Roy the Koi Gets in a Jam

Title: Roy the Koi Gets in a Jam

Author: Matthew Smeltzer

Illustrator: Ben Rowberry

Publisher: Matthew Smeltzer

Genre: Children's Fiction

Source: Reedsy Discovery

My review:

In a day and age where everyone seems to have a credit card and the buy now, pay later mentality, Roy the Koi Gets in a Jam is a breath of fresh air. 

Written in lyrical form, Matthew Smeltzer writes a delightful story featuring Koi and his friends. As Koi visits his friends and enjoys their toys, candy, and miscellaneous other things, each friend encourages him to buy all the stuff. Koi declines and says that he is saving his clams to get him out of a jam.

There are several reasons that I enjoyed this book. First, the illustrator, Ben Rowberry, has done a fantastic job with the engaging pictures. Children will delight in reading this colorful adventure over and over again. Second, there are several messages here. One is that you do not have to follow the latest trends. Another highlights the importance of being prepared for an emergency. These are lessons that some adults still need to learn. Third, the diversity among Koi's friends. He has a wide variety of friends with a wide variety of interests, which is true to life. Finally, there was nothing to dislike about this story. It is meticulously edited, the story flows smoothly, and the illustrations match the story.

I would recommend this book to children from the ages of 3-7.  I think it would be a wonderful teaching tool for preschool and lower elementary teachers to use in classrooms, and a great addition to any home or public library. It is never too early to start teaching children the value of saving and delayed gratification. 

Thank you to Reedsy Discovery for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

★★★★★/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads): 

Roy the Koi fish wants to spend his clams on toys, clothes, and candy just like his other fish friends! While Roy enjoys these things, he knows that he should save his clams, in case he ever gets into a jam.

But when Roy needs to repair his home, he finds himself in quite the jam! Will he be able to fix his problem with the clams that he saved?

"Roy the Koi Gets in a Jam" is the perfect book to teach young ones about the importance of saving money!