Reading Level: Early Elementary

There Was An Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon!

In this space-themed Old Lady Book, an old astronaut takes off into space and “swallowed the moon. I don’t know why she swallowed the moon, it happened at noon.” In between the old lady swallowing different space objects, two characters ask and answer space questions. For example, a girl asks, “How does the moon stay in the sky?” Her friend answers, “Gravity’s force keeps it up high.”

The only positive aspect of the story is that it teaches some space facts. The end of the book has two pages of space facts and the illustrations contain hidden objects. Unlike The Old Lady Who Swallowed the Fly, There Was An Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon doesn’t have the same silly rhyme scheme that gives the words a fun flow. While the space facts are interesting, they are oddly placed and they break up the rhyme and repetition.

The story is illustrated with bright colors on top of space’s blackness. The illustrations have the same grainy aspect as a chalkboard. Some of the illustrations are funny, but others leave the reader wondering how the old astronaut swallows a comet, a rocket, and still has room for a satellite. In the end, the reader finds out that the old astronaut is actually in a planetarium and was only pretending to swallow the space objects. However, instead of being humorous, the ending falls flat.

There Was An Old Astronaut Who Swallowed the Moon is a picture book with 1 to 2 sentences per page. However, the story is not intended for children to read it for the first time independently. Younger readers may enjoy the story’s silliness, but parents may want to leave this Old Woman Book on the shelf. Unfortunately, the lack of rhyming, the odd illustrations, and the space facts do not blend well together.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Don’t Touch My Hair!

Aria loves her hair. It’s soft and bouncy and grows up toward the sun like a flower. But what will Aria do when curious hands can’t resist touching her curls?

Based on the author’s experience, Don’t Touch My Hair! uses humor to show how uncomfortable Aria feels when someone touches her hair. In the author’s note, Miller explains, “This is also a story about personal boundaries and what I would like to be used as a tool to teach the importance of asking for permission first. I hope that, after reading Don’t Touch My Hair!, children can learn the importance of asking for permission and of not being afraid to say ‘no’—and not being afraid to hear ‘no,’ too!”

The picture book is full of bright and colorful pictures that show how Aria tries to blend in with the scenery. However, people, mermaids, monkeys, and even a space alien want to touch Aria’s hair. Younger readers will love the wonderful and often silly illustrations. Throughout the story, the illustrations include diverse people of different ages and races. Not every child will relate to Aria’s conflict; however, Don’t Touch My Hair! would be a great book to teach about personal boundaries.

Even though Don’t Touch My Hair! is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently. Most pages contain 1-3 sentences, which makes the story a quick read. Don’t Touch My Hair! is an entertaining and humorous story that focuses on Aria’s need to speak up and tell others not to touch her hair because it makes her uncomfortable. Readers who enjoyed Don’t Touch My Hair! should add Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry to their reading list because both books highlight the importance of expressing yourself.

Sexual Content

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Supernatural

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Grama’s Hug

When May comes to live with Grama, they become an unstoppable team. Together they create art, birdwatch, and prepare inventions for the annual space fair. And they never, ever say goodbye without a hug. But when May wins the opportunity of a lifetime and gets ready to take off—literally—on her own, Grama worries: will May leave on her longest adventure yet without a hug?

May wants to “soar” just like the birds. With Grama’s help, May makes bird wings so she and Grama can go on adventures. “May wanted to take off to the stars one day. So, every year she prepared for the space fair and Grama eagerly assisted.” With the help of illustrations, the reader is able to see May’s science fair projects win year after year.

The relationship between May and Grama is sweet, and the two clearly love spending time together. The story begins with May going to live with her Grama. However, the reader does not know why. Readers will enjoy both May’s imagination and her love of science. While several pages show May receiving awards at the annual space fair, the story skips the hard work that goes into each project and unrealistically shows May winning the space fair five years in a row.

The whimsical illustrations are full of color and add beautiful details that children will enjoy looking at over and over. Birds appear in many of the pictures, which help reinforce May’s desire to fly. Grama and May even make their own wings and pretend to fly off to find a new planet. Several illustrations show May with a group of children from diverse backgrounds which shows that science isn’t just for one type of person, but is for everyone.

While children may not understand all the story’s themes, they will understand the importance of imagination and having big dreams. The story is a little disjointed and has some unrealistic parts, but the main theme is clear—everyone can make their dreams come true. Grama’s Hug is a picture book with 1 to 3 sentences per page. Some of the sentences are complex and will require the story to be read by a parent before it is read independently. Grama’s Hug allows readers to see the importance of hugs and saying goodbye and will inspire readers to dream big. Space-loving readers should also check out Mousetronaut by Mark Kelly and Mae Among The Stars by Roda Ahmed.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Alien Scout

Harris is the only person who knows Zeke’s secret—Zeke is an alien. When Harris decides to go on a Beaver Scout wilderness trip, he wants Zeke to go with him. Zeke is confused about all of the fun activities that will happen at camp, but he is excited to spend time with Harris and learn more about humans. The only problem is that Zeke is a little careless with his powers. When one of the other scouts becomes suspicious of Zeke, Harris isn’t sure how to keep Zeke’s identity a secret from the other scouts.

Zeke and Harris go on a fun adventure where Zeke learns all about scout camp. During most of the activities, Zeke isn’t shy about using his alien powers. For example, he floats to the top bunk, and he rows a canoe with his mind. Despite knowing the importance of hiding his true identity, Zeke continues to use his powers, especially to help others. When one of the scouts falls into a raging river, Zeke jumps in and saves him. The only suspense in the story comes from one camper who is suspicious and thinks that Zeke is different.

Even though the plot lacks suspense, seeing human activity from an alien’s point of view is entertaining, especially when Zeke gets confused by human speech. For example, when a camp counselor says, “Time to hit the hay,” Zeke wonders, “Why would I want to hit hay?” While Alien Scout isn’t as entertaining as the previous books in the series, readers will enjoy the relationship between Zeke and Harris.

Besides the fun topic, Alien Scout has a variety of other elements that are perfect for readers who are transitioning to chapter books. Each page contains a large black and white illustration that helps break up the text. The illustrations will help readers understand the wide range of emotions each character feels. The large font, simple vocabulary, short chapters, and dialogue make Alien Scout a fun book to add to a beginning reader’s book list.

Sexual Content

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Violence

  • At camp, someone tells a scary story about a witch. Two kids find her at their house and the witch says, “So you’ve decided to have dinner at home. Excellent. In fact, I just finished eating my appetizers, though you knew them as Mom and Dad.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

  • Zeke is an alien. He can float, heat objects, and project what he sees in his head onto screens.
  • When the camp bus gets a flat tire, Zeke fixes it. “I’m redirecting energy from the Earth’s sun through my hands to heat the rubber enough so it’ll melt and seal the hole in the tire.”

Spiritual Content

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Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13

You’ve likely heard of the historic Apollo 13 mission. But do you know about the mathematical genius who made sure that Apollo 13 returned home safely?

As a child, Katherine Johnson loved to count. She counted the steps to the road, the number of dishes and spoons she washed in the kitchen sink—everything! Boundless, curious, and excited by calculations, young Katherine longed to know as much as possible about math and about the universe.

From Katherine’s early beginnings as a gifted student to her heroic accomplishments as a prominent mathematician at NASA, Counting on Katherine is the story of a groundbreaking American woman who not only calculated the course of the moon landing but saved lives and made enormous contributions to history.

In a time when women could not find jobs as research mathematicians, Katherine took a job as a teacher. However, the “space race” gave Katherine and other women an opportunity to work at NASA. Because of Katherine’s accuracy and strong leadership skills, astronaut John Glenn and others relied on Katherine’s mathematical calculations. Counting on Katherine explains how Katherine Johnson helped determine a spaceship’s trajectory. Katherine’s life shows that with hard work and determination, dreams do come true.

Counting on Katherine’s realistic illustrations add beauty and emotion to the story. The artwork also portrays how Katherine’s life was filled with mathematics. The artwork also helps explain how mathematics is essential to space travel. The story shows how “sending a rocket ship into space is like throwing a ball in the air.” Through both text and illustrations, Katherine’s advanced mathematic equations become understandable to younger readers.

Counting on Katherine explains many of the difficulties that Katherine had to overcome, including segregation and the belief that women could only do “tasks that men thought were boring and unimportant.” Even though Counting on Katherine is a picture book, the story has wide appeal for all readers. Counting on Katherine only has 1-6 sentences per page, but younger readers will need help with the story’s advanced sentence structure and vocabulary. Readers who want to read additional inspiring space stories should read Mousetronaut by astronaut Mark Kell and Mae Among The Stars, a picture book that was inspired by the story of Mae Jemison, the first African American in space.

Sexual Content

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Supernatural

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Paw Patrol: Chase’s Space Case

Ryder and the pups see a spaceship in the sky. A space bubble comes from the ship and tries to trap a cow and Mayor Goodway. Chase has to find a way to save them. When the alien sees Chase, he tries to trap Chase in a bubble, but Chase is able to free himself.

Chase and the pups help the alien. He is trying to get home because he misses his mom. Rocky fixes the alien’s spaceship. Before the alien flies home, he gives Ryder and the pups a ride in his spaceship. In the end, everyone is happy.

Fans of Paw Patrol will enjoy seeing familiar characters. The story doesn’t explain why the alien was trying to catch the cow and Mayor Goodway in a bubble. However, Chase is able to save everyone, even the chicken that was in the bubble with Mayor Goodway. The alien is cute and his expression clearly shows that he is worried and scared. Ryder and the pups do everything they can to help the alien. The story shows how the pups can be friends with someone who is different from them.

Paw Patrol: Chase’s Space Case uses familiar characters and full-page illustrations to engage young readers. The story is intended for preschool through kindergarten readers, but older readers will also enjoy the story. Each page has three to thirteen simple sentences, which make the plot easy to understand. The colorful illustrations will help readers understand the story’s events. Even though the plot is not well-developed, readers will be excited to see Ryder and the pups meet a new friend.

