School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 1--Young readers meet some of the well-known little blue characters, the Smurfs. With short sentences and familiar vocabulary, this book introduces children to the more traditional Smurfs, such as Papa Smurf, Smurfette, and Clumsy, as well as newer Smurfs from the Smurf girls village on the Nickelodeon animated series. The text follows a repetitive pattern to name the qualities of the Smurfs: "Papa Smurf is the wisest Smurf," "Hefty is super strong," "Smurflily is super friendly." Most pages have fewer than four independent clauses. Character descriptions are positive, as each one is described with their strengths and how they help their Smurf family. Evil wizard Gargamel and his cat, Azreal, receive just a minor mention towards the end. The artwork is bright and comes directly from the Nickelodeon show. VERDICT This book will fly off the shelves as young readers will want to learn more about the Smurfs, even if they haven't seen the TV show.--Heidi Dechief