Marlon and the Scary Something - Dan Bailes

Author: Dan Bailes

Series: Marlon's Marvelous Adventures, #2

Genre: Children's Fiction

Rating: 4.5 stars.

Marlon the cat is back, and this time, he isn’t generating fear in other animals but is himself a victim of fear.

While plotting a funny prank on his brother Arthur, Marlon suddenly becomes aware of a large creature in his garden. With his sparrow friend Silky not around and Arthur having run away in fright, Marlon isn’t sure what to do. But looking at the size of the creature and its teeth, Marlon decides that the safer option would be to do what Arthur did. But how long can Marlon stay inside? Will he be able to overcome his fear and find a better solution to his problem?

This book follows the same writing pattern as of the first book. So we again have a story within a story. Marlon’s tale is being narrated by a mother to her two sons Ben and JJ. The transitions between the two narratives are much smoother this time, thereby making the book easier for younger kids. (Of course, for read-alouds, the adult may safely skip the mother’s narrative and read out just Marlon’s story. It doesn’t much affect the story; you might just miss out on a few humorous retorts and some life lessons.)

Unlike the first book however, which was quite funny and action-packed, the content this time is much serious and introspective. The main theme of the book is fear and anxiety, so the approach matches the need of the theme. Author Dan Bailes puts his grandfatherly wisdom to wonderful use as he incorporates within the narrative, simple tactics for coping with scary situations. I loved how practical and logical his advice was while at the same time being simple enough for little children to understand. Sample this line: “When you're scared, if you don't face your fear, it can grow bigger and bigger.” Easy and effective!

The illustrations are a treat in this book. Marlon looks adorable and the tiny splashes of pastel add the perfect touch of lightness and brightness to the illustrations.

The author's note at the end explains how this book came into being and more details about the creature who generates such fear in Marlon. This time, there’s also an entire write-up on the illustration process. I was fascinated by the information in this section.

All in all, I enjoyed this book in a very different way from the first of this series. While that was more of fun-based learning, this aims more at providing thoughtful solutions.

One unsolicited tip: Marlon could understand what Silky the sparrow says but not what the scary animal says. If your kids ask you why, you could spin a tale on how we all understand some languages but not all. I’m sure that explanation will work. You’re welcome. 😉

My thanks to author Dan Bailes and BookSirens for the ARC of “Marlon and the Scary Something”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Read my review of the first book of this series, "Marlon Finds a Way", HERE.