By: Kara Schaff Dean,
on 8/16/2011
This summer saw the release of Dodsworth in Rome, the fourth volume in the easy reader series about Dodsworth and his accidental companion, Duck. It's an amusing book in a series which consistently entertains and has the capacity to continue for many volumes yet as the pair bumbles their way across the globe. The journey actually started, sans Duck, in a junk yard, where the underachieving
By: Katie,
on 8/13/2011
By: Katie,
on 8/6/2011
By: Katie,
on 7/30/2011
By: Katie,
on 7/23/2011
By: Katie,
on 7/16/2011
By: Katie,
on 7/2/2011
By: Katie,
on 6/24/2011
By: Katie,
on 6/21/2011
Katharine Kenah is the author of three easy readers about second grade. Each focuses on one student from Mr. Hopper's second grade class and tells of a particularly significant experience that student has during the school year. These books are part of the I Can Read series, and have been designated as level 2, Reading with Help.
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By: LitLass,
on 5/15/2011
Here are our favorites from the past week: Tintin, age 8 I Saw Esau: The Schoolchild's Pocket Book Editors/illustrator: Iona & Peter Opie/Maurice Sendak Publisher: Candlewick Press (October 1992); first in 1947 by Williams and Northgate as I Saw Esau: Traditional Rhymes of Youth Source: Public library I Saw Esau is a collection of 174 rhymes chanted by generations of children. As Iona Opie
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By: Lori Calabrese,
on 4/18/2011
Most of us think the African lion is one of the world's deadliest animals, but National Geographic has narrowed down many more of the Earth's most dangerous creatures such as red kangaroos, oak processionary caterpillars, rattlesnakes, saltwater crocodiles, and hippos. Weird but true facts are scattered throughout, and deadly definitions introduce young readers to words such as prey, herbivore and carnivore.
In true National Geographic style, young readers will be amazed at the vibrant photography, but they'll also be wowed by the toxic tidbits that introduce them to the life of native rain forest peoples, and compare the tentacles of a box jellyfish's body to basketballs. My goosebumps still won't go away from those pictures of the Sydney Funnel Web Spider. Eeeewwww!
Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books (January 11, 2011)
ISBN-10: 1426307578
ISBN-13: 978-1426307577
Source of review copy: Publicist
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By: Cynthia Reeg,
on 4/12/2011
I happened to be in New York last week and was able to pop into the Strand Bookstore to hear author, Nadja Spiegelman, and illustrator, Trade Loeffler, read their new graphic novel for beginning readers--Zig and Wikki in Something Ate My Homework. Ms. Spiegelman and Mr. Loeffler each took one of the book's characters and brought the story to life for a small group of listeners on the bookstore's second floor--in, of course, the Children's Department.
The three chapter book contains a lively and humorous story, combined with a bit of nonfiction information on four earth animals encountered by the space-traveling duo. The illustrations are bright and entertaining. The story is told in easy reader vocabulary. Combine the two and PRESTO! You've a fun read for 4-8 year-olds.
Check out this title and other TOON books for more graphic novel adventures.
By: LitLass,
on 4/10/2011
This week we decided to record book commercials to get the boys more excited about sharing their opinions (they love looking at themselves). Here are our favorite books from the past week, with excerpts from our commercials: Tintin, age 8 Geronimo Stilton: The Curse of the Cheese Pyramid Author/illustrator: Geronimo Stilton Publisher: Scholastic (February 2004) Source: Half Price Books
By: Katie,
on 3/24/2011
Arthur's Nose, the first book in Marc Brown's Arthur series, was published in 1976. The Arthur appearing in that story was very obviously an aardvark, with a long, drooping nose and a droopy disposition to match. 35 years later, Arthur is someone else entirely - a noseless, bespectacled, everykid who resembles neither an aardvark nor any other actual creature, but who has a much more agreeable personality, and can be trusted to guide kids through the many difficulties associated with growing up.
I hadn't read any Arthur books in a long time - probably not since long before the series became a television show - so I decided to read one title from each of the three series my library has on its shelves.
By: Brimful Curiosities,
on 3/21/2011
This month I'm hosting the I Can Read Carnival meme. For more about this monthly meme, visit Scrub-a-Dub-Tub. If you've reviewed easy readers or illustrated chapter books in the past year or have written a post about encouraging beginning readers, please leave a link in the comment section and I'll add it to the end of this post. I'll keep comments open until Friday.
My post focuses on sight words and introduces the first book my daughter read by herself. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you'll consider joining the March I Can Read Carnival!
"Reads kindergarten sight words." That's one of the reading readiness standards listed on my daughter's performance report for kindergarten. On the first day of kindergarten, she was given a list of 37 words that she needed to learn by the end of the year. I'm sure the list of sight words varies by school, but in case you are a first timer like me, here is the list the students in our area must learn:
a • and • are • come • do • down • for • give • go • good • have • he • here • I • like • little • look • me • my • one • out • see • she • that • the • there • they • this • to • two • up • want • we • what • where • who • you
Even though my daughter's class spends most of their time concentrating on phonics, the sight words are also important because they provide a foundation of sorts for a beginning reader. Sight words are high frequency words and words that a reader cannot sound out. The reader is expected to know them immediately on sight.
My daughter can name all 37 words already and is well on her way to becoming a strong reader. At the beginning of the school year she really didn't have much interest in trying to learn to read because every time she opened up a book and saw all the words, she seemed overwhelmed and was afraid of failure. I didn't push it much and just kept reading aloud to her, pointing out words along the way and sometimes reading more slowly than normal. Knowing some sight words helped boost her confidence. Then right around Christmas things finally clicked with the book, My Dragon and I.
The paperback book, My Dragon and I, by Maria Fleming, tells the story two unlikely friends. A girl and her green dragon do everything together. They swing, slide, hop and hide. They even read books together about knights and dragons. The text focuses mainly on four sight words: my, and, I, like. The four sight words appear in bold throughout the book. The easy to read sentences use lots of repetition and rhyme. Most importantly, at least in my daughter's opinion, the illustrations by Mike Gordon are eye-pleasing and cute, making the book fun to read. The back of the book includes a sight word review and other activities to help the child recognize the sight words.
My Dragon and I (ISBN 9780545016483) is part of the "
By: tara,
on 11/14/2010
Okay, so I have my picture book idea for today. Yay! But I kind of feel the need to get another one in…to get ahead, you know?
And then I worry if I am following the rules or not. Am I even allowed to think of 30 ideas in ONE day, or is it a MUST that I pace myself and only create one idea per day? And what happens if I get a good idea that’s so amazingly HOT that I must write a draft NOW? Not next month. Not next week. Not tomorrow. NOW.
I MUST DROP EVERYTHING AND FOLLOW THIS IDEA NOW.
And then I realize that PiBoIdMo is not about rules.
Break the rules if you need to. Just break ’em.
PiBoIdMo is about getting on a first name, maybe even nick-name basis with your muse.
(And really, some of the best children’s books don’t really follow the rules, now do they?)
I mean, some books have amazing vocabulary for being an easy reader. (Uh-hum….mine for example.) I put in the word “Methinks” in my easy reader series, Good Night, Good Knight. And I got to keep it in! I also put in some words that may or may not be real words, but they sounded so nice together and were words that are fun when they dance on your tongue.
Really, there is only one rule when writing a book for kids. It’s got to encourage the reader to TURN THE PAGE. It’s got to engage the child in the story enough that they WANT to learn to read it themselves.
(Well, maybe there are two rules…*Get Kids to Turn the Page* and *Inspire Kids to Read.*)
Shelley Moore Thomas is also known as the StoryQueen. I know what you’re thinking…does she really wear a ridiculous crown, fake jewels and a velvet cape? Does she really play with puppets? Well, er um…yes…and yes. But wait! Don’t go! It’s not as strange as it sounds. She’s a writer for children and, well, we do weird things sometimes. Her latest book is A Cold Winter’s Good Night.
11 Comments on PiBoIdMo Day 14: The StoryQueen’s One and Only Rule for Writing a Picture Book, last added: 11/14/2010
By: Lori Calabrese,
on 10/26/2010
The fun continues throughout the book and follows with a repetitive line:
"Oh, Mittens," says Nick.
"You are not helping at all!"
But when Nick hangs a ghost outside, he doesn't think it's spooky enough. Fortunately, Mittens knows just what to do!
This Shared Reading book starts with basic language and word repetition ideal for sharing with your emergent reader. Not only will readers enjoy the whimsical illustrations, they'll want to join in the holiday fun!
Additional Information:
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (July 27, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0061702218
ISBN-13: 978-0061702211
Source of review copy: Publisher
By: Tasha Saecker,
on 10/15/2010
Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo an Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile
Bink and Gollie are two girls who are friends but could not be more different. They live together yet apart, Bink in a cottage below the tree where Gollie’s ultra-modern tree house perches. The two of them use their roller skates to get around town, but beyond that they agree on very little. Everything from striped colorful socks to goldfish friends to imaginary mountain treks come between them. In the end though, their friendship remains strong, bolstered by pancakes shared together. The book is broken into three chapters each a vignette that is funny, charming and delightful. The book is written for beginning readers who will discover two amazing girls that they will long to share a stack of pancakes with too.
The authors have created two characters who are very different yet read as real people with their own quirks and interests. Bink is younger, wilder and delightfully mussed. Gollie is steady, level headed and yet has her own moments of imagination. The authors did not feel constrained by the vocabulary of most beginning readers, instead they introduce young readers to longer words, taking time to put them in context and even define them. This is a book that will have new readers stretching at just the right pace.
Fucile’s illustrations help bring the differences and friendship of the girls to life. From the firecracker hair of Bink to the lean lines of Golllie. The sleek nature of Gollie’s tree house to Bink’s small homey cottage. Each detail is perfect to underline their differences and their connection to one another.
I look forward to seeing the next Bink & Gollie book. I can’t wait to see where this friendship heads next. Appropriate for ages 6-8.
Reviewed from library copy.
Also reviewed at:
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By: Jean Matthew Hall,
on 9/13/2010
I'm wading through Chapter two of Picture Writing: A new approach to writing for kids and teens--"Seeing Fiction." At the beginning of the book Suen provides a suggested schedule for completing the book in 18 weeks. (You read that correctly. I said eighteen weeks.) Chapter two requires two weeks to read, complete the exercises, and write journal entries about my projects and progress. In
By: Brimful Curiosities,
on 8/30/2010
My daughter is just in the very beginning stages of reading. She knows all her letter sounds and can identify a few sight words. This past month we started checking out early reader books from the library. Her favorite series so far is the Adventures of Otto Series by David Milgrim. These simple "Ready-to-Read" books are listed as Pre-Level 1 and are for kids that are just starting to learn to read.
The series consists of five books published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (we wish there were more):
See Otto (2002)
Ride Otto Ride! (2002)
See Pip Point (2003)
Swing Otto Swing (2004)
See Santa Nap (2004)
My daughter loves these books because the illustrations are humorous and enormously engaging, unlike some other books meant for beginning readers. The main character, a cute little robot named Otto, goes on various silly adventures sure to generate some laughs. With simple words and sentences, lots of repetition and text written in a large font, this series is perfect for emergent readers. Best of all, the books appeal to both boys and girls. Some of the other "beginning readers" frustrated my daughter because they were too difficult for her reading level, but the books in this series are short and feature only a few words per page. Her favorite is Swing Otto Swing where Otto tries to swing on vines with his monkey friends, Flip and Flop. The books have boosted her confidence level, and I'm sure within a few months she'll be advancing to some of the more difficult early readers. If you have a beginning reader, I highly recommend this series. Sadly, it seem they are currently out-of-print, so you'll need to buy used or look for them at your local library.
Related links:
http://www.davidmilgrim.com/
Inspired by Ott
By: Tasha Saecker,
on 8/10/2010
Funny Lunch by David Catrow
This second Max Spaniel book offers mayhem and fun with a pizza theme. Max is not a dog, he is a chef! He and his cat friend have a restaurant where they serve pizzas. When one customer refuses the special and orders chili instead, he is given a scarf, hat and mittens. When another orders a hot dog, a panting dog with a fan is served. Trouble arrives by bus with an order of 100 pizzas with everything! Max cannot make pizzas that fast and ends up with a mess instead. Luckily great pizza is only a phone call away. Even better, Max got to enjoy the pizza too.
Catrow successfully mixes very simple beginner reader words with pictured filled with funny details and merriment. The jokes are classic and there are some that only those looking at the pictures will find. Catrow’s watercolor illustrations ooze giggles and laughs as well as pizza sauce and cheese. They add another dimension of fun to the book. The relationship between Max and his cat friend is a good one that plays out primarily in the illustrations.
A frolic of an easy reader, this book will be enjoyed by young pizza and dog lovers. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Reviewed from copy received from Scholastic.
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By: Tasha Saecker,
on 7/14/2010
Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same by Grace Lin
Twin sisters Ling and Ting are twins, but definitely not the same. Sure, they look the same, up until the end of the first chapter when a sneeze on the barber’s chair changes that. But they like different things, have different skills, and approach projects in different ways. At the same time, the girls are obviously great friends as well as sisters despite their differences. In short friendly chapters, readers get to know these young sisters and will be able to happily identify with both of them. This is an early reader with depth and something to say. It never loses its friendly, lightness and still offers an amazing amount of story.
Lin excels at creating universal characters and these two twins are definitely that. She also has woven Asian culture into the story in ways that make sense for the story. Her superb choices in the book work very well. Lin also did the art for the book, which has the same engaging style as the story itself. The art is filled with bright, bold color and will serve new readers well as they read this book.
Highly recommended, this is an impressive easy reader. Let’s hope that Ling & Ting return for many more adventures. Appropriate for new readers, ages 4-6.
Reviewed from library copy.
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By: Tasha Saecker,
on 7/7/2010
Can I Play Too? by Mo Willems
If you are ever looking for a picture book or easy reader sure to pull a child in and get them adoring books, pull any of Mo Willems books off the shelf. His Elephant and Piggie series is so simple, yet profound and funny. This latest book in the series is one of the best in the bunch. Here we see Elephant, the careful and more serious character, and Piggie, who is loud and enthusiastic. The two of them are best friends, which alone has led to some great books. Add Snake who wants to join them in playing ball. Of course, that’s a problem because Snake can’t really catch since he doesn’t have arms. But that doesn’t mean he can’t try and it certainly doesn’t mean that Piggie can’t figure out a solution that will have them all playing together.
Willems is the master of brevity, capturing entire scenes in a few words and his simple illustrations. His book are perfection for early readers but also make great read alouds thanks to his skill in writing. His characters are beautifully drawn, offering so much in so few words and images. It is magic on a page.
In this book, Willem’s natural humor comes pouring forth into a vaudeville-like scene that will have children laughing aloud, guffawing even. It is a special easy reader that will have my teenage son crowding us on the couch to be able to see. But then, all he needed to hear was that it was a Mo Willems book and it was funny.
Guaranteed success between two covers, this book is laugh-out-loud funny, wry and as always with Willems, big hearted. Appropriate for ages 3-6 and the occasional thirteen-year-old.
Reviewed from library copy.
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By: Tarie,
on 6/11/2010
At the Summer Solstice Rockwell Bazaar, I discovered Thingys Accessories by Cessa Gaston. There are lots of cute and quirky Thingys Accessories, but I zoomed in on the children's book necklaces! There were necklaces for Grimm's Fairy Tales, Harry Potter, and other children's books. I bought the necklaces for The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss and Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman. I *loved* those books as a child. I read them over and over and over again. 
I'm not really a necklace person though. So I'll use the necklaces as bag accessories. :o)
By: Tasha Saecker,
on 2/8/2010
Brownie & Pearl Step Out by Cynthia Rylant, illustrations by Brian Biggs
In this simple, charming story, Rylant explores shyness. Brownie, the little girl, and Pearl, her cat, are going to a birthday party that cats are invited to too. Once they are at the door to the party, Brownie starts to feel shy about knocking. Pearl, though, is not shy at all and enters the house by the cat door, forcing Brownie to have to knock and join the party. By the end of the party, full of cake and ice cream and having played lots of games, Brownie is very happy to have come.
Rylant has created the first in another charming pairing. This book is for even younger readers than Henry and Mudge or Mr. Potter and Tabby. The vocabulary is kept limited and there are at most two short sentences on each page, usually as short as four words. Despite these limitations, Rylant has created a charming protagonist. Biggs’ illustrations are done digitally and have a nice warmth to them. The illustrations are simple and friendly for young readers.
Highly recommended, every library needs a copy of this first in Rylant’s new series. I can’t wait to see what adventures Brownie and Pearl head on next. Appropriate for new readers of any age, approximately ages 3-5.
Reviewed from copy received from publisher.
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by 
I adore Dodsworth, too! Like you, I hope these books continue for a long time.
I've never heard of these books! They sound fabulous! Just to clarify, Tim Egan of Dodsworth is not the same Timothy Egan who wrote the adult NF title, THE BIG BURN?
Hi Tanya,<br /><br />They are indeed two different Tim Egans. <br /><br />Thanks for stopping by!