Early Elementary – Page 23 – Sneak Peek Books

Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth

Here We Are takes the reader on a tour through the land, the sea, the sky, our bodies, and highlights our diversity. Unlike most picture books, Here We Are does not have a plot. Instead, each page focuses on one part of the earth. For example, one page has a picture of a boy that shows half his body as a skeleton with the major organs (heart, brain, etc.) listed. The words that accompany the picture read, “On our planet, there are people. One people are a person. You are a person. You have a body.”

While the text will be quickly forgotten, the pictures are amazingly beautiful and show the diversity of the earth. For example, a man is one a boat fishing in the ocean. Underneath the boat is a vast array of sea life—jellyfish, a whale, a seal, an octopus, a narwhal, and many more. People are also under the sea swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving. The full-page illustrations are breathtaking and will captivate readers.

While the text of Here We Are is underwhelming, the illustrations show the diverse world and capture the wonder of living on earth. Each illustration has fun detail such as three people sitting around the campfire, and one boy is eating a slice of pizza. Here We Are would be a wonderful book to read to younger children. This is also an excellent picture book for starting a conversation about diversity. With 12 words or less on each page, Here We Are teaches readers to be kind and take care of the earth.

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Too Many Carrots

Rabbit loves carrots more than anything. He has collected so many carrots that he can’t fit them in his cozy burrow anymore. Even though Rabbit has so many carrots that he has nowhere to sleep, he also can’t make himself get rid of any of his carrots. When his friends offer to help, Rabbit happily accepts. The first tortoise offers to share his shell, but Rabbit and his carrots just don’t fit. As Rabbit and his friends look for a new place to sleep, Rabbit eventually realizes that he has too many carrots.

Helpful forest animals show their hospitality as they welcome Rabbit, his friends, and his carrots. But each time, the new and bigger home creaks, cracks, and crashes. Large sound words and five or less sentences per page would make Too Many Carrots a great read-aloud book. The adorable, colorful, and detailed pictures are fun to look at. Little readers will love the detailed pictures that include band-aids on the tortoise’s nose, a little blue bird who almost gets swept away in a storm, and of course, carrots.

Too Many Carrots isn’t just a fun story; in this story, the animals show what friendship looks like and teach the importance of sharing. In the end, Rabbit learns “carrots weren’t for collecting—they were for sharing!” The animals are illustrated wearing birthday hats and eating carrots, carrot cakes, and carrot juice. Any child who has ever wanted to collect rocks, toys, or any other item will relate to Rabbit. Little readers will definitely want to add Too Many Carrots to their collection of books because unlike carrots, you can never collect too many books!

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Bird & Squirrel On Fire

It’s been a long, crazy trip around the world. Now the duo is back in their beloved forest, and Bird wants to throw a party! But Squirrel isn’t in the mood to celebrate. His house needs a good cleaning, the river has been dammed up by a pesky beaver, and the forest animals are jittery about a growing menace. Will the dam dry out the forest? Will the mysterious new danger ruin the party? Will Bird finally convince Squirrel to let go and just have a good time? Find out in their hilarious new adventure!

Unfortunately, the third installment of Bird & Squirrel isn’t as funny as the previous books. The story’s plot is not well-developed; in most scenes, Bird and Squirrel are being chased by rats or arguing. The story follows the same format as Bird & Squirrel on the Edge, except this time Bird and Squirrel are running from rats instead of wolves. The story never explains why the rats have suddenly begun trapping forest animals, which may leave some readers scratching their heads in confusion.

The story adds a few new characters, but the characters don’t add much interest. Bird and Squirrel meet a grumpy beaver that has a log as a friend. However, the beaver is strange instead of funny. In addition to the beaver, Bird and Squirrel also meet a lady squirrel named Red. Squirrel soon develops a crush and has difficulty talking around Red, which adds a little romance to the story.

Bird & Squirrel on Fire isn’t as funny as the previous books, but Squirrel shows significant growth. When Squirrel’s belongings burn in a forest fire, Squirrel learns that people are more important than possessions. Bird’s disappearance causes Squirrel to reevaluate his life. At the end of the story, Squirrel teaches his daughter to be brave but cautious. Fans of the previous books will still enjoy the interplay between Bird and Squirrel, and they will wonder if Squirrel’s new brave attitude will continue in Bird & Squirrel All Tangled Up.

Sexual Content

Several months pass after the dam disaster, Squirrel and Red are seen at home with their daughter.

Violence

Bird and Squirrel fall into a trap. They fall into a dark hole, are tied together, and hang from the ceiling. Bones are scattered on the floor. Oversized rats show up to eat them, but Bird and Squirrel are able to escape. The scene is illustrated over six pages.
As Bird and Squirrel run from the rats, they find Mouse hanging from the ceiling with a boiling cauldron underneath him. Bird and Squirrel help mouse down, but then the rats corner the three friends. Squirrel shoves a rock into a rat’s mouth, and then rocks begin falling from the ceiling. The three friends are able to escape the cave. The scene is illustrated over nine pages.
All of the forest creatures gather for a party. The rats show up and chase the animals. In the confusion, a fire starts. The rat chase scene is illustrated over six pages.
As Bird and Squirrel are trying to break a dam, the rats appear, but before they can eat the two friends, the dam breaks, and the rats are taken downstream.
A burning tree falls on Red, landing on her tail. A rat threatens to eat her but is taken out when the dam breaks. Bird, Squirrel, Red, and the rats are swilling in the water. The rats and Bird disappear, but the Squirrel and Red are safe. Months later, Bird shows up.

