This book was okay. At first I was very intrigued but it was a bit anticlimactic and sort of just ended out of no where. Beautiful illustrations though.

Loved illustrations of this book. I really thought it was beautiful clear and understood for children. The problem was just how fast the ending happened. I would have liked some follow-up to the situation. I was reading this to my nephew and he kept asking me if there was more. I agree with him. The kids do something that they're not supposed to do - going out without life preservers and in foul weather, but we never see their realization of how close they came to getting hurt. It's just like they did something bad but then they were saved so everything's okay. The part of a good book is also teaching the lesson when something scary happens. If I were a kid and I read this book on my own I would think if I did something bad and I would get a good reward at the end.

Felix and Harry are on their annual trip to Lake Omigosh. They've heard the legends, they know the rules and yet they still decide to take the boat out for a row across the lake with poor weather imminent. This short picture book was beautifully decorated with descriptive images to accompany the text. The plot unfolds a little like a soap opera, leaving little cliffhangers before we turn the page. The fact that the blurb gives us a good idea as to what to expect doesn't dull the excitement.

After reading to myself, I read this with children who are within the target age range. They liked the characters and thought the adventure is something they would do themselves. They also liked the parallels to Scotland's Loch Ness monster; a creature believed to exist but arguable whether it has really been sighted. Throghout the story they made inferences about what would happen next based on the clues that were being breadcrumbed.

The book will suit toddlers and young children up to 8/9/10. It serves as a lesson about camp nd water safety, and contains an element of awe when we consider the monster. Toddlers will likely return to the book again, and again, whilst the brevity and simplicity of the overall idea will likely serve the older children once or twice. My 9 year old may potentially read this as a bed time story to his younger sibling if requested. The ending feels slightly abrupt with maybe some expected interaction with a central character absent.

This book was unlike any childrens book I've read. It was absolutely darling!! The storyline of the two friends, and the illustrations were just incredible. I was so amazed by how my four kids loved this sweet story. Wonderfully done!

A fun adventure with super illustrations for readers 4-8. Two young boys at camp get caught in a storm on a lake when their canoe overturns. What could be a tragic story ends when a gigantic sea creature saves them, and we learn how the lake got its name. Omigosh!

Very cute story and illustrations about two best friends going to camp, their adventures, lake monsters and why the lake got its name, Lake Omigosh.
Would recommend this story to any adventurous kiddo!

Thank you for the gifted arc!

I absolutely adore the illustrations! Overall, the story was pretty cute but fell a little flat for me.

This is a fun story with beautiful illustrations. My 7 year old would really enjoy this book. Younger kiddos would likely need some reassurance in a few places.

The story was heartwarming and funny. It was a little concerning the kids forgot life jackets. Art work/ illustrations were very well done.

Lake Oh! My! Gosh! I thought this was going to be a boring and sweet little book about kids enjoying summer camp, and the illustrations were pretty. The descriptions of summer camp were relaxing and fun. Then there was an incident that could have turned into a disaster, but the kids were saved by an unexpected friend.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

This was okay I guess. The illustrations were the best part, the story fell a little flat for me honestly

Very cute book. I love the idea behind it and I also loved the illustrations. I love that this author always includes diverse characters!

Such a fun book I love the illustrations! I love it about summer camp when I was a child that was one of the things I look forward in the summer! I can’t wait to read it to my kiddos!

This book felt somewhat less than complete in terms of story. I liked the concept and illustrations, but it would take more exposition from the adult for a younger reader to grasp.

2.5 stars

Adventures at Lake Omigosh
Scott Sollers
Harry and Felix are staying at Camp Horizon, in New Hampshire. There are all kinds of activities, including hiking, biking, and canoeing on Lake Omigosh. Legend is there is a creature deep in the depths of the lake. People say they have witnessed a strange creature floating across the lake. Harry and Felix were canoeing on Lake Omigosh when it began to storm. Their canoe turns over the boys are stuck in the middle of the lake.
The illustrations are beautifully done. Kudos to illustrator Brian Janky. The illustrations alone would talk me into reading this book. The plot was cute but predictable. Younger children will like the story, especially the creature. While this tale has an interesting safety lesson there is the question of two young boys having access to canoes without adult supervision. I realize there are posted rules but there is always someone just waiting to break the rules.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy for review.

Fun book! The story was developed really well, with a clear plot. This worked super well for me, and was highly beneficial to the story. Something that also added to the story was the highly detailed illustrations. Everything was drawn and colored really nicely, but I also noticed a few fun and clever Easter eggs within the drawings. Kids will adore this element, and it adds a lot of fun to the book. Lastly, kids will love the sense of adventure and wonder that this entire book has. It is absolutely perfect for young readers. Bravo!

I want to laud Brian Janky, whose old-fashioned illustrations of this children’s book compelled me to read the book. Alas, author Scott Sollers’ predictable tale of Camp Horizon, a sleep-away camp in the New Hampshire woods that has its own Loch Ness-style monster, falls pretty flat. Four stars for Janky, none for Stollers, which averages out to two stars.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Mascot Kids and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in exchange for an honest review.

Always on the hunt for some great children’s books that can also teach a lesson I am thankful to have gotten the eARC for free from Netgalley and Mascot Kids Independent Publishers so I can leave my voluntary and honest review.

Overall this book was a cute read with gorgeous illustrations. The illustrations are what got this the 4 star review as well
As the concept. The prose however has a few issues.

I think young kids will enjoy the adventure of the kids going to camp with no parents. However, isn’t that typical for camp? There may not be any parents but are there any adults at all? Because it’s concerning that kids could get into a boat by themselves without following the posted rules which there literally broke them all with no consequences beyond a bit of a scare.

I understand the point of the book which is very endearing! It’s just some mechanics in execution in the middle that need a bit of help. However if it was read with a parent who could unpack some things, it can be delightful.

Again the illustrations are superb! They are fairly inclusive with a myriad of cultures represented. The only thing better would be showing some disability but it’s fine that it doesn’t.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

What a great story about camp at Lake Omigosh. This book starts off with the joys of camp and all the fun things to do. There is a mysterious creature that lives in the lake, and the lake is named after the expression people say when they see this mysterious creature. When two boys boat out into the lake, trouble comes. The creature comes to the rescue! This story has adventure, mystery, and fun! The pictures are so pretty.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.