This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Rhett Simkins is the author of the new children's book, The Biggest Little Fruit Monster. He is blessed to be the father of four little fruit monsters who love reading as much as they love the fruit they’re eating.
He and his wife, Emily, jumped headfirst into the adventure of writing with the release of her first book, The Long-Necked Sheep, in 2020. Together they have spent countless hours reading to their children, analyzing stories, and dreaming up new ideas for future children’s books.
Rhett is also passionate about reading and teaching the Bible and serves as a pastor in a small-town church in northwestern Illinois.
Reviewed by Savannah Aldridge for Readers' Favorite
The Biggest Little Fruit Monster by Rhett Simkins and K. Steven McWethy is a fun fusion of fruit and a menagerie! The reader is on the hunt for the biggest little fruit monster around. Along the way, they meet a host of critters who look like fruit. Each one has a special trait—Mangoroo is fast, Llamagranate is messy, and Grizzly Pear is fierce, but none of them is the one the reader is looking for just yet. That special creature is waiting at the end of the story. This book features beautiful illustrations, large print, rhyming text, and a fun surprise at the end.
I remember as a kid being enamored with picture books that featured sentient food, and the way these stories made family trips to the grocery store so much fun. I am so excited for another generation of children to get this experience with The Biggest Little Fruit Monster. Kids will learn puzzle-solving as they figure out which fruits and animals are fused to form the creatures on the page. The text is simple enough for an early reader to enjoy on their own, but has a few tricky words with contextual definitions to help develop their vocabulary. Finally, I cannot emphasize enough how original these pictures are! I adored each one of them in their detail and nuance, but my favorite is the Orangutangerine, the fusion of an orangutan and tangerine. Rhett Simkins and K. Steven McWethy's book is a must-have for an early reader’s shelf and promises lots of enjoyment on every page.