Drugs and Alcohol

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The Good for Nothing Button!

Yellow Bird is excited to show his friends a red button that is good for nothing. When Blue Bird presses the button, he is surprised. When Red Bird presses the button, the button makes him sad. While Blue Bird and Red Bird talk about the button making them feel something, Yellow Bird gets upset. Yellow Bird yells, “The button cannot make you sad. The button does nothing.” In the end, the birds all agree that the button can make them funny.

The Good for Nothing Button is a humorous story that teaches colors and emotions. Readers will giggle as they read the silly antics of the three friends. Readers will love the little worm that appears at the beginning and end of the story. The fast-paced plot will keep readers flipping the pages as they wonder if the good for nothing button actually does something.

Younger readers will appreciate the simple text and silly dialogue. The Illustrations use primary colors to create simple pictures that show the emotions of the birds. Each character’s speech appears in a different colored text box, which makes it easy for readers to know who is speaking. Each page has a full-page illustration and 1-3 simple sentences. Many sentences are just one word. Readers who love silly stories will enjoy the three birds as they discover that the good for nothing button actually does something.

Sexual Content

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Wonderfall

This informative picture book follows a single tree through the fall season, from the end of summer to winter’s first snowfall. Each page has blended words created to celebrate the wonder of fall. This book lets the reader see a neighborhood from the tree’s point of view.

Each page has fall-colored pictures that look like they are made out of construction paper. Readers will follow the tree and see the changing of leaves, the animals, and the events of the season. Each page starts with a blended word, such as plentifall, and then has a short poem. Each short poem uses sound words such as tat, boom, and boo to show excitement.

Even though Wonderfall Moms 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. The poetry, onomatopoeias, and descriptions make the story fun to read aloud. Since there is little text on each page, the story is a quick read, making it an excellent bedtime story.

Younger readers will enjoy the cute pictures and the simple poems. The ending of the book has information about trees and animals that appear in the book. Wonderfall uses short, simple poems that will get people in the mood for the joys of fall—Halloween, throwing leaves, and watching animals.

Sexual Content

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I Wish You More

This is a book about wishes. Every child deserves endless good wishes. Wishes for friends and hugs. Wishes for finding simple treasure by the sea shore and books that you just can’t put down. I Wish You More encourages readers to enjoy the simple moments in life.

I Wish You More is a short, sweet picture book that wishes the reader happy times. Each page begins with the phrase “I wish you more. . .” For example, “I wish you more bubbles than baths.” While most of the wishes are easily understood, some may confuse younger readers. On one page, a little girl is struggling to tie her shoe; the text says, “I wish you more can than knot.” Even though some pages have deeper meanings that younger readers may not understand, they will understand the basic concept that they are being wished something good.

What makes I Wish You More so captivating is the illustrations. The full-color illustrations are beautiful and perfect for each wish. When the author writes, “I wish you more treasure than pockets” the illustration shows a little boy at the seashore. On the sand lay beautiful seashells, but he can’t pick any more up because his hands and pockets are full. The illustrations capture each moment by using a diverse group of children. Most children will be able to find someone that looks like them among the illustrations.

Even though I Wish You More is a picture book, it has wide appeal because each wish carries a message of love. I Wish You More would make the perfect book for someone who is graduating, getting married, or having a baby. Both children and adults will love the illustrations and the message. Like The Giving Tree and Oh the Places You Will Go, I Wish You More gives the reader an encouraging message that transcends all ages.

Sexual Content

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The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches

Wendy’s sisters can fly fast, cackle loudly, and cast spells. Wendy can’t do all of those things and when Wendy loses her broomstick, she can’t even fly.

On Halloween, Wendy’s sisters fly into the night, planning on scaring people. They leave Wendy home in a dark house. When a lone tricker treater shows up dressed as a ghost, he asks Wendy to join him. Wendy and her new friend Roger go to his house to get Wendy a new broomstick. With the encouragement of Roger, Wendy is able to fly and cast spells. With Wendy’s newfound confidence, Wendy and Roger fly into the night.

After a fun Halloween, Wendy decides to teach her mean older sisters a lesson. She casts a spell so her two sisters can’t fly, and the sisters have to walk home. Wendy and her sisters learn that Wendy is a very good witch, even if she isn’t exactly like her sisters.

The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches is a fun Halloween story that readers will enjoy. Wendy is a friendly, relatable character who lacks self-confidence. With the help of Roger, Wendy learns that she doesn’t have to be like her sisters in order to be a good witch. Wendy changes Roger’s Halloween costume so he looks like a witch and the two friends have a fun Halloween. Wendy’s spells are silly and fun to read aloud.

The book’s illustrations use fall colors with pops of orange and purple. Even though Wendy and her sisters are witches with green skin, they are not frightening to look at. Readers will giggle as both Roger and his mother try to ride Wendy’s broomstick. Most pages have a large illustration and oversized text. The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches has five short chapters with short paragraphs, which make the story the perfect bridge to chapter books.

The high-interest topic, fun illustrations, and easy-to-read format make The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches a wonderful Halloween story. Many readers will relate to Wendy, who just wants her sisters to be nicer to her. In the end, Wendy learns that she does not need to have a frightening voice or a broom made of sassafras in order to be a good witch. More importantly, Wendy learns to accept her differences and becomes self-confident.

Sexual Content

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Language

Dang is said once.

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

Wendy says a spell, “Frogs and lizards / Toads and newts / Buttons, raincoats / Hiking boots. Turn this ghost / Into a witch. / Presto, change-o / Make a switch.” The spell changes her friend’s robe from white to black.
To make a pointy hat for her friend, Wendy says, “Stew and brew / And cat and bat. / Give this witch / a pointed hat.”
To reverse both spells, Wendy says, “Broiled figs / And toasted toast. / Turn this witch / Back to a ghost.”
Wendy’s sisters stay out too late, and Wendy wants them to learn a lesson so she makes a spell. “Snakes and cakes / And pumpkin pie. / Oldest sister / You can’t fly. / Salt and pepper, / Bouncing ball. / Middle sister / You will fall.” Later, her sisters come home limping because they had to walk home.
Wendy reverses the spell so her sisters can fly again. “Oldest sister / You can fly. / All you have to do / is try. / Middle sister / Flying’s fun. / The spell I made / is now undone.”

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes

Nine-year-old Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once!) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, the entire town calls her “The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes!” One day, the inevitable happens: Beatrice makes a huge mistake in front of everyone. But in the end, readers (and perfectionists) will realize that life is more fun when you enjoy everything—even the mistakes.

Most readers will relate to Beatrice, who wants to do everything perfectly and is afraid of making mistakes. When Beatrice almost makes a mistake, she begins worrying that she will mess up, and her worry makes her terribly unhappy. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes illustrates that everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes mistakes can lead to fun. However, when Beatrice finally makes a mistake, she laughs at herself, which causes others to laugh with her. Parents may want to take the opportunity to discuss when it is and isn’t appropriate to laugh when others make mistakes.

Even though The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes 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 1-6 sentences and some of the sentences are complex. The full-page illustrations add humor to the story. Some of the pages have paneled pictures that resemble comics. Throughout the story, the illustrations show Beatrice’s facial expressions, which allows readers to see her varying emotions.

In a world where children are often pressured to do well, The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes reminds readers that mistakes are a part of life. Beatrice’s “mistakes” are wearing mismatched socks, making a messy peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and falling when ice skating. Beatrice’s mistakes are simple and do not lead to any major problems; nevertheless, the story makes a good starting point for parents and children to have a conversation about how it feels to make a mistake.

Sexual Content

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Supernatural

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A Long Way from Home

It’s bedtime in the burrow, and as usual, Noah is squished and squashed by sleepy rabbits. So out into the night he goes. Outside Noah meets his friend Albatross, who flies him to the land of the North Star, where sky and snow go on forever. When Noah falls from Albatross’s back, he’s not worried.

At first Noah loves being the only rabbit as he explores the snowy world. There’s no one to squish or squash him. But when Noah snuggles up in an icy nest, he missing the cozy nest full of snuggly siblings. Noah wants to go home, but without wings how will he make it home? Will ever find Albatross?

The beautiful illustrations begin by showing Noah’s cramped bunny den. Noah is being squeezed by his favorite sister, Ella. But Noah doesn’t want to be held like a teddy bear. As the story progresses, the animals’ expressions convey emotions. Noah visits a beautiful winter wonderland filled with blues and whites. The fanciful illustrations are lovely and young readers will want to look at them again and again.

Even though A Long Way Home is a picture book, the story intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 2-6 lines of text and some of the sentences are complex. However, the easy-to-read story’s topic makes A Long Way Home a good bedtime story.

Children will relate to Noah’s story. Even though adults will find A Long Way Home predictable, younger readers will love Noah’s adventure in the snow and understand the theme. Noah learns to appreciate his family despite being squished and squashed. Parents can use Noah’s story to discuss different habitats, Noah’s personal growth, as well as the importance of appreciating what you have. A Long Way Home uses a winter landscape to create a warm story that highlights the joy of family.

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Supernatural

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Dragons and Marshmallows

Zoey discovers a glowing photo in her mother’s bedroom and her mother shares an amazing secret. Zoey’s mother has been helping injured animals who come to their backyard barn for help. Since her mom is going on a trip, it’s up to Zoey to keep watch on the magical photo for any animals that appear. But when a baby dragon appears, Zoey isn’t sure how to help. With the help of Sassafras, Zoey’s cat, Zoey must figure out what is wrong with the dragon. Will they be able to help the little dragon before it’s too late?

Dragons and Marshmallows will appeal to younger readers and parents. Zoey is an adventurous, bug-loving girl who uses science to solve problems. The curious cat Sassafras stays by Zoey’s side and adds some humor. Even though much of the conflict revolves around helping a baby dragon, Zoey also worries about her mom going on a trip. Zoey “felt a little nervous about not seeing her for a whole week.”

Little Marshmallow, an adorable magical dragon, is weak and must rely on Zoey for help. Zoey jumps right in and documents her experience in her science journal. In order to help Little Marshmallow, Zoey reads books that have fun reptile facts. After learning about reptiles, Zoey comes up with a hypothesis and makes a list of necessary materials. When Zoey writes in her science journal, the font changes to a large, kid-like font and occasionally uses illustrations. One of the best aspects of the story is that Zoey does not succeed the first time; instead, she makes mistakes and must use trial and error before she succeeds in helping the dragon.

