The was a silly, fun book with great illustrations and an overall great message: mistakes happen, and that’s ok, it doesn’t mean good won’t come from them. It’s ok if things don’t go as planned, and who knows, you may even have more fun that way! My kids enjoyed it!

In a Nutshell: Sorry to be the party-pooper on a kids’ book, but I didn’t like this as much as I thought I would. ☹ The illustrations are fabulous, but the story itself, while silly enough to be entertaining, leaves a lot of loopholes. I also don’t like the inadvertent message that comes out from one characters’ behaviour. Might work for some readers, but overall, a mixed bag for me. This is an outlier review.

Plot Preview:
Young Annabelle is a party planner extraordinaire. No matter what party planning assignment comes her way, she blows away everyone (including the grumpiest of persons) with her resourcefulness and fun activities. As everyone’s expectations are high for the upcoming Block party, Annabelle feels the pressure and ropes in her elder brother Anthony for help. Unfortunately, Anthony’s giant headphones are always on and he messes up Annabelle’s instructions. Will he end up ruining perfect Annabelle’s perfect party?

Note: This review has minor content spoilers, but strictly restricted to what you can guess from the title and the cover.

At the surface level, I can see kids having a lot of fun with the story. So if I have to rate this strictly by entertainment quotient, the book does deliver a lot of laughs. There are comical scenes, enjoyable animals, sibling goofs, unexpected plot developments and loads of party fun.
Entertainment: 4 stars.
The book is written in simple prose, with plenty of feeling and action words, and also many alliterations, all great for readaloud narrations. Annabelle and Anthony have many scenes with back-and-forth conversations, where Annabelle’s lines come in a pink speech bubble and Anthony’s come in blue. (Predictable colours, but helpful to figure out who’s talking.) Mr. Grumperton’s “Harrumph!” is used well. Bonus points for the pasta pun!
Text/Vocabulary: 4 stars.
On the believability factor, the book appeals more to those who enjoy silly stories without asking “How?” Now, I know kids books aren’t exactly realistic, so this feedback is not based on an ad-hoc feeling of “How can this happen?” but on the genuine curiosity about “How did it actually happen?” “Spaghetti-confetti”? How did Anthony get the spaghetti up there when there was nothing to hold the spaghetti? Lemurs making a surprise appearance? Lemurs are among the most endangered species! They are also not native to the USA, so how the heck did Anthony manage to get a whole lot of them for a block party - the neighbourhood zoo? Beggars belief!
Plot Believability: 0 stars.
On the moral/lesson coming out, the reaction would depend on the reader. I don’t believe that every picture book needs to be written only for educational purposes. This one isn't, and that’s perfectly fine. HOWEVER, there is one particular moral that comes out indirectly from the plot. Anthony doesn’t bother to take off his headphones even when an important task is assigned to him. When his lack of attention results in chaotic surprises, one would expect him to be repentant. But there is no guilt from his side, nor remonstrance from any adult at the potential danger he put everyone in. Moreover, his contribution is praised as “perfection”. His actions end up as the highlight of the day, putting down the importance of Annabelle’s hard planning, who herself doesn’t seem to mind. This doesn’t sit right by me. Are we teaching kids that it is okay to not pay attention to tasks and not apologise for major mistakes?
Morals/Life Lessons: 1 star.
The illustrations, wholly adorable except for the bright blue hue of one animal that is supposed to be dull brown in real life, redeem the overall experience. The outstanding colours and engaging graphics, with a lot happening in the foreground and background of every page, will keep little readers excited. The characters are inclusive as well. Annabelle’s rainbow hairbow that seems to have feelings of its own is a fun addition. Don’t miss the antics of Annabelle’s cat!
Illustrations: 4.5 stars.

Overall, as you can see, my feelings go here, there, and everywhere. If your child likes entertaining stories and can read without asking too many “But how?” questions, this book is great for them. (I know mine would have eaten my head with a hundred queries!) Use the sectional ratings to make up your mind, or read the other reviews, almost all of which are highly positive.
The official target reading age for this story is 4-7 years, which further seals my disappointment because at this age, kids are old enough to learn right behaviour and the consequences of actions/negligence.

2.7 stars, based on the average of the five sectional ratings.

My thanks to Two Lions for providing the DRC of “Annabelle and the Spaghetti-Confetti Surprise” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions written are completely honest and my own

Full of colour and silliness, this book is sure to make children smile.

Annabelle always plans the best parties. She always has everything just perfect. But she does know when to ask for help, and gets her big brother to pitch in. The two make a great team, but her brother is always listening to his music while he works. When the headphones cause miscommunication, chaos results. Annabelle is quite upset until she realizes that people are having fun. This story is clever and funny and the illustrations show the chaos. There are so many details to look at. I love all the lessons that are packed into this little gem. Annabelle knows the value of planning. The kids have a loving cooperative relationship instead of the sibling rivalry that one often sees in storybooks. all the chaos demonstrates to kids what can happen when you live on your devices and don't give your tasks your full attention. But the most important message in this cute story is to take life as it comes and enjoy the moment. Sometimes perfection can get in the way and good enough can be great.

