Books: My thoughts about At the Ragtag Hotel - The Elevator Ride by Freya Novak

• Huge thanks to the author for sending me a free copy — she reached out by email, and the book sounded adorable, so of course I said yes.

• I absolutely loved this one — a solid five-star read!

• The story features a cast of animal characters, all taking turns riding the elevator to the 14th floor.

• What really stood out to me was the variety of animals — not your usual lions or giraffes, but more unusual ones like an armadillo and an okapi.

• I also adored how different languages were subtly introduced — each animal greets in their native tongue (like hola), and the book includes a small note explaining what it means.

• It even includes less common examples, like “good morning” in Swahili, which I thought was brilliant for expanding children’s cultural awareness.

• The illustrations are fantastic — colourful, expressive, and beautifully detailed.

• The facial expressions on the animals were perfect and really helped bring the story to life.

• There’s just the right amount of detail on each page — enough to keep little ones engaged without overwhelming them.

• It’s a wonderful way to introduce children to lesser-known animals and different languages and cultures.

• It’s ideal for bedtime reading — short, fun, and engaging.

• It would also work brilliantly as a read-aloud in schools or libraries, especially for younger readers.

• It opens up so many opportunities for discussion — about animals, languages, and the wider world.

• A fun, educational, and charming children’s picture book.

• Perfect for animal lovers and curious young readers.

• I’d highly recommend it for parents, teachers, or librarians looking for something a bit different to share with kids.