My kids and I are avid readers. Both my kids especially love books with cats and dogs because we have two cats and three dogs running around our house. When recently offered the chance to review a copy of How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy to Get Princess Autumn Home written by J. A. Zaremski and illustrated by Lauren Scott in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to add a new title to my home library. The 38-page full-color paperback book currently costs $9.99 on Amazon.
Author
Born in Philadelphia and raised in Lower Bucks County, author J. A. Zaremski earned a BA in English from Moravian College and a JD from Thomas M. Cooley Law School at Western Michigan University. He currently resides in Ewing, New Jersey with his wife Elizabeth and fur-children Buster and Lucy. Zaremski wrote How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy to Get Princess Autumn Home after he and his wife lost a long-awaited pregnancy and their beloved cat and dog, all in the span of a couple of months. He is also the author of Buckminster’s Ball.
Synopsis
How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy to Get Princess Autumn Home is a story for all ages that gently touches on themes of family blending, love, the loss of loved ones, and the idea that our loved ones always come back to us, even if in different forms. Told by Brady the Boxer, the tale follows Brady and Deucey the black cat, who are described as “brothers from different fur mothers,” on a perilous journey through Passage Mysterious to help Princess Autumn get back home.
Evaluation
How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy to Get Princess Autumn Home is written in a style similar to a narrative poem. I have been working to introduce my daughter to many genres of writing including poetry. At first my daughter was a bit confused when my husband started reading the book aloud to her, but, once I explained that the story was written as a poem, she understood the different style.
I have mixed feelings about the story. The first part of the book follows Brady and Deucey as their Mommy and Daddy get married and form a blended family. After a rough beginning, the dog and cat become the best of friends. As time goes by, Brady gets older and eventually dies. He finds himself in Heaven and is eventually reunited with Deucey once again. I liked the beautifully written section that portrays the death of a beloved pet and even the description of the two fur friends in the afterlife. However, things got a little weird when the owner of the place — hilariously nicknamed OMG — sends Brady and Deucey on a mission to help a little girl named Princess Autumn find her way home. Without giving too much away, the dog and cat eventually find their way back home, albeit in different forms.
While I like the overall messages of the story, I found the writing style a little hard to follow at times. I had to read quite a few sections over again, which I find unusual for a children’s book. My husband also noted a few spelling and grammatical errors during his reading of the book aloud to our daughter. I also found the middle section of the story a bit weird. However, I really liked the beginning of the book. I loved reading about how Brady and Deucey became the best of friends. While a sad topic to cover, I found the death of Brady well written as well. I also liked the ending of the book, which provided a message of hope. My daughter thought that the story was a little weird but good.
I really enjoyed the illustrations in How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy to Get Princess Autumn Home. The pictures are colorful and help bring the story to life. My toddler son loves pointing out the dog and cat on each page of the book. My daughter, who often proclaims that she loves cats, also enjoys looking at the illustrations. The comic-book style of the drawings is quite popular at the moment, so the book looks and feels very modern.
Final Verdict
Told by Brady the Boxer, How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy to Get Princess Autumn Home written by J. A. Zaremski and illustrated by Lauren Scott is a tale that follows Brady and Deucey the black caton a perilous journey through Passage Mysterious to help Princess Autumn get back home. The story touches on themes of family blending, love, the loss of loved ones, and the idea that our loved ones always come back to us. I appreciate the messages that the book portrays. Written as a narrative poem, the story occasionally becomes a bit difficult to follow. However, I love the way in which the book deals with the death of a loved one.
Purchase How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy to Get Princess Autumn Home on Amazon via my affiliate link.
Image Credits
‘How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy To Get Princess Autumn Home’ Book Review © 2017 Heather Johnson
Cover of ‘How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy To Get Princess Autumn Home’ © 2017 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy To Get Princess Autumn Home’ 1 © 2017 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy To Get Princess Autumn Home’ 2 © 2017 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘How Brady & Deucey Became Buster & Lucy To Get Princess Autumn Home’ 3 © 2017 Heather Johnson