3.5 ⭐️

Annabelle’s quest to plan the perfect party is ruined by the “help” of her elder brother Anthony.

Overall this was a good story with the theme encouraging children not to be upset if things go wrong and that sometimes things that aren’t perfect can still be great fun.

This book was full of beautiful colourful pictures, which my children 5 and 7 really enjoyed and which brought the story to life.

The story could be a little hard to follow for young readers (those having the story read to them) with the back and forth dialogue - I think it would work better for an established reader who could read to themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc for my honest review.

My kids found this book hilarious! It also has the cute message that you can plan perfectly, things can go wrong and it can still go perfectly. It was silly and cute and made my children and I giggle. The artwork was wonderful and was easy as a story for even my 2 year old to follow along.

I instantly fell in love with this book—how cute and funny are these illustrations! Annabelle and her brother’s introduction, the lively neighborhood party atmosphere—it’s all so much fun! The bright, detailed artwork makes you want to go back and explore every little detail again and again.

And the story? A perfect pick for little perfectionists! No matter what happens, even if things go off the rails—don’t panic!

Cute story with engaging pictures. This will draw in young readers with the text and simple thoughts from the characters. The party storyline is something kids can relate to. I can see my students enjoying this and being able to reread it themselves.

I loved Jenna Beatrice’s THE LOUD LIBRARIAN and have been very excited for this book! Strong and talented main character, Annabelle, is the perfect party planner working on her biggest project to date. But unfortunately, her brother’s attempts to help with this neighborhood block party get a little muffled –which makes for a hilarious outcome! This book is so clever and fun! From the interesting characters, to the whimsical writing, to the bright and super fun illustrations by Annabel Tempest, I have no doubt this book will be a huge hit in homes, schools and libraries everywhere!

Annabelle is a great party planner. She takes on her biggest project ever and asks her brother Anthony for help. Welll, things don't go as planned! She wants balloons and he hears baboons, he also has lemurs, and Annabelle is sure it's a disaster.
But people loved the baboons and thought the lemurs were great dancers. This is truly a party like no other! Even if things don't go according to plan, they can still be wonderful.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this hilarious little picture book

Annabelle and the Spaghetti-Confetti Surprise written by Jenna Beatrice


Annabelle is a great party planner and she eagerly plans her next party.
She asks her brother Anthony for some help. Then the fun begins.
From the cute title, bright detailed illustrations, and a few mishaps along the way, this story was a hit.
Annabelle learned that life isn't always perfect and its okay.
The world won't end.
the pictures are gorgeous, adorable and fun.
The lesson of going with things when mishaps happn was a good thing.
Kids and adults will enjoy this cute delightful story.
the ending was really cute too.

4 1/2****

thanks to NetGalley, the author, illustrator and publisher.

highly recommended

A fun read about how even when we make mistakes, sometimes things work out! Filled with misheard words and zany surprise party elements, this book sure to delight.

This is such a sweet, silly tale filled with the teamwork of two kind siblings and the determination of a young girl who dreams of festive parties and joy in her community. I giggle every time her bow “ka-floofed” and adored all of the colorful artwork depicting the growing chaos.

This review is given for the ARC that I was sent. I was really looking forward to reading this book to my twins, but the format/layout was all skewed on my kindle. I wasn't able to read it at all. I hope this can be fixed so I can go back read it and give an actual review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting access to this book

This book is silly and fun. I think adults and children alike might enjoy this charming book. I especially enjoyed the illustrations in this book.

Thank you Two Lions and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

The illustrations are what really make this book. They are fun, colorful, and have a lot going on. The story was just ok and not extremely engaging. It does show kids how to deal with unexpected situations, which is a plus.

Annabelle is an awesome party planner, but it’s hard planning things for the unexpected! When the unexpected happens at the big neighborhood bash, she has to pivot, learning to make the most of the situation. Maybe because I have kids who plan everything, I try to instill the need for flexibility and adaptability in all things. It’s a great lesson for kids and adults.

Thanks for NetGalley for the ARC!

The story, writing style, and colorful illustrations made this a super fun read! The relationship between the young girl and her older brother was so relatable and the animals provided an element of surprise. Yet, the readers will still walk away learning a valuable life lesson. Imperfection can be beautiful too!

While it is an excellent lesson in mistakes turning out okay sometimes, I didn't like this book. I don't like the message portrayed that it is okay to half-listen when someone talks to you. Communication failure and lack of listening are key things in the story, and I don't like the message it sends, which says that not paying full attention when someone is talking to you is okay.

This book was adorable!!! I loved the story and the illustrations. The message from the book to turn a problem into a solution was cute and I thought that the older brother making the mistake was relatable! The length of the book was also good for younger kids with a story entertaining enough for adults.