Gogi & Mogi Go to the Garden
Gogi and Mogi’s adventure proves that, by working together, solving problems not only can be done, but can be fun.
In Gogi & Mogi Go to the Garden by Golareh Safarian, two children work together to find Gogi a costume for Mogi’s birthday party by visiting the garden for ideas. There, they discover various creatures and learn about what makes them unique.
Gogi is excited to learn that she is invited to Mogi’s birthday party, but when she finds out it’s a costume party, she realizes that she doesn’t have anything to wear. Mogi doesn’t let Gogi’s sadness overcome her as he assures her that she will think of a costume. Together, they head into the garden to look for inspiration. That’s where they discover creatures typical to the outdoors and teach each other interesting facts related to them. Once they come up with an idea, they head into the attic to figure out how to make it.
Though left open-ended, the story is engaging and educational. The facts related to all the garden creatures are scientific and fun. Gogi and Mogi are adventurous children full of ideas who also know how to make homemade costumes.
Safarian’s use of repeated phrases bodes well for teaching children who may be struggling with learning to read. The polite and informational attitude of Gogi and Mogi is compelling, and the story has a pattern that is easy to follow and stimulating.
Illustrations are colorful and lively. Use of engaging expressions in both the text and illustrations will also help children get the hang of nonverbal expressions; the story makes matching sadness to a facial expression easy. It also provides pictures of costumes that are fun and representative of the animals Gogi and Mogi find along their journey.
This story is great for children whose problems tend to overwhelm them or who don’t know how to work well with others. Gogi and Mogi’s adventure proves that, by working together, solving problems not only can be done, but can be fun.
Reviewed by
Rebecca Monterusso
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
