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Stuey Lewis is a quite a character! He’s a smart 2nd grader who has not only problems to deal with, but also funny schemes up his sleeve. The four chapters in this book are each like a short story about something in his life. While each chapter can easily stand alone, they come together to make a fun start to this great new series.
In the first chapter we learn that Stuey has a secret at the beginning of 2nd grade – he’s worried that everyone will find out he isn’t a good reader. Even his best friend, who is an excellent reader, doesn’t know Stuey’s secret. It doesn’t take long for his teacher to realize that something is bothering him, and when he finally confesses his worry to her, she helps him realize everyone conquers reading in their own time.
In the subsequent chapters, we read about the great Halloween caper that Stuey devises, his soccer team trials and the final days of 2nd grade. Each chapter is full of humor interwoven with tender moments.
Whether listening to this story as a read-aloud or reading it on one’s own, we discover that there really is only one Stuey Lewis! I look forward to reading the next book Stuey Lewis Against All Odds: Stories from the Third Grade.
Posted by: Wendy
Jasper is Star of the Week!! He has been waiting for that honor all school year and FINALLY it is his week. He has high hopes that his week will be simply awesome and he will be the best Star of the Week that his class has ever seen.
Day 1 is Show -and-Tell Day just for the Star of the Week, but, unfortunately things don’t go exactly as Jasper had hoped. First, Ori steals the limelight with the news of the arrival of his new baby sister and then the class is not at all impressed with Jasper’s very special show and tell.
Day 2 is Family Tree Day, which proves to be tricky for Jasper because his family is so small. He uses a tree branch for his display and rather than calling it his family tree, he names it his family stick. He puts on a leaf for every single family member he can think of, including a brother named Earl who doesn’t even exist.
Day 3 is Science Experiment Day, which Jasper totally forgets about because his focus is on producing the “pretend” brother who is on his family stick. He ends up constructing his brother, Earl, from wood and since it turns out that Earl has no heart (because he is made from wood), there is a vague science discussion. Jasper’s heartless brother also causes him trouble on the playground which results in a trip to the principal’s office.
Day 4 is Talent Day, which after an enormous drink of water from the water fountain, Jasper delights the class with water sloshing “music” from his tummy.
Day 5 is Special Snack and Compliment Day which turns out to be a great day for Jasper!
Not only does Jasper’s special week to be the class Star turn out to be highly amusing, but other quirky and humorous events are sprinkled in along the way. This new book series promises to be a hit with early readers!
Posted by: Wendy
Marty McGuire’s 3rd grade class room is charged with a very important task: create a Save the Earth Project. Marty is inspired – she and her best friend Annie have long admired natural scientists Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, and they often go into the woods behind Marty’s house and pretend to be studying gorillas and chimpanzees themselves. Now they have a chance to really make a difference!
With the help of Marty’s Grandma Barb the girls come up with an idea that will help reduce food waste at their school cafeteria: create a worm composting bin! Marty is very confident that their project will make an impact, and talks up the worms to her classmates so everyone is very excited to feed the worms all their crusts, green beans, and leftover bits of tuna fish sandwiches. But there’s a problem: the worms can only eat a little bit at a time; and certain foods, like meat or tuna fish, shouldn’t enter their habitat. Marty knows these things, but she also doesn’t want to let down her classmates, who are all clamoring for a chance to feed the worms. When Marty lets the worms’ habitat become inhospitable because she wants to please her classmates, the worms escape, and she is forced to reassess her plan. Marty and Annie come up with a solution to their worm problem, and ultimately their project is a success. Marty learns that change takes time, and that often you must be patient in order to see your ideas come to fruition. She also learns that taking responsibility for something takes planning, problem-solving, and courage.
Marty McGuire is an excellent book for kids transitioning into reading chapter books – the chapters are fairly short, and the book is dotted with black and white illustrations by Brian Floca which, with humor and expression, perfectly capture the different characters of the book. Marty McGuire Digs Worms! is an amusing and realistic look at the world of a 3rd grade classroom – Marty is a likable character, as are her patient teacher Mrs. Aloi, wacky Grandma Barb, and her loyal friend Annie. This would make a great read-aloud for a classroom – just in time for Earth Day! It can be read as the sequel to Messner’s book Marty McGuire, but it also stands on its own.
Posted by: Parry
Penny comes home with a new song, and she wants someone to listen to her! But Mama and Papa say it’s the babies’ nap time. Penny tries singing to herself in the mirror, but that isn’t the same, and neither is singing to her little glass animals. So Penny waits all the way until dinner time, only to be told, “Not at the table,” by Mama. Finally, after dinner, Penny gets her big chance. Penny sings her song beautifully, and then the whole family joins in, including the babies (“in their own baby way”). They all have a little family dance party, with Mama in funny sunglasses and Papa in a funny hat. Penny’s song was worth the wait – it brings the little mouse family a joyful end to their day and ushers in sweet sleep for the babies.
This easy reader from beloved author and illustrator Kevin Henkes is perfect for newly independent readers – the short and simple text is supported by Henkes’ trademark watercolor illustrations, and the headings of “Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc.” build confidence and add a level of gravitas that new readers can be so hungry for. Children, especially older siblings, will appreciate Penny’s plight and ultimate triumph, and readers of all ages will delight in the depiction of a warm and loving mouse family, making musical memories one ordinary evening. Although this book is perfect for new readers, it would also make a lovely read-aloud for younger children.
Posted by: Parry
It's quite possible I'm just late to the party on this one, but did everyone else know that Pete the Cat was being turned into Easy Reader stories? I'm so thrilled about this!
Pete's Big Lunch and
Play Ball! showed up at my house last week and I just might have done a little dance around my kitchen. I'm a huge fan of the
Pete the Cat picture books and have gifted them to my nephews each time a new one has come out. Well, now both of those boys are getting ready to read themselves and these new ones will be the perfect level for them. I think the folks at HarperCollins were reading my mind.
Each story is told in typical Pete fashion, with his too-cool-for-life expressions and "don't sweat the small stuff" attitude. These two books each contain a subtle message, but neither are at all heavy-handed. In
Play Ball! the reader learns about trying his or her best and being cheerful whatever the result. In
Pete's Big Lunch, the story is all about sharing (and a little about gross food concoctions) -- great for this age level of new-to-school kids.
The two books I received are both at a "My First Reading" level are going to be great companions to the previous Pete the Cat books. If you've yet to read any of the books in the series, you definitely should try them out -- so fun!
By: shelf-employed,
on 1/28/2013
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"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."
 |
| Jay Schyler Raadt CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
Baseball Hall of Fame baseball player, Rogers Hornsby
Source: Baseball Almanac
Yes, it's January and the temperatures have been in the teens, but soon catchers and pitchers will report to spring training, and on February 21,
Spring Training games will begin.
Here are two new books for the littlest of fans:
- Kawa, Katie. 2013. My First Trip to a Baseball Game. New York: Gareth Stevens. (part of the My First Adventures series)
In three very simple chapters, this little book introduces children to a baseball game, offering information on the park, the food and the game. From the chapter, "At the Baseball Park,"
My dad holds our tickets. They tell us where to sit. We get food to eat. My mom and dad get hot dogs.
The illustrations are simple cartoon-style depictions of a family's trip to the game with a heavy focus on the family's activities. If just a little bit of baseball is what you're seeking, this will do fine.
A Table of Contents, Index, and Words to Know make this one perfect for school use, however, it's also suitable for adding a little nonfiction to storytime.
Reading Level: Grade K Fountas & Pinell: C Dewey: 796.357 Specifications: 7 5/8" x 7 1/8", 24 pages Lexile Level: 130 
Less perfunctory and more enjoyable is
Goodnight Baseball.
- Dahl, Michael. 2013. Goodnight Baseball. N. Mankato, MN: Capstone. (Illustrated by Christina Forshay)
Beginning with a sing-song rhythm,
The great big stadium is outside of town.
Fans and friends come from miles around.
and ending with a nod to Margaret Wise Brown's
Goodnight Moon,
Goodnight, popcorn boxes under the stands
Goodnight, mascot and goodnight, fans!
Goodnight, friends. Goodnight, cars.
Goodnight, stadium, under the stars ...
Goodnight Baseball takes the reader on a baseball outing with a small boy and his father. Snacks, caps, and even a foul ball are part of a winning day. Brightly colored full-bleed illustrations offer a broad view of the game, the fans, and the park with a focus not on the boy and his dad, but rather, on their place in the larger context of the day. Expressive faces show the myriad expressions seen during a day at the park - excitement, determination, surprise (no sadness here - the home town wins). Creative endpapers evoke the
Green Monster, the boy's favorite team, and tickets stuffed in the pocket of denim jeans.
Goodnight Baseball is a hit.
(Due on shelves March 1, 2013)
Title: Brownie & Pearl See the Sights
Author: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrator: Brian Biggs
24 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Beach Lane Books)
Publ. Date: Oct. 5, 2010
Brownie & Pearl See the Sights is part of the Brownie & Pearl by powerhouse kid lit author Cynthia Rylant (seriously, it is amazing how many books she has written). In this installation, Brownie and her faithful feline friend, Pearl, head out to the city shops for a little retail therapy. Everything they try on is oversized until they get to the cupcake shop, where the products are a perfect fit. (Isn't that always the way?) When the sugar high turns into a sugar low, Brownie and Pearl head back home for a winter nap.
Biggs' illustrations are colorful and cheerful, loaded with oranges and pinks. When the shopping duo get to the city they are greeted with colorful shops and traffic, all decked out for the holidays. I love that there are even menorahs in apartment windows. A sprinkling of snow falls over the the grey city backdrop. The final note of the book tells the reader that being cozy at home is much more relaxing than seeing the sights and shopping in the city. However, they obviously had a good time on their outing and there is no sense that the city is a place to be avoided as sometimes happens in city v. country books.
My one complaint about the Brownie & Pearl series is that for short books they have a high price point. They are published in a hardback picture book format, but the $13.99 price tag is very high for an easy reader (I have the same complaint about the Elephant & Piggie books). However, I highly recommend finding this book and the rest of the series at your local library. As read alouds they are nice and short; as easy readers, they will lure in an audience with their jolly illustrations.
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It’s always fun for me to see how an author will highlight all 26 letters in an alphabet book. I was not disappointed when reading ABC ZooBorns! It is a delightful alphabet book with adorable and, often, cuddly looking baby animals. Each page features a photo of a baby animal along with a simple statement describing the animal. The back of the book offers a glossary with additional information such as the species, home and conservation status of each animal. Don’t skip looking over the beginning words by Paul Boyle, PhD about learning how to protect animals. You might find yourself paging through this book over and over again – the photographs are just that much fun to look at!
Posted by: Wendy
By: shelf-employed,
on 10/8/2012
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It's been a while since I've seen a new book about my profession. When I learned that Scholastic was putting out a new book, I asked to see a copy, and they obliged.
Shepherd. Jodie. 2013. A Day with Librarians. New York: Scholastic.
Part of the Rookie Read-About Community series, this small (roughly 7"x7") "easy reader" contains basic facts about librarians, their varied duties, and their workplaces. Information is conveyed in simple black font on a white background with a photograph on the facing page.
The "front desk librarian," the one described as using a scanner to check out books and noting when they need to be returned, isn't too common in the public library system in which I work, but I imagine she may be more common in school media centers or smaller libraries.
Statistically, the photos depict a greater diversity in our profession than actually exists, but reflect the change that librarians (and other forward-thinking professions) are striving to create - a more diverse membership. Hopefully, young readers will see themselves in these pages and think about librarianship as a career (no, we're not becoming obsolete).
In addition to five small "chapters," A Day with Librarians includes tips on being a community helper, an index, additional facts, and an "about the author" section.
From the "Meet a Librarian" chapter,
Librarians have important jobs. They can help you find a good book to read or some information about almost anything.
That about sums it up. I'm good with that.
Other professions featured in the series are doctors, firefighters, mail carriers, paramedics and police officers.
I have recently become a huge fan of the author Lenore Look. How can you not love an author who describes herself on Twitter as: “writer, re-writer, deadline misser, wrong-turn maker, detour taker, yoga pose messer-upper, raconteur extraordinaire.”
Look’s first professional titles were picture books that were both heartwarming and funny. She has continued that tradition with her juvenile fiction series, Ruby Lu, and the bestseller Alvin Ho. All of her titles feature Asian characters living in America that are easily relatable to readers of every nationality. Look’s Alvin Ho books have gained a lot of critical acclaim and popularity among young readers, but the Ruby Lu series is not one to be missed either. Ruby Lu is written for slightly younger readers and can be found in our Easy Fiction section.
The series begins with second grader Ruby Lu introducing readers to her large family and her daily struggles as a second grader. Ruby Lu, Star of the Show is the third book in the series. Ruby is starting 3rd grade. She lives with her large family in a household that consists of her parents, her baby brother, and cousin Flying Duck and Flying Duck’s parents who are all from China. The book touches on some important issues facing today’s children. Ruby’s father loses his job, her mother joins the workforce for the first time in Ruby’s life, and Flying Duck’s family assimilates to life in America. Add to that Flying Duck is deaf and is fluent in Chinese Sign Language, but not American Sign Language, and you have a lot of issues that kids in all neighborhoods can relate to.
The story centers around Ruby trying to adjust to life on a very tight budget and has a great subplot about her relationship with her dog, Elvis, which it turns out, knows all of kinds of tricks because he comes from a very special background. Although heavy on issues, this story is never heavy handed. Ruby is a delightful child and the characters in these books are funny and touching, and never overly sarcastic or mean to each other. It is a great choice for kids who have liked Judy Moody and Clementine who are a little too young to read Alvin Ho.
Posted by: Kelly
0 Comments on Ruby Lu, Star of the Show by Lenore Look as of 1/1/1900
Favorite Easy Reader for 2011
Bunting, Eve. 2011. Frog and Friends. Ill. by Josée Masse. Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press.
I don't like too many easy readers. This one's great!
DC Super Pets are fantastic easy readers. The text is clear, sentence structure is perfect for beginning readers, and they even use comic book style fonts and color to denote dialogue which helps beginning readers distinguish dialogue from the rest of the text AND adds a fun, comic book element. The illustrator, Art Baltazar has won the Eisner award and it shows in his illustrations for this book. The Eisner award is awarded to outstanding comic book artists each year. Backward Bowwow contains high gloss, bright illustrations that will draw kids into the stories.
In this title, Superman’s dog Krypto meets his evil counterpart, Bizarro Krypto. Bizzaro Krypto crash lands on Earth with the intent of reversing the relationship between dogs and humans. In Bizzaro World, the dogs are in charge and the humans are the pets, and Bizzaro Krypto is determined to make Earth the same way and it is up to Krypto to stop him. The title also has bonus material at the end including jokes and a glossary to define some of the higher level words called “Word Power”. This series has everything a beginning reader would want: superheroes, pets, great pictures and fun stories.
Posted by: Kelly
*Easy reader (I’d compare to Amelia Bedelia books, divided into chapters), fantasy
*A loveable giraffe and turtle as main characters
*Rating: I won Joe and Sparky, Superstars in a blog contest at Clara Gillow Clark’s blog, and I am so glad I did What a super cute book for those readers transitioning from having Mom or teacher read them a book to reading on their own. Joe cracks me up! 
Short, short summary:
Since Joe is a giraffe, he can stretch his neck from Safari Land and see something fun. He wants to share this something fun with his friend, Sparky the turtle, who only wants to take a nap on his warm rock. But Joe convinces Sparky to go along, and they see little people in a box (this would be a TV).
They watch a reality show about entertaining pairs, and so Joe thinks they should join them. They are a pair after all. The problem is. . .what is their entertainment? The pair seems to think Joe has many talents, but they just can’t seem to figure out what Sparky is good at. So, the duo try different talents, such as the Hokey Pokey, trying to find a talent for Sparky that will make him a superstar.
So what do I do with this book?
1. Joe and Sparky are unique animals with their own personalities and characteristics that make each special–just like your own children or all the children in your classroom. First with children, make a list of Joe and Sparky’s character traits based on the book. Then ask students to make a list of their own character traits. If you are working with preschoolers or kindergartners and sharing this book, you can make a general list and then students can choose one or two words to write or illustrate depending on their ability level.
2. Ask students: what is your talent? You discover in the end of the story what Sparky’s talent is and it is great! So, do a think, pair, share activity in your classroom. Ask students to think what their talent (s) is, pair them up with other students and tell them to share with their partners, and then their partners share the talent with the class.
3. What is a superstar? Ask students to draw a picture, write a poem, write their own story, or any other way to describe what a superstar is in their opinion. This could also be a Mother’s Day/Father’s Day/Christmas present idea with something like: My mom is a superstar because_____________. Students fill in the blank and illustrate the sentence. OR My dad is a superstar like Sparky and Joe because_________________________________.
Before I moved to New York 10 years ago, I thought the idea of living above a store was so old fashioned. Wasn't that what Nellie's family did in Little House on the Prairie? No one does that anymore, right? Wrong. Although, most people don't live above or behind their own business these days (they commute, I guess), Yona Zeldis McDonough's The Doll Shop Downstairs takes us back to a time, when such a thing was not uncommon. In this case, the store is a doll repair shop, and what girl wouldn't love to live above a doll shop?
McDonough writes in an afterward that her inspiration came from the real life story of Madame Alexander. The fictional family in her story are Russian Jewish immigrants. The three daughters love to play with the expensive dolls who are waiting for repairs. However, when WWI begins, their father finds he can no longer obtain the necessary parts to repair broken dolls because all the parts come from Germany. Instead, the family works together to design and make their own, "limited edition" dolls, which are then spotted by a buyer from FAO Schwartz.
The city is very important to the girls' story and McDonough splendidly conveys a detailed sense of place throughout the story. The family lives in the Lower East Side, and there are many references to the kinds of sights and places they see on a daily basis and for special treats. The "packed narrow streets," "crammed with shops, horses, wagons, pushcarts and crowds of people" are contrasted with the wide streets of Fifth Avenue lined with fancy, upscale shops. Moreover, the girls are exposed to a variety of different types of people -- one of the best things about living in the city.
This book is doubly interesting because it seamlessly incorporates, without being didactic, the historical moment in which the action occurs. Small details play a large part in establishing the world the girls live in. I wonder how my son would feel if I sent him to school with a lunch made of "rye bread spread with horseradish, a cold boiled potato, and apple." The family's economic situation changes with the start of the war, the mother must take in work and the girls try to think of ways to earn money. But the girls apply their boundless energy and creativity to help move their family forward.
McDonough has written solid book, with much to recommend it. Heather Maione's black and white illustrations are perfectly suited to the time period. The characters are appealing, the family, even in difficult times, sticks together and the overall tone is positive. Early chapter book readers will enjoy this one and younger ones should have no difficulty following it as a read aloud.
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4 Comments on Entrepreneurial City: The Doll Shop Downstairs, last added: 10/4/2011
Fancy Nancy is growing up and so are her readers. Kids who are growing out of the Fancy Nancy picture books and leveled readers will be thrilled to see this new series of chapter books featuring all of the characters from the previous books by Jane O’Connor. O’Connor’s sweet, funny text is paired well with Robin Preiss-Glasser’s illustrations once again in this story.
This engaging easy reader for the most beginning-est of beginning readers will delight parents and children alike. Cat the Cat travels from scene-to-scene encountering many animals and answering the question “Cat the Cat, who is that?” and the animals answer with names like “Duck the Duck” and “Mouse the Mouse” and “Rhino the Rhino”. Until Cat the Cat comes to a creature with large eyes, a blue tongue, four arms and three legs. When Cat the Cat is asked “Cat the Cat, who is that?” the answer from the creature is “Blargie!” Cat takes this answer in stride and goes off to play with her new friend, “Blargie.” The illustrations are adorable in this book and are so cartoon-like you can almost see the characters moving through the page. The text is presented in large white word bubbles and is large and clear for early readers. The repetition of words and sounds allows beginning readers a chance to build some reading confidence with engaging characters and a sweet story. For more beginning readers by Mo Willems, look for Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep, Let’s Say Hi to Friends who Fly, and the Elephant and Piggie books.
“Where Every Puppy Finds a Home” is the tagline to the Puppy Place series in which the Peterson family fosters unwanted puppies until they can find their ‘forever’ home. Charles and Lizzie (and their baby brother the Bean) are crazy about dogs and are very excited to be fostering Sweetie, a wonderfully smart and loving poodle who quickly learns some impressive tricks. She’s such a good performer, in fact, that Charlie and his friends think she’d make a great companion to a circus clown they know. But is the circus the right life for Sweetie or can she find some other venue for her talents?
4 Comments on Feline City: Jenny and the Cat Club, last added: 3/2/2011
Third grader Judy Moody loves reading Nancy Drew novels and has decided she wants to be a detective just like Nancy. She puts together her detective kit, and even includes an emergency tube of lipstick in case she needs to write an “S.O.S.” on a window or mirror. With her friends and her brother Stink she forms a detective agency, calls herself Judy Drewdy, and goes looking for mysteries. She discovers who took the candy and finds her teacher’s missing glasses. When a police officer comes to her school and his police puppy Mr. Chips goes missing, Judy finds herself with a real case to solve.
I tend to prefer books which use the city as a backdrop for the action of the story, rather than books which are about a particular city. Yet, I know there is a desire for parents to find books which will introduce famous cities to their children, perhaps hoping that it will instill an appreciation for and curiousity about other places, or a desire to visit other lands.
, 
, and 
. 
is up next (April 2011), and after that...? I vote for Dodsworth in Madrid.
Mom says:
featuring soft-boiled detectives of the furry variety. There are eight books in the series. They are very dialogue heavy and while they are fun easy readers, I wouldn't necessarily recommend them as a read aloud. Reading dialogue fluently is an important skill for every budding reader to practice, but unless the parent enjoys dramatics, it might not make for the most interesting listening experience. (Although it could be argued that listening to dialogue is important, too. So what do I know?)
A classmate tells 3rd grader Dyamonde that it’s her mother’s job to give her what she needs. When she tries that approach on her mother about a pair of red high-top shoes that she feels she really needs, it totally backfires. In an effort to teach her a lesson about true need, her mother takes away everything that she doesn’t really need and leaves her with only one outfit to wear. After all, that is all she needs, isn’t it? While it doesn’t seem that things could be any worse than Dyamonde’s plight, something even worse does happen when a classmate’s family loses everything in an apartment fire. Dyamonde suddenly understands the meaning of need vs. want and she decides to do whatever she possibly can to help this family in need.
The Ruby Rose Show is part of the We Both Read series, a series of books meant to be read by parents and children together. The pages alternate with the left side page containing more complex text to be read by the parent and the right side page containing easier reading material suitable for early reading levels to be read by the child.
Fourth grader, George Brown, is trying really hard to be on good behavior. Unfortunately, sometimes his stomach gets a funny feeling like there are a million bubbles trying to get out and when that happens they explode into a super BURP! That super burp always causes George to do crazy things and his good behavior is out the window!
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