Book Review: Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32

Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32 by B.C.R. Fegan & Lenny Wen immediately became Luke’s new favourite bedtime story book.

“The magical Hotel of Hoo is a mysterious place with some very unusual occupants. As our guests explore the strange hotel, they are invited to experience everything it has to offer with just one warning…don’t ever look behind door 32.”

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Beautiful Illustrations

I have to admit that as soon as it arrived in the post, I was drawn to Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32‘s front cover. It is certainly eye catching and intriguing. I can’t say that Luke’s book shelf has many stories that look quite like this one. The illustrations remind me of a friendlier Tim Burton meets The Aadam’s Family. Lenny Wen’s illustrations throughout the book are absolutely gorgeous and really I love her style. So much so, that I had to look up more of her work! The character’s all have big friendly eyes and even the spooky monsters look quite cute.

What is ‘Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32’ About?

Two children are guests at the mysterious and magical Hotel Of Hoo. Their host, Mr Nicholas Noo, takes the children on an enchanting tour of the hotel’s many rooms where they meet all the hotel’s occupants. This specific hotel happens to have 32 extraordinary rooms. There is a treasure room, a bathroom made from gold, a room full of adorable wingless dragons, and even a room that is home to baby wizards. There are certainly a lot of doors to explore behind, but there’s just one rule you must follow: don’t ever look behind door 32.

Through door number 3 are the fidgety knights. They itch and scratch, but they fix all the lights…Room 18 has the scariest ghosts. They help in the kitchen and cook all the roasts.

Writing Style

B.C.R. Fegan is a multi-award winning author and, after reading through this, it is easy to see why! He has written Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32, a fantastic fantasy adventure book for children, all in rhyme. Now, I know that some people don’t like children’s books that are written in rhyme, but for me and Luke, it’s our favourite style of writing when it comes to kid’s books. Not only has Fegan written a stunning children’s story that really brings this hotel to life, he has managed to do it with wit and skill that I know I certainly wouldn’t be capable of.

Reading With Luke

I also think that when you’re reading a story book out loud, rhyming helps the whole story flow and Luke seems to enjoy and understand the themes behind the story with more ease. You know when a song comes on that’s just really fun to sing along to? Well this book gives me the same sort of feeling when I’m reading it out loud to Luke. The style and language used makes it so easy to bring excitement to the book through the speed and tone of your voice and Luke really enjoys the suspense that is built up throughout the course of the story.

The best thing about reading this book out loud with Luke though is the repetition. As the story progresses, we are constantly warned by Mr Nicholas Noo not to look behind door 32! At the end of most pages, our host repeats the message about door 32…which means that Luke knows exactly what’s coming and shouts it out for me. It’s great that he gets so involved with the story and it just goes to show that this children’s book is inviting and engaging!

Overall Thoughts

Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32 is a fantastic children’s book the captures the attention and imagination of kids. It’s beautifully written with stunning illustrations to compliment the writing style. Reading it with Luke has been a wonderful experience and has added a lot of fun and excitement to our bedtime routine. If you have children aged between 3 and 8, I’d really recommend getting your hands on a copy. The book will be released in March 2018 and is published by TaleBlade. I think that Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32 could be a classic in the making, so make sure you grab a copy!

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*I was sent a copy of Don’t Ever Look Behind Door 32 for review purposes. All thoughts, photos and opinions are my own.*