Category: Early Readers - READING STYLE GUIDE

Fast and Fashionable

12/28/2021

She Persisted: Florence Griffith Joyner
by Rita Williams-Garcia & Chelsea Clinton art by Alexandra Boiger & Gillian Flint

Today is her birthday. Now she is eight years old.
Here's the amazing thing about her. She naturally runs like a gazelle.
Her body seems to traverse distances fluidly and effortlessly. And she is fast. So fast.

What do you give her for birthday gift? The answer is obvious: a biography of Florence Griffith Joyner. This slim volume is part of She Persisted, a series for young readers chronicling the lives of women who have made a significant contribution to world events.

Williams-Garcia's narrative is chock full of fascinating details. As a child, Florence was called Dee Dee. The young girl chased jackrabbits near her home in the Mojave Desert. Later, she won one silver and three gold medals in the 1988 Olympics.

Bonus materials include an introduction by Chelsea Clinton, a list of references, and eight suggestions by the author on "How You Can Persist." Some suggestions are "Push yourself to try something new." "Make your own creations." and "Engage in some fun physical activity for at least fifteen minutes or more each day."

Listen to a sample of the audiobook edition read by Janina Edwards.

She Persisted: More Amazing Individuals

This series presents a variety of women who have made significant contributions to the fields of activism, education, government, literature, performing arts, research, science, and sports. Young Ruby Bridges and Malala are also profiled.
The 5.31 x 7.63 inch size fits neatly in a small hand. Brief chapters, and engaging illustrations make this an excellent choice for young readers.

Inspire a new generation with this collection of accessible biographies. Recommended for classroom, school and public libraries. Also an excellent resource for organizations that empower children.

Copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: June 29, 2021 Publisher: Philomel Books ISBN: 978-0593115961

Here Comes Lolo

5/21/2020

Lolo Series by Niki Daly

Meet the irrepressible Lolo, a good-natured youngster who loves gold stars and embellishing her paintings with glitter. Lolo lives with her mother and her grandmother in South Africa.
This girl has a mind of her own. She is not interested in the library book with the fairy wearing a frilly pink tutu. No. She wants the book featuring a terrible monster with horns and tusks.

Both Hooray for Lolo and Here Comes Lolo are easy-to-read chapter books brimming with the exploits of this charismatic youngster. She has a lot going on. There are matters of conscience when she finds a beautiful gold ring and later attempts to rescue a neglected dog. She bravely faces surgery for appendicitis and learns about misunderstandings when she doesn’t receive an invitation to a classmate’s party. Mother and grandmother gently help Lolo learn to confront fear, conflict, and injustice.

Because the series is set in South Africa, readers will encounter some regional vernacular. For example, Molo is a common Zulu greeting and the Zulu name for grandmother is Gogo. A punctuation mark located at the end of a sentence is referred to as a full stop. Illustrations and contextual cues help youngsters decode the meaning of unfamiliar terms.

Trim size of about 5” x 8” fits nicely into small hands. Book design features large font with plenty of white space as well as delightful grey scale drawing on every page.

Daly’s illustrations capture the personality and unique idiosyncrasies of each character.

Lolo is a little charmer whose stories will enchant readers. More Lolo books please.

Hooray for Lolo by Niki Daly

Pub date: May 5, 2020 Publisher: Catalyst Press ISBN: 978-1946395382

Here Comes Lolo by Niki Daly

Pub date: April 28, 2020 Publisher: Catalyst Press ISBN: 978-1946395368

Copies provided by publisher.

Bunch of Baloney

4/21/2020

Baloney and Friends by Greg Pizzoli

Come and see...the masterful...the magical...the one and only Baloney!

When times are tough, when days are dark, when "normal" is a fleeting memory, some may wonder if there is anything that will bring a bit of cheer to world weary souls. The answer is yes. Baloney and Friends is here to dispel some of life’s hopelessness.

This collection of graphic novel shorts begins with the introduction of four slightly zany cartoon characters. Readers meet Baloney, the pig and star of the book. He is joined by friends Peanut D. Horse, Biz E. Bee, and Krabbit a rabbit. Krabbit lives up to his name often responding with a sarcastic “whatever."

Readers are treated to a selection of stories interspersed with mini comics. Follow Baloney as he entertains his friends with tricks which may or may not be magical. The gentle humor continues as he struggles with fear of the unknown and feelings of sadness. Pizzoli has created a winsome collection of tales with precisely the right amount of snark.

Bright colors, a handy trim size of just over 6" x 8", an easy-to-read 96 pages, and limited word count make this an excellent choice for emergent readers. Bonus back matter provides step- by-step tutorials for drawing each of the book’s characters. Silliness, snappy dialogue, and a few bathroom jokes will delight young readers. It’s a bunch of baloney that kids will eat up.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: April 21, 2020 Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers ISBN: 978-1368054546

To the Rescue

4/9/2019

Good Dog, McTavish by Meg Rosoff ill by Grace Easton

McTavish's decision to adopt the Peachey family was not the most sensible decision of his life.

Books that are a delight for adults and young children to read together are a rare breed. Meg Rosoff has pulled off this feat with Good Dog, McTavish, a story brimming with wit and charm.

Rosoff turns the familiar rescue dog trope on its head. McTavish is indeed a dog. But his task is to rescue a family. When he decides to adopt the Peachey family, he knows that this going to take time and a great deal of work.

Ma Peachey has announced that she is giving up on being a mother. No more cleaning. No more cooking. No more nagging. Pa Peachey and the three Peachey children are on their own. Needless to say, the entire household is in a state of chaotic disarray.

McTavish and eight-year old Betty devise a plan, actually several plans, to restore order to the home.

Humans were puzzlingly dim. McTavish sighed. There was so much work to do.

Youngsters will chortle as McTavish puts his plans into action. Beginning with the piles of discarded clothing and shoes scattered throughout the house, McTavish systematically trains the family to clean up, pick up, be punctual, and feed themselves.

The ongoing efforts of the father and his children are interspersed with descriptions of Ma Peachey, intoning "ohhhmmm" while executing near-perfect looping cobra and dancing warrior yoga poses.

When the family takes ownership of the home and contribute to its order, Ma quietly rejoins the family.

Humans make excellent pets, he thought. When you took on a rescue family, it often took some weeks for them to settle, but he was glad he'd decided to adopt the Peacheys.

Meet the Author

Meg Rosoff is the author of Guardian Children's Prize and Michael L. Printz award-winning How I Live Now and National Honor Book finalist recognition for Picture Me Gone. She also received the 2016 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. With Good Dog, McTavish, readers can enjoy another side of Rosoff. Her sparkling writing with clever asides is tailor-made for entertaining family reading. Enjoy this brief interview with the author.

Meet the Illustrator

Grace Easton's illustrations add a fine touch of whimsy. Love the details. Of special note is McTavish's eye roll. It speaks volumes.

Easton's portfolio is a visual delight. I could spend hours perusing her plush collection with inventive packaging and children's clothing tie-ins.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: April 9, 2019 Publisher: Candlewick ISBN: 978-1536200584

Point of View

6/18/2018

Look Up! by Jung Jin-Ho

"Different people can perceive the same event or behavior differently" Jung Jin-Ho

When perusing my book shelves, I noted a slim little spine, crammed in a mass of book galleys, way up high on the shelf. I was curious. What was that little yellow sliver wedged between so many mammoth-sized volumes? I pulled it out for closer inspection.

Look Up! is Korean author and illustrator Jung Jin-Ho’s tiny treatise on perspective and the power of point of view.

Using simple black line drawings, readers are invited into the street from an unusual vantage point, a birds-eye view of a terrace overlooking a city street. An initial spread reveals feet placed on the footrests of a wheelchair. The occupant of the wheelchair appears to be gazing on the scene below. As time passes and activity takes place in the street, the lone observer leans over the edge of the roof imploring, "Look up!" "Look up!" "I'm here! Look at me!"

Finally a passerby does indeed look up. He calls to the girl peering down from above. She explains that she can't come down and that she can only see the tops of heads. The boy offers her another perspective. He lies down on the cobblestones below so that she can view him in his entirety. Soon others join, lying horizontally and offering the girl in the wheelchair a new view. As other bodies take this supine position, the strictly black and white landscape makes a subtle change: trees begin to blossom in shades of pink. A bicyclist rides by, sporting a bouquet of colorful balloons. And on top of the roof, a potted plant begins to sprout tender green leaves.

This little picture book posits that changing one's perspective changes not only one's view of the world but causes change to happen in the world.

"It is important to see things from different heights or travel in different paths." Jung Jin-Ho

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: January 23, 2018 Publisher: Holiday House; Reprint edition ISBN: 978-0823440139

School for Dinosaurs

6/8/2018

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

Sometimes it’s hard to make friends with children. Especially when you eat them.

Penelope Rex is about to enter a new phase in her reptilian life. This young dinosaur is going to Kindergarten. She’s got a new backpack decorated with ponies and she carries her lunch: three hundred tuna sandwiches and a juice box. Naturally she is anxious. What will her classmates be like? Will she make new friends? Upon arrival she is surprised to learn that all her classmates are ... Children! Penelope reacts immediately, swallowing all the delicious children in an enormous gulp. With furniture in disarray and a shoestring dangling from her mouth, Penelope appears to be somewhat chagrined by what she has just done.

"Penelope Rex! We don't eat our classmates! Please spit them out at once!"

it is interesting to observe the teacher’s demeanor. She appears unruffled by Penelope’s instinctive action, but firmly states the class rule. She makes it clear that Penelope must comply. The obedient little Rex acquiesces. As the day progresses Miss Rex comes to the unhappy conclusion that her behavior is not conducive to making friends. However, it is not the teacher who ultimately solves the problem. Neither Penelope nor the other students can help her control her impulsive responses. Assistance in helping Penelope's develop friendship-making skills arrives from an unexpected source: the class pet.

Higgins’ illustrations are whimsical. Who knew that a tiny T- Rex in pink overalls and slurping up young children could be so adorable? The artist wisely chooses to make Penelope the central feature on each page. Backgrounds are sometimes monochromatic or eliminated entirely. The little Kinder-dino and her dilemma are the focus. End papers are a delightful display of children’s art, featuring representations of various dinosaurs. We Don't Eat Our Classmates tells a story rich in charm, wit and wisdom. Get ready. There will repeated requests to "read it again." All kinds of kids (and adults) will eat it up.

This picture book arrives at an opportune time. I have worked with a class of adorable toddlers that is currently experiencing a change in the group dynamic. A two-year-old has suddenly, for no apparent reason, begun biting other children. It seems so bizarre. The youngster comes from a calm, stable, loving family where differences are settled in a gentle manner. Where did this impulse to bite others originate? And why? Is there a little bit of Penelope in children?

Care-givers who encounter disruptive childish behavior: take heart. Penelope made the change. There is hope.

More Picture Books! More Fun!

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: June 19, 2018 Publisher: Disney Hyperion ISBN: 978-1368003551

Simply Irresistible

3/7/2018

Pignic by Matt Phelan

The sun is shining. The weather is balmy. That can only mean one thing: It's the perfect day for a pignic.

A jovial porcine family is set for a day of frolicking in the great outdoors.
They've got a basket filled with lunchie-munchies: Pretzel! Pies! Pickles! Plums! They've got a kite.
They are excited. So excited. Watch them skip and leap as they head out for an afternoon of fun.

Who can resist this cover? Mr Phelan gets it right, down to the curly pigtail flourishes on the title letters G and C.

When they reach their destination, problems arise. An exploration leaves them stranded until an animal friend comes to the rescue. When the kite cannot be launched, Phelan provides a brilliant solution that is a clever comic twist on a fairy tale trope. Suddenly the sky darkens. Rain drenches the piglets. It appears that the day is a disaster. Not so. Phelan works his storytelling magic with the perfect solution.

Soft water color images exude personality and are well-suited to the setting. Illustrations give young readers visual cues needed to decode unfamiliar words. Repetitive phrases, limited vocabulary, and large font centered within plenty of white space provide readers additional support.
Pignic is a delightful adventure for young and not-so-young readers.

Review based on uncorrected copy.

Pub date: March 6, 2018 Publisher: Greenwillow Books ISBN: 978-0062443397

Feet First

11/14/2017

Can we open up this box? A box that contains fantastic footwear?
Yes, we can!
Shoes! I love shoes. I love sneakers and boots, flip flops and fancy shoes. New shoes, old shoes, shoes to impress, shoes to help you kick back and relax. I love shoes.
With that thought, I head off to the children’s department of a local shoe store to consider the possibilities. There is such an array of sizes, styles and colors. Choices on top of choices. Here is just a sample of what I found.
Which shoe do you fancy?

Slides are perfect for the pool...but the gold trim on these sandals...

Never seen anything like the fluffy trimmed sneakers...wait! Hot pink laces...

Everyone is wearing booties now...however I’ve never owned glittering ruby slippers...

I like the black with rainbow detail.. check out the side zipper on this one!

It’s Shoe Time! written and illustrated by Bryan Collier

One of the best things about Bryan Collier’s It's Shoe Time! is that he makes shoes and shopping and reading so much fun. Beginning with the title, the pages are brimming with word play.
Consider: Shoe Time vs Show Time.
The text is also replete with homophones which accentuate the silliness: knot vs not and pear vs pair.
There is a running joke with respect to the dual meanings of right and left. Right means "correct" and also refers to a side of the body. Left means both the opposing side of the body and is a past tense form of "leave."
The alternating sounds (squish! flop! squish! flop!) as the shoes descend stairs begs to be read aloud.
The conclusion, while not particularly practical, is none-the-less delightful. This is one that will quickly become subject to the "read it again" request.
It's a match! This book fits perfectly.

Fun with Words

Play around with words which have more than one meaning, but sound the same. Here are a few online games.

Homophone jeopardy for one or two players

Build a wall with homophone sentences

Companion Books

This series of early readers just keeps getting more fun. Well known authors and illustrators share their considerable talents in these high-interest books. The large thoughtfully placed font, with plenty of white space and limited vocabulary make them an excellent choice for beginning readers. The wordplay, humor, and zany art have an appeal for a wide-ranging. audience.

The Cookie Fiasco

The Good for Nothing Button

We Are Growing

OAT & Waylon

10/27/2017

Waylon! Even More Awesome
by Sara Pennypacker ill by Marla Frazee

Are you ready for another serving of awesome? I certainly am. Sara Pennypacker delivers another tale of awesomeness with Waylon! Even More Awesome, the second of a three volume series featuring Waylon Zakowski. The boy we first encountered in the Clementine series is back and he’s bringing a friend, his recently acquired pet, Dumpster Eddy. Because mom is allergic to dogs and Eddy is a canine on the run, Waylon is constantly in search of a new home for his dog. More often than not, this includes ten day stays with Animal Control. This isn’t so bad. Waylon and his on-again off-again friend Baxter visit the police station each day, playing with their pooch and taking him out for walks.
Unfortunately things are about to change. There is a new Animal Control officer and he has no intention of allowing Dumpster Eddy to continue his stays at the station. Eddy is about to be shipped off to a far away animal shelter. The boys must think fast and come up with a plan to save their dog and provide him with a home. They hit upon the ingenious idea of building an elaborate igloo or dogloo, complete with a special pad for cold nights. However when you’re working with a free-spirited dog, a hard-nosed official, and cold Massachusetts weather, there are bound to be complications.

It’s not giving away too much to say that this dog dilemma reaches a satisfactory conclusion.
Award-winning artist Marla Frazee’s black and white line drawings perfectly capture the relationship between this ten year old and his beloved mutt.

The story is chock full is Waylonisms: his fascination with science including the creation of a comic entitled Cosmo-Quest and OAT, the One Awesome Thing game. Waylon, the boy who constructs battles between the food items on his plate “mashed potatoes could take the chicken nuggets any day...they were thick enough to wall off peas, wait out any siege” and carries Dumpster Eddy, safely zipped up inside his coat has won my heart.

OAT: One Awesome Thing

Waylon enjoys playing OAT: recalling One Awesome Thing about his day.Try creating your own OAT bookmarks. What awesome thing happened to you today? Its a simple and easy way to maintain a positive outlook.
Make homemade oatmeal cookies and share your OAT and delicious cookies with someone special. Awesomeness all around!

Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats

In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
recipe from Bittersweet1, Allrecipes

Rock on!

7/25/2017

Bob's Rock by Ann and John Hassett

Bob is back!
This message is for those who loved the story of Bob and his flashlight as much as I did. You are in for a treat. Ann and John Hassett's latest book continues the saga of this winsome protagonist. In this installment readers meet his new companion: a rock.
Yes, Bob has a rock.
If you haven't read Goodnight Bob stop right now and read this charming picture book before continuing. I'll wait.

In Bob's Rock our young friend leaves the cozy confines of his bedcovers and ventures outside and onto the playground with his friend Max. Each boy brings a companion: Max has a dog. Bob carries his rock. A amiable competition ensues as each tries to prove that his sidekick is the better of the two. On command, which one will "Sit" "Stay" "Rollover"? Readers will quickly realize what is happening. Anyone who has experienced the frustration of a pet refusing to perform when directed can relate to Max's dilemma.
The simple text with controlled vocabulary makes this an excellent choice for emergent readers. But the gentle word play and charming characters will appeal to a wide-ranging audience. Thanks Ann and John Hassett for another wining book for young readers. More Bob stories please.

Rocks & Rocks

Rock Craft

The Pet Rock craze continues to flourish in several iterations. Young crafters can purchase a kit with materials and instructions for creating a painted rock resembling an animal.

Several retail outlets offer an assortment of unique hand painted rocks. I spied a few at the Arkansas Garvan Woodlands Gardens gift shop.

Message on a Rock

The Kindness Rocks Project encourages individuals to paint rocks with inspiring messages and leave them for others to find. The website provides guidelines and tips for creating your own Kindness Rocks. You will also find a photo album of Kindness rocks as well as a map for locating sites where kindness rocks have been deposited. Participants are encouraged to share photos of rock creations as well as add a pin to the U.S. map of rock locations.
An engaging and interactive craft project!

Companion Books

Want more picture books featuring rocks? Try out one of these delightful tales.

Charlotte and the Rock

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Stick and Stone