Learning to read can be an exhausting affair for little ones. There are so many new words to stretch out and recognize that it's easy to get burned out after a page or two.
That's why it's so great to find beginner books that are playful and explore ideas they can relate to, and make them feel happy and accomplished.
This spring, I've highlighted five beginner series that are certain to reduce wiggles at reading time. Some are silly, others sweet, and all are fast-paced and irresistible to look at.
Max Spaniel (Two Books)
Written and illustrated by David Catrow
Orchard Books, 2009-2010
$6.99, ages 4-8, 40 pages
A goofy, lovely pooch named Max tries to convince everyone that he's not a dog in this side-splitting series about chasing your dreams.
In every book, Max gets a wild hare to be something new and gets in one funny predicament after another.
In Dinosaur Hunt, he struts about like a great hunter and ends up creating his own prey out of garden tools, then in Funny Lunch, Max declares he's a great chef, only to realize he's made a pizza mess.
Catrow's illustrations are incredibly funny and keep readers giggling.
Elephant and Piggie, 12 Books
Written and illustrated by Mo Willems
Hyperion Books for Children,
Blog: Adventures in POND SCUM (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Confession: I never was a Boy Scout (though I do have a vague memory of being a Cub Scout - or maybe that's confused with tagging along with my sisters' Brownie Troop to go to the Wonder Bread factory that made your whole soul smell like hot, sweet dough!) I am thrilled to announce I have been asked by BOY'S LIFE magazine to write a short story for them.
The significance is two-fold: A) They asked me out of the blue (which is way better than sending hundreds of SASE submissions and keeping your fingers crossed) and B) it gives me a great mid-winter push to jump into the creative water with a "small" idea, something I can have a blast writing without the heavy baggage of hundreds of pages and plot details*!
(*this is not to diminish the difficulties of writing short fiction - which I know is no picnic and I have nothing but praise for anyone who can master telling a great story in mere pages)
So now I get to let my mind wander into strange and funny territory and then pitch a few ideas to the editor...I'm thinking something with Giant Bugs.....
I'll keep ya posted.
And in a totally unrelated burp: I just LOVE this animated video of the They Might Be Giants song "The Mesopotamians" - ya gotta love these guys!!! And a major shout-out to DRAWN for giving me the link to the animated genius of David Cowles.
Congratulations on the BOY'S LIFE call. It must be a great feeling when they come looking for you.
And I loved the video clip! Thanks.
Thanks Laura - I keep discovering that every time I start to fill with "writer self-doubt" a literary angel descends with a reminder that I'm on the right path.
As you can imagine - this 'out of the blue' request put me back where I belong.
Alan