Reviews: Sally Mitts And The Land Of Imagination
"Sally Mitts and the Land of Imagination is a children’s book where whimsy and adventure collide in a delightful celebration of creativity. The story begins with Sally, a curious cat, who is resting when she hears footsteps. Expecting Fred, her owner, to return from work, she instead finds a pair of shoes walking on their own. Intrigued, Sally follows them to a mysterious red door with “Imagination” inscribed above it. With a brave heart, she steps inside and enters a fantastical world where both the sun and moon share the sky. There, she meets Clair, a rabbit singing opera, who explains that they are in a place where anything is possible. Sally seizes the opportunity, painting the sky in different colors and exploring limitless possibilities. However, the peace is disrupted when Grumpy Grey, a hungry fog, arrives and smothers the magic, preventing them from enjoying the wonders of the land. Sally and Clair join forces, determined to restore the enchantment and bring back the joy of imagination.​
Shain Stodt crafts an original tale that highlights the boundless power of imagination. The world she creates is filled with endless possibilities, encouraging young readers to embrace their dreams and creativity. The story’s sense of adventure captivates readers with unique and surprising moments like Sally and Clair soaring through the skies in an airplane.
The narration is both playful and engaging and is laced with humor and rhythm, making it a perfect read for children honing their reading skills. The illustrations stand out not only for their beauty but because they are hand-drawn, which I think adds a special personal touch. Each illustration reflects the care and creativity behind the story, making the visual experience as heartwarming as the narrative itself. The cast of animal characters living harmoniously in this magical world fosters empathy and a sense of connection with nature, which children will appreciate.​
Sally Mitts and the Land of Imagination is a joyful and adventurous children’s book that reinforces themes of love, friendship, and self-acceptance. With its positive messages, imaginative storytelling, and heartfelt illustrations, this picture book is sure to inspire young minds and nurture their creativity."
~Literary Titan, Five Stars
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"This is the next book in the Sally Mitts series and holy smokes it’s so cute. The rhyme and rhythm are so perfect for each page and each place in Sally’s story.
This little story is about more than imagination. It’s about overcoming defeat, reaching your goals, believing in yourself and your abilities and not losing memories of those who are close to you.
In my house imaginations are boundless. We go surfing in the rain and build spaceships out of boxes. We turn paper plates into steering wheels and race cars. 10/10 recommend this book."
~Fully Booked In Kentucky, Five Stars
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​Sally Mitts And The Land Of Imagination is a picture book for younger children, written and illustrated by Shain Stodt. This is a sweet and imaginative picture book, which follows the adventures of a cat who discovers a hidden world full of magic and adventure. Written in rhyme, the book is sure to fire up a child’s creativity and imagination, and will encourage them to follow their dreams. The book also deals with some complex issues such as loss and grief, and will help young children and their parents or caregivers, to navigate through this process.
~ Readers Choice
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"Dream a Little Dream...
We fell in love with Sally Mitts in her origin story, Sally Mitts finds a Home.
If Fred hadn't adopted her, I certainly would have found a way!
In Sally Mitts and the Land of Imagination, Author Shain Stodt gives us a new, Carrollesque world, where Sally meets many fantastical characters; an unusually gifted singing rabbit, Jack, the star-gliding snail, and a sky land of Lillyputs are just a few!
Sally's dreams are realized as she pilots a plane on a tour through this strange and magical place! She eventually finds her way to a lovely surprise, but not before she battles her fear and a fog monster! Singing their way to freedom, Sally Mitts and her friends fly to freedom! Back on course, the new friends resume their adventure. Soon Sally discovers the best part of the Land of Imagination--her mother's loving arms! With hugs and kisses, mother encourages Sally to follow her dreams and experience the world through wonder and imagination!
Another gorgeous Sally Mitts story, beautifully illustrated by the author. What a whimsical world she weaves! A book that will travel among the generations of tomorrow! "
~ H.s.i Merrilot, author, The Frogilly series, Five Stars
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“Sally Mitts dares to step into a door that leads her to a world of wonder and imagination. In this new world, Sally meets other interesting creatures who encourage her to live out dreams she never thought were possible, like painting the sky in bold colors or flying a plane.
