Molly, Olive, and Dexter: The Guessing Game by Catherine Rayner. Candlewick Press, 2024. 9781536234145
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4
Format: Hardcover Picture book
What did you like about the book? In this third outing starring friends Molly, a hare, Olive, an owl and Dexter, a fox the three agree to play one of their favorite games: The Guessing Game, in which each animal tries to guess what the other animal is thinking. It’s easy to guess what Dexter is thinking about as he stares up at the sky. No problem with Molly either as she munches on some tasty grass. But Olive? She is thinking of two things, she says. Molly and Dexter are stumped: leaves? No. Clouds? No again. Butterflies? Uh-uh. Molly and Dexter give up but Olive tells them they KNOW the answer. The illustrations are worth the price of the book or the trip to the library. All three animals are realistically presented but still loving and adorable,. Though described as mixed-media they look as if done in watercolors, soft and sweet with the animals appearing larger and more fully-colored than the softly-hued backgrounds of flowers, grasses, trees.
Anything you did not like about the book? No.
To whom would you recommend this book? The other two stories of Olive, Molly and Dexter are Play Hide-and Seek and You Can’t Catch Me! – All charming.
Who should buy this book? Public libraries and child-care centers
Where would you shelve it? Picture books
Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No.
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Retired Librarian, Contributor, Youth Services Book Review
Date of Review: June 25, 2024
Youth Services Book Review 
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