Title: The Adventures of Rick and Jack
Author: Rick Randall
Publisher: Olympus Story House
ISBN: 978-1963851199
Pages: 32
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Reviewer: Beth Adams

Read Book Review

Readers are taken on an adventure to Hawaii to become a beach bum with a young boy, Jack, who is quite unappreciative of how good he has it at home; with his mom cooking breakfast, showering with hot water and soap, and sending him off to school –after brushing his teeth. “The grass is greener on the other side,” so to speak, when Jack goes in for his chiropractic adjustment with Dr. Rick. After Jack begins to complain to Rick about how much he dislikes school, and the routine at home, Rick suggests they meet up during the dark of night, fly off to Hawaii, and live like beach bums. No school, no waking up and showering, no eating boring breakfasts and not having to brush your teeth all appeal to Jack. So that night, Jack sneaks out of his house, meets up with Rick, and off they go to Hawaii together – without a concern at all about leaving home.  Well, once in Hawaii, sleeping on cardboard, showering with cold water by the ocean, eating out of dumpsters all become “old” – especially when Jack notices a green slime on his teeth as a result of not brushing. Being “home” and going to school doesn’t sound that bad any longer, and like Dorthy in The Wizard of Oz, Jack wishes he was back home.

The Adventures of Rick and Jack by author (and chiropractor) Rick Randall brings this moral of “you better be careful of what you wish for,” alive to children who might have some disappointment in the routine of being home, going to school every day, and needing to properly groom themselves. It may be a bit boring sometimes doing the same things every day, but having fresh eggs with pancakes sure beats eating leftovers from a dumpster with ants in the ketchup. Sleeping in a bed sure beats being in a park lying on cardboard. And most importantly, a freshly brushed mouth certainly is better than having some green slime coating one’s teeth.

The story is excellently interleaved with original illustrations carrying the narrative in tune with visualization of the plot elements. Readers can empathize with Jack, as they witness the consequences of what becomes obviously a bad decision. Then, the magic of Jack waking up in his bed, realizing the entire Hawaii adventure was nothing more than a bad dream, shows the readers a happily-ever-after ending, which is ideal as a bedtime story – one which would quelch any thoughts kids have of leaving home. In all the world you roam, there’s still no place like home. Jack now understands this, and so would all the readers of The Adventures of Rick and Jack. I wonder what’s in store next for Jack?

Parents will find joy in reading this book to younger children, and older kids can appreciate it on their own. The adventures are timeless, making it a wonderful addition to any family’s bookshelf.