Zoey’s adventure is shown through large black and white illustrations that appear on almost every page. Sassafras appears in many of the pictures, and clearly loves bugs just as much as Zoey. At one point, Zoey tells Sassafras, “I do not trust you out here with my bugs. My new little friends are not a snack!” Readers who are not fluent will need help with some of the vocabulary. However, with short paragraphs, plenty of dialogue, and a simple plot, Dragons and Marshmallows is accessible to most readers.

Dragons and Marshmallows combines magical animals, a relatable character, and the scientific method into an entertaining story that children will love. Zoey and Sassafras will not only entertain readers but also teach important lessons along the way. Readers will learn about reptiles, the importance of eating healthy foods, and perseverance. The end of the book has a glossary that explains unfamiliar terms. Even though Zoey and Sassafras is a series, the books do not need to be read in order. Readers who want more magical animal fun will also enjoy The Last Firehawk Series by Katrina Charman.

Sexual Content

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Violence

A frog told Zoey’s mom that “he’d been out past dark looking for something he’d dropped during the day. An owl attacked him. He was terrified and hurt, but managed to escape.”

Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

When Zoey’s mother was a child, she found an injured frog. When she helped it, “the frog looked me in the eye, smiled, and said, ‘Thank you!’” The frog told other magical animals that Zoey’s mom would help them if they were injured.
Not everyone can see the magical animals. Zoey’s mom explains that the picture of the magical frog glows “because of the magic. Any time you photograph a magical creature, some of the magic stays in the photo.”

Spiritual Content

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Dragon’s Halloween

Dragon waits too long to go to the pumpkin patch. When he gets there, he finds six small pumpkins. When Alligator and Fox see Dragon carving his pumpkins, they laugh. Fox says, “Those pumpkins are too small to be scary.” Even though the pumpkins are small, Dragon is able to make a scary jack-o-lantern.

After carving pumpkins, Dragon has a hard time deciding what costume to wear to a costume party. He finally dresses as a mummy, but on the way to the party, rain ruins Dragon’s costume. His friends laugh at his silly costume. But then a pumpkin falls on Dragon’s head and all of his friends are so scared they jump into Hippo’s arms. When Dragon removes the pumpkin, everyone feels better. Everyone except the one animal that Hippo sat on.

In the final story, Dragon is frightened by strange sounds in the night. When Dragons yells, an angry squirrel tells him, “That’s no monster. That’s your stomach! Now go home and get something to eat before you wake up the whole forest!” So Dragon goes home and bakes a feast of pumpkin-flavored foods. And then he “ate and ate and ate.”

Readers won’t be able to get enough of Dragon, the loveable blue dragon. Dragon’s Halloween has three silly, short stories that will entertain readers. Each page has 1-4 easy-to-read sentences and large illustrations. Each Halloween story has a simple plot. The book is intended for children who are learning to read. With simple text, humor, and full-color illustration on every page, Dragon’s Halloween will help readers build confidence and fluency. As Dragon gets into the Halloween spirit, readers will laugh as he discovers both the fun and the scary parts of Halloween.

Sexual Content

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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all ears, all eyes

In the moonlight, animals hoot, whirl, and sing. The night is alive with foxes, chipmunks, and bats. The beauty of the forest comes alive with sounds. “See it? Hear it? Tree fog agog, scree-scree-screeing on a log-og-og.”

The beautiful illustrations use muted colors to make the night come alive. However, some of the forest animals are hidden in the forest and are difficult to find. Younger readers may enjoy hunting for the hidden animals. Occasionally, the text will point out the animals by saying “deer here.”

The poetic language may be difficult for young readers to understand. Instead of having complete thoughts, the story jumps around. “Fox, mouse, owl, bat, this and that (was that a cat?) in our deep, dark woods. Where? There! Shhh. See it? Hear it? Whooo-whooo.”

All ears, all eyes illustrates the beauty of the natural world. Even though it is a picture book, readers will need help with the poetic language. Because the story contains so many animal sounds, the book would make an excellent story to read aloud. Despite the beautiful illustration, young readers most likely will not want to read all ears, all eyes multiple times. Without a plot or central character, the poetry may confuse readers, and the hidden animals may frustrate little readers.

Sexual Content

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Digging Deep

Asiyah Najjar isn’t sure she wants to play on a travel team. But her best friend Lucy talks her into going to volleyball tryouts. When both Asiyah and Lucy are chosen to be part of the team, Asiyah is excited. But the practices are longer, harder, and more frequent than her old squad’s. Soon, Asiyah isn’t sure that she made the right decision in joining the travel team.

Asiyah is well-known for goofing around and making her friends laugh. While at practice, she keeps up her silly antics but instead of laughing, Asiyah’s new teammates are upset that she’s distracting them. Instead of having fun, Asiyah keeps making mistakes. Instead of upper her game, Asiyah is having difficulty concentration. When she overhears Lucy and her other teammates talking poorly about her, Asiyah wants to quite the team. Will travel volleyball come between Asiyah’s and Lucy’s friendship? Can Asiyah dig deep and jump to the next level of play?

Before quitting, Asiyah asks her brother for advice and with his encouragement, Asiyah begins to ask herself, “Is now the right time for fun?” As Asiyah gets more serious and focused on the game, she realizes that working hard improves her skills. Soon, both her coach and teammates notice Asiyah’s efforts. When Asiyah makes a key play that leads to winning a game, Asiyah knows her hard work has paid off. Asiyah realizes that she doesn’t need to change, she just needed to figure out when to be serious and when to be silly.

