Children’s Book Review: Dynomike: Pay It Forward

Dynomike: Pay It Forward
Children’s Book on Being Kind
by by Frankie B. Rabbit (Author), Robyn Mendolla (Author)
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Dynomike: Pay It Forward is a book for children aged about 3-6 years old, in my opinion. I am not aware of the character “Dynomike” so if he is an already known character I don’t much about his history.

Pay It Forward begins with Dynomike’s disappointment that the store did not have the strawberry pickles he wanted. Then he sees someone who needs help pushing a banana cart and helps him out.

(SPOILER ALERT) When the banana cart guy wants to pay Dynomike back for his help, Dynomike insists that he “pay it forward,” or do something helpful for someone else. This begins a chain of events where characters in the book “pay it forward” by doing a kindness for someone else. Ultimately, one of the folks who is helped pays it forward by bringing the very pickles to Dynomike that he missed out on at the onset of the story. Predictable, but cute, and appropriate for young ages.

The book used a lot of repetition and bright illustrations. This held my 3-year-old’s attention well. I don’t think he really grasped the storyline, but any parent of a 3-year-old knows that often the goal is just to get them to sit still for a few minutes. The ultimate lesson to be kind and expect nothing in return is, of course, a biblical concept which Christian parents should not mind to teach their children. Parents should use the ending of the book though, and teach their children that in real life it won’t always work out where their “paying it forward” will work out for their benefit.

I read a digital copy, so I cannot comment on the quality of the actual production of the book, but again, the illustrations are good and attention-grabbing.

You can purchase it here: Amazon Link

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