Super Happy Magic Forest

Super Happy Magic Forest #1

by Matty Long

Fans of Dragons Love Tacos and Adventure Time will love this story of five unlikely heroes and their epic quest to save the Super Happy Magic Forest! A 2016 BCCB Blue Ribbon Award Winner and 2016 Booklist Editors' Choice! Welcome to the Super Happy Magic Forest, a super happy, super magical place filled with picnics, dancing, and fun. That is until the source of all things joyous, the Mystical Crystals of Life, are stolen!Five heroes -- a fairy, a unicorn, a faun, a gnome, and a talking mushroom -- have been summoned by wise Old Oak to retrieve the Crystals, but the epic quest won't be easy. They must first battle through frozen lands, navigate past scary dungeons, and encounter terrifying creatures along the way. Will these heroes save the day? It's hard to say!With so much to laugh at and explore, lovers of silliness, adventure, and all things magical won't be able to get enough of Super Happy Magic Forest !

Genres: Picture Books, Fantasy, Adventure, Humor, Childrens, Magic, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2015

Reviews

[Mr G · Rating 5 out of 5]

One epic adventure! Fantastically funny for those that may have background knowledge in this area. References many themes from modern pop culture. Lots of fun in this.

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was hilarious and fun to read aloud and do voices for. Plenty of good nerdy in-jokes.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical and hilarious.

[Helen White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really nice picture book full of details. Trevor the toadstool is a highlight - the best thing is looking at everything in the illustrations, so much detail.

[Storm · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Super Happy Magic Forest’ follows the story of five unlikely heroes going on an adventure to return the magical crystals of life to the Super Happy Magic Forest. The stories is very funny and is a good exploration of the hero and adventure narrative and cleverly subverts some expectations the children might have about traditional adventure stories. The illustrations are colourful and hold incredibly rich details which enhance the storytelling process. Additionally a lot of the story is told through speech bubbles which is a nice way to introduce children to the concept and provides brilliant opportunity for voices in storytelling.
This story would be well suited to be read to a Reception Class or a Year One Class who I’m sure would find the story funny and exciting. However in terms of individual readers the book would be more appropriate for an advanced Year One pupil or a Year Two pupil as the vocabulary used is sometimes quite advanced and the book holds a lot of text with often polysyllabic words which are not decodable.

[Beatrice Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whimsical treat. Every corner of every page is loaded with something fun. Almost in a where's waldo kind of way but actually FUNNY. It tells the tale of 5 occupants of the super happy magic forest that go on a quest to save the land. A unicorn, a mushroom, a satyr, a fairy, and a gnome. The dialogue and especially the delivery of the dialogue is so on point. It's amazing. And it has a lot of familiar movie references, especially fantasy movies. Ordinarily I would groan at such things but they are all very subtle and well played. Just throw out this reference and moves on. And the art style really compliments this silly story. It reminds me a lot of the animation in Adventure Time. Definitely a must read when you're feeling blue.

[Steve Holden · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's no denying that this is a super creative book. It has a lot of pop-culture references, yet it's certainly book intended for young audiences. The illustrations do most of the work - and there's a lot to look at and enjoy. Most of the story is told through the antics of the characters with speech bubbles, and can make for a rather challenging read aloud. With so much detail on every page, it's really one intended to be opened up directly in front of you anyway. This is a book that instantly draws you in and makes you want to turn the pages. This could be one that improves (rating) over time for me.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a scream! The characters and illustrations are hilarious. Loved it.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw the TV show first and was delighted to find it was a book.
It's absolutely hilarious with so much detail on every page.

[Sienna Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book because I like all of the characters and the adventure that they go on. I recommend you to read this because Matty Long writes good story’s.

[Peony · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was super, it was magic, there were plenty of forests but it wasn't all too happy 😭

[Jumaymah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its not bad I love Trevor

[Kate McGinty aka Caryn Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Someone has stolen the Mystical Crystals of Life from the Super Happy Magic Forest, and five unlikely heroes have been called on to recover the jewels. The quest will take them on a harrowing -- and hilarious -- journey.

