Book Review: The Adventures of Lefty and Righty: The Windy City
The Adventures of Lefty and Righty: The Windy City. Lori Orlinsky, Mascot Kids, March 7, 2023, Hardback and eBook, 38 pages.
Reviewed by Matthew Schnur.
This quick-paced, fun story by Lori Orlinsky is good for kids ages 2-8. Whether they are being read to or reading it themselves, the story is engaging throughout.
When Mom leaves the room, what are adventurous socks Lefty and Righty to do? Bust their way out of the drier and have a day out on the town!
After finding tickets to the Crosstown Classic, Lefty and Righty quickly find themselves out of the house and on their way to the Blue Line El station at Jefferson Park. Their destination? A White Sox baseball game against their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cubs.
Their first stop had to be for hot dogs! A sock would have certainly worked up an appetite while escaping the house. Along the way, these two adventure seekers manage to work in stops at some of my family’s favorite places, Soldier Field, The Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Navy Pier, the Willis Tower, the Bean sculpture in Millennium Park, and of course their ultimate destination: Guaranteed Rate Field. Lefty and Righty are all action which keeps the story lively and my young reader guessing where they were off to next. Upon returning home from their adventure, mustard stained, the illustration of mom’s confusion of how they may have gotten that way elicited a laugh.
I especially enjoyed the index at the back of the book, which included explanations of each location visited in the book. Not only great for folks who haven’t had the excellent fortune to live in or visit the great city of Chicago but also great for people who may not have yet visited some of these sites. A clever and welcome inclusion.
Kenn Vidro’s illustrations are spot-on and fit perfectly with the narrative. Their style implied the motion and activity in the story. I thought they captured the essence of each location they were meant to represent in such a way that folks that have not yet seen them in person would be able to readily recognize them when they do get the opportunity to visit.
I read this along with my young reader at home. She enjoyed the challenge of reading the entire story aloud herself. She especially enjoyed identifying all the places in the story she’s been to herself. After she was done, I asked her what she thought of the story. She said, “I loved it! Two thousand thumbs up! But since I only have two, two thumbs up!” Overall, a fun family read for people who already love Chicago and those who are about to.