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Supernatural

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Pony Problems

A new petting zoo has opened in River Heights. Nancy, George, and Bess can’t wait to check it out — especially since the zoo has the cutest Shetland pony named Buttons. And it looks like the Clue Crew won’t have to wait very long to get a glimpse of Buttons — he keeps escaping from his pen and showing up all over town!

Buttons is getting pretty famous for eating the flowers in everyone’s front lawns. As much as Nancy secretly wishes Buttons would turn up on her lawn, she knows it’s important to make sure he stays put. The only trouble is, no one knows how he’s getting out. Sounds like it’s time for the Clue Crew to saddle up and settle this pony problem.

Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew are determined to find out how Buttons keep escaping and they plan on using their powers of observation to solve the mystery. As they investigate, their friend tells them interesting facts about Shetland ponies. The Clue Crew uses these facts and other clues to solve the mystery.

During their investigation, the Clue Crew also meets Amanda, who lives on the farm. At first, when Nancy tries to talk to Amanda, Amanda completely ignores her. This doesn’t deter Nancy and her friends. Finally, Amanda is honest and tells the girls that she misses her old home. Luckily, Amanda’s father agrees to take Amanda to visit her old friends. In the end, the Clue Crew become Amanda’s new friends and Amanda’s conflict is solved in a hopeful manner.

The Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Series has main characters that young readers can emulate. The girls are obedient, friendly, and nice. For instance, when Mr. Drew tells the girls not to pet Buttons, “the girls are careful to keep their distance as Mr. Drew asked.” In addition, the girls are given a five-block range that they can roam, and they stay within their parent’s set perimeter.

Pony Problems has many elements that will entertain readers, including black and white illustrations that appear every 2 to 5 pages. The pictures break up the text and help readers visualize the events in the plot. The last page of the book gives directions for making a craft pony as well.

Buttons’ behavior will make readers laugh and readers will enjoy solving the mystery. While readers will be drawn into the story because of the pony, parents will approve of the characters’ good behavior. Pony Problems is a wholesome story that will entertain both mystery fans and horse lovers.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

  • Nancy tells George, “Your brother is a nut.”
  • George says, “My brother can be such a spaz sometimes.”

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Roscoe and the Pony Parade

The spring festival is in town! Happy Go Lucky and his friends from Big Apple can’t wait to see what it’s all about. There will be games, decorations, and the ponies will even march in the big parade!

But then Rosco goes missing at the festival. A trip to town could be dangerous for a tiny barn mouse! Can Happy find his big-eared buddy—or will Roscoe be lost forever?

Roscoe, a curious mouse, can’t wait to explore everything at the festival! While at the fair, Roscoe doesn’t intend to get trapped in a bag of cotton candy or go swimming in one of the games, but he seems to find trouble around every corner. Readers will laugh at Roscoe’s antics and wonder what the little mouse will do next.

With a simple plot, the book is easy to read and will capture the attention of horse fans. Roscoe and the Pony Parade will have readers giggling as it reinforces the importance of staying together and not wandering away from a group. When Roscoe gets lost, Happy and the other horses worry about his safety. Roscoe’s friends don’t want the mouse to get left behind when everyone heads back to Big Apple Barn. The message is clear: “One of the rules is that we have to stick together.”

Readers will be drawn into the story because of the beautiful horses, the wise barn cat, and the little mouse, Roscoe. Black and white illustrations appear every 2 to 4 pages and help break up the text in order to keep readers engaged. The text is easy to read, with short sentences and colorful dialogue that gives the horses personality. The last page of the book explains how a horse sees. Roscoe and the Pony Parade’s action and adventure will please all readers who love animals.

Sexual Content

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Violence

  • Roscoe is chased by a group of people. “Everyone was darting in different directions. Happy thought he could make out the vendor, the booth owner, and the cheesemaker zigzagging across the square, their arms stretched out in front of them.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Marley Firehouse Dog

When Marley and his family are out for a walk around town, they are pleased to be invited into the fire station for a tour! Unhappily, Marley has to stay behind . . . or at least, that’s what his family says. Before long, Marley has chewed through his leash and is leading his own tour of the firehouse. From the kitchen to the garage, Marley is hot on the trail for some mischief!

Firehouse Dog gives readers a glimpse behind the walls of a firehouse. When Marley sneaks into the firehouse, he makes quite a mess as he inspects the sleeping quarters, the classroom, and the kitchen. Readers will laugh as the fire chief tries to find out which one of the firefighters made such a mess. The cute conclusion shows Marley dressed as a firefighter. In the end, the firefighters and Marley’s family both help clean up the messy firehouse.

Young readers will fall in love with Marley, a mischievous dog, who becomes a fire dog for the day. Each page of Firehouse Dog has a large, brightly colored illustration that will help younger readers visualize the story’s actions. The story showcases a traditional family unit and their adorable dog Marley. Each page has 24 or fewer words. The story uses longer sentences and has some challenging words that readers may need help with.

Firehouse Dog is an engaging story that shows positive interactions between the characters. Even though Marley makes quite a mess, no one scolds him. Instead, everyone works together to clean up the mess—even the fire chief and the youngest family member. Even though Marley is featured in over 20 books, the books do not need to be read in order. The wonderful illustrations and fun plot make Firehouse Dog a good choice for young readers.

Sexual Content

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Supernatural

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Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution

Squirrel hears about New Year’s resolutions, but she doesn’t know what they are. So she visits her friends to find out what they resolve to do in the new year. Bear wants to help others learn to read. Porcupine decides to be less grumpy. What will Squirrel choose to do for her resolution?

 Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution explains the significance of a resolution in kid-friendly language. The story goes through the steps of making a resolution. Bear starts by explaining, “A resolution is a promise you make to yourself to be better or to help others. When we begin a new year, we make a fresh start.”

When Squirrel still isn’t sure what to do, Rabbit tells him, “Think of a way to improve yourself. Or a way to use what you’re good at to help others.”

The story concludes with Rabbit pointing out that even though Squirrel had not verbalized a resolution, Squirrel has helped others. Throughout the story, Squirrel helps other characters find realistic ways to keep their resolutions. Rabbit tells Squirrel, “Your actions are better than words. It looks like you resolved to help someone every day.”

Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution has illustrations with friendly forest animals in bright colors. Each two-page spread contains one full-page illustration as well as one or more large illustrations. Not only are the pictures beautiful to look at, they also show the animals’ emotions. Each page contains 3-9 sentences and the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently.

Younger readers will enjoy the simple plot and detailed illustrations of Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution. The story is not only engaging, but also encourages readers to improve themselves, help others, and make the world a better place. The enjoyable story and positive message make Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution a must-read.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Supernatural

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Astronaut PiggyWiggy

 PiggyWiggy dreams of being an astronaut. Along with his faithful friend and companion, Teddy, he boards a rocket dressed in his special space suit and blasts off to explore the wonders of the planets. What will bring PiggyWiggy down to earth again?

PiggyWiggy’s imagination comes to life in illustrations that use bold colors. While the pictures are simple, they do have some cute details that children will love, such as a parade of animals carrying space helmets. Each two-page spread has one sentence that is written in large print. While in space, PiggyWiggy meets some colorful aliens and puts a flag on another planet.

PiggyWiggy’s adventure has a simple plot with 5 to 17 words on each two-page spread. Even though Astronaut PiggyWiggy is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently. The short story will entertain younger readers who have a short attention span. Astronaut PiggyWiggy will teach a few facts about space. Space-loving readers will also enjoy Moon’s First Friends: One Giant Leap for Friendship by Susanna Leonard Hill. Both books are imaginative stories that introduce young readers to space.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Cowgirl Grit

Sydney Todachine wasn’t expecting to spend the summer at her grandpa’s ranch on a Navajo reservation. But when her parents go on a research trip, Sydney has to leave San Diego and go to the Navajo reservation. When she gets to her grandpa’s place, she is even more upset that her cousin Hadley is also staying at the ranch because he has always been mean to her. Without any of her friends, Sydney is prepared for a terrible summer.

But then Sydney bonds with a beautiful horse named Midnight. She doesn’t want to embarrass herself, so she rides the horse in the middle of the night. Sydney thinks she can never be as good of a rider as the experienced cowboys and cowgirls. How can Sydney find the courage to saddle up and compete in the upcoming rodeo?

Readers will relate to Sydney, who is having a difficult time adjusting to being at her grandfather’s. Even though she loves riding, Sydney doesn’t want anyone to see her riding Midnight because she is afraid others will make fun of her skills. In addition to that worry, Sydney is upset because Hadley teases her for dressing like a city girl. Hadley’s teasing makes Sydney want to avoid him at all costs, but how can she avoid her cousin while they are living together?

Readers will relate to Sydney’s insecurities and her desire to fit in. Cowgirl Grit focuses on Sydney and her fears, but it also introduces readers to the rodeo. While the characters are undeveloped and the story conclusion is unrealistic, Sydney grows and becomes more confident over the course of the story. She also learns to get along with her cousin and make new friends.

Sydney and her family are Navajo and the story takes place on a Navajo reservation, but the Navajo culture is never introduced. The story misses the opportunity to share cultural knowledge. While the story has diverse characters, the characters are one-dimensional and generic.

Horse lovers will enjoy the story and the cute black and white illustrations that appear every 4 to 7 pages. The story has a simple plot, easy vocabulary, and realistic conflicts. The ten short chapters and full-page illustrations make Cowgirl Grit a quick read. For those who would like to use Cowgirl Grit as a learning opportunity, the end of the book has a word glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts, and a glossary of rodeo events. Readers who want more horse stories should add the Big Apple Barn Series by Kristin Earhart to their reading list.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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The Biggest, Best Snowman

Little Nell lives with BIG mama, BIG Sarah, and BIG Lizzy. They think she’s too small to do anything. So little Nell goes into the big, snowy woods to play with her friends Reindeer, Hare, and Bear Cub. They don’t think she’s too small at all. They think she can build a BIG snowman. And with their help, she does—the biggest, best snowman ever!

Little Nell would like to help with something, but her family thinks she’s too small to help. Nell goes into the snowy woods and plays with her animal friends. When Nell’s friends want her to make a snowman, she says she can’t because “I’m so small.” Bear asks, “How do you know unless you try?” With the help of her friends, Nell makes a gigantic snowman. When she shows her family the snowman, they realize that she isn’t too small to help.

The Biggest, Best Snowman will appeal to a wide range of readers—the story is set in a winter scene with cute forest animals. After Nell and her forest friends have a tea party, they all work to build a snowman. Nell starts by patting snow into a ball, and then each animal helps make the snowball larger. Even the birds help with the snowman by finding objects to make a face. The illustrations have pops of blue and green that help give the story a festive feeling. Nell’s BIG family is portrayed oddly. One sister has silly details, such as holly in her hair and Christmas ornament earrings. However, the other sister is obese, sulky, and ill-mannered.

Even though The Biggest, Best Snowman is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page contains 1-8 sentences with some complex sentences. The pictures are beautiful and have some fun details. For example, when the animals roll the snowball, their tracks spell out snow. However, the story’s repetitious dialogue and the repetition of the word BIG may irritate some readers. Some might find the odd sisters and their behavior silly, but others might find it slightly disturbing. For example, the mom pulls the big sisters on a sled, up a hill, while the younger sister has to walk.

The Biggest, Best Snowman teaches that even little kids can do something big with the help of their friends. However, there are better winter books to read including, The Snowmen At Night by Caralyn Buehner, Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer, and A Loud Winter’s Nap by Katy Hudson.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Shampoodle

Two kids take a group of dogs to the salon so they can be groomed for picture day. When the dogs get to Shampoodle, the groomers begin cutting the dogs’ hair. There’s “scrubbing. Bubbling. . . Rubbing. Patting. . .Tangling . . . Combing.” Then a couple of cats come in and the “puppies spot them.” Chaos ensues as the dogs begin to chase the cats. The chaos causes the groomers to make some silly errors with the dog’s hair.

When the dogs are finally picture-perfect, the two kids head to the park. But the excited dogs find some mud and soon create a “dog mud slide.” The dogs and the kids finally make it to the park and get their picture. In the picture, both the kids and the dogs are a silly, muddy mess.

Shampoodle makes reading fun. The colored illustrations are full of fun details that younger readers will love. The dogs are humorous and cute, and the illustration captures the dog’s hair care journey. The story is intended to be read in preschool through first grade. Readers will recognize familiar sight words, but they will also need to sound out new words. Each page has 4-10 words and short sentences filled with rhyming and alliteration. Shampoodle is a simple, silly story and both the text and the illustrations will entertain readers over and over again.

Sexual Content

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Merhorses and Bubbles

Zoey and Sassafras go to a stream to look for bugs, but they discover that there are no bugs! Things get even more urgent when they learn that the magical creatures living in the stream are in danger because the bugs that the merhorses eat to survive have all disappeared. Zoey and her mom must solve the mystery of the stream. Can Sassafras, Zoey, and her mom find where all the bugs went? Will they be able to save the merhorses?

In Merhorses and Bubbles, Zoey uses everyday objects to create an underwater viewer. When Zoey goes to the stream, she teaches her cat, Sassafras, about her favorite stream bugs. Sassafras loves bugs and loves to chase and eat them. However, when Zoey and Sassafras can’t find any bugs, her mom helps test the water and they discover that the water is polluted. The remainder of the story focuses on investigating how the stream is being polluted and finding a way to fix the problem.

Readers will relate to the adventurous Zoey and her desire to help the merhorses. Zoey uses her “thinking goggles” and data to conclude that the stream is polluted. She relies on her parents’ help and eventually meets the magical frog named Pip. Zoey’s father cannot see the magical creatures and this creates some humorous situations that will have readers giggling. With the help of her parents, a magical frog, and Sassafras, Zoey is able to use the scientific method to save the stream.

Even though the merhorses do not play a major role in the story, readers will still enjoy the mystery of the polluted stream. Throughout the story, many lessons are taught about the environment, including how pollution affects pond creatures, how pollution gets into streams, and how something like soap can be harmful. Zoey and her parents finally discover that the pollution is caused by a group of teens who are raising money by having a car wash. Instead of taking over, Zoey’s parents allow Zoey to educate the teens, and then her parents help the teens come up with an alternative fundraiser.

Zoey’s adventure is shown through large black and white illustrations that appear on almost every page. When Zoey writes in her science journal, the font changes to large, kid-like font. While Sassafras plays a tiny role in the story, the cat appears in many of the pictures. Readers who are not fluent will need help with some of the vocabulary. However, with short paragraphs, plenty of dialogue, and a simple plot, Merhorses and Bubbles is accessible to most readers. Even though Zoey and Sassafras is a series, the books do not need to be read in order.

Zoey is a strong girl who uses science to solve problems. Through her experiences, readers will be encouraged to positively change their world for the better. Even though Zoey is a child, she still finds a way to help keep pollution out of streams. Zoey’s parents are portrayed in a positive manner and they exhibit healthy communication skills. Merhorses and Bubbles teaches valuable lessons about nature by using a fun story and a relatable character. The end of the book has a glossary that explains unfamiliar terms.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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 Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

  • Zoey calls Sassafras a goofball.

Supernatural

  • Zoey and her mom are the only people that can see and talk to the magical creatures that live in the forest.

Spiritual Content

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Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve?

Who’s knocking on Christmas Eve? Kyri is afraid that it’s the trolls that come every year and gobble up Kyri’s Christmas feast. Kyri hears someone knocking and when she peeks out the window, she sees a boy from Finnmark. Kyri lets the boy and his bear in, then quickly closes the door.

The next time Kyri hears knocking, she knows it’s the trolls. Kyri and the boy from Finnmark try to keep the trolls outside, but the trolls are able to sneak in. The hungry trolls chase Kyri and the boy outside. As the trolls eat Kyri’s Christmas dinner, Kyri wonders if anyone will be able to save it.

Beuer brings a Norwegian fairytale to life with her beautiful illustrations. Each picture is detailed and includes side panels, borders, and a lot of winter landscapes. The artwork is beautiful, but the trolls may be frightening for younger readers. In order to fully grasp the story’s illustrations, readers must look at the decorative side panels that focus on the different characters.

Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve? is not a typical Christmas story. Although the story takes place in winter, the focus is on the mischievous trolls who want to gobble up dinner. Some readers may be frightened by both the trolls and the polar bear that chases them away. Even though Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve? is a picture book, it is intended to be read aloud to a child rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has four or fewer lines of text. The complex sentences and detailed pictures will require readers to take their time to enjoy the story. Even though the story is not well-developed, readers will enjoy the pictures and the conclusion of Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve?

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Rain Forest Relay

Russell was the one that convinced his friends to try out for the race around the world. That’s why he’s so surprised that all four of his friends are in the same group, but he’s in a group with strangers. Running the race will be extra difficult for a team that knows nothing about each other. Despite this, Russell and his team are eager to begin the first leg of the course.

As they race through the lush Amazon rain forest, Russell and his team see amazing animals, raging rapids, and toxic venom. But the animals aren’t the only danger in the race. In order to win, Russell’s friends aren’t afraid to be sneaky and cheat. Russell isn’t sure what he should do. He knows what his friends are doing is wrong, but he doesn’t want them kicked out of the race. Can the red team learn to work as a team? Is there any way Russell and the red team can finish the race ahead of the sneaky green team?

Rain Forest Relay is a fast-paced story that takes the readers on a race through the Amazon. Although the story has plenty of adventure, it also hits on the topic of cheating in order to win. Throughout their journey, they continue to struggle with the green team’s ability to show up unexpectedly. Russell explores his conflict with his friends’ behavior and his desire to keep his friends’ activity a secret. By the end of the book, Russell has not answered these questions, but he knows that his team can win if they use teamwork.

With nine short chapters, each chapter packs a lot of adventure into it. While the race is interesting, a lot of animal information is thrown at the reader. Occasionally, the story seems more like a textbook than an adventure story. The four main characters are featured on the cover and are diverse—one is African American, one is Indian, one is Hispanic, and one is Caucasian. However, the characters’ races are never discussed and the characters are generic. While the characters are likable and competent, they are not alone on their journey. Instead, each group has an adult that keeps an eye on the contestants and makes sure they are safe.

Black and white illustrations appear every 3-6 pages, and the beginning of each chapter has interesting facts about the rainforest and the animals who make the Amazon their home. Fluent readers will enjoy trying to solve the race’s clues and learning about the Amazon. Rain Forest Relay is an engaging story that will entertain any reader who loves animals and adventure.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Snowmen At Night

Have you ever wondered about the secret life of a snowman? Maybe one morning his grin is a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have drooped, and you’ve thought. . . What do snowmen do at night?

Now is your chance to marvel at their magical frosty adventures, as roly-poly snowmen slide away to the park for an evening of wintertime merrymaking. Once the sun goes down, let the snowman fun begin! And just to add to the wintertime mystery, Mark Buehner has hidden the following in his paintings: a cat, a rabbit, a Santa face, and a Tyrannosaur Rex.

Snowmen At Night is a simple story about the fun snowmen have when everyone is asleep. Told in rhyme with entertaining imagery, readers will enjoy seeing snowmen sipping hot coca, skating on a frozen pond, and having a snowball fight. Most pages have one sentence, which makes Snowman At Night a wonderful read-aloud bedtime story. To add to the story’s appeal, the text is not always linear; it occasionally swoops along with the snowmen.

Even though Snowman At Night is a picture book, it is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. The story’s illustrations are bright, colorful, and the snowmen often look like they are ready to jump off the page. To add to the fun, the reader can search for hidden images within the illustrations. Snowman At Night is a fabulously fun story that will keep its appeal year after year. Grab a hot chocolate, snuggle up with a little one, and let Snowman At Night show you what fun winter can be. Readers who want to add more winter fun should add A Snowy Nap by Jan Brett to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

 

Lost in the Snow

Fluff, a barn cat, is desperate to find a home of her own. Sadly, no one seems to want her. Then a little girl named Ella comes to the farm where Fluff lives. Ella begs her mother to let her take the kitten home, but her mother says, “No.” What happens to kittens that nobody wants?

