I actually just expected the theme of Dojo Scare to be an excuse to incorporate children ninjas, which, if we're honest, is fun enough in its own right. But it wound up being so much more than that. There are many fantastic qualities of this book, not the least of which is the fact that - despite being covered - it is very obvious that the ninja children are of a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Unfortunately, many times ninjas are featured in children's books they are depicted as being solely of East Asian heritage; this in and of itself is not even accurate, as anyone with even the most basic knowledge of historical ninjas is aware that the all-black getup could not really be more off base from what they actually wore. So, I am glad this book very specifically creates the setting of a Dojo that trains children without setting itself up to be criticized for cultural insensitivity... if one is offended by the contents of this book, I suspect it's because they are trying really, really hard to be. It's totally fun and harmless.

The prose flows beautifully and delivers a fully fleshed-out story that stays intriguing while simultaneously employing enough repetition to delight read-aloud audiences and young readers alike. I was afforded a digital copy of this book through NetGalley for review, but this is definitely a book I intend on adding to our children's home library. ( )

This is the third book in the Dojo series. The six little ninjas of Dojo Daycare and Dojo Daytrip are back for another adventure—this time, planning a surprise birthday party for their master. They are quick to move and hide, quiet so as not to get caught and generous in their planning and execution of the party.

While the Master sleeps, the little ninjas decorate and tiptoe around to get the Dojo set up for a surprise party for the master. There is a lot of screaming, repetition and rhyme that will make this story a hit with youngsters. The illustrations are very simple, but appealing and fitting for the story. A great book for preschoolers and early primary students.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )