my eARC formatting was so wonky that a few sentences (and even the crab’s whereabouts) were missing, but overall it was a sweet, charming story with gorgeous visuals.
November 4, 2025
An enjoyable story of friendship and teamwork. Simple yet it connects. I'm not sure why Magnolia is a bit second fiddle in the story. I was hoping she's the lead character in the story.
December 3, 2025
When a crab needs to be saved - it is usually a teamwork. One has to always watch out for his friends.
I love how the animals' names mainly started with the first letter of the animal itself.
I love how the animals' names mainly started with the first letter of the animal itself.
January 17, 2026
This was a wonderful picture book with a beautiful illustrations and my five year old loved the story. Sea creatures saving the day.
Awesome!
Thank you NetGalley and to Atmosphere Press for the arc.
Awesome!
Thank you NetGalley and to Atmosphere Press for the arc.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews