Cover Image: Don't Drink the Pink

Don't Drink the Pink

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Don't Drink the pink is a very cute easy read for you and your kids. The art is very beautiful and matches the fun writing of the book. It will also create an easy way for you to bring up to topic of death and that just because a person has passed it doesn't mean you need to forget and they are still there in your memories.

Was this review helpful?

Magical, sweet, lovely,original- five shiny stars.
Madeline is very close to her grandpa. Everybody considers him a bit crazy, but for her, he is just full of wonderful surprises. On her first birthday he brings her a box of little potion bottles and asks her to choose one. She can choose any colour apart from ( you guessed it!) pink. What happens next is fulfilment every child's wishes for magic in their lives. just for one day Madeline breathes fire, turns into a mermaid, controls the skies and creates fun fair rides with the power of her mind, any magic ability you wished you had as a child, Madeline gets it as one by one she drinks her multicoloured potions. I'm not going to give away the secret of the pink potion, but I remember vividly that this was something I wished from the age of 10.
The artwork is lovely and captivating. There is a sense of immense love and acceptance in this short and gentle book.
Highly recommended.
Thank to NetGalley and TaleBlade for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Was this review helpful?

I love Don't Drink the Pink. It is an awesome picture book. The illustration is so colorful. Every words were drawn artfully. I could see how Madeline and her grandfather grew older. Their expressions and feeling in each page were clear enough. The potion in every birthday makes this book perfect.

Was this review helpful?

This book was wonderful!
Filled with lovely illustrations (look for the cat's expressions) and a cute story it was not hard to enjoy this book!
Thank you NetGalley and TaleBlade for my DRC.

Was this review helpful?

Don’t drink the Pink is a beautifully illustrated book with a heartwarming story. It tells the tale of a girl named Madeline whose grandfather shows up on her birthday with several bottles of potions each with a different color. Then he cautions her saying “Take a potion, take a brew. Just don’t drink the pink.”

But then whenever she drinks any of the potions—besides the pink one, magical things happen to her. For instance, when she drank the red potion on her first birthday, she was breathing fire all about the floor; she drank the brown one and discovered she could fly and soared into the sky.

As time rolled on, on her fifteenth birthday, her grandfather couldn’t come because he passed a month earlier. Sad, she went to her grandfather’s workshop and saw a note sitting by the sink that said, “Happy birthday”. Behind the note was the pink bottle. Unsure of what to do next she glanced at the note that said, “Never fear”. So she drank the pink potion which was the most delicious drink she’d ever had. But suddenly something weird happened to her soon after she drank the potion.

Don’t drink the Pink is a beautiful story that touches on concepts such as colors, numbers, family relationships, and ageing. The illustrations are detailed and colorful, and the rhymes in each verse made the story enjoyable. A cute book for children.

Many thanks to B.C.R. Fegan, NetGalley, and the Publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This book was adorable! The illustrations were vividly colored and allowed my eyes to feast without being overwhelmed. I liked how the story rhymed and had a catchy phrase that my kiddo could pick up a couple pages in and help me read along. We found the story both funny and heartwarming. A sweet book!

Was this review helpful?

This is a short story about Madeline and the consequences of the different potions she is gifted each year on her birthday from her wizened grandpa.
Written in the form of poetry, I found it both entertaining (a good pace accompanied with cute illustrations) and with a meaningful narrative that cleverly explores ideas of loss and pain with a magical twist.
I give this 4.5 star

I will be leaving this review on Goodreads

Was this review helpful?

This book was both cute and heart wrenching? It has some themes that makes it deeper than the usual children’s book and I just couldn’t help but love it.

Was this review helpful?

Madeline and her Grandfather have a very close fun bond.

The illustrations in this book is amazing, eye catching and very well layer out.
It’s colourful so makes it very eye catching for young children (and this adult loved it too!).

Each birthday of Madeleines her Grandfather provides her with a potion and a wink of “don’t drink the pink”.

Each potion explores magical things for Madeline that will enthral each child who reads this or has it read to them. The wonders of it all spikes magic.

It was sad when I got to a part at the end but I soon cheered up with the happier ending.

