Early Elementary – Page 25 – Sneak Peek Books

Homer

Alex loves baseball. So does his dog, Homer. One starry night, after Alex goes to sleep, Homer and his canine friends get ready for their big baseball game. Find out who will be the champions of the dog baseball world when Homer and the Doggers take on the mighty Hounds.

A story with baseball and dogs should be an interesting book; however, Homer has too many flaws. The dog characters and the plot are not developed, which makes the story confusing. Instead of telling a unique story, the predictable story uses too much baseball prose. For example, “Here’s the pitch. . . It’s a long drive to center field. It’s waaay back! The ball is going. . . going. . . it’s gone!”

The inside cover of the book has cute player cards of both teams, which identify their breed and teams. The picture book uses computer-enhanced photos of the dogs. The illustrations, while amusing at times, are strange. Often the artwork and photos do not match correctly. In one picture, a dog is batting while another one is peeing on a fire hydrant.

Baseball and animal fans might overlook the negative aspects of the book. The full-page pictures include text bubbles with some cute dialogue. The story also incorporates some dog puns. For example, when the Homers are suiting up for the game, one dog says, “it’s going to be a ruff game.” Most pages have one sentence, and many pages have no text. Baseball fans might want to leave Homer on the library shelf. If you’re looking for an inspirational baseball picture book Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream by Crystal Hubbard is an excellent story with a positive message. Readers who are ready for chapter books should read The Alien Next Door: Baseball Blues by A.I Newton.

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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A Summer Spell

Lisa didn’t want to spend the summer in the country with her aunt. With no friends and no TV, Lisa thinks she will be lonely and bored. When Lisa finds an orange kitten in her aunt’s barn, she’s surprised when the kitten talks to her! The kitten, named Flame, is really a lion prince in disguise. Prince Flame is hiding from his uncle, who wants to kill him. Lisa promises to help Prince Flame stay safe.

But Prince Flame isn’t Lisa’s only friend. While riding her bike, Lisa meets John, a boy about her age. Someone has accused John’s father of poaching. Late one night, Lisa and John sneak out in the middle of the night to try to find the real poachers and get evidence that proves John’s father is innocent. With Prince Flame’s magical help, Lisa is able to help John.

A Summer Spell has several fun scenes that will make readers wish they had their own magical cat. Prince Flame not only helps Lisa with the dishes, but he also makes her invisible. Even though the story revolves around Prince Flame’s magic, the story has some darker events. Not only are bad men poaching, but the men frame John’s father, who is put in jail. The story hints that John’s father is targeted because he is a gypsy. Not only that, but Lisa sneaks out of the house in the middle of the night to go find the poachers, even though she knows that they have guns. Without Prince Flame’s help, Lisa and John would most likely be dead.

Lisa is a relatable character who wants to help her friends. However, at first she is disrespectful to her aunt. And even after she promises not to go anywhere without permission, she sneaks away several times. Despite this, readers will enjoy the plot’s action and Flame’s magic. Black and white drawings appear every three to seven pages. Even though A Summer Spell has some negative aspects, the story will engage readers and have them reaching for the next book in the series, Classroom Chaos. Cat lovers should also put the Purrmaids Series by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen on their must-read list.

Sexual Content

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Violence

While riding a bike, Lisa runs into a pony. “Lisa’s bike screeched along the road into the pony. The brakes locked up and she was launched into the air.” With a little magic, “she landed softly onto what felt like a very soft pillow.”
When Lisa’s friends is in danger, Prince Flame turns her into a lion so she can rescue them. As a lion, Lisa “rushed up behind the first man and slammed into the back of his legs. In a swift movement, Lisa changed directions and launched herself at another man. . . She tripped up the third man, who fell over in a jumble of arms and legs.”
While looking for evidence, Flame turns Lisa into a lion. Lisa, “caught the smell of death. Two deer lay in the back of the van.”

Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

Prince Flame’s uncle wants to kill him and take the throne for himself, so Prince Flame needs to hide. “A flash of bright white light crossed the sky. A shower of silver sparkles fell upon a young white lion. Before the lion had a chance to blink, it was magically changed into a tiny, fluffy, orange kitten.”
Prince Flame helps Lisa with the dishes. “Flame leaped up into the air like a silver fireball and landed on the draining board. Sparks crackled from the tips of his ears. He waved his front paws, and plates, spoons, forks, knives, and pans all dunked themselves in the suds.” With a little magic, the dishes wash, dry and put themselves away.
When Lisa forgets to buy groceries, Flame “meowed and twitched his whiskers. Lisa saw that huge silver sparks were popping in the air around him. The familiar warmth pricked down her spine.” When Lisa goes outside, “the bike’s basket was crammed with food.” Later Flame says he magically got the food from the grocery store. In order to pay for the purchases, Lisa puts money in an envelope with a note explaining what happened.
Several times, Prince Flame uses magic to make Lisa invisible.

Spiritual Content

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Mac Cracks the Code

The Queen of England calls on Mac B. once again! This time, Mac must crack a secret code that has been recovered from a double agent. A series of clues leads Mac to France, to Japan where he comes face-to-face with his arch-nemesis the KGB Man, and to the world headquarters of Nintendo! Is the KGB Man secretly behind all of this? Are Mac’s video game skills good enough to face down his enemy at the Video Game World Championships?

Even though the events in Mac Cracks the Code are at times ridiculous, the story incorporates historical and language lessons into the events. The story teaches spy terminology such as cytologist, as well as portmanteau words. There are also world maps that show Mac’s travel routes, which helps readers understand where countries are in relation to each other. Readers will also be eager to try to figure out the clues to the mystery.

Mac Cracks the Case will entertain even the most reluctant readers with its fast pace and hilarious events. Short sentences, humorous illustrations, and simple vocabulary will help readers build confidence. Video games play a part in the story’s plot, which adds interest for those who like video games. Because several of the characters appear in the previous books, readers will get maximum enjoyment if they read the series in order.

In Mac Cracks the Code, Mac tells his own story with humor and puts a spotlight on the absurd. The conclusion will have readers cheering for Max and groaning when the Queen of England gives Max a gift. The Max B. Kid Spy Series continuously gives readers engaging stories that will have readers laughing out loud. Any reader who enjoys intrigue will want to add the Max B. Kid Spy Series to their reading list.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

The KGB man tells Mac, “You look like a doofus!” Mac uses the same words to describe the KGB man.

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Mae Among The Stars

When Little Mae was a child, she dreamed of dancing in space. She imagined herself surrounded by billions of stars, floating, gliding, and discovering. Mae learns that if you can dream it and you work hard for it, anything is possible.

Mae Among The Stars was inspired by the story of Mae Jemison, the first African American in space. When Mae tells her parents about her dream, they tell her, “If you can dream it, if you believe it and work hard for it, anything is possible.” However, not everyone believes that Mae’s dream of being an astronaut is realistic. Her teacher tells her, “Mae, are you sure you don’t want to be a nurse? Nursing would be a good profession for someone like you.” Despite her teacher and classmate’s disbelief, Mae makes her dream come true.

Even though the story was inspired by Mae Jemison, the story doesn’t incorporate many facts about Mae’s life. The story repeats the refrain, “If you can dream it, if you believe it and work hard for it, anything is possible.” However, the story doesn’t explain what Mae did to make her dream come true. The end of the book only has one page about about Mae Jemison’s education, when she traveled to the moon, and some other information.

The picture book is comprised of bright, cartoon-like pictures that show Mae’s interest in space. Even though Mae Among The Stars 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. Each page has 2-4 sentences; however, some of the sentences are complex. Mae Among The Stars encourages readers to work hard to make their dreams come true. Parents may want to use the story to begin a conversation about working hard to achieve one’s dreams.

Younger readers who are interested in space will want to add Mousetronaut and Mousetronaut Goes to Mars by Mark Kelly to their reading list.

