Review: Dawn Menge Provides Excellent Children's Educational Fun Book!

Queen Vernita Visits the
Blue Ice Mountains
Dawn Menge
Outskirts Press, Inc.
ISBN: 9781432711696
32 Pages


Dawn Menge, author of Queen Vernita Visits The Blue Ice Mountains, works with the severely handicapped population, her degree being in Special Education. Sometimes I think it is important to highlight the credentials of the author to provide parents the background that will be well illustrated in the book under consideration. The primary learning process in this book is to teach children the months of the year, the days in each month and the days of the week. The repetition is extensive and serves well to reinforce what is being taught.

However, children really will not be too interested that they are learning! Because the beautifully colorful book, illustrated by Bobbi Switzer, has much to capture a child’s attention!

The thrust of the storyline is that Queen Vernita, being a kind queen, shares her vacation with her friends by inviting one to visit for one month. Based upon the personal interests of that friend, then, the Blue Ice Mountains are explored.

For instance, in April, the study of wildflowers was highlighted. Various flowers were detailed for each day and sometimes, additional information is provided. As I thought about the book as a learning tool, I realized that it could easily be coupled with the Internet, where the parents could find pictures of those items mentioned each month...the potential for learning, based just upon this book, is quite extensive.

Other months included physical activities including Kayaking and snorkeling.

Learning about living things included crabs, sea otters, bald eagles, bears, and whales.

December even included a little bit about Christmas and the North Pole.

My three favorite activities was the study of glaciers, the Aurora Borealis and visiting the rainforest with Ranger Larry!

At first I wondered about the characters being older individuals but then realized that the choice might be related to learning also, since it is from parents and relatives that all children start to learn about their world.

Overall, I was very impressed with the book! In fact, it will be passed on to a grandniece when I next see her. Either through self-learning or as a parent-child tool, Queen Vernita Visits The Blue Ice Mountains by Dawn Menge is highly recommended for age-specific reading and learning...and having fun too!


G. A. Bixler