✍️ This is a delightful and gorgeously-illustrated children’s book!

✍️ William Shakesbear is looking for inspiration for his next play, so he asks for help from all of his literary critter friends. Critters include Mole Dahl, Crane Austen, C. S. Shrewis, Yak Kerouac, and more!

✍️ Each literary critter recommends the type of stories they like to write themselves and the dialogue often includes a quote from the real author they are portraying, or least an allusion to it. For example, Crane Austen suggests writing stories about relationships and she tells Shakesbear “If a story is well-written, I always find it too short” which is, of course, a famous Jane Austen quote. I was delighted to find out how each literary critter responded.

✍️ This book is an adorable way to introduce children to classic authors and perhaps pique their interest in learning more about them and their stories.

✍️ I kind of want this book!!! It’s that’s cute! This would be a great gift book for a book lover, particularly someone who loves classic literature. While it is written for kids approximately 4 years and up (32 pages), it’s not just for kids IMO! Plenty of adults will find this quite charming.

Thank you @Netgalley and @Zonderkidz for an eARC of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Teachers- RUN, don't walk to add this book to cart! Not only do the character names have the most PUNNY names relating to authors, William ShakesBEAR and Crane Austen to name a few, but this book shows how even authors need a little help sometimes from their friends. I would definitely use this book when teaching writing and how to draw inspiration from talking to friends and seeing the world around you, just like William Shakesbear. The illustrations are so cute and the writing is very clever and fun!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Zonderkidz for a free digital copy.

If you fan of classic literature, you will want this book for your kid's shelves! Williams Shakesbear talks to all his literary friends, that are fantastic twists on the names of famous authors, to find inspiration for his next play. Adults will appreciate the references to the works of these authors and kids will find this an entertaining story.

I thought this book was super cute. I loved all the name puns. I couldn’t stop laughing. While I think the story would still be enjoyable for a child, I really felt like this book is for the parents. By the time a child is old enough to get the references, the rest of this book might be too young.

I really loved the idea behind this book - but I thought it was too long! I'm going to suggest that we stock it anyway because it's so clever.

Fantastic picture book. We follow William Shakesbear who is in trouble. He needs inspiration for his new play. He visits several friends who give them some ideas. So clever, the choice of each animal for each author is fun. They suggest their main themes and we immediately recognize the books. Awesome humor in the illustration too.
It had me at Prawntë Sisters, Charles Chicken, and Chicktor Hugo.
Also, the reader is now part of this literary club and the last page makes us feel included with the questions.

A pure delight for adults and children alike! The title drew me in immediately, and the clever animal characterizations of famous authors kept me riveted until the very end. The artwork is absolutely stunning and the style is spot-on for this story. I was thrilled that there were images at the end of the book with the real names of the authors. This book is a fantastic introduction to classic literature and authors for the littlest readers. I will read this to my grandson again and again, and will recommend it for all of our school's elementary libraries.

I enjoyed the play on words with the characters' names and references to their famous works. I'm a bit confused about who the audience for this book is supposed to be. It seems too juvenile to be a picture book written for adults, but most children would not know the authors to which the characters refer.

Really enjoyed reading an early copy of Literary Critters by @SophieMCorrigan. Full of whimsy and references to all my favourite authors - gorgeous illustrations too!

William ShakesBEAR has writer's block of the severest kind. He is about to go into hibernation, but can't seem to sleep yet as he feels uninspired on what to write for his next book. So ShakesBEAR goes for a walk and sees all his literary classic writer friends along the way who offer bits and advice on what inspired them and their writing! It is a remarkable walk and day to be sure and ShakesBEAR is exposed to many great writers and their inspirations. Feeling rejuvenated and a bit sleepy after a tea party, Will goes back to his cave to hibernate. Read on to find out the name of his next classic tome!

It is truly creative and beautifully illustrated. I really loved to see how the different writers were depicted and the animals that were used to depict them. Because he is my favorite of the "classics", I will use Poe as an example. He is depicted as/named Crow (yes, all the names of the authors rhyme or connect perfectly with their corresponding animals). I also thought the connections to what each author was doing and their own literary works was genius. The Bronte sisters were in a class bowl as prawns (because duh - women weren't expected to write and they were trying to break the glass ceiling).

