THE TRIPLE TERRIBLE T’S follows three cousins, Tannis, Tanya and Taylor, as they play and have fun together. Everything about this book for children is completely charming, from the boisterous character of Tannis, who narrates the story, to Sakshi Mangal’s lovely illustrations. It is fun to see a story where the kids call the shots, and that is certainly the case here. Tannis and her cousins have the day of any child’s dreams: playing hide and seek, making mud pies, and making ear-splitting music, among other things. In some ways, it appears to be the story of a day in their life, but the timeline is a little confusing sometimes, as it starts with the story of their births, then moves quickly into all of the things they like doing. The parents look on in frustration as the children enjoy their play, and readers may begin to start thinking that this book is really about doing whatever you want, whenever you want to, regardless of what the grown-ups say.
It is wonderful to see diversity in THE TRIPLE TERRIBLE T’S and the character of Tannis is extra fun. She’s also very proud of her ginger hair and her many creative pursuits. A girl character taking the lead should be normalized by 2021, but it isn’t always, so well done to author Tannis DeVilla for creating a feisty female lead. But there is an issue with book and it is that it feels like there is something missing from this admittedly extremely fun story. It would be great to see Tannis, Tanya and Taylor learning as they play. Of course, not all books for children need to have a strong moral message, but it could really help to add some depth. Without that lesson, the story is certainly enjoyable, but it may not be one that your child picks out night after night.
Despite the obvious love and care which has gone into Tannis DeVilla’s story (and Sakshi Mangal’s illustrations) in THE TRIPLE TERRIBLE T’S, it is difficult to see what the lessons children are supposed to come away with after reading.
~Amy Arora for IndieReader