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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All Paws on Deck

In the first book of the series, Haggis and Tank set sail. Haggis and Tank go on a pirate adventure. They talk like pirates, swab the deck, and even search for buried treasure! But then, a giant sea serpent starts chasing their pirate ship. Will Haggis and Tank ever make it home?

Any child who has ever pretended to go on an adventure will relate to Haggis and Tank who use their imagination to sail away on a pirate ship. During their adventure, the two friends must come up with creative solutions to problems. Throughout the adventure, Haggis and Tank use pirate talk and cleverly weave homophones into their speech which adds humor. For example, when Haggis is trying to teach Tank how to tie knots, Tank wants to learn “forget-me-nots.”

Haggis and Tank’s adventure is illustrated in brightly colored panels. Much like a graphic novel, some of the pages only have quote bubbles. In order to move the story along, 1-2 sentence narration is included on some of the pages. The illustrated story is funny, imaginative, and full of surprising details. In addition, the heart-warming conclusion shows that “the real treasure is right here at home.”

Younger readers will laugh as Haggis and Tank take to the sea and overcome some unexpected difficulties. All Paws on Deck is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line called Branches which is aimed at newly independent readers. With 1-3 sentences on each page, independent readers can read the story to themselves. The story ends with five questions and gives page numbers to help readers take a closer look at the text. All Paws on Deck will amuse both children and parents. Both the pirate talk and wordplay make All Paws on Deck perfect for reading aloud. Younger readers will want to join Haggis and Tank’s next adventure, Howl at the Moon. Readers who enjoy adventure-loving dogs will also want to read the Safari Pug Series by Laura James.

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

Tank calls Haggis a “landlubber.”

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Bird & Squirrel On The Run

Squirrel is busy preparing for winter. He’s collected and stored enough acorns to last him through spring. Meanwhile, Bird is enjoying riding the air currents. When Bird invites Squirrel to go south with him, Squirrel isn’t interested. But when Cat decides that he’d like nothing better than to eat Bird for lunch, Squirrel jumps to the rescue. Unfortunately, he also loses all of his acorns. With his winter supply of food gone, Squirrel reluctantly decides to head south with Bird. Cat sneakily follows, waiting for a perfect opportunity to make Bird his lunch.

Filled with cat chases, misfortune, and other drama, Bird’s and Squirrel’s adventure is pure fun. The two friends are comically different. Every time something bad happens, Squirrel is convinced that “We’re gonna die!” On the other hand, Bird looks on the bright side of everything. When all of their possessions are lost, Bird holds up a toothbrush and says, “Look on the bright side, we still have your toothbrush.” The interplay between Bird and Squirrel will make readers laugh out loud.

Bird and Squirrel’s adventure is reminiscent of Tom and Jerry. Every time Cat tries to sneak up and eat Bird, Cat ends up being injured in some way. As Bird and Squirrel try to avoid Cat, they run into a funny family of moles, a raging river, a slimy snake, and other misfortunes. Even though Bird & Squirrel on the Run is full of slapstick humor, the graphic novel also teaches the importance of friendship and working together.

The story is illustrated with brightly colored panels. Much like a cartoon, the illustrations use exaggerated facial expressions to add to the humor. Each page contains one to six simple sentences. Bird & Squirrel on the Run will appeal to even the most reluctant readers. Bird and Squirrel’s silly antics will keep readers interested as it teaches the importance of enjoying life, even if you’re being chased by a cat. Readers who want more animal mischief should read the Pets on the Loose Series by Victoria Jamieson.

Sexual Content

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Violence

Cat spends a lot of time chasing Bird. The first time that Cat tries to chomp Bird, Bird crashes into a tree and falls to the ground. To help Bird, Squirrel throws acorns at Cat. When an acorn avalanche begins, it sweeps Squirrel and Cat into a river. The scene is illustrated over eight pages.
Bird and Squirrel pack up to head south, when Cat decides to chase them