This whimsically illustrated book will engage young readers’ imaginations and encourage them to be courageous and pursue their dreams.”
~ Elvie N. August, author, Shirley Chislom Brought her Own Chair and All Presidents Fart
Five Stars
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"I was so excited to see the next Sally Mitts book and this did not disappoint! It's even more whimsical and colorful than the first one. Shain's artwork really brings the story to life. In this book you'll find themes of hope, love, and reconnecting with those you have lost but still keep in your heart.”
~ Heather Cash, author, Mouses' Discovery and YouTube Mentor, Heather Cash Art, Five Stars
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"Book two in Shain Stodt’s Sally Mitts story collection, SALLY MITTS AND THE LAND OF IMAGINATION features colorful illustrations and easy-to-read text, as Sally the cat visits a fascinating world in the land of her imagination. Through the eyes of this sweet kitten, children may see how creative they can be when visualizing happy things within their own world."
~Indie Review
"Shain Stodt delivers with this beautiful book full of color and imagination. 5 Star read with beautiful illustrations and a wonderfully written story. Bursting with creativity Sally Mitts pulls the reader into a colorful world with unique and fun illustrations. Shain writes a captivating tale of imagination and pure wonder and fun!
Your little one will quickly find themselves wanting to read this tale over and over!"
~Jean Johnson, author, Rynnie Roos Adventures, FIve Stars
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"Imagination at its best!
She’s back! That loveable stray cat called Sally Mitts - and has she got an adventure for her readers!
Once again, Shain Stodt has created another beautiful children’s book- full of colourful illustrations, fun rhymes - great for reading aloud and an imaginative and entertaining story line that children will love!
This time we join Sally as she enters a mysterious red door to a land where the sun and the moon dance together, and discover the secret of dreams!
A land Of Imagination with wonderful characters and rainbow Lakes awaits - what are you waiting for?”
~ Zowie Norris, author, Barb The Bird Of Hope, Five Stars
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“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
"Shain Stodt’s exquisitely illustrated book Sally Mitts and the Land of Imagination (Book 2) will encourage young people’s creativity and stimulate their minds. A great deal of creative thought went into this book.
This is a playful concept for a book series that combines themes of resilience, camaraderie, and self-acceptance with adventure. The literature is characterized by lively rhythms, a colorful world full of original characters, exquisite illustrations, and poignant messages."
~ Little Free Library
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Pure Heart And Whimsy
"I just love this author’s style — there is something so unique and whimsical about her colors and lines. The rhyming story is pure enchantment from start to finish. I love how Sally ends up finding the land of imagination — following two shoes without feet! She gets to have all these adventures and, even reunites briefly with someone important toward the end. Then, when she lets go, she knows she can always visit the land of imagination. This part was so poignant to me, since we have recently lost a family member and her favorite book was Color Kittens. This book reminded me of that a little bit.
It’s easy to see why this book has won multiple awards, and I can say it deserves every one of them. Beautiful."
~ Perin Gurel , Five Stars
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Nothing is too much for Sally to handle!
Without sharing spoilers, the characters faced a villain that was large and seemed hard to defeat. My favorite scene was when they figured out a possible way to defeat him. It was such a sweet way to introduce some conflict into this tale and remind little ones that there are many ways to cope with things that seem a little scary at first.
I would have loved to see more attention paid to explaining why Sally’s previous family never seemed to search for her very hard or what her new family was like. These are such important aspects of any pet’s life that it surprised me to see them glossed over. This is something I’m saying as a reader who loves this series and hopes it will continue to be published for a long time yet. Sally is a wonderful little cat, but there are important pieces of her story that I think should be filled in.
With that being said, I enjoyed the focus on developing a strong imagination. Thinking deeply about things, no matter whether they’re serious or maybe a little silly, is a fantastic way to pass the time. There is definitely something to be said for learning to amuse oneself quietly without relying on any outside distractions to make it fun. That is a skill that everyone should have.
This is the second picture book in a series that is best read in order.
~ The Long And Short Review
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