Very, very clever and I enjoyed it immensely.

I could see using this picture book at any level to connect authors to their works/inspirations and their personalities. Well done!

Well I have to say I enjoyed this enough, but I do wonder if punning around the names of Langston Hughes, Jack Kerouac and Victor Hugo makes for a book perfect for all young readers. Here, the most eminent literary critter, William Shakesbear, finds his ideas are all exeunt, and no pursuit by a bear will bring any back to mind. So he goes on a sojourn to meet up with all the other penning pets and artistic animals, asking for suggestions of what to write next. Can he nail a plot down before he has to hibernate? It looks great, and it may just work and make kids find some small level of ownership in, say, Edgar Allan Poe, yet while I can't say this felt worthy this did feel like something librarians would thrust on people purely out of their own admiration for it, and wonder why it didn't fully engage with the young. I could see what all the puns, in-jokes and stylistic borrowings were doing, but that does not mean the target audience will always catch the reference and see the point.

A precious story of William Shakesbear trying to figure out what he should write about. Along the way, he meets many other liteary critters. I was so in at Crane Austen but then I happened upon Wagatha Christie and Chiktor Hugo and was in love. Such cute illustrations and a great introduction to a variety of literary figures for children!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Zonderkidz for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I am not clear on the intended audience, but I got the impression this is for 6-8 year olds. Quite frankly, I don't think they would have a clue as to the people being introduced. The names are cute, but if you don't know who they are talking about you wouldn't get the names or the puns. So, I was a little disappointed. If it is really intended for a 4-5 year old, it is way to long. I think its a great idea but not sure it works for kids that young. I taught ESL in a 3rd world country and this would have been great for them. 3 stars as it fell threw for me

Holy cuteness! I love all the play on author names, the darling illustrations (so many sweet details) and how each animal friend brings forward some of the author traits! Seriously so amazing!

As a reader who works with elementary school children who are constantly struggling with tapping into their imagination when it comes to writing, this book warmed my heart and I would absolutely read it to my students! While the nods to classic authors may not be something younger readers would understand, it makes for a lovely introduction into these literary icons. I'll be thinking about all the puns in this book for weeks.

"Literary Critters" is one of the cutest books I've ever read. It follows William Shakesbear trying to find some inspiration for his writing. Mole Dahl's ideas were too wild and fantastical, Crane Austen's ideas were too simple. Beatrix Trotter thought that getting a pet would help inspire William but that was too much responsibility for him because he has to hibernate during the winter. On his journey he met other animal characters inspired by classic literary writers. My personal favorites were C.S. Shrewis and Wagatha Christie. Thankfully after a nice hibernation he was able to write his play after getting inspired by his dreams of all the things his writer friends told him. This was such a fun book. It would be great for children who like to read or write.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me a sneak peek of this ARC.

My 4-year-old twins and I really enjoyed this book! William Shakesbear is asking all of his animal friends for writing advice. Every animal friend he meets is named after an actual author and gives advice based on their own writing styles and stories. From Crane Austen and Edgar Talon Crow to C.S. Shrewis and Charles Chickens.

Adults will smile while reading this one as they recognize all the literary greats, and children will be engaged by the beautiful colorful illustrations and cute storyline. It reminded me of how Pixar movies will incorporate humor for adults while also creating engaging images and storylines for kids. I could see this one being a bedtime favorite for both kids and adults!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zonderkidz-Books for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Literary Critters is the story of William ShakesBear talking to his friends trying to find his inspiration. Each animal is of a famous writer, and their advice matches their writing style.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Get this book!! you eill.not be disappointed. As an avid book lover, I was thrilled to see so many cleverly named authors featured. The bookmwaa great at I troducing the authors for what they are known for. I was laughing nonstop at this gem! So pleased to have found it!

I love the illusions to the famous authors in this book. While each other gives great advice on how William ShakesBEAR can write his new play it also alludes to their style of writing and their specific stories they have done. A great nod to the some of the great authors out there for the adults reading the story to get. It will also be fun for kids to come back to this book when they are older and understand the refrences.

A great reminder to children that the sky is the limit when it comes to finding inspiration for stories. Ths ere a so many different styles or writing and millions of posibilities for what a story can be.

Fantastic illustrations!