Readers will relate to Asiyah, who loves to make people laugh. Her silly faces, dance moves, and jokes are fun, but they also lead to trouble. Like many, Asiyah’s feelings are hurt when her best friend doesn’t stand up for her. Asiyah begins avoiding Lucy, which just makes the problem worse. When Asiyah talks to her brother, he gives her advice—about both volleyball and friendship. Her brother tells her, “Well, you need to decide if you want to put in the effort to get better…If you don’t, then maybe the travel team isn’t right for you. And that’s okay.”

Asiyah is Muslim and wears a hijab. When she tries out for the travel team, she is nervous about having to explain why she wears a hijab. This brief scene is the only time Asiyah’s religion is mentioned. While the story has diverse characters, the characters are one-dimensional and generic.

While the story has some play-by-play sports action, readers of all types will relate to Asiyah’s insecurities, realistic conflicts, and silly antics. Told from Asiyah’s point of view, Digging Deep allows the reader to understand Asiyah’s conflict. Digging Deep has ten short chapters, easy vocabulary, and a simple plot. The cute black and white illustrations that appear every 4 to 7 pages help keep readers engaged. For those who would like to use Digging Deep as a learning opportunity, the end of the book has a word glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts, and a glossary of volleyball terms. Digging Deep will entertain readers and teach them the value of hard work.

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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A Perfect Day

Warm sun. Cool water. A full bird feeder. What could possibly spoil a perfect afternoon in Bert’s backyard?

Lane Smith’s tale imagines how one creature’s idea of a perfect afternoon might be quite different than another’s. For a cat, the perfect day is spending time in a “flower bed where the daffodils grew.” But for a squirrel, who cannot reach the bird feeder, a perfect day is hanging out chomping on a cob of corn. The story shows how everyone’s idea of a perfect day is different, and how one bear ruins the others’ perfect day.

The beautiful, textured illustrations use muted, soft colors to draw in readers. Pictures show how Bert takes care of the wild animals without turning them into pets. Bert puts seeds in a bird feeder and gives the squirrel a cob of corn. The pictures also have a hint of humor. For example, when a bear steals a squirrel’s corn, the bear smiles wide showing his corn teeth.

The easy-to-read story uses short, repetitive sentences, which make A Perfect Day a great bedtime story. On the back cover, a picture of a bear raiding a bird feeder shows how the story was inspired by Smith’s personal experience. Depending on the reader’s location, A Perfect Day could be used to discuss why people should not feed wild animals. A Perfect Day is a perfect book to show how anyone—animal or human—can enjoy the simple things in life.

Sexual Content

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Longboard Let Down

Valeria loves longboarding and going to competitions. She’s always been one of the best downhill longboarders around. But when Valeria injures her arm, she isn’t sure she wants to jump back on a longboard. Valeria is no longer fearless; instead, she’s overwhelmed by doubts and insecurities. When her best friend, Mateo, tries to get Valeria to ride again, she keeps making up excuses.

When Valeria meets Chloe, a new girl at school, Mateo tells Chloe that Valeria can teach her to longboard. Valeria reluctantly agrees, but when Valeria gets back on the board, she crashes. Valeria wonders if she should quit longboarding. The Pro Longboard event is right around the corner, and Valeria has always dominated the local kids’ division. Will Valeria get over her fear in time to participate in the competition?

Valeria is like many of the “Mexican people in Harlow Springs. Some only spoke Spanish. Valeria, like many of her friends, had been born in Colorado. Her parents had come from Mexico.” Valeria and several of the other characters use Spanish words when speaking. While having diverse characters is a positive attribute, Valeria is stereotypically portrayed. Valeria’s family is poor and when injured she goes to the free medical clinic. Valeria lives in a trailer park and “sometimes people looked at her differently after they found out where she lived.”

Unlike Valeria, Chloe is a spoiled, rich white girl, who is a bit outrageous. She never looks down on Valeria, but she obviously doesn’t have to worry about money. Chloe’s outrageous behavior adds humor to the story. For example, during the competition, Chloe wears a gorilla suit in protest against her mother. Chloe says, “That way when people ask, ‘Which one is your daughter’ she’ll have to tell them, ‘The one in the gorilla suit.’”

Valeria is a relatable character who has to overcome her fears. Valeria meets a competitive longboarder champion, Ana, which helps Valeria realize that everyone has moments when they want to quit. However, with Ana’s encouragement, Valeria is able to get back on the board. Even though she doesn’t win the competition, Valeria thinks, “In a way, getting second place today feels more important than all my first place wins. I never would have expected that.”

Longboard Letdown will introduce readers to a sport that is often overlooked. Readers will enjoy 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 Longboard Letdown an easy read. For those who would like to use Longboard Letdown as a learning opportunity, the end of the book has a Spanish word guide, word glossary, discussion questions, writing prompts, and a glossary of rodeo events. Longboard Letdown explores Valeria’s fear and teaches the importance of perseverance.

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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Marley and the Runaway Pumpkin

Marley’s family has spent the summer taking care of their pumpkin. They hope their pumpkin wins a blue ribbon at the county fair. But when Marely’s family rolls the pumpkin into the truck, Marley breaks his leash and jumps on the pumpkin. The pumpkin runs down the street. The pumpkin crashes into garbage cans, takes a ride on a scooter, and almost runs over the mailman. The pumpkin finally crashes and smashes into a tree.

