Review of St Sebastian, Jack & The Silver Lining
Posted: 09 Jul 2025, 06:35
[Following is a volunteer review of "St Sebastian, Jack & The Silver Lining" by Milly K Reynolds.]
Okay! I must admit, after thrillers, children's books are becoming my second favorite genre. St Sebastian, Jack & The Silver Lining by Milly K. Reynolds is one more of the many children's books that I read this year and absolutely enjoyed.
The book is told entirely in a rhyming tone and passes a message that is outright beautiful. To give a glimpse of the story, it talks about a man called Jack, who is old and has an extremely long polka-dotted beard. His beard is so peculiar that he becomes the subject of taunts and disgust wherever he goes. In the midst of all this, there is always the support of his one loyal friend, or should I say rat friend? Yes, Sebastian, or St Sebastian (as one would like to call him), is Jack’s loyal and supportive friend who encourages and pushes him to see the good and be happy. He urges him to use his beard as a strength, and if you want to know how, then please pick up this wonderful book.
I just loved the story. The rhyming nature of the story was a bonus, and it flows so smoothly. To be honest, it almost felt like a nice long song in itself. In my opinion, this writing style will work magically for young readers. It is also perfect to read aloud with voice modulations for an even more immersive experience.
And let’s not forget the stellar illustrations by Simon Deshon. Believe me when I say this, and I'm not exaggerating, but the illustrations and the colorful pastel backgrounds and combinations were by far some of the best I have ever come across. I have read a lot of children's books and graphic novels, but the illustrations and artwork of this one impressed me so much that if I ever plan on writing a book myself, then I would surely hire Simon Deshon without a second thought.
The message of the book is also one that will stay with me. If I had to put the message in my words and in short, then I'd say that it was, ‘Our oddities are often our greatest gifts.’ If only we had that courage and a loyal friend to encourage us, we could all create wonders, just like Jack did with his polka-dotted beard, which was once a source of mockery. That's why the book title uses the phrase silver lining, because indeed, every cloud, whether you see it or not, does have a silver lining.
I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars, without a doubt. The editing is spectacular, as I found only one minor error throughout my reading. I have nothing at all to dislike about the book. I will surely, with all my heart, recommend this book to all the children as well as adults.
******
St Sebastian, Jack & The Silver Lining
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Okay! I must admit, after thrillers, children's books are becoming my second favorite genre. St Sebastian, Jack & The Silver Lining by Milly K. Reynolds is one more of the many children's books that I read this year and absolutely enjoyed.
The book is told entirely in a rhyming tone and passes a message that is outright beautiful. To give a glimpse of the story, it talks about a man called Jack, who is old and has an extremely long polka-dotted beard. His beard is so peculiar that he becomes the subject of taunts and disgust wherever he goes. In the midst of all this, there is always the support of his one loyal friend, or should I say rat friend? Yes, Sebastian, or St Sebastian (as one would like to call him), is Jack’s loyal and supportive friend who encourages and pushes him to see the good and be happy. He urges him to use his beard as a strength, and if you want to know how, then please pick up this wonderful book.
I just loved the story. The rhyming nature of the story was a bonus, and it flows so smoothly. To be honest, it almost felt like a nice long song in itself. In my opinion, this writing style will work magically for young readers. It is also perfect to read aloud with voice modulations for an even more immersive experience.
And let’s not forget the stellar illustrations by Simon Deshon. Believe me when I say this, and I'm not exaggerating, but the illustrations and the colorful pastel backgrounds and combinations were by far some of the best I have ever come across. I have read a lot of children's books and graphic novels, but the illustrations and artwork of this one impressed me so much that if I ever plan on writing a book myself, then I would surely hire Simon Deshon without a second thought.
The message of the book is also one that will stay with me. If I had to put the message in my words and in short, then I'd say that it was, ‘Our oddities are often our greatest gifts.’ If only we had that courage and a loyal friend to encourage us, we could all create wonders, just like Jack did with his polka-dotted beard, which was once a source of mockery. That's why the book title uses the phrase silver lining, because indeed, every cloud, whether you see it or not, does have a silver lining.
I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars, without a doubt. The editing is spectacular, as I found only one minor error throughout my reading. I have nothing at all to dislike about the book. I will surely, with all my heart, recommend this book to all the children as well as adults.
******
St Sebastian, Jack & The Silver Lining
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon