I liked the concept, but this fell short on execution. For this to be a better learning tool, I would've made sure to use conventional English throughout. Getting slang-y with D'lish vs Delish isn't my way of using an apostrophe. <-- Which leads me wishing the author would've just spelled it Apostrophe and explained it's pronounced Apostrofee so kids know how to recognize the correct word. The cheat methods in this story weren't needed.

A laugh out loud journey into the world of contractions, Dee and Apostrofee provides a grammatical lesson in a colorful, engaging way. It is a great introductory level for lower elementary and a fun review for older kids!

My rating would have been a strong 4 or 4.5 if only "apostrophe" had been spelled correctly. I never caught any reason for the alternative spelling and it just seems like so much unnecessary work to introduce the kids to the term and concept and THEN have to get them to recognize and use the correct spelling.

The actual book is fun and adorable and does a good job illustrating the use of the apostrophe in a very fun and clever way. It does possibly go on longer than it needs to--I think the whole part about the dinner invitation could be skipped without missing much--but the illustrations are cute and the kids will giggle at the gas jokes.

I just don't know why the author made that spelling choice. This would have been a really useful, effective book, but I probably wouldn't bring it into my classroom (pre-K) because of the potential for confusion. It might be better for older readers who already recognize the word and need repetition to reinforce the concept.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Hilarious and informative.

I read this to my daughters, ages 6 and 8. They found it hilarious and had a pretty clear understanding of the job of an apostrophe afterwards.

I adored the personalities of the letters and punctuation and found the whole concept clever. The illustrations were colorful, humorous and clear. I appreciate the bright and clean aesthetic.

Highly enjoyed and recommended.

The letter D is mad at Apostrofee! Why? Because Apostrofee keeps stealing letters and shoving himself in their place! Apostrofee can't help it. He loves Es. And Os. They're his favorite. He just has to devour, no wait, d'vour them. They're d'lish! And hey, is there really anything so wrong with a little peace 'n' harmony?
Dee and Apostrofee by Judith Henderson, illustrated by Ohara Hale, published by Kids Can Press is not only brilliant, it had me laughing out loud more than once. Well-rounded characters, each with their own distinct personalities, will make a perfect early introduction to punctuation, contractions, and possessives for kids.
If you're looking for a good laugh, check this one out immediately.

Such a cute picture book to introduce Apostrophe.
The illustrations are cute.
It's a fun picture book to know the apostrophe function.

I think this is a cute book to describe how apostrophes work, but I just couldn't wrap my brain around the misspelling of "Apostrofee". I truly worry that young kids will get confused by the misspelling.

I sadly was not a fan of this book. The concept is great but as an editor and teacher I hoped this would be a great resource for helping kids learn about using apostrophes correctly but it’s not.

This was a hilarious and yet still very informative book for children. The illustrations were wonderful and added a great deal to the story. The banter between Dee and Apostrofee was witty and fun for both children and adults. I would definitely recommend this book!

Quite a fun look – certainly a visually lively one – at apostrophes and how they work. We have an errant example of one that Dee (ie the letter D) doesn't like, but there's no "doesn't" without both of them, and there's no "there's" without – oh, you get the gist. Don'tcha?! What I don't do is deem it that entertaining, so it will like as not stick on the shelf until used for a brief reminder of the possessive. P'haps. Three and a half stars, then.

All the vowels are upset because Apostrofee eats them out of words. So the consonants, led by Dee, decide to take action.
This is a hilarious book where the child can learn how the apostrophe functions as well as have a fun time watching him toot after eating too many O's.
I love the teeny teeth on the Apostrofee illustration. They look so funny! All the illustrations are cute as a matter of fact. The use of the letters with their words is nicely done.
I'm not very convinced about two things in this book:
1. Why couldn't Apostrofee have been called Apostrophe? It's not like his fake name has any relevance to the story. Kids could have learnt the right spelling.
2. The book doesn't clarify the right usage of the punctuation mark. So while some of the uses in the book are right (can't, won't, and so on), many are incorrect (D'lish, D'lightful) Kids might get confused about these. Maybe a simple educative note at the end could help children understand how to use the apostrophe correctly.
Barring these two points, the book was a delightful read.
Thank you, NetGalley and Kids Can Press, for the Advanced Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute, informative read! It will be fun for kids to read while learning about punctuation! The pictures were really cute too.

Dee and Apostrofee by Judith Henderson is a fun picture book that endeavours to teach children the use of language and punctuation in an accessible, slightly madcap way. While I applaud the joie de vivre that virtually leaps from the pages, I did find the idea of replacing letters with an apostrophe slightly confusing when words such as 'delight' become 'd'light'. The lesson here for children seems to be that the apostrophe can be used indiscriminantly, and I found this to take away from an otherwise valiant effort to teach punctuation in a fun and engaging way. I did, however, find the personalities of both Dee and Apostrofee very appealing. 3.5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for an ARC.