"At the Ragtag Hotel: The Elevator Ride was filled to the brim with positive qualities. It featured a variety of animals that readers, young and old, may not recognize. This story also enlightened viewers on how other ethnicities greet one another, hopefully generating interest to learn more words from the languages presented: Spanish, Swahili, Lingala, and Filipino. And the icing on the cake was the comedic aspect.

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Colin Capybara is the first to join Dallas Dingo on the elevator, greeting him with a 'Hola,' which is 'Hello' in Spanish. This greeting and others in the story are translated for readers, enhancing their understanding of different languages without distracting them from the main dialogue or scenery. The consistent use of dark blue for the greetings and their translations is a fantastic feature that allows readers to learn simple greetings in multiple languages, adding an educational element to the story."

"Each arrival begins with a cheerful “hello” in a different language—Spanish, Swahili, Filipino, Lingala—woven seamlessly into the dialogue. The repetition builds anticipation and comic tension as readers wonder just how many animals can fit before something gives.

 

Anastasiya Halionka packs each scene with comic charm, from the animals’ exaggerated expressions to the subtle shifts in their cramped positions. Children will delight in spotting where each new passenger wedges in, and the payoff is sweet: the doors finally open and the animals explode onto the rooftop, plunging into the sparkling pool."

"Novak’s storytelling hums with warmth and good humor, giving every critter a distinct personality and purpose.

 

The multilingual hellos slip in so naturally that kids might just start greeting their friends in four different languages by bedtime.

 

Beneath the laughs lies a sweet truth: differences in species, size, or culture don’t stop this crew from sharing the ride."

"This story sparkles with charm. Freya Novak’s voice is fresh, sincere, and filled with a sense of wonder that young readers will gravitate toward. Children will find themselves eagerly flipping pages to discover which quirky animal joins next, and to solve the mystery of the fourteenth floor.

 

Each character bursts with personality and brings more than just laughter; they also offer snippets of different languages, from Spanish and Swahili to Filipino and Lingala. These linguistic tidbits make for a delightful bonus, subtly introducing young readers to global diversity."

"The simple story follows a similar formula for each animal as they try to board the elevator and grumble about the heat. However, Novak deftly uses different adjectives and verbs to describe the same actions or emotions, subtly building up a vocabulary of synonyms with the entrance of each of the six.

 

Each animal’s name is alliterative, lending a lyrical, easy-to-read feel to animals that are less common than those typically found in children’s books, while also attaching importance and association in a child’s mind.

 

At The Ragtag Hotel: The Elevator Ride is a sweetly amusing children’s picture book featuring an eclectic mix of animals that are brought to life with charm and humor."

Best Children’s Animal/Pet Book

1st Place

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Best Dazzling Details:

1st Place