Mui Mui Goes to London by Phuong Cooc (Author) and Mara Gudină (Illustrator)

This review first appeared on Reader Views Kids. Read the Reader Views Kids version here.

Mui Mui is feeling adventurous and wants to take a trip around London. In her imagination, she brings her adorable dog Coco with her. Mui Mui embarks on an alphabetized journey across the fantastic city, stopping at a great variety of places before rocking out to her favorite song "A Brand-New Day," and thinking back on all of her memories.

Author Phuong Cooc has crafted a delightful picture book for young readers. The author clearly loves London, and that love comes through on each page. The sheer knowledge of London and each place within the city shines and will surely delight early readers aged 4 to 7 years. Those reading to early readers are also likely to learn something new as well, given how chock full of details the book is.

The variety of visitable locations in Cooc’s Mui Mui Goes to London is also welcome. The book covers cultural places like Abbey Road and Young Vic Theatre, historical dwellings like 10 Downing Street and Windsor Castle, and shopping areas like Covent Garden and Fortnum & Mason. This variety means that there will be something for every reader to yearn to learn more about.

Illustrator Mara Gudină has a charming style. The art is vibrant and has lots of details but is not overwhelming to look at. This is a great balance to strike in general, but also especially for young readers who are eager to hunt for things in images but can get overly distracted or overloaded with images that are too intricate (at least that is my experience).

Mui Mui Goes to London by Cooc is an engaging picture book for young ones. The author has woven a perfect tourist tale of London, featuring a great variety of places that one can visit. This is sure to draw in any reader. Additionally, the details of each location will inform readers young and old. Illustrator Gudină’s charming and vibrant art is perfectly balanced in its amount of detail which is excellent for young readers. Mui Mui Goes to London is well worth a read for any interested in London, those with adventurous spirits, or those who simply want to take in a delightful tale.

Mui Mui Goes to London by Phuong Cooc (Author) and Mara Gudină (Illustrator), Independently Published