Thanks to BookCrash and the author for furnishing this complimentary book in exchange for a review based on the reader’s honest opinions. freddy-cover-large-300x232     Title: Fast Eddy Author: Lee Ann Mancini Illustrator: Dan Sharp Publisher: GLM Publishing ISBN: 978-0-5781-4076-6 “Getting an award will be great, but having friends is even better! I love my new school and all my new friends,” Freddy announces in Lee Ann Mancini’s children’s book, Fast Freddy. Part of the Adventures of the Sea Kids series, this thirty-two page oversized paperback targets children ages two to five-years-old who enjoy stories about fish and friendship. With no extremely scary or violent scenes, it would best be read out loud to beginner readers due to some complicated wording. Author Mancini is an adjunct professor in Florida as well as a wife and mother of two who devotes her life to Christ. Illustrator Sharp has over thirty years’ experience illustrating children’s books and lives in Michigan. Part of the proceeds is donated to Christian charities involving children. In this cute undersea tale with full-color, full-page expressive designs, a new student named Freddy may look awkward with his shark head and octopus body, but he is sad when the children make fun of him at recess. Miss Mermaid reprimands the class not to laugh at others because they are different. When fish friends, Danny and Joey, learn Freddy can swim fast like a shark and is strong like an octopus, they recruit him to be on the Catfish Cruisers swim team. Even though the Barracudas from the Sea Creature School always win, they feel they have a chance with Freddy on their side. During the final race on race day, it is Freddy against Marcus. Even though he lets his competitor get a head start, Freddy zooms past him and wins the race. All the fish kids love the purple creature and are thankful he is different. That night Freddy prays and thanks God for making him unique and for his new friends. The next day they have a pizza party to celebrate their accomplishment. The final page is a reminder to say your prayers, always have Jesus in your heart, and look for the hidden ichthys in the illustrations. This  tale promotes not making fun of others, realizing everyone is different, and thanking God. Children will enjoy the bright, colorful pictures of happy creatures that live under the sea. I really like this book and it will be one for my shelf that I keep for future grandchildren. It is a easy way to teach children on right and wrong when there is a new student that comes into your classroom, where was this book when I was the new student in school.   Thanks to BookCrash and the author for furnishing this complimentary book in exchange for a review based on the reader’s honest opinions.