Reading Level: Early Elementary

We Are the Gardeners

In We Are the Gardeners, Joanna, and the kids chronicle the adventures of starting their own family garden. From their failed endeavors, obstacles to overcome (bunnies that eat everything!), and all the knowledge they’ve gained along the way, the Gaines family shares how they learned to grow a happy, successful garden. As it turns out, trying something new isn’t always easy, but the hardest work often yields the greatest reward. There are always new lessons to be learned in the garden!

Told through both text and words, We Are the Gardeners shows the steps to becoming a successful gardener. The full-page illustrations burst with all the colors of the garden, from the bright red of tomatoes to all the greens of the plants. The illustrations are beautiful and show the joys of gardening—digging in the dirt, picking seeds, and taking time to splash in the sprinkler. Readers will enjoy seeing children helping by watering plants, weeding, and eating the fruits of their labor.

The cheerful story doesn’t only focus on all of the positive aspects of gardening. Instead, the story also shows the failures, including a dying plant and animals feasting. However, the failures are shown as learning experiences. When a plant dies, the text reads, “Some people tell themselves they are no good at something after one small failure. But no chance were we going to give up that easy.”

Readers will learn where to put a garden, the importance of pollinators, how to identify beneficial and harmful bugs, and more. However, We Are the Gardeners also teaches important life lessons, such as using books to learn, making a plan, and “every setback and failure teaches us something.”

Even though We Are the Gardeners 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 to 3 complex sentences and some difficult vocabulary. However, We Are the Gardeners would make a perfect springtime story to read to younger children. We Are the Gardeners will inspire readers to find the perfect place to put a potted plant or make a garden of their own.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Let It Glow

Pegapony Electra loves to be outside, running as fast as she can—and she’s fast! Now that it’s time to learn to ride with the children at the Enchanted Pony Academy, Electra couldn’t be more excited. But riding is a lot harder than it looks. When Electra accidentally throws a prince onto the dirt, the other children are afraid to get in the saddle. Can she find her perfect match and keep working toward becoming a royal pony—before time runs out?

Readers will relate to Electra as she struggles to learn a new skill and worries that no one will like her. Electra is the fastest pegapony in her class, and she desperately wants a royal child to choose her as a pet. But during her first lesson, she doesn’t understand what the boy wants and accidently throws him off off the saddle. Soon Electra’s self-doubt causes her to wonder if she will be rejected during the choosing ceremony.

Let It Glow focuses on Electra’s struggle and connects it to Alana, who is afraid to try new things. Alana, who is in a wheelchair, wonders if her disability means that she cannot become her kingdom’s queen. Even though Electra is struggling with her own problems, she continues to encourage Alana. Electra’s willingness to help Alana is heartwarming and will show readers the power of kindness.

The story also highlights the importance of being careful with your words. When the children talk badly about Electra, Alana says, “Didn’t we talk about the importance of kindness in our class? Royal children are supposed to set a good example. Are you doing that by saying such nasty things to this nice pony?”

Let It Glow is the third book in the series. However, Enchanted Pony Academy books do not need to be read in order. Let It Glow will entertain those who have already transitioned to chapter books. Cute black and white illustrations help break up the text and appear every three to five pages. Although the vocabulary isn’t difficult, the text-heavy pages and long sentences may be overwhelming for beginning readers. Let It Glow will entertain readers as it teaches important life lessons about perseverance and kindness.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Electra comes to a sudden stop and “the boy flew forward, tumbling off the saddle onto the ground.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Each pegapony has a different Glitter Gift. The Glitter Gifts include being able to become invisible, being able to talk to winged animals, teleportation, and making flowers bloom. One pegapony can even shoot sparks out of his horn.
  • Electra’s Glitter Gift is making her horn and hooves glow. When she used her Gift, “she could feel a warm tingle whenever they started to light up.”
  • Several times in the story, someone levitates an object, which is usually the pegapony’s riding gear. For example, when Electra is getting ready for riding class, “Mulligan levitated the saddle onto her back and tightened the straps around her.”
  • Electra tries to go to the hundred kingdoms, but the stairs aren’t there. “Only the headmaster and headmistress could enchant the rainbow to form stairs.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

 

Cowboy Pug: The Dog Who Rode for Glory

Pug and his best friend, Lady Miranda, are ready for a horseback adventure. They gallop into trouble and are kidnapped by bandits. When they end up at the county fair, there’s lots of cotton candy and also a rampaging bull. Will the bull ruin the county fair? Can Pug and his new friend Horsey save the day?

Lady Miranda and Pug travel to a farm where they meet Frank and Horsey. Frank shows Miranda some unsuccessful magic tricks. The clueless Frank adds to the story’s humor as he causes havoc. Equally clueless are Lady Miranda’s footmen who spend most of the story chasing Lady Miranda and Pug. The silly story leads the reader to the county fair where Pug and Horsey end up surprising everyone.

Cowboy Pug will draw the reader in with humorous illustrations that have splashes of red and yellow. The large illustrations and big text make Cowboy Pug accessible to confident readers. However, younger readers may find the text-heavy pages and the vocabulary difficult. Independent readers will enjoy the adventure, the slapstick comedy, the accidents Frank causes, and Pug who is reluctant to be a cowboy.

Cowboy Pug will appeal to a wide range of readers—pet lovers, adventure seekers, and those who dream of being a cowboy. The fun story will keep readers interested until the very end. Even though Cowboy Pug is part of a series, the books do not need to be read in order to be enjoyed. Readers who enjoyed Cowboy Pug should also read the Haggis and Tank Unleashed Series by Jessica Young. Younger readers who aren’t ready to tackle Cowboy Pug might want to try the Mercy Watson Series by Kate DiCamillo.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A boy accidentally clipped a cyclist. “The cyclist wobbled into a grocery stall, sending watermelons tumbling into the road behind them.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

Pete the Cat’s Trip to the Supermarket

Along with his dad and brother, Pete the Cat heads off to the supermarket. But what happens when Dad loses the grocery list before they even get there? It’s up to Pete and Bob to help remind Dad what was on their list!

Pete and his brother help with the grocery shopping, but they don’t just get what they need. Soon the cart is full of groceries that include dinosaur eggs, cupcakes, popcorn, popsicles, and even flowers for Grandma.

Pete the Cat’s Trip to the Supermarket has a simple plot suited for a young audience. The story shows Pete’s family going through the grocery store aisles. The story lacks adventure and conflict, and instead focuses on what each character adds to the grocery cart.

Each page has large, colorful illustrations. Readers will want to take their time looking at the pictures to find some surprises. For example, a frog is passing out free samples of hot dogs and the egg freezer has dragon, ostrich, frog, and chicken eggs.

Pete the Cat’s Trip to the Supermarket is intended to be read by beginning readers. The story contains sight words and will allow children to sound out words and sentences. The short sentences and the simple plot is best suited for younger readers. As Pete and his family load up their grocery cart, parents may want to discuss food choices. The story would be a perfect conversation starter about healthy eating choices. Children will love the brightly colored illustrations, and the story encourages readers to sound out new words.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Splat the Cat and the Lemonade Stand

School’s out, and Splat can’t wait to visit the waterpark, but first, he needs to make some money selling lemonade!

Splat opens a lemonade stand to make enough money to buy a ticket to the Super Jump Water Park. But when Spike opens another lemonade stand right across the street, Splat is in for some friendly competition. He’s going to have to think fast to beat his rival!

Readers will laugh as Splat and Spike try to outsell each other. Each idea gets more outrageous until Splat and Spike finally realize that they should be working with each other instead of against each other. In the end, Splat and Spike earn enough money to pay for a water park ticket. Scotton weaves an entertaining story that has a realistic conflict, loveable characters, and teaches the importance of cooperation.

Large, full-color illustrations bring the story to life and add humor as well. The illustrations show both Splat and Spikes’ facial expressions, which will help younger readers understand the characters’ happiness, frustrations, and worries. Readers will also enjoy looking for the rat that appears in many of the pictures.

Splat the Cat and the Lemonade Stand is perfect for beginning readers. The story is designed for readers who can read on their own, but may still need a little help. Each page is illustrated and has four or fewer simple sentences. The cute pictures and the low word count make Splat the Cat and the Lemonade Stand a fun bedtime story. The simple plot, the humorous conflict, and the relatable characters all combine to make Splat the Cat and the Lemonade Stand perfect for beginning readers.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Kitty and the Tiger Treasure

Kitty’s family has secret superpowers. Kitty is a girl by day, but a cat by night. Kitty is excited to visit the museum’s new exhibit—the Golden Tiger statue. Legend says the Golden Tiger statue can grant people their heart’s desire. Kitty isn’t sure if the legend is true, but she doesn’t want her cat, Pumpkin, to miss out on the excitement.

Kitty and Pumpkin plan to sneak into the museum at night. As the two are looking through the museum, the museum cat Figaro startles them. Figaro thinks that Kitty and Pumpkin are thieves. As they talk, the real thief sneaks the Golden Tiger statue out of the museum. Can Kitty, Pumpkin, and Figaro work together to find the thief and return the statue?

Animal lovers of all kinds will fall in love with Kitty and the cat crew as they work together to stop a sneaky cat from stealing the Golden Tiger statue. Kitty and her friends meet a greedy cat who wants the statue for herself. Kitty uses the statue’s legend to scare the bad kitty, Precious, into giving up the statue. Kitty tells Precious, “But if it is true, I expect the spirits come in the dead of night and creep in through tiny cracks around the doorframe.” Even though a spooky event happens, the reader knows that Figaro, the museum cat, is the culprit—not a spirit.

Readers will enjoy Kitty, a spunky girl who values her animal friends. The fast-paced plot will keep readers flipping the pages until the very end. Each page has illustrations ranging from cat prints to detailed illustrations of Kitty and her activities. The illustrations are black and white with a pop of orange. Although most of the vocabulary is easy, younger readers may need help with some of the words. Some of the vocabulary is more advanced, such as encrusted, swished, pampering, civilized, and suspicious.

Kitty and the Tiger Treasure is a fun story for those who are ready for chapter books. The bright pictures and large text will keep the reader’s attention. Kitty’s adventures show her sneaking out of the house, walking across buildings’ roofs, and using a window to get into a pet store. In the end, Kitty and her cat crew are able to solve the mystery and return the priceless statue. However, Kitty knows that the most priceless treasure is her friends. Any young reader who has pretended to be a cat will enjoy reading the imaginative story, Kitty and the Tiger Treasure.   

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Kitty’s family has superpowers. “Kitty could see in the dark and hear noises from far away. She could also balance perfectly and perform amazing somersaults. Best of all, she could talk to animals!”
  • According to legend, the statue of the Golden Tiger has magical abilities. “The legend says that the Golden Tiger listens to your heart’s desire, and if you touch its paw, it will grant you your greatest wish.”
  • Legend also says that the statue can curse people too. “If a bad person does something to make the statue angry, it will conjure up ghostly spirits to seek revenge!”
  • Precious, a cat, can hypnotize with its golden eyes. The cat hypnotizes a dog and has the dog steal the Golden Tiger. When Kitty meets Precious, “Kitty felt the cat’s golden eyes drawing her in like a magnet. . . Kitty’s head swam. For a moment she could hardly remember why she was there. Then she thought about how much she wanted to help Cleo, and her eyes focused again.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Baseball Saved Us

“Shorty” and his family, along with thousands of Japanese Americans, are forced to relocate from their home to a “camp” after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Fighting the heat, dust, and freezing cold nights in the desert, Shorty and the others at the camp need something to look forward to, even if only for nine innings. So they build a playing field, and in this unlikely place, a baseball league is formed.

Surrounded by barbed-wire fences and guards in towers, Shorty soon finds that he is playing not only to win but to gain dignity and self-respect as well.

Although Baseball Saved Us is a picture book, the story introduces the history of Japanese American internment camps. An unnamed narrator explains the confusion of having to leave his home and the changes that came with living in the internment camp. His older brother begins spending more time with his friends and at one point becomes disrespectful. This event causes the narrator’s father to create the baseball field. With the help of others—inside and outside the camp—the baseball field becomes a reality.

The narrator knows he isn’t “that good” at baseball, but he keeps trying his best. The narrator gets angry that a guard is “always watching, always staring.” At this point, he is able to hit a home run. After that pivotal game, the narrator is back at school, being ignored by all of the white students. Baseball gives him a way to connect with the other kids. The story quickly jumps from the internment camp to events after the war. Because of the story’s choppy flow, readers may need help connecting all of the events together.

The sepia-toned illustrations mimic the colors of the desert where the internment camp was located. In most of the pictures, the faces of the people are indistinguishable, which gives the reader the feeling that the person could be anyone—even someone they know. Both the story and the illustrations explore the topics of prejudice and racism. The narrator learns how to deal with his feelings of anger and resentment. Through baseball, he is able to gain a sense of self-respect.

Although the topic is presented in kid-friendly language, Baseball Saved Us hits on heavy topics that readers may have questions about. Unlike other picture books, Baseball Saved Us has text-heavy pages as well as advanced vocabulary. The story is less about baseball and more about the narrator’s experiences in the internment camp. Baseball Saved Us will leave readers with many questions about World War II and the reasons why Japanese Americans were put in the internment camps. Baseball Saved Us would be an excellent book to read with a child and use as a conversation starter.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When Shorty was up to bat, someone yells “Jap.” The narrator “hadn’t heard that word since before I went to camp—it meant that they hated me.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Love

Love is the melody that follows us through each and every day of our lives. Whether it’s the sound of our parent’s voices lulling us to sleep, the joyful laughter of an uncle’s latest tall tale, or the warm embrace of a loved one telling us everything will be okay, it’s a feeling that takes countless forms and ultimately connects us all.

Love is a lyrical poem that illustrates the different ways love manifests itself. Sometimes love “is the smell of crashing waves, and a train whistling blindly in the distance, and each night the sky above your trailer turns the color of love.” The poem gives both positive experiences and negative experiences where people express love. “But it’s not only stars that flame out, you discover. It’s summers, too. And friendships. And people.”

Each page is beautifully illustrated in bright colors. The illustrations show people of different ethnicities and ages, a child in a wheelchair, and a Muslim girl. Each illustration portrays people showing their love to others, including a parent’s love for a child or “a quiet old lady” who helps when a fire breaks out.

Even though Love 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 poem uses easy vocabulary and each page has 2-8 lines of text. Even though younger readers will not make all the connections between the illustrations and the words, they will recognize the importance of love and how love comforts each of us. Readers who enjoyed Love, should also try I Am Enough by Grace Byers which also shows the importance of supporting each other.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Lana Swims North

Princess Lana is excited to be learning at the Royal Mermaid Rescue Crew School, but she finds it hard to speak up in class, even when she knows the answers. She doesn’t have this problem with her friends. When she’s with them, the words come easily. But when her teacher asks her a question, she’s too frightened to speak.

Then Lana meets a horned creature named Spike, who has never seen a creature like himself. With Lana’s help, Spike discovers he’s a narwhal. Lana promises to help Spike find other narwhals. When they swim to the north, Spike finds his long-lost family and Lana finally finds the courage to speak up.

Lana’s story takes the reader inside of Lana’s home, to the surface where she meets humans who attend the Enchanted Pony Academy, and to the colder waters in the north. Lana’s family and friends encourage her to help Spike. In return, Lana convinces Spike that his dolphin friends and family should know where he is—even if they aren’t alike, they still care about each other. The characters display positive communication skills.

Lana helps Spike solve his problem. This allows Lana to understand that she can be a leader. She realizes, “I like spending time thinking, solving problems. It’s what I’m good at.” Lana recognizes that her skills would make her better at “solving problems that aren’t emergencies.” Even though Lana doesn’t think quickly on her feet, she can still be a helpful member of the Rescue Crew.

Lana Swims North will entertain those who have already transitioned to chapter books. Cute black-and-white illustrations help break up the text and appear every 3-5 pages. Although the vocabulary isn’t difficult, the text-heavy pages and long sentences may be overwhelming for beginning readers. Even though the mermaids look different on the cover, in the illustrations inside the book the mermaids look very similar. Lana and her family are the only characters that have dark skin and dark hair.

Any reader who has a difficult time speaking up in class will relate to Lana. As Lana travels to the north, readers get a glimpse of various sea creatures, including turtles, walruses, dolphins, and even a polar bear. Lana Swims North takes readers on a fun underwater adventure that teaches the importance of teamwork.

 The Mermaids to The Rescue series does not need to be read in order because each book focuses on a different mermaid princess. However, readers may want to read Scott’s Enchanted Pony Academy Series first because Lana visits the school during her travels.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A polar bear shakes the ice. “Lana looked up and saw four huge black paws stalking across the ice above. It looked like they’d come crashing down on their heads at any moment. . . The bombing outside continued. Lana wondered what kind of enormous creature was stalking overhead, sending panic throughout the kingdom.” The merfolk hide.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Darn is used once.

Supernatural

  • Each seapony has a different Sea Savvy, such as blowing a big protection bubble, blowing stun bubbles, or conjuring whirlpools. One seapony can change “color until she blended in with the background.” Another seapony can swim amazingly fast.
  • When Lana wraps her arms around her seapony, “they both faded into the colors of the coral behind them, disappearing from view.”
  • Lana and some of her friends go to the surface to talk to the humans from the Enchanted Pony Academy. A magical pony casts a spell. She says, “Open the book so we can look!” The book “floated out of her saddlebag and opened in front of her.”
  • When the mermaid can’t read the book, a magical pony “used her magic to float the book closer to the river.”
  • While looking for a shell, a mermaid says, “This is a spell to find the lost shell.” The spell doesn’t work.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Gotta Warn the Unicorns

Princess Pulverizer is so close to completing the Quest of Kindness that will allow her to go to Knight School. Before she can do her next good deed, she needs to help Fortune—a unicorn she recently rescued—find his family.

When a cowardly king orders his knight to capture all the unicorns they can, it’s up to the princess and her pals to warn the unicorns before it’s too late. But first they have to find them. Can Princess Pulverizer, her friend Lucas, and Dribble the dragon save the unicorns?

With her same feisty attitude, Princess Pulverizer faces King Harvey the Lion-Hearted. The cowardly king is convinced someone is trying to poison him and the only solution is to find a unicorn horn. When his knights present the king with a false unicorn horn, Princess Pulverizer shows off her unicorn knowledge and explains why the horn is not truly from a unicorn. She didn’t mean to endanger the unicorns, but her prideful nature has made King Harvey send his knights out on a unicorn hunt.

Princess Pulverizer is determined to fix her mistake and save the unicorns. Readers will giggle as Princess Pulverizer and her friends trick the king’s knights. King Harvey’s ridiculous behavior also adds humor. However, some of the story’s humor comes from the gassy king who likes to eat beans. The story’s comedy doesn’t interfere with the important message of not showing off.

Gotta Warn the Unicorns has a spunky, selfish princess who is trying to learn to be more like a knight. In the end, she praises her friend Lucas and asks King Harvey to give Lucas the magic lion charm. The story’s conclusion will leave readers curious about where Lucas’s newfound courage will lead them. Readers will be eager to grab the next book in the series, Yo-Ho, Yo . . . NO!

Gotta Warn the Unicorns is perfect for readers who are ready for chapter books. The story contains easy vocabulary and short paragraphs. Black-and-white illustrations appear frequently and add humor to the story. Gotta Warn the Unicorns will engage readers and encourage them to be kind to others.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Princess Pulverizer has a magic mirror that shows the future.
  • Princess Pulverizer has a magic ring that allows her to enter a room in complete silence.
  • Princess Pulverizer has a magic arrow. “If ever the holder of the arrow finds themselves lost, it will always point them toward home.”
  • Princess Pulverizer has a magic mace that has “the power to heal the wounds of anyone on the side of all that is good and right.”
  • Princess Pulverizer has a truth-telling sword. “If someone is lying, it will wiggle. But if he’s telling the truth, it will lie still.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Search for the Mermicorn

Coral, Angel, and Shelly can’t wait to work on their school project about creatures in the ocean. There are so many animals to choose from! How do you pick just one? Then Angel remembers something she read about in a book–a mermicorn! It’s perfect…but are mermicorns real? Angel thinks so! And a student at the Science Center just might help her prove it!

The three purrmaid friends clearly love school and the library. As part of a class project, the purrmaids research sea animals and go to a science center to learn more. The purrmaids learn important sea creature facts that come into play later. The story reinforces the importance of learning about the natural world and respecting sea creatures.

As the friends research sea animals, they find a pod of narwhals and a lost mermicorn. The mermicorn tells the purrmaids, “Mermicorns like to stay out of sight. Our horns are just here to be pretty. We can’t use them to defend ourselves. So staying hidden is how we keep ourselves safe.” Even though the friends are excited to tell everyone that they met a mermicorn, they decide to keep the information secret so they do not endanger their new friend.

Search for the Mermicorn is perfect for readers who are able to read chapter books. The story has easy vocabulary, short sentences, and cute black-and-white illustrations approximately every three pages. Young readers will enjoy the puns such as “fin-tastic,” “shell-ivision,” “fin-teresting,” and “perr-fect.”

Even though Search for the Mermicorn is part of a series, the stories do not have to be read in order. The Purrmaid series takes readers on an underwater swim that teaches fin-tastic lessons as well as entertains. Readers who love animals should also add The Critter Club Series by Callie Barkley to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Don’t Disturb the Dinosaurs

Dr. Bunsen has undone it again when his time machine mistakenly beams the Data Set—Gabe, Laura, and Cesar—back to the prehistoric era. Before they can say, “Look out!”, Gabe, Laura, and Cesar find themselves dashing from flying pterosaurs, stegosaurus stampedes, and an Allosaurus on the hunt for an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Despite the dangers, the Data Set are determined to help a special friend while exploring ancient earth where dinosaurs roam the earth.

Don’t Disturb the Dinosaurs is an action-packed story that teaches facts about dinosaurs without overwhelming the reader with information. The Data Set works together to find a new home for Stego, who used to be a plastic toy. Readers will admire the friends’ willingness to go up against a hungry Allosaurus in order to help Stego. The diverse characters work together to fight danger. However, all of the danger is kid-friendly and won’t leave readers with nightmares.

The dinosaur danger comes to life through black and white illustrations that help create the story’s suspense. In addition, the large illustrations will help readers visualize the story’s events. With illustrations that appear on every page, large text, and easy vocabulary, Don’t Disturb the Dinosaurs is an excellent book for beginning readers.

Readers will enjoy reading about Gabe, Laura, and Cesar as they try to stay alive in Prehistoric times. Another lovable character, Dr. Bunsen, adds a little humor to the story. Even though Don’t Disturb the Dinosaurs is a part of a series, the books do not need to be read in order. The Data Set Series is a fun, imaginative series that also teaches readers. If your little reader can’t get enough of dinosaurs, they should add The Dino Files Series by Stacy McAnulty to their must-read list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A giant Pterosaur takes the baby dinosaur, Stego. “The giant Pterosaur from earlier suddenly swooped down, snatched up Stego, and flew off!”
  • An Allosaurus tries to snack on the kids, who climb a tree to safety. The Allosaurus “chomped widely, barely missing Cesar’s sneaker. . . The Allosaurus roared and banged against the tree trunk.” Eventually the Allosaurus leaves “in search of an easier meal.”
  • When the Pterosaur sees the kids with Stego, she tries to attack them. “Suddenly, Stego moved between the friends and the angry creature.” The Pterosaur gets distracted when its egg begins to hatch.
  • An Allosaurus tries to get the kids again. Cesar “grabbed a fiery stick from the pit and waved it at the dinosaur. . .A spark jumped and struck the Allosaurus on the nose! Scorched, the dinosaur howled.” The dinosaur runs away.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Dr. Bunsen’s “growth ray accidentally brought our toy animals to life. Then they started growing. And we had to sneak them into the zoo.” However, the dinosaur needs to be taken back in time to find a home.

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Bad Guys in Do-You-Think-He-Saurus?!

The Bad Guys have flown through outer space, made it back to Earth, and managed to land in exactly the right place… but at exactly the wrong TIME. Who knew alien escape pods were capable of time travel?!? And now that they’re 65 million years in the past, they must avoid being eaten by dinosaurs and fix their broken time machine if they ever want to get back home before an evil alien destroys the whole world!

The seventh installment of the Bad Guys Series has the group hopping back in time. Hilarity ensues as Wolf, Snake, and Shark try to hide from the dinosaurs. Unfortunately, the story lacks plot—the group run around avoiding the dinosaurs and eventually make their way home. Although the black-and-white illustrations are comical, even younger readers will wish that the Bad Guys stayed in the past longer and learned about the dinosaurs.

One interesting development is that Snake acts like a leader. Even though Snake acts bravely, he tells Wolf, “I don’t want your job, you hair-brained lunatic. Who needs THAT kind of responsibility? I’m just your wingman. Your vastly superior wingman.” The Bad Guys’ time-traveling ends with each character having a new superhero power. After the story ends, “Broadcast was picked up by satellite, while being beamed from Earth into dark space.” The story transitions to a weird and random, “pilot episode [of] The Glamorous Life of Dr. Rupert Marmalade,” a “Bad Guys Tryout” quiz, and “Hiss-terically Funny” jokes.

Despite the story’s lack of development, Bad Guys fans will enjoy the familiar characters, the non-stop action, and the surprising conclusion. The Bad Guys in Do-You-Think-He-Saurus?! uses the same format as the previous books. The story pulls readers into the text in various ways. The large text has nine or fewer sentences per page, and many of the words are huge and bold. In addition to the large text, black-and-white illustrations appear on every page. Some of the illustrations are full-page, while others appear in panels. The illustrations show the story’s action as well as the characters’ facial expressions.

As always, the Bad Guys will continue to entertain readers with a unique cast of characters, an action-packed plot, and fun friendships.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A giant robot appears on earth. The robot tells Fox, “You have been identified as an enemy. Prepare to be terminated.” There is a “Zap!” and Fox disappears.
  • A velociraptor grabs Wolf’s tie and begins flinging him around.
  • A T-rex chases Piranha. At first, Piranha is totally frightened, but then he thinks, “MY Bolivian brothers would be ashamed to see me running away like. . . a jellyfish with tiny little baby hands.” Piranha tries to attack the T-rex, but gets stuck in the dinosaur’s nostril.
  • Two T-rexes chase Wolf and Snake. The three friends run into Shark, and the group forms a tumbling ball that “DONKs” onto a dinosaur’s head, causing Piranha to shoot out the dinosaur’s nose.
  • The Bad Guys travel through time. When they shoot out of the time “circle,” they “smack” into a robot, causing him to fall into a river.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • The story has some name-calling, including coward and nutjobs.
  • The are several references to butts. For example, Piranha tells Wolf, “Well, amigos. . . In Bolivia we have an old saying—It’s better to be eaten by dinosaurs than it is to be eaten by aliens with butts for hands.”
  • “OMG” is used as an exclamation once.