Lost in the Snow alternates between Fluff’s and Ella’s points of view. While most people think Fluff is scrawny and ugly, Ella sees the beauty of Fluff and she is devastated because her parents won’t let her bring Fluff home. Soon Ella’s parents give in, but when they return to the farm, they discover that Fluff has run away.

Fluff becomes lost as she decides to look for Ella. While Fluff has always been shy and skittish, she soon learns to stick up for herself. While the conclusion is predictable, readers will love the happy ending because Fluff and Ella finally find each other.

Animal lovers will enjoy Lost in the Snow with its simple plot and realistic conflicts. Cute black and white illustrations appear every one to four pages, which helps break up the text. Younger readers will need help reading Lost in the Snow because of the advanced vocabulary and sentence structure. While all of the Pet Rescue Adventures are similar, each book has different characters and enough plot changes to keep the stories interesting. Holly Webb has written 40+ animal stories, which will keep readers busy for many, many hours. However, animal lovers may also want to check out The Rescue Princesses Series by Paula Harrison for more animal rescue adventures.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When the adults aren’t looking, a boy “held Fluff out at arm’s length and made a disgusting face at her. . . He grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and poked her angrily. . . He made a growling noise.”
  • When a boy is mean to Fluff, her “fur stood up on end. She hissed angrily at Nathan, then sank a mouthful of sharp little teeth into the finger that he was poking her with. He yelped and dropped her.” Fluff runs away.
  • Fluff is standing on a wall when a tomcat “made a low growling noise as he inched toward her. Then, in one quick movement, he lifted one of his enormous paws and cuffed Fluff around the head, sending her flying. Dazed, Fluff landed badly on pavement below.” Fluff is scared but uninjured.
  • Fluff sneaks into a store and begins eating dog food. Then a dog “chased Fluff out onto the pavement, his teeth only inches from her tail. . . [Fluff] stood nose to nose with the little dog and snarled, her tail twitching. Then as he started to bark again, she shot out a paw and raked her tiny claws down his muzzle.” The dog’s owner throws a newspaper at Fluff and she runs away.
  • A fox “grinned at Fluff, showing his enormous teeth. Fluff was trapped, but she wasn’t giving up. . . She fluffed up her fur and hissed defiantly, as much to make herself feel brave as anything else. . . Fluff batted at it angrily with one tiny paw. It was like hitting a rock.” Fluff and the fox end up becoming friends.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • A boy calls Fluffy a “ratty little thing.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Little Lost Robin

On the edge of the deep wood lives an old Hare. Once he would dance under the magical moon, but now he spends his time daydreaming. Every day, the Hare would walk into the woods and feed the birds. All of the birds fly away for the winter, except Robin. Every day, the Hare walks in the woods to visit his friend.

Hare worries about Robin when a big storm blows in, covering everything in snow. The next morning, Hare goes in search of his friend. Is Robin safe? Will Hare find his friend?

Beautiful artwork brings Hare and Robin’s friendship to life. The story starts with gentle green mountains and fades to muted fall colors and finally to the blistery white of winter. As Hare wanders into the woods, younger readers will enjoy looking for Robin’s scarlet feathers. Hare’s facial expressions show that he cares for Robin. The Little Lost Robin is a beautiful story about the benefit of their special friendship.

The Little Lost Robin doesn’t only have beautiful pictures; the poetic words use alliteration, imagery, and dialogue to describe the woods and the animal’s friendships. It is unclear why Robin does not fly south with the other birds. However, Robin’s experiences would be the perfect way for parents to introduce the reason why birds fly south for the winter.

The Little Lost Robin is a picture book that is intended to be read aloud to a child, instead of being read independently. With five or fewer sentences on each page, the story is a quick read. The Little Lost Robin is a sweet story about two friends that help make each other’s day more enjoyable. Readers who would like a little more fall fun should add A Loud Winter’s Nap by Katy Hudson to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Snowy Nap

Snow is on the way and as Hedgie trundles around the farm all his friends tell him of the winter-time fun he will miss when he hibernates—Icicles decorating the chicken coop! Lisa making snowmen! The pond turned to slippery ice! It sounds so amazing that Hedgie decides to stay awake instead of going to his burrow. But when a snowstorm starts, Lisa has to rescue Hedhie and bring him inside. But it’s okay! Hedgie gets to see the wonders of winter from inside the cozy house.

Readers will be introduced to the idea of hibernation from Hedgie’s point of view. As the curious hedgehog walks through the farm, different animals tell Hedgie what he will miss while he is taking his long winter nap. Although there is little action, animal lovers will enjoy all the farm animals. Before he hibernates, Hedgie is able to see the other animals enjoy winter activities. Readers will giggle when the farm animals take over Lisa’s living room because they want to see winter “from a nice warm house.”

Bauer’s illustrations have an old-fashioned feeling to them. Each picture is detailed and includes side panels, borders, and a lot of winter activities. The artwork is beautiful and charming. Hedgie appears on each page, and also includes decorative side panels that focus on the different animals. The hedgehog is absolutely adorable and readers will love how the other animals look through the windows to take a peek at Hedgie, who is tucked in a warm bed by the window.

As readers fall into the winter landscape, they will be able to relate to Hedgie, who really wants to be a part of the adventures of winter. Even though A Long Winter Nap is a picture book, it is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has four or fewer sentences. The complex sentences and detailed pictures will require readers to take their time to enjoy the story. Readers who want more winter fun should add Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

 

Dragon’s Merry Christmas

As Christmas nears, Dragon is excited to decorate. First, Dragon looks for the perfect Christmas tree. Then, he makes a candy wreath, but Dragon keeps eating the sweet chocolates. Eventually, all of the candy is gone and Dragon has a stomachache. Eating too much candy isn’t Dragon’s only problem. He has also lost his mittens. Dragon comes up with a creative solution, but then he loses his coat. Finally, Dragon shops for presents for himself. As he walks home, Dragon ends up giving all of his gifts to others.

Dragon’s Merry Christmas is divided into four short stories, and the first three have surprise endings. Young readers will enjoy Dragon’s adventure and the unexpected endings. In the final story, Dragon shows compassion when he sees others who are in need. For example, Dragon sees “some raccoons singing in the street. The raccoons had no food to eat. They looked hungry.” Dragon doesn’t think twice about giving the raccoons “his big basket of food.” By the time Dragon makes it back home, his bag is empty. “There were no presents left for him. But Dragon did not feel sad.”

Readers will relate to Dragon as he struggles not to eat too much candy and loses his mittens. The four short stories have entertaining, yet simple plots. Each page has 1-4 easy-to-read sentences and large illustrations. Dragon’s Merry Christmas is intended for children who are learning to read. With simple text, humor, and full-color illustrations on every page, Dragon’s Merry Christmas will help readers build confidence and fluency. If you’re ready to dig out Christmas tree lights and decorate for the season, Dragon’s Merry Christmas will help get you into the holiday spirit.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Knights Before Christmas

‘Twas December 24th, and three brave knights were just settling in for the night when out on the drawbridge, there arose such a clatter! The knights try everything to get rid of this unknown invader (Santa Claus!), a red and white knight with a fleet of dragons . . .

The Knights Before Christmas is a delightful parody of Clement Clarke Moore’s well-known poem “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The Knights Before Christmas is a perfect read-aloud book because each page contains four rhyming lines that detail the knights’ plight. In addition to the poem, some pages contain speech bubbles that take famous Christmas songs and give them a humorous twist. For example, one knight thinks, “I’m dreaming of a white javelin, just like the one I used to throw. . .”

Readers will laugh at the words and appreciate the adorable pictures of the knights trying to keep Santa Claus out of the castle. The picture book contains colorful, cartoonish pictures that bring detail to the knights’ activities. Younger readers may not understand all of the humor. For example, the knights “consult the king’s book on what good knights should do.” The illustration shows the king’s book, which says, “draw the bridge.” The next page shows a knight creating a drawing of a bridge. Even if readers do not understand all of the story’s humor, they will still want to read the book again and again.

The Knights Before Christmas is a festive, fun story that readers will want to pull out every Christmas season. The story contains elements that the young and the old will both enjoy.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • To prepare to chase Santa Claus away, the “Silent Knight duked it out with a many-armed coat.” The illustration shows the knight boxing a coat.
  • Trying to deliver his gifts to the knights, Santa Claus uses a catapult to throw sugarplums. While the knights hide, “dozens of sugarplums rained down on their heads. . . Three shields came in camouflage. Mint spears hit the gate, as Santa stormed that castle with his fierce dragon eight.”  Santa continues to throw the gifts, including gingerbread men, into the castle.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

Max & Mo Make a Snowman

Max and Mo, two hamsters, live in a comfortable cage in a classroom. They love watching the boys and girls. Now that it’s wintertime, the children head outside to play in the snow and make a snowman. The hamsters want to enjoy the snow, but it’s too cold. Instead, Max and Mo decide to stay in the warm, cozy classroom. How can they keep snuggly warm and make a snowman too?

Max’s and Mo’s classroom comes to life through both text and illustrations. The two hamsters are adorably cute and creative too. Instead of going outside in the cold, the hamsters jump into the Odds and Ends bin and find art supplies. As they watch the children, they begin to make their very own paper snowman. The story ends with directions so little readers can also make their very own snowman.

With repeating words and 1-3 simple sentences per page, Max & Mo Make a Snowman is perfect for beginning readers. Anyone who wants to get into the winter spirit will enjoy seeing Max and Mo build their own snowman. The two cute hamsters use creative problem solving to make a great snowman. Readers who enjoyed Max & Mo Make a Snowman may also like the Pets on the Loose series by Victoria Jamieson; however, young readers would need parents to read the graphic novel to them.

 Sexual Content

  • None

 Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None
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