As both the cover and synopsis indicate, there is very little seriousness in this spoof of every adventure story that's ever been told. That's what makes the book so fun, after all. Because of the dialogue bubbles and the many details that would be easy to miss, this one is better read individually or in small groups instead of, say, aloud to a whole class. While this story is theoretically meant for kids, many adults will enjoy the subtle allusions to Donkey Kong, Gameboys and other nostalgic items from long before today's kids were born.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book to my 5-year-old neighbor, Everleigh. It seemed like it was right up her alley: unicorns, butterfly horses, fairies, cotton candy caves... But ultimately, she declared, "I do not like it. It was scary." This book is probably more appropriate for slightly older kids, perhaps around 7, who would still enjoy a read-aloud picture book but might not get as spooked by the "Super Creepy Haunted Forest." It's a fun read for the grown-ups, too, with silly speech bubbles and allusions to Lord of the Rings.

Note: I received an unbound galley of this book from the publisher at ALA Midwinter 2016.

[b.andherbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

The magic crystals have been stolen, and a team of heroes must be assembled to rescue them from the goblin kingdom. Except, the goblins are only concerned with having tea parties, not stealing...

This is glorious. A lovely romp with some scary/dangerous elements, bright illustrations, and silly text. A great book for both boys and girls, as it is not often you can find a book about unicorns, fairies, and tea parties that isn't very gendered. My four year old loves it, but it may be a bit scary for more sensitive kiddos.

I would recommend to people who enjoy Adventure Time.

[Kate Puleo Unger · Rating 3 out of 5]

ages 4-8

I'm not sure what to think of this video game / nerd movie / epic quest type mash-up story. It's fantasy for kids, classic good vs. evil with a twist because the evil one is not who you expect. It's full of speech bubbles with silly lines. It's fun I guess albeit a little strange.

http://www.momsradius.com/2016/11/cyb...

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolute over-the-top, weird, wacky, clever- clever silliness. I loved every bizarre creature and every speech bubble. I hope this author creates a hundred more books and soon. I need more unbridled ridiculousness in my life!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually add picture books to my goodreads but I loved this and wanted to share.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

4+ rounded up. So much fun!! A hilarious send-up of epic fantasy quests. Very little story, but, it's also only a short graphic novel. It's more about the jokes spread across the pictures on each page, as opposed to a intricately developed quest plot. Think of it as a Where's Waldo?-esque book, lots of hidden details in the pages. If there'd been a touch more plot in with all the jokes, I'd've definitely give it 5 solid stars.

Yes, I want to read the rest of the series.

I'd recommend this to a number of my fantasy readers, but not my picture book readers. Mid-grade readers who read a lot of fantasy will get a lot of the surface jokes, but will also get a lot of the in-jokes. My YA readers will definitely get a kick out of it. But despite the simple, colorful illustrations, it's not a picture book read. It's definitely a graphic novel, which can be hard to read aloud anyways, and honestly, a lot of the in-jokes will just go over a younger reader's head. I'd stick with recommending it to readers who've encountered enough fantasy to really appreciate it.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The magic crystals of life are stolen. Super Happy Magic Forest is doomed without them. So five heroes are chosen to go find them.

This is a fantastic introduction to fantasy quests for kids (and keep an eye out for some nods to classic fantasy quests...Golem and the Eagles from LOTR...the caterpillar's on one of the first pages have comments that sound an awful lot like Miracle Max and his wife from The Princess Bride...I'm sure there are many more). There are also hidden items on each spread. (Look for the speech bubble on each spread says something like 'I wonder where ___ is?' or 'The books says to keep an eye out for__.') Sensitive little kids may want to skip the creepy forest page (it has some ghosts which actually seem friendly but other monsters which don't). Adults should appreciate the ironic comments that kids will totally not get. In fact, this might be best appreciated by middle grade on up.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a very clever concept, and fantasy fans will enjoy the many pop culture allusions. However, I found the storyline unnecessarily chaotic, and there are so many speech bubbles that it's hard to keep up with everything that's happening. If someone is reading this aloud to a child, they will probably want to read through it a few times in advance, practicing the order of the constant, frenetic side commentary or deciding which parts to leave out.