Supernatural

  • The Bad Guys accidentally travel back in time. As Spider tries to figure out how to return to their time period, Piranha shoots out of a dinosaur’s nose and accidentally hits the “Do Not Press” button, which causes a “swirly circle” to appear in the sky. The Bad Guys and a velociraptor jump into the circle and return to present-day earth.
  • After time traveling, the Bad Guys have new “superpowers.” Mr. Shark can shape-shift; he turns into a tree, a skateboard, and a donut. Snake can now move things with his mind. “Guys, I think Mr. Snake is lifting a car. . . with his MIND.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Stellaluna

Separated from her mother before she is old enough to fly, Stellaluna finds out that not all winged creatures eat fruit. But swallowing food that crawls is just one of the amazing things the little fruit bat must learn to do. Not all are lessons in survival, however. As Stellaluna adapts to the habits of her new family, she learns the essence of friendship.

Stellaluna is a beautiful story that illustrates how everyone is not the same. When Stellaluna falls into a bird’s nest, she must learn to adapt because the mama bird told her, “You are teaching my children to do bad things. I will not let you back into this nest unless you promise to obey all the rules of the house.” As her bird friends learn to fly, Stellaluna tries to do the same things they do, but when she acts like a bird she is clumsy. It isn’t until Stellaluna meets another bat that she realizes her actions were “wrong for a bird, maybe, but not for a bat.”

The illustrations are simply amazing because they convey Steallaluna’s emotions. The beautiful pictures will help younger readers visualize the story’s action. Some pictures are heartwarming and others are humorous, but the one thing that remains constant throughout the story is the friendship between the three young birds and Stellaluna.

Each two-page spread contains a page of large text and a full-page illustration. Even though Stellanluna 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 eight or fewer sentences and the story ends with information about different types of bats.

Stellaluna’s story is one that younger readers will want to read again and again, not only because of the beautiful illustrations but because of the happy ending. In the end, Stellaluna is reunited with her mother, but it is clear that Stellaluna’s friendship with the birds will never end.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Stellaluna’s mother is attacked by an owl. “Dodging and shrieking, Mother Bat tried to escape, but the owl struck again and again, knocking Stellaluna into the air. Her baby wings were as limp and useless as wet paper.” Stellaluna drops into a bird’s nest.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride

Mr. Watson and Mrs. Watson adore their porcine wonder named Mercy. Every Saturday, Mercy and Mr. Watson go for a ride in Mr. Watson’s convertible. Every Saturday, Mr. Watson has to push Mercy out of the driver’s seat. Everyone knows that a pig can’t drive a convertible. But one Saturday, Mr. Watson and Mercy find a stowaway hiding in the car. While Mr. Watson is distracted, Mercy takes the opportunity to get behind the wheel.

Even though Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride has the same unique, loveable characters as the first book in the series, each book can be read as a standalone. Eugenia Lincoln still finds fault in taking a pig for a ride in an automobile, but Eugenia’s sister Baby surprises everyone by taking a chance to add a little “folly” to her day. Readers familiar with Mercy Watson and new readers will enjoy the hilarious adventure. The conclusion shows how a pig and buttered toast can bring people together.

The wholesome, silly story will have readers clamoring to read and reread Mercy’s adventures. The illustrations bring the human’s emotions to the forefront with comical, exaggerated facial expressions.

Readers who are transitioning to chapter books will appreciate the large font, easy vocabulary, and illustrations that appear on almost every page. With lots of dialogue and onomatopoeias, Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride would also make an excellent book to read aloud. Anyone who has ever watched Charlotte’s Web and wished to have their very own pig will enjoy the Mercy Watson Series.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Wings That Shine

Skydancer is entrusted with the school’s special medal. When she gets distracted, she drops the medal, and is afraid to tell anyone. While she is looking for the medal, she finds a sick dragon. Skydancer returns to the school and finds another dragon. The dragon doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but everyone is afraid of her.

When she stumbles upon a dragon at the edge of the Enchanted Pony Academy grounds, Skydancer is terrified. Skydancer is the only one who can talk to any animal with wings—a very useful Glitter Gift, and one she has always enjoyed. Can she be brave enough to use her Gift and convince the dragon to go away. . . before everything goes up in flames?

The story’s plot focus on both the lost medal and the dragon’s need for help. Despite the danger, Skydancer helps the dragon. Even though there is little suspense, younger readers will enjoy Skydancer’s adventure into the dragon’s home. Even though most of the pegaponies hide from the dragons, Skydancer is determined to help them. Both the dragons and Skydancer learn that their conflict could have been solved if everyone was able to communicate. Skydancer’s experiences highlights the importance of communication and honesty.

Wings That Shine has relatable conflicts. Readers will empathize with Skydancer, who is afraid to tell the headmistress that she has lost the medal. Even though Skydancer is afraid, she still tells the headmistress about the lost medal. However, instead of having any negative consequences, with magic the medal is returned to its proper place.

Wings That Shine will entertain those who have already transitioned to chapter books. Cute black and white illustrations help break up the text and appear every three to five pages. Although the vocabulary isn’t difficult, the text-heavy pages and long sentences may be overwhelming for beginning readers. With rhyming spells, magic Glitter Gifts, and pegaponies, Wings That Shine is sure to capture reader’s attention. Readers who enjoy animals and magic may also want to try The Baby Animal Rescue Fairies Series by Daisy Meadows or the Unicorn Princesses Series by Emily Bliss.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Each pegapony has a different Glitter Gift. The Glitter Gifts include being able to become invisible, being able to talk to winged animals, teleportation, and making flowers bloom. One pegapony can even shoot sparks out of his horn.
  • The pegaponies can cast magic spells. Spells work best if they rhyme. Stone tries to cast a spell to make fireworks come out of his horn. He says, “Turn my sparks into fireworks.” Only a few “pops fizzled from his horn.”
  • Magical Creatures fled when “careless spell casting had weakened the magic in the land.”
  • When the headmistress needs to give the whole school a message, “a shiny orb sailed into the air from his horn, and then it popped, releasing his message in a voice so loud, every pony across the campus could hear it.”
  • Skydancer finds a thirsty dragon. In order to give the dragon water, she cast a spell. Skydancer says, “Fill these buckets to the brink, so we can offer the dragon a drink.” The buckets fill with water and Skydancer takes the buckets to the dragon.
  • In order to help the dragons, the pegaponies use their magic to enchant seeds. Someone says a the spell, “May water from the sky start to fall, so these crops grow for one and all.”
  • In order to fill the dragon’s lake, Skydancer cast a spell. “With fresh, clean water fill this lake, so there’s always plenty for all to take.”
  • The school’s special medal is “enchanted to return to its home if it’s gone from this perch for more than 12 hours.” Later, Skydancer is given a medal that is also enchanted. If the medal is lost, it will find Skydancer.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Sofia Valdez, Future Prez

Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school . . . until one day Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill and he can no longer do so. Sofia misses her Abuelo and wonders what she can do about the dangerous Mount Trashmore. Then she gets an idea—the town can turn the slimy mess into a park! She brainstorms and plans and finally works up the courage to go to City Hall—only to be told by a clerk that she can’t build a park because she’s just a kid. Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove what one kid can do.

The story focuses on Sofia’s desire to rid the town of a huge trash heap. However, it is unclear where all the garbage came from and in the end, the story doesn’t explain where all the trash went. The huge pile of trash consists of everyday items, egg cartons, spoiled food, disposable cups. Although the everyday items show how everyone contributes to the pile, most younger readers will miss this lesson.

At first, Sophia is overwhelmed and “her heart skipped a beat as she realized each one of her neighbors had said: “Let me know when it’s done!’ They all thought Sofia could build it alone.” However, Sofia doesn’t give up. Instead, she goes to city hall, where she is sent to six different offices, each with a ridiculous silly name like “The Department of Cheese” and the “Office of Monkeys”. Younger readers won’t understand the humor of dealing with a city’s bureaucracy, but they will enjoy seeing a duck, a monkey, and a man dressed as cheese in the offices. Even though Sophia eventually gets the help of her classmates and adults, most of the story focuses on the process of making a park.

Sophia’s determination allows her to go through the process of getting the park built, starting with a petition drive. Sophia leads a group of diverse people who hold signs asking people to sign the petition. The illustration shows Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, and Ada Twist from Beaty’s previous books. Although their appearance is quick, readers will enjoy seeing the familiar characters. The petition illustration shows a child in a wheelchair as well as children of different races. Sophia is Latinx, drawn with medium brown skin, and her abuelo speaks one line in Spanish.

Written in rhyme, Sofia Valdez, Future Prez will entertain readers with funny events and detailed illustrations. However, the story lacks Sophia’s though process and the theme is not well developed. Nevertheless, the story would be a great conversation starter because readers will be inspired with Sophia’s can-do attitude, her leadership skills, and her desire to help others.

Even though Sofia Valdez, Future Prez 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 rhyming makes the story fun to read aloud. However, some pages are text-heavy and have up to 11 lines on a single page. Sofia Valdez, Future Prez’s will entertain readers as it teaches that one person can make a difference.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 The 26-Story Treehouse: Pirate Problem

Life is never boring in a 13-story treehouse, especially when you add 13 more stories! Andy and Terry have added a bumper car rink, a skate ramp with a crocodile-pit hazard, a mud-fighting arena, an antigravity chamber, an ice-skating pond with real ice-skating penguins, a mechanical bull named Kevin, an Automatic Tattoo Machine, an ice-cream parlor with seventy-eight flavors, and the Maze of Doom–a maze so complicated nobody has escaped. Fun seems endless in their new 26-story treehouse!

Distracted by their new, amazing stories, Andy and Terry do not notice their new book is due Friday until their publisher, Mr. Big Nose, threatens to fire them. While writing their book about how Andy, Terry, and Jill, their animal-friendly neighbor, met, Captain Woodenhead suddenly appears. Threatening to destroy the treehouse and enslave Andy, Terry, and Jill on his ship, the trio must outwit and outsmart the captain and his evil crew before time runs out. Can the boys save their treehouse and fight off the pirates all while writing their new book?

The Treehouse Series is an imaginative series for young readers who are reluctant to read. Griffiths and Denton created a silly story that will have young readers laughing from beginning to end. Along with their crazy slapstick scenarios, Griffiths and Denton teach readers about the importance of friendship. Andy, Terry, and Jill must work together throughout the book to solve their complex problems. Without each other, Andy, Terry, and Jill would never have been able to perform “open shark surgery,” fight off pirates or escape the Maze of Doom. Also, the funny black-and-white illustrations contribute to a positive reading experience and will help younger readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels.

However, The 26-Story Treehouse may upset some readers. Before his entire crew dies in a terrible shipwreck, Captain Woodenhead’s head is bitten off by a giant sea monster. Later in the book, he is pictured being eaten alive by man-eating sharks.

The 26-Story Treehouse has very simple vocabulary and sentence structure, reading more like a comic book rather than an actual chapter book. In the end, The 26-Story Treehouse is an easy-to-read story that will teach the reader practical lessons about friendship while causing readers to giggle.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • During a sea battle, Captain Woodenhead fights the large, greedy fish nicknamed Gorgonzola. “The pirate captain drew his cutlass and tried to spear Gorgonzola from the deck of his ship, but as he leaned over the side, the fiendish Gorgonzola leaped right out of the water and bit the pirate’s head clean off his neck!” After fashioning a new wooden head for himself, Captain Woodenhead was swallowed whole. Inside Gorgonzola’s stomach, he found some dynamite and his old head, which was moldy and waterlogged. After putting his head back on his shoulders, “he did what any self-respecting pirate captain would have done. He collected up all the barrels of dynamite, tied them together, lit the fuse, and blasted that beast to pieces!” Gorgonzola, a large sea monster, is pictured blasted to pieces for two pages.
  • If Andy and Terry don’t open the treehouse and let Captain Woodenhead in, he threatens to blow up the treehouse. The Captain yells, “Men, prepare the canon.”
  • After tricking the captain’s crew, Andy, Terry, and Jill are chased by Captain Woodenhead with a cutlass and gun in his hand. This is a one-page event.
  • At the end of the book, Captain Woodenhead threatens to kill Andy, Terry, and Jill. Then, the captain falls into the man-eating shark tank and there’s “a wild frenzy of flashing fins and teeth, and then all is quiet.” The Captain is eaten alive. This is illustrated over two pages and does show him in the mouth of a shark, but there is no blood or gore involved.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Jill uses “Dr. Numbskull’s Sleepy Shark Sleeping Potion” to sedate the man-eating sharks before their “open shark surgery.” During the surgery, the shark’s kidneys and intestines are shown along with some of the ridiculous things they have eaten.

Language

  • After getting lost in the Maze of Doom, one of the penguins blames it on his “stupid GPS!”
  • Andy thinks that using their man-eating shark tank as a washing machine was one of Terry’s dumbest ideas. “You know, Terry has done some dumb things in the past, but this has got to be the dumbest ever!”
  • When he struggles to put on his swimsuit before he enters the shark tank, Andy says, “Stupid tight wetsuit.”
  • Captain Woodenhead enslaves Andy and Terry and forces them to swab the poop deck. Terry exclaims, “Oh, gross, there’s poop on the poop deck.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

I Am Enough

This story is a gorgeous, lyrical ode to loving who you are, respecting others, and being kind to one another—from actor and activist Grace Byers and artist Keturah A. Bobo. Byers’s story uses an unnamed narrator, who appears in illustrations with dark skin and curly black hair. In the beginning of the book, the girl compares herself to things, such as the sun, time, rain, etc. For example, “Like the moon, I’m here to dream.”

Towards the end of the book, the story shifts to focus on other ways the narrator is different from other people. For example, “I know that we don’t look the same: our skin, our eyes, our hair, our frame.” The theme is clear: despite everyone’s differences, we should love and help each other. While writing the book, Byers hoped to “empower young girls against the effects of bullying.” Even though bullying is not mentioned, the story does show that girl’s differences make them special.

Each page is illustrated beautifully, using crayon accents and realistic pictures of young girls. The girls are diverse: there are girls of different ethnicities, one girl is in a wheelchair, and one girl is wearing a hijab. The diverse group of children reinforces the idea that girls should help each other despite their differences. Each page has 1 to 4 lines of text. Even though the story uses simple vocabulary, readers may need help understanding the deeper meaning of the story. I Am Enough would be an excellent book to read aloud and discuss with a child. The picture book uses both text and illustrations to encourage girls to embrace their uniqueness as well as be kind to each other.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue

Every night, Kitty’s mom goes on an exciting adventure. Kitty’s mom has superpowers—she can see in the dark and talk to cats! She uses her superpowers to help those in need. Kitty knows that she also has catlike superpowers, but she isn’t ready to go on adventures yet.

One night, a friendly black cat named Figaro comes to Kitty’s window. Figaro and all the other cats are frightened by a terrible noise that’s coming from the clock tower. Kitty’s mom has already left and only Kitty can help. Kitty doesn’t like the night’s shadows. She isn’t sure that she’s ready to help, but Figaro believes in Kitty and her superpowers. With Figaro’s help, Kitty steps out into the darkness for an exciting moonlight adventure.

Cat lovers and adventure fans will love the new series Kitty. On her first adventure, Kitty reluctantly helps Figaro. During the adventure, Figaro encourages Kitty with kind words. However, that doesn’t always ease Kitty’s fear. Several times in the adventure, her mother’s words come back to her: “You’re braver than you think.” When she remembers her mother’s encouraging words, she is able to face her challenges.

Anyone who has ever been afraid of trying something new will relate to Kitty. Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue shows Kitty overcoming her fear to help several cats who are also afraid of something. However, with Kitty and Figaro’s help, both cats are able to overcome their fears. The rescued cats also make new friends. The story has just the right amount of cuteness, adventure, and suspense for younger readers.

Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue tackles the subject of fear in a kid-friendly manner. The fast-paced plot will keep readers flipping the pages until the very end. Each page has illustrations ranging from cat prints to detailed illustrations of Kitty and her activities. The illustrations are black and white with a pop of orange. Although most of the vocabulary is easy, younger readers may need help with some of the words. Some of the vocabulary is more advanced, such as gracefully, venturing, mysterious, and lingered.

Another positive aspect is Kitty’s family relationships. Even though Kitty’s parents play a small role in the story, both are portrayed in a positive light. After Kitty’s adventure, she sits down and has a picnic breakfast with her family. During the meal, Kitty tells her family about her adventures. The story also shows how it is always easier to be brave when you have someone with you.

Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue is a fun story for those who are ready for chapter books. The bright pictures and large text will keep the reader’s attention. Kitty’s adventures show her sneaking out of the house, walking across buildings’ roofs, and climbing a tall tower. In the end, Kitty is able to make new friends and solve the mystery. Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue is a purr-fect story for young readers who love animals. Cat lovers will want to add the Purrmaids Series by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Kitty’s mom “could see in the dark, climb walls, and balance on rooftops. Her superpower senses meant she could always tell when trouble was near. Best of all, she could talk to cats and share their secrets!”
  • When Kitty went on her adventure, she “let go of the chimney and felt her super balance kick in.” Kitty also has super hearing, night vision, and she can talk to cats.

Spiritual Content

  • None

On Thin Ice

Lina’s excited about her class field trip to the aquarium. Lina has never ridden on a yellow school bus or gone to the aquarium before. When Lina finds out that her cousin will be visiting and going to school with her, Lina’s a little bit nervous. Because of his ice magic, Jack soon becomes the most popular kid in school. Lina is jealous of Jack’s ice magic skills and she is tired of him always showing off.

At the field trip, Lina and Jack see the penguins. Each one wants to prove that they can build the best ice sculpture. But soon their magic is out of control. Although the penguins love the ice slides and the mountains of snow, the other aquarium animals are in danger. Will the two cousin’s competition turn the aquarium animals into icicles? Will they ever learn to get along?

Readers will relate to Lina’s jealousy of her cousin’s ice magic skills. Lina and Jack get along fine when they are alone, but once Jack is around people he always shows off. In the end, both of them realize that jealousy can be dangerous. Eventually, Lina learns that Jack “thought that if everyone saw I was so good at winter magic, they’d ask me to come back and teach you again.” Even though their ice magic gets them into some cold situations, in the end, both Jack and Lina learn the importance of learning from each other.

Illustrated with cute black, white, and purple illustrations, On Thin Ice is perfect for any reader who dreams of being a princess. Even though Lina tries hard to be nice, she still makes mistakes.  On Thin Ice is told in a diary format using simple vocabulary. The paragraphs contain three or fewer sentences and have a variety of graphic elements to break the text into small portions. The easy-to-read story has relatable conflicts and highlights the importance of communication.

The cute illustrations include pictures of all of the characters and Lina’s activities. The bright purple-and-black illustrations appear on almost every page, and they include illustrations of binder paper with a list that helps readers understand the plot. For example, Lina makes a list of “things I’d noticed earlier this week.” In addition to the illustration, Lina’s grandfather’s words are in big, bold text, which will help the reader distinguish the speaker.

Readers who like friendship, magic, and animals will enjoy On Thin Ice. The story teaches about animals. The end of the book explains how blubber works and gives directions for an experiment. Parents will like the encouraging characters and the positive life lessons the story teaches. Scenes of a perfect pink palace in the sky are mixed with a regular school and kind characters to create a story that will please both parents and younger readers.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Lina’s granddad is the North Wind and he created the jet streams. Both Lina and her cousin Jack are winterharts who can control snow and ice.
  • In Lina’s world, some people have different powers. “Skypainters make sunsets and rainbows. Sparkarachers create lightning and thunder. Stormsirrers make big storms, like hurricanes and tornadoes. Windtamers control the wind and the weather.”
  • When Lina was practicing her magic, she “stood up straight and tall. I let my breath out slowly and spread my fingers wide. The spray of the water froze in midair, making a sheet of ice that looked just like glass.”
  • Lina thinks back to when she was a baby. “The only memory I have of my cousin Jack is from a family reunion at Granddad’s castle when Jack froze my diaper.” Later Jack says, “you ran around the room screaming, ‘Butt cold! Butt cold!’”
  • Jack tries to help Lina control her power. Jack tells her “Focus your magic on just one snowflake, and allow your magic to flow out from there, building and building, crystal by crystal.”
  • While collecting bugs for a class project, Jack “was using his frost magic to stun the insects. That made them slow enough to catch in his jar. As soon as the insects warmed up, they were flying around again, totally fine.” When Lina tries ice magic on a spider, “all of a sudden a ball of snow formed above the spider and dumped right on top of him.” The spider is not injured.
  • Both Lina and Jack want to prove that they have better ice magic. While at the aquarium, they begin making ice sculptures for the penguins. Jack “waved his fingers at the glass, and formed a slide of his own with fancy curlicue decorations made out of spindly ice crystals.” Trying to make a better ice feature, Lina “made snow fall inside the exhibit. I used my powers to scoop the snow into a ramp that the penguins could use to launch themselves in the water.” The two make so many ice features that they endanger the other animals. An employee is able to turn up the thermostat so none of the animals are hurt.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Danny and the Dinosaur in the Big City

Danny’s class is going on a field trip to the big city, and the dinosaur is invited too! Towering skyscrapers! Rumbling subways! The city is a big and exciting place. Even though the city is big, the dinosaur may find fitting in to be a bit of a challenge.

Young readers will fall in love with Danny and his dinosaur as they explore New York. From watching a musical to exploring the Statue of Liberty, Danny and his dinosaur enjoy the sights and sounds of the famous city.

Syd Hoff created Danny and his prehistoric pal in 1958, but today’s readers will love the duo. Full-page pictures will introduce readers to city life and give readers an idea of how large a dinosaur would stand. The story’s simple plot and brightly colored pictures will encourage beginning readers to keep flipping pages until the very end.

Danny and the Dinosaur in the Big City contains sight words and will allow children to sound out words and sentences. The short sentences and simple plot are best suited for younger readers. Readers will smile when Danny’s dinosaur tries to join the theater’s dancers and when he swims to the Statue of Liberty. Readers will love the adorable dinosaur and his curious nature. Danny and the Dinosaur in the Big City will introduce readers to the joy of reading and may even spark their interest in New York City and the Statue of Liberty.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Nixie Makes Waves

Nixie is excited to join the Royal Mermaid Rescue Crew. She wants to use her natural creativity to keep the sea safe! And soon she will select her seapony partner! But Nixie is worried that she won’t find a good match.

Nixie isn’t happy when she is matched with Rip. Rip may be super-speedy, but he’s also a brainy pony who strictly follows all rules. Nixie doesn’t want to hurt Rip’s feelings, but she isn’t sure if she should go through with the Selection Ceremony. Once the ceremony is complete, Nixie and Rip will be partners forever.

When Nixie’s friends send her a distress call, she sneaks off without Rip. She knows that Rip would try to talk her out of helping her friends. But Rip decides to follow Nixie, and in the end, he is able to help rescue Nixie’s friends. Nixie and Rip finally learn to understand each other and appreciate their differences.

The mermaids and magical seaponies live in a sparkly world where princesses learn how to be part of the Royal Mermaid Rescue Crew. Like many young girls, the princesses love pretty dresses, jewelry, and each other. Nixie and Rip are not well-developed, but readers will relate to the two as they struggle to work as a team. They both want to help others, but they go about helping in vastly different ways.

Rip comes across as bossy because he loves to follow the rules. On the other hand, Nixie uses the “swishing a fix” method to creatively solve problems. When trying to solve a problem, Nixie knows she must breathe, focus, and solve. Both Rip and Nixie learn the importance of working together instead of working against each other.

Any young reader who has had to work in a group will understand Nixie’s conflict. In the end, Nixie is surprised to learn that Rip is her perfect partner. The two realize that both rules and creativity are needed when solving a problem. The story’s actions are illustrated with cute black-and-white pictures. The pictures help with world-building. Even though the mermaids look different on the cover—Nixie is light skin and has purple hair—in the illustrations, the mermaids look very similar.

During her adventures, Nixie finds the magical blue sea diamond that was part of the Trident of Protection. Even though a different part of the trident is found in each of the books, this part of the plot seems like an afterthought and does nothing to advance the plot.

Nixie Makes Waves will entertain those who have already transitioned to chapter books. Cute black-and-white illustrations help break up the text and appear every 3-5 pages. Although the vocabulary isn’t difficult, the text-heavy pages and long sentences may be overwhelming for beginning readers. Readers may want to read Scott’s Enchanted Pony Academy Series first because the stories explain the selection process and magical powers in more detail. Nixie Makes Waves will delight young readers as it teaches problem-solving techniques.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Each seapony has a different Sea Savvy, such as blowing a big protection bubble, blowing stun bubbles, or conjuring whirlpools. One seapony can change “color until she blended in with the background.” Another seapony can swim amazingly fast.
  • The school’s headmaster explained how “years ago, the powerful magic of our worlds was weakened by careless spells, both in the earth kingdoms and here below the sea. During this Age of Recklessness, a deep rift formed, splitting the eastern and western waters.” The storm swept away the Trident of Protection, which brought the community safety.
  • A seapony casts a spell to illuminate a rock. He says, “Let this rock glow, bright light please show.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Jada Jones Dancing Queen

When the student council decides to host a dance as their next fundraiser, Jada feels nervous and queasy. She’s excited to give back, but she can’t dance! Still, she’s determined to help the cause and show she cares. She practices her moves, gets help from friends, and even does research at the library to prepare—but will it be enough to help her create change in her community?

Jada Jones Dancing Queen leaves the science behind and focuses on helping others. Jada Jones, the science-loving girl, is worried about what others will think of her less-than-perfect dance skills. Even though Jada’s friends and family try to teach Jada some dance moves, Jada worries about embarrassing herself. By the end of the story, Jada realizes her dance moves don’t need to be perfect. Like the previous books in the series, Jada Jones Dancing Queen has relatable characters, realistic conflicts, and reinforces real-life lessons.

When the student council begins encouraging others to show kindness, Jada witnesses several small acts that make a big difference. For example, students began complimenting others and one student helped a kindergartener tie his shoe. When the student council decides to raise money to purchase coats for kids in need, Jada makes it clear that everyone needs help at some point. Jada uses money that she had been saving for a rock tumbler to purchase a coat for the coat drive. The best aspects of the Jada Jones series is Jada’s positive behavior as well as the encouraging family interactions.

Jada’s struggle comes to life with black and white pictures that have a pop of purple. Jada Jones Dancing Queen is intended for readers who are transitioning to chapter books. The story has eight short chapters, easy vocabulary, and illustrations on almost every page. The story does have several pages with only text and some complicated sentence structure. Science-loving readers may also want to read Ellie, Engineer by Jackson Pearce and The Data Set series by Ada Hopper.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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  1. Pages:
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