The Orange and Ginger Soapy Shampoo is a children's adventure tale by Pamela James. One morning, to get rid of her daughter's itchy scalp, little Amelia's mother washes her hair with their family's special shampoo. In the confines of the shampoo container reside two magical bubbles named M.E. and his best friend, Lumy. M.E., the adventurer, always wanted to travel the world and meet the two big bubbles in the sky, the Bright Bubble (Sun) and the Blue Bubble (Moon). Soon, M.E. gets his wish fulfilled and, with Lumy, sets off on an adventure where the two friends meet a conniving cockroach and crash a carnival. While Lumy meets a beautiful wildflower named Lonna, M.E. travels across the solar system. But now, it's time to go home for Amelia's birthday.

Prepare for an exhilarating adventure with this colorful children's picture book, The Orange and Ginger Soapy Shampoo. Pamela James has created a truly wondrous world full of magical bubbles, talking planets and stars, and a host of lively flora and fauna to keep your eyes glued to the pages. This adventurous tale takes you on a journey worldwide and even to the solar system. From the beginning, you find yourself immersed in this vibrant world, with quirky characters that entertain you until the end. Children will love this book, especially the friendship between M.E. and Lumy. I had a wonderful time reading it myself, and if you're looking for an adventure tale with eye-catching illustrations, this is just the book for you.

The Orange and Ginger Soapy Shampoo: A Bubble's Story is a children’s book by Pamela James that follows Magellan Estefan (known as M.E.) and Luminous (or “Lumy”) as they travel across the planet and into outer space. M.E. and Lumy start their adventure with a special shampoo for itchy scalps handed down in a family that turns them into bubbles. Amelia and her mother live alone as they wait for Amelia’s father to return from his latest tour of duty. M.E. and Lumy are released into the world one Saturday morning as Mama washes Amelia’s hair. The bubbles catch “Gentle Wind” as they travel outside, but the wind is stopped by “Beelzebug”, who tries to drive a wedge between the wind’s friendship and the bubbles.

Pamela James conveys compassion and lessons in kindness as she engages children in the adventures of M.E. and Lumy. The misunderstanding with Gentle Wind shows readers ways to recognize their emotions and adjust their reactions. The science lessons illustrate the phases of the moon, Halley’s Comet, the solar system, and different types of animals, like cockroaches and penguins, that will keep readers learning without realizing it. James showcases other cultures as M.E. and Lumy travel to each of the continents and share the traditions and festivals they attend. The author addresses certain childhood problems, like what to do if your friend is upset with you, finds another friend, or moves away. James includes lovely and sometimes whimsical descriptions of nature as she weaves a tale of magical realism with Christian undertones. The Orange and Ginger Soapy Shampoo would be at home on any child’s bookcase as it delights readers with beautiful pictures and powerful morals.

Magellan Estefan (M.E.) and Luminous (Lumy) are magical bubbles made from special shampoo. The special Orange and Ginger Soapy Shampoo was made with orange, ginger, chamomile, lavender, a dash of laughter, and generous portions of love. So M.E. and Lumy are not your regular bubbles; they are extraordinary talking bubbles that do not pop. M.E. is an adventurous, extra-lathered bubble, and Lumy is his sweet, devoted best friend. One sunny Saturday morning, M.E. and Lumy break out of the shampoo bottle to explore the great big world. Gentle Wind, who carries them through the window and out of the house, becomes their first friend. They enjoy Gentle Wind’s soothing company until he starts to head in the wrong direction, so they bid him farewell and depart. However, Gentle Wind is manipulated into believing that his new friends abandoned him, so he storms after them to give them a piece of his mind, leaving disaster in his wake. What is the fate of the bubbles’ adventure with a raging wind on their heels? Read The Orange and Ginger Soapy Shampoo by Pamela James to find out.

The Orange and Ginger Soapy Shampoo by Pamela James is the longest, most adventurous children’s book I’ve read, and I loved it. I especially loved the personification of inanimate natural entities as lovely characters. There was Bright Bubble (the sun), Blue Bubble (the moon), solar system bubbles, flowers, insects, trees, the wind, etc. This book’s unique characters made it truly magical. Then the spellbinding illustrations added more magic to it. The drawings by Vitalia Streltsova were vivid and beautiful, and they portrayed the narrative well. And speaking of narrative, the plot was unique and exciting, and the writing was impeccably edited. This book is also available in audiobook format. I greatly enjoyed this tale. Given its lengthy plot, I recommend it to older children. It makes for a dreamy bedtime story.

The Orange and Ginger Soapy Shampoo: A Bubble's Story by Pamela James takes you on an adventure that involves a magical shampoo and two magical bubbles that embark on their journey. An itchy scalp is never fun so Amelia’s mother decides to use a special formula that had been handed down from an ancestor. From this shampoo emerge two little bubbles named M.E. and Lumy who have big dreams to go beyond their existence and to find their heroes, the big bubbles. They embark on an epic adventure that takes them into space where they search for Bright Bubble and Blue Bubble, otherwise known as the sun and the moon, and allows them to encounter a variety of characters that help them along the way such as an ant, Lonna (an enchanting human), a flower, and even the Man on the Moon.

The illustrations are breathtaking with a softness of color scheme that takes you into the period. The aesthetic when you see the ancestors (Ida Belle and her daughter) reflects a vintage style reminiscent of older photographs. The images feature vibrant and colorful details that are captivating. Pamela James sets up the magical shampoo in the introduction to show its importance for this family and M.E. and Lumy. M.E. and Lumy are charming and playful with an innocence about them. They’re hopeful about meeting their heroes and this creates a determination that drives them on their journey. Everything comes to life around them which makes this world feel like a fairytale by creating a genuine sense of wonder. The illustrations help with this such as the Man on the Moon being a little boy with a small crown sitting on the moon.

The story has personal growth for M.E. and Lumy. This shows more of the complex dynamic between these two bubbles and adds warmth to the story. Amelia is a grounding influence in this enchanting world that is mostly seen through the perspective of the magical bubbles. She has a reality about her such as referring to her dad being a soldier, going to a carnival, and being a normal kid in this magical world. The Orange and Ginger Soapy Shampoo is charming, unique, and whimsical with endearing characters, magic, and an enchanting world that comes to life as two bubbles explore space.

"This book is great because it is like a whole series of books in one. It reads like a bunch of little stories each night and will last you and your child a long time."

https://www.amazon.com/Orange-Ginger-Soapy-Shampoos-Coloring/dp/1957359013#customerReviews

Amanda C.
Verified Reader