I wouldn't recommend this for a group storytime, since there are so many tiny details in the illustrations that are key to enjoying the book, but some parents and kids will enjoy poring over the images and recognizing different references. This is probably best for elementary-aged kids, and not the typical preschooler, however. There are some mild scary elements, and much of the meta humor depends on existing familiarity with the fantasy genre.

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle

Pure chaos in the best of ways. Follow a band of adventurers as they set out to recover the stolen Mystical Crystals of Life. They travel through cold mountains, spooky forests, and dark dungeons, and find that not everything is quite as it seems. Fantasy, adventure, humor, and some fun twists.

The illustrations are amazing. There are so many fun details on each page. From side characters looking for items hidden on the page to silly little mini scenes along the way.

The adventure itself is so much fun. Packed with humor and hilarious pop culture references.

Comparing and contrasting the front and back endpapers also works as a fun activity as they change from the beginning to the end of the story.

Works well as a bridge into graphic novels. Engaging, fun, and hilarious.

Glad to see there are more books in the series. This one was so much fun.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Super Happy Magic Forest is a feast for the eyes, as it is filled with places such as Pixie Housing, Rainbow Falls, Candy Floss Cave, Lollipop Pond, and that which powers everything into the forest's existance, the Mystical Crystals of Life. All is well and peaceful in the Super Happy Magic Forest until one day, the Mystical Crystals of Life are stolen! Five brave (and not so brave) heroes are chosen for the quest to find the crystals and save the forest. Will they succeed?

This book gives me the feels of a cross between the Candy Land board game and the Lord of the Rings type of quest. Perilous dangers are throughout their journey but the heroes get through it with lots of humor. The book itself is big and the illustrations are fun with lots to see.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

With tons of little puns, and references to typical fantasy elements or books (ESPECIALLY LOTR), this silly little adventure had me giggling the whole way. Too bad some of the references might be lost on the target audience...unless of course they are being raised right...aka...on Fantasy Masters like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and George MacDonald.

[Hallie Nelson]

Super Happy Magic Forest is full of detailed illustrations. I think the illustrations are the best part of the book. I would not recommend this book to a teacher to read to their entire class. It is a book that I would recommend to a student that I know would find it interesting. It tells a story of mystical creatures that are chosen to be heroes, but get sent on a wild goose chase. Eventually they make it back and save everyone from the evil. I didn't really enjoy this book but that doesn't mean that other wouldn't find the story interesting.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five heroes: Blossom the unicorn, Twinkle the fairy, Herbert the garden gnome, Hoofius the centaur, and Trevor the mushroom leave Super Happy Magic Forest on an adventurous quest for the stolen Mystical Crystals of Life. Can our sort of brave heroes beat the odds and make it back? There's lots of look at in illustrations in this amusing adventure. I couldn't help but smile and laugh while I read it.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are magically bright! The story is well-told with a surprising twist at the end. The word bubbles had the kids and I making funny voices for the different characters and laughing hysterically at random things like a goblin soaking his cookie in his tea for too long. The heroes are all different and they each bring something special to the adventure. Well-done! We will set out on our own adventure to find more Matty Long books!

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of illustration by this author/illustrator and small things for the child your are reading it to to look for and pick out. I spent most of the time looking at the pictures and the small thought bubbles or things said by the forest creatures. The story got lost in all the other details. Most of a fantasy or gnome type story.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard not to like the book as a parent if you have a roleplaying background (i.e. D&D) and there's plenty of other fantasy tropes/references as well (like the Lord of the Rings tie-in). I quite liked the goblin tea party as a twist. Miss 3 enjoyed this one but not as much as 'Super Happy Magic Forest 2: Sludig of Doom!' I think I liked the second book better as well.

[Elizabeth S · Rating 4 out of 5]

It looks really cheesy. The title sounds really cheesy. But this book is fun and hilarious. Big bonus: there are jokes that the adults will get, but the kids won't. For example, as the intrepid heroes walk past a rock, you can see Gollum sitting on it holding a ring.

We are immediately requesting the sequel from the library.