Such a wonderful magical book with a great opening for discussion between a child and her live for her Grandfather.

Highly recommended.

Was this review helpful?

This colourful book is actually kind of a unicorn: it's a self-published picture-book that's actually good. I can probably count on one hand the number of those I've come across.

Don't Drink the Pink is a sweet rhyming story chronicling the ongoing relationship between a little girl and her grandfather. Every year on her birthday, her grandfather lets her choose a new potion from his stash, always with the same admonition: "Just don't drink the pink." As Madeline works through the various potions between her first and fourteenth birthdays, she gets to experience (presumably temporary) effects such as invisibility, flying, telekinesis, and even being a mermaid. The twist arrives on her fifteenth birthday, when we finally discover what happens if you "drink the pink".

The meter and rhyme are surprisingly good here, making it a great title to read aloud. And the illustrations are really quite lovely. The setting seems to be historical, based on the clothes and technological level portrayed in the pictures. Both the story and the illustrations work together seamlessly to produce a magical tale of a special relationship.

Be sure to check this one out if you like stories of grandparent/grandchild relationships and fun fantasy twists.

Was this review helpful?

Author B.C.R. Fegan has written several children's books, fairytales and Young Adult Books. With his books he received several awards and prizes. Augustus 2019 his new book Don't Drink the Pink is published. A book especially written for young readers (children in the age of 3 - 8 years).

With Don't Drink the Pink Fegan is giving his readers a magical experience. A beautiful poetic picturebook about the girl Madeline who receives a birthdaypressent from her special and dear grandpa every year. It's not just a present, it's a very special and colorfull bottle - she can pick the color herself. There's only one rule...

"Happy Birthday, Madeline," he said with a wink. "Take a potion, take a brew. Just don't drink the pink."

And so it happens that every year on her birthday Madeline gets to choose a beautiful colorful bottle with a special power. She changes in to a mermaid, a giant and is able to walk through walls. Every year her grandpa comes and presents her the same ritual. Only every year the colors and the powers of the bottles are different. Till her 15th birthday, her grandpa can't come because he passed away... This is the moment that Madeline is getting the pink file and soon it's clear why she wasn't allowed to pick it before that date. It's powers are really special....

This picturebook has a poetic character. The repetition of the birthdayrime comes back every page - it is recognizable for little children and helps to connect to the story. Besides that there are the numbers and colors that are part of the story. They make sure there's is an educational element for the younger readers.

The beautifull illustrations of Lenny Wen complete the story. The persons look amazing and especially grandpa has a warm and sweet appearance. You don't have to wonder why Madeline likes her grandpa that much.

On top of it all this book can help parents discuss the dificulties surrounding the passing away of grandparents with young children. A difficult but really important task.

This book is a keeper! It's beautiful to read this with your children.

Was this review helpful?

This was such a sweet story with the most colorful and detailed illustrations. I loved seeing the young girl grow up and all her magical gifts from her grandfather. Very imaginative and will be very fun for children!

Was this review helpful?

Great illustrations! Sweet story about a girl and her grandpa with a bit of sadness towards the end.

Was this review helpful?

These days I'm really into children's books. I don't know if it's the illustrations, the simplicity or just the stories that make my day a bit better. This book has a beautiful story and nice illustrations but the best part of the story was, for me at least, the ending. It was bittersweet. I loved it but was at the same time a bit sad. But I think the kids will really like and enjoy it.

Was this review helpful?

A beautifully illustrated magical story a little girl and her relationship with her grandfather. The story is written in verse, very catchy and well written, making it more entertaining and enjoyable to read and share. A wonderful story about family, growing up and I felt great for teaching about ageing and loss.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Was this review helpful?

Don’t Drink the Pink is a beautifully written and illustrated book about a young girl named Madeline and the wonderful relationship she has with her Grandfather Gilderberry. A magical man who each year for her birthday gives her a potion to drink, each potion a different color with a different magical outcome. Growing big, invisible, etc.

The cute rhymes made the story very enjoyable. We got to see Madeleine grow. By the third birthday I was preparing myself for the ending of the story, tissues and a chuckle got me through it!

A wonderful story to teach children about the magical relationships of family and how to deal with loss.

Was this review helpful?