This was an interesting children's book based in Asia with beautiful illustrations. The story will interest children as it has lots of animals in it. The story is written well in simple language that children would relate to.

This book has beautiful vibrant illustrations. The story itself had some excitement in it and multicultural aspects were weaved in so well that all children can follow and understand. I particularly like that definitions for unfamiliar words were provided at the end of the book.

I would definitely buy this for children because it's a great way to expose them to a different culture, climate, language, and lifestyle - all easily within the story. But there's a small glossary at the end too! It would be a really great storytime book!

The art is incredibly unique and engaging. The use of patterns is distinct and adds dimension to the images. The art does a great job of ramping the suspense and separating the text for the best effect. This isn't a world I'm familiar with and I love being shown in this way.

A funny tale of mix ups, this is a decent 3-5 year old story. Spooky but not too much, and features nice cultural touches

This story was cute and funny and also a little bit scarier than I expected. At one point I thought maybe I had misunderstood that the book was for children 😅

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book. I enjoyed it

What a spooky yet hilarious story!

Nenek Tata is a hardworking old woman ready for yet another day on her farm: feeding her animals, gathering water, and so on. But this routine day suddenly springs a surprise when she finds herself followed by a monster in the gloomy swamp jungle. What will Nenek Tata do in the face of this scary threat? I am sure kids will love to find out.

The story is written in a very simply and understandable language. The initial half is quite slow and settling, as if preparing kids for bed. And when the monster suddenly pops up, the action suddenly changes to exciting! There are a few Malay words in the story whose meaning is specified in the glossary at the end of the book.

I had assumed the story to be from the point of view of a little girl, so I was surprised to see the grandmotherly Nenek Tata leading the story. (Didn't know before that Nenek means 'grandmother' in Malay.) Nevertheless, this was fun to read. The story is told in the style of the Malaysian hantu stories – ghost stories – so it is creepy in the right places. Kids will be hooked onto the tale, especially once the monster makes an unexpected appearance in the seemingly mundane day.

Though entertaining, the story delivers the right message as well on how to face your challenges head on but only after the right amount of and kind of preparation.

The illustrations are attractive and vibrant and add greatly to the magic to the story. The pages are filled with creatures though not all of them are part of the main narrative. It’s a treat to see the native vegetation and animals through the colourful pages.

I had fun reading this, so I am sure the actual target audience will enjoy it even more. It will be a great bedtime read and will also provide a beautiful insight into a new locale.

4.25 stars from me.

My thanks to Logorythm, Crotchet Quaver, and NetGalley for the ARC of “Nenek Tata and the Mangrove Menace”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Wonderful illustrations! Nenek Tata and the Mangrove Menace is a perfect little story for young children where the "monster" turns out not to be a monster. Just enough fright but with a happy ending.

This is, I think, to be my last advance review copy book. I've now completed 1,400 such reviews through Net Galley, as well as others from other sources, and it's high time to retire from this - which really does nothing to help me at all - and focus on my own work for a change.

I can't think of a better book to end that streak on than this one, which was a truly fun and educational book set in Borneo, where older couple Tata and Jantan, of the family Nenek, are starting their day to the unnerving news of a storm brewing. The story is told very well by, I believe, Judith Vun Price, and illustrated exquisitely by, I believe, Jacqui Vun in bright colors and playful illustrations.

They start this ~35 page book and their day enjoying their coffee, and then they split up, with Jantan heading to town on his bike to purchase some supplies, and Tata doing an assortment of chores in their homestead, including feeding the ducks, chickens and pigeons, as well as her pet cat, which is actually a clouded leopard kit.

Next she has to cut some juicy grass for the buffalo and finally, she must go empty the crab traps. Unfortunately, this is when she encounters the horrific mud-beast which follows her home! Her brave antics and the resolution to the story are amusing, educational, and highly entertaining.

This was a great story and it contains a glossary at the end to clear up any confusion from some of the local terms used in the story. I enjoyed this immensely and commend it fully as a worthy read.

I received an eARC copy from Logorythm and Crotchet Quaver via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

From the blurb:

"Set in Malaysia’s eastern-most state of Sabah, this delightful spooky story is told in the style of hantu stories — ghost tales — told to young children by grandparents to entertain them before bedtime, and to keep them safe from the dangers of the swamps and jungles."

Nenek Tata, tending to her regular daily chores in Malaysian tropical rainforests, faces an unexpected twist of events; she faces a monster coming out of mangroves and decides to prepare herself to defend her household. This brave woman is ready to do whatever it takes to protect herself, her husband, and everything she loves and owns from the unknown threatening creature.

The story beautifully depicts the daily activities of Malaysian farmers, bringing us closer to the culture and customs of this Southeast Asian country (I still remember the slogan Malaysia Truly Asia used to promote tourism of this gorgeous multiethnic and multicultural place). But, as the story progresses, it points out one more detail of great importance; to grow and develop ourselves, we need to face our fears, fight them, and build resilience. I found this story to be a great children guide; it would teach them to broaden their horizons as they grow and learn more about the world surrounding them.

The illustrations beautifully capture the story. They are dynamic, sharp, wonderfully eye-catching from every aspect; a perfect match to the storyline.

Everything is not how it seems! Loved the artwork - lots to look at and talk about with children. The various animals had fantastic expressions - so it was easy to connect with them. I loved the whole opportunity to learn about another culture - myself - and so important for children to expand their world view. Could expand into a discussion about dealing with “scary things” and facing fears, and building resilience. Definitely recommend.

I love the illustrations in this story, as well as the view of Nenek Tata’s daily life. In it, while performing her daily chores, Nanek Tata comes upon a terrifying monster. After fleeing from the monster, and readying herself to fight it, a torrent of rain reveals that the “monster” was actually her husband, covered in mud and vines after crashing his bicycle into the swamp. I’m excited to read this to my class when I can buy a physical copy. It’s the sort of story they love.

'Nenek Tata and the Mangrove Menace' took an unexpected turn from a simple story of the life of a Malaysian farmer to something that is probably a little too scary for much of the intended age of the audience. (Watch out there's a creepy hand reaching out from behind that mangrove!) That being said, I loved it! The artwork is lively, crisp, and dynamic. As the story progresses the art is essential in evoking an emotional change in the reader.

What's a better opening than "Once upon a time...?" Nothing. It sets the stage that we are about to go on an adventure. And, so we do. What begins as a simple day preparing for a storm ends in an unexpected monster encounter and Nenek Tata is there to defend!

Throughout the story we do get a nice peak in to this part of the world. We see day to day customs, encounter unfamiliar words, and meet the animals of the farm. For children who like a little scare and suspense they will love this book! If I were teaching my kids about Malaysia I would absolutely include this story as it is fun and a bit of a twist on a dry cultural picture book.

I would love a different title. I like the "Nenek Tata" part. It sets the stage for the cultural part of the book. The second part "...and the Mangrove Menace" makes it sound like a Hardy Boys adventure.