Review - Ms. Goshsquash

Ms. Goshsquash
by Lola Coleman
Date: 2021
Publisher: DartFrog Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 28
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

What if all it took for a kid to learn to be good was a trip to the farm? Follow three best friends as they learn from their teacher and her odd pet yak why being kind is always the way to go, discover who they are, and turn into the great kids they want to become.

Have you been naughty?
Can’t help being mean?
Perhaps you’d like to know what happens to kids who make a scene.
Well take a look inside this book; I’ll show you what I mean,
for you’ll never meet another other who’s as real as she can be.

Her name was Ms. Goshsquash, and everyone knew
that if a child went bad, she'd know what to do!
At first, the people of Drost thought her to be mean.
Some said she was the meanest old woman they had ever seen.
Yet it was those same people who asked her one day
to come into town to live and to stay.

You see, Ms. Goshsquash had a way with children that nobody else had,
but only those who didn't listen to their parents, misbehaved at school, or were just plain bad.
She spoke in rhyme and song, but if you paid attention you'd soon know
that really all she wanted was for kids to be kind as they grow.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a strange, preachy little book that made me distinctly uncomfortable.

We're introduced to Ms. Goshsquash, who lives alone with her yak and apparently knows how to deal with naughty children. That sounds like a lot more fun than it is. Basically, Ms. Goshsquash takes it upon herself to be judge and jury, kidnaps a trio of children who are skipping school, and then forces them to see the error of their ways by trapping them in a magic mirror before releasing them so they can go to school and be helpful.

The yak plays no part in any of this.

While I did enjoy the watercolour illustrations, I wasn't a fan of the story. It just tried too hard to send a message. And I'm not sure that threatening children with the prospect of being kidnapped by a witch is the best way to encourage good behaviour.

Thank you to NetGalley and DartFrog Books for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: 2/5
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.14 out of 5