Marley’s family is disappointed that the pumpkin can no longer be entered into the contest. But Mommy has an idea! “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And when life gives you smashed pumpkins, make pie.” The family enters the pumpkin pie into a contest and wins first place. Cassie says, “It was a blue-ribbon pumpkin after all.”

Marley doesn’t mean to cause mischief, but his curiosity causes trouble. Throughout the story, Marley’s family uses creative solutions to solve their problems. When Marley smashes their pumpkin, the family comes up with another plan. While the conclusion is unrealistic, the happy ending implies that Marley has been forgiven and that his family still loves him.

Young readers will relate to Marley, who accidentally gets into trouble. The plot comes alive through large, brightly colored illustrations that appear on every page. Each page has 43 or fewer words. The story uses longer sentences and has some challenging words that readers may need help with. Even though Marley is featured in over 20 books, the books do not need to be read in order.

Marley and the Runaway Pumpkin is a fun fall story that teaches the importance of thinking creatively. If you’re ready for colorful leaves falling and the smell of pumpkin pie, Marley and the Runaway Pumpkin will help readers get into the mood to enjoy fall’s delights.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

None

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Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

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Moon’s First Friends: One Giant Leap for Friendship

The Moon shines brightly in the night sky. She watches the Earth and wishes someone would come visit her. As the Earth changes, the Moon wonders why the animals don’t look up at her. In order to get people to notice her, she shows off by spinning and twirling. The moon is excited when people start trying to fly. But they still have a long, long way to go. Will anyone come visit the Moon?

Moon’s First Friends begins with the time of the dinosaurs and goes through man’s first steps on the moon. The story shows mankind’s important feats, including the building of the pyramids, modes of transportation, and finally the construction of the Apollo spaceship. Through it all, the Moon watched and hoped someone would come visit her.

Little readers will empathize with the Moon, who just wants a friend. The Moon’s plight comes alive in beautiful, imaginative pictures that bring the Moon’s personality to life. The Moon’s facial expressions are adorably cute and expressive. As the Moon watches people build the first fire, the Moon looks on with wonder. The Moon patiently watches the events down on Earth and tries to get the attention of those down below. The story ends with the astronauts landing on the Moon, and the moon gives them a gift of moon rocks and dust. In return, the astronauts leave her a “handsome plaque” and a “beautiful flag.”

Hill takes an imaginative look at the first Apollo moon landing, gives factual information that will fascinate readers and inspires them to want to learn more. The end of the book includes nonfiction information about the mission to travel to the moon, moon cycles, and other information about the Apollo mission. Readers can also scan a QR code and listen to Neil Armstrong’s first words on the moon.

Moon’s First Friends will appeal to any child. The brightly colored illustration beautifully shows the Earth’s history and shows how the Moon and man become friends. Little readers who are interested in space will also enjoy Mousetronaut Goes to Mars by Mark Kelly and Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

None

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Sloth at the Zoom

One day, a sloth accidentally gets delivered to the Zoom! She was supposed to be dropped off at the Zzzzzoo, a much more laid-back, slow-paced place. She had been looking forward to long, languorous naps while the sun gently warmed her belly, but at the Zoom, the zebras gallop so fast they leave their stripes in puddles. The monkeys climb so fast they forget to stop at the treetops, and the parrots fly so fast their tails draw rainbows across the sky.

When the sloth tries to make friends, nobody has any time—until the sloth meets a creature who’s a little more her speed, and everyone stops to notice. Sloth and the Zoom is a picture book about slowing down to enjoy the little things and making time for what matters.

Sloth at the Zoom will appeal to any animal lover who wonders what animal thinks. Even though the sloth’s story is humorous, younger readers will relate to the sloth who wants friends. The story comes alive with bright illustrations that are yellow and green with splashes of color. The text and quote boxes highlight the sloth’s slow, slow pace.

Even though Sloth at the Zoom is a picture book, younger readers will need help with some of the difficult vocabulary, including: whinnied, adorned, contented, and philodendron. Each page has 1-4 sentences along with a full-page illustration. Because the story beautifully uses exaggeration and alliteration, Sloth at the Zoom is a great book to read aloud. If you have ever wondered how a sloth spends his day, then Sloth at the Zoom is sure to delight.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Otis and the Puppy

Otis and his farm friends love to play hide-and-seek. Otis especially loves to be “it,” finding his friends as they hide in funny places. But one day, when the newest addition to the farm—a bounding puppy who can’t sit still—goes hiding, his attention wanders along with his legs, and soon he is lost in the forest.

Daylight fades quickly, and Otis begins to worry. He knows that his new friend is afraid of the dark and must be terrified to be all alone in the woods. Yet Otis has a secret that makes his tires tremble at the thought of searching in the dark. How can he conquer his fear to save the day?

Any child who loves hide-and-seek will love seeing the funny places Otis finds the farm animals hiding. Otis works and plays hard on the farm. The tractor loves to help plow and plant fields. Otis’s personality shines because of his expressive facial expressions. Readers will fall in love with the cute, curious puppy who loves to sleep curled up next to Otis.

When the little puppy wanders away from the farm, Otis worries about his new friends. Otis understands the puppy’s fear of the dark because Otis has the same fear. However, Otis doesn’t let his fear keep him from going into the dark woods to seek his friend. When the two friends find each other, “somehow the night sounds no longer felt so frightening to them.”

The background of each illustration is done in soft grays, which allows Otis’s and the animal’s colors to pop on the page. When night comes, the animals are just shadows, but even the silhouettes convey the animal’s feelings. As Otis goes into the dark woods, readers will have fun finding the animals in the shadows. The story has the perfect ending. Otis and the puppy reunited, and they are no longer afraid of the dark.

Even though Otis and the Puppy 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. The onomatopoeias make the story fun to read aloud. Each page has 1-5 sentences; however, some of the sentences are complex. Younger readers will love seeing that tractor and puppy become friends.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

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Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

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Goldie Blox and the Three Dares

While in the attic, Goldie Blox finds her grandmother’s book of dares. With the help of her friends, she is determined to finish the last three remaining challenges. However, one of the challenges may be impossible. Despite this, Goldie Blox is determined to succeed and make her grandmother proud.

Goldie and her friends complete a series of dares ranging from eating a hot pepper, smelling a rotting fish flower, stealing the original Bloxtown blueprints, and having a picnic on the moon. While completing the challenges, Goldie and her friends each use talent and engineering. For example, when Goldie and her friends need to cross a swollen river, Goldie makes a zip line. For another task, Ruby uses her minicomputer to deactivate the museum’s alarm system.

Goldie Blox and the Three Dares introduces readers to STEM and features a group of interracial friends. The friends are illustrated with different skin tones; however, the characters’ races are never discussed nor does it affect any of the characters’ behaviors. The story focuses on each character’s unique talent and personality. Despite the friends’ differences, each person helps Goldie complete the challenges.

The story shows the power of imagination, problem-solving, and extreme risk-taking. Goldie is up for any challenge and has more freedom than the average seven-year-old. For example, Goldie and her friends are dropped off at a trailhead and embark on an overnight camping trip. While some of the events are presented in a cartoony way, some of the dares could lead to injury. Also, while completing the challenges, Goldie’s parents know that Goldie and her friends are planning on breaking into a museum and they allow the children to proceed with the theft as long as they return the stolen item afterward.

Goldie Blox and the Three Dares will appeal to younger readers. The story uses easy vocabulary, short paragraphs, and cartoonish black and white illustrations that appear every three to five pages. Goldie and her friends are smart and creative; however, the story never explains how any of their inventions are created. Also, some of the antics are too outrageous to be believable. For example, while breaking into the museum, the guard has an alligator on a leash. In order to distract the alligator, Goldie’s dog, Nacho, “dropped a potato chip. Then another and another. He made a trail of snacks leading away from the Gearheads.”

The Goldie Blox Series will entertain readers and spark their interest in engineering. The Goldie Blox toy line will also give readers a chance to create some gadgets of their own. Younger readers interested in engineering will also enjoy Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty. Strong readers who want books that combine engineering and positive friendships should put the Ellie Engineer Series by Jackson Pearce at the top of their reading list.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

Goldie modifies her walking stick to sing a different version of 99 bottles of beer on the wall. Instead of using beer, the stick sings, “One hundred bottles of superglue in the shop. . . Take one down, use it all up.”

Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

“If you give a cat a cupcake, he’ll ask for some sprinkles to go with it. When you give him the sprinkles, he might spill some on the floor. Cleaning up will make him hot, so you’ll give him a bathing suit . . .”

A little girl has a messy, mischievous cat who loves to have fun. The little girl takes the cat to the beach, to the gym, and to a merry-go-round. The little girl often has a surprised look on her face, while the adorable black cat is full of enthusiasm.

This simple story has one sentence on each page, which makes it a quick read. Each page’s illustration shows the cat and his girl. The illustrations are often humorous. For example, the cat finds a “few” things to put in his beach pail; however, the pail overflows and contains a vast amount of items—seaweed, a boot, a hat, a toy truck, a hairbrush, etc. Other illustrations are silly, such as when the cat creates a sandcastle with the girl as part of it. The easy-to-read text and fun pictures make If You Give a Cat a Cupcake a fun book for younger readers.

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake will delight younger readers and introduce the idea of cause and effect. Sprinkle some fun into your day and read If You Give a Cat a Cupcake. Just beware, the story will give you a craving for a cupcake of your own.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Bird & Squirrel On The Edge

Bird and Squirrel are heading home, but first they have to cross the Great Mountains. Along the way, the two friends run across a baby bear that is being chased by wolves. Bird jumps in to help the bear. During the chase, Bird gets hit in the head with an acorn and gets amnesia. Now Squirrel has to be the brave one in order to keep both Bird and the bear cub safe as they travel over the mountains. With a pack of hungry wolves chasing them, can Squirrel step up and be the leader they need to keep them alive?

Bird’s and Squirrel’s role reversals lead to laugh after laugh. Even though Squirrel is reluctant to help the baby bear, in the end, Bird convinces him to do what’s right. When the two friends switch roles, Squirrel takes several risks to keep his friends safe. The cute bear gives the story a fun new twist. Through it all, Squirrel learns that helping others is always the right thing to do.

With funny puns, wild chase scenes, and friendship, Bird & Squirrel on the Edge will take readers on an amazing adventure through the Great Mountains. Although the story’s plot consists mostly of chase scenes, readers will enjoy the interplay between Bird, Squirrel, and the bear. The perfect ending will have readers smiling from ear to ear.

Even though Bird & Squirrel on the Edge is the third installment of the series, readers do not have to read the books in order. However, Bird’s and Squirrel’s developing friendship is one of the best parts of the series, so readers will get the most enjoyment if the books are read in order. Bird’s and Squirrel’s adventures aren’t over when they make it home. Once they are back on their home turf, they discover a new danger that threatens the forest. Readers will be eager to pick up the next book in the series, Bird & Squirrel On Fire.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

Wolves with large teeth chase a bear, who climbs into a tree. Bird and Squirrel help by throwing pine cones at the wolves. The wolves run away. Squirrel accidentally hits Bird in the head with a pine cone, and Bird loses his memory. The chase scene is illustrated over 14 pages.
When Bird, Squirrel, and the bear hide in a cave, the wolves find them. Bird screams, “We’re going to die!!” The three friends fall over a cliff, but they aren’t injured. The chase scene is illustrated over five pages.
As the three friends are walking through a forest, Bird and Squirrel freak out over a spider. When the bear squishes the spider and eats it, it is described as, “Slurp Mum Num.”
The wolf tries to eat Bird. The bear is frightened, falls into a river, and goes over a waterfall. Bird and Squirrel jump in after the bear. The scene is illustrated over seven pages.
The wolves surround the three friends. The wolves snarl and howl at them. A wolf tries to bite the bear, but Squirrel hits the wolf with a large stick. The chase scene is illustrated over 16 pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

When the bear jumps in the mud, Squirrel said, “We’ll be cleaning crud out of our crevices for years.”

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Take The Stage

When her neighborhood decides to throw a block party, JoJo Siwa has the best idea ever: she’ll perform her hit song “Boomerang” as a highlight of the big summer bash. With her crew of friends behind her and the support of her trusty sidekick, BowBow, JoJo is sure their summer will be as sweet as it gets. Then, she meets Grace—the new kid on the block with tons of talent—and JoJo knows her plan for a rockin’ party is complete!

But Kyra, resident mean girl and head of the party-planning committee, has other ideas. When Kyra’s jealousy threatens to ruin the entire block party, JoJo knows it is time to rally her fans, nick-named Siwanatorz, and save the day. After all, being a Siwanatorz means—above all—being kind.

Take The Stage has a little bit of glitter, unicorns, and girl power wrapped up in a fun book that will make readers want to have a dance party of their own. While the plot is predictable and JoJo is a little too sweet, younger readers will be entertained as they learn the importance of making new friends and being kind to others—even your enemy.

Even though BowBow is on the cover of the book and his name is in the title, he rarely appears and does nothing to advance the plot. The story focuses on the girl drama between Grace and Kyra. When Grace first meets JoJo, Grace wonders if she should hide her love of unicorns because she doesn’t want to be made fun of. However, with the help of JoJo and her friends, Grace realizes that she doesn’t need to change. And by the end of the book, all the girls are well on their way to being friends.

Another positive lesson from Take The Stage is the importance of apologizing. JoJo says, “But my mom always told me that you don’t apologize to be forgiven. You apologize because it’s the right thing to do.” While Take The Stage has some positive life lessons, the story also promotes JoJo’s songs and YouTube channel. At times the story is a little too sugary sweet and the conclusion shows everyone forgiving the bully and becoming friends, which is unrealistic.

While Take The Stage is intended for girls six or older, the vocabulary will be difficult for younger readers. Readers who enjoy illustrated chapter books will find Take The Stage’s text-heavy pages a little overwhelming. Each chapter starts with a cute black and white illustration, but they are the only pictures that appear in the book. If you’re not familiar with JoJo’s products, you may want to skip the self-promoting series JoJo and BowBow. Instead, try an illustrated series that promotes friendship—such as Diary of an Ice Princess by Christina Soontornvat or Jada Jones by Kelly Starling Lyons.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Angus All Aglow

Angus loves sparkly things so much that he can hear them. To Angus, shiny objects not only look beautiful, they also crackle, buzz, and go whiz-bang-POP! His unique ability is lost when Angus wears his grandma’s beaded necklace to school, and his classmates tease him for his unusual choice. Saddened by their laughter, Angus stops hearing the sparkle.

Without sparkly things in his life, Angus is sad. Before being teased, Angus loved the diamond studs on the collar of his dog, Sherlock. After being teased, Angus pushes Sherlock away because Sherlock’s collar has sparkly diamond studs that make Angus feel bad. As the story progresses, Angus’ emotions are explained in unique ways that younger readers can understand. For example, when Angus’ classmates tease him, their “laughter was like the downpour of freezing rain.”

In order to be accepted, Angus thinks he is going to have to give up sparkly things. One of Angus’ classmates shows him acceptance, friendship, and a shared love of all things sparkly. In the end, Angus gains a new friend and a new understanding that it’s okay to be different. Instead of feeling embarrassed because he likes sparkly things, Angus’ newfound friend and confidence make him glow from the inside out.

Angus Aglow should be on everyone’s reading list not only because of the positive message but also because the text and pictures are beautifully sparkly. Angus Aglow is packed full of fun words including new vocabulary, similes, and onomatopoeias. The text is fun to read aloud, and it also has some wonderful elements such as brightly colored font and larger text for important words.

The full-page illustrations use bright colors and fun details that younger readers will want to look at again and again. Angus’s classroom is diverse, and his new friend is an African American girl, which reinforces the idea that people do not have to be exactly alike in order to be friends. Each page has 2-7 sentences per page along with illustrations that show Angus’ expressive emotions. Even though Angus Aglow 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.

Angus Aglow will help younger readers understand the value of acceptance and friendship. The story uses figurative language that makes the story fun to read. Angus Aglow will remind readers that they should embrace the things that make them feel sparkly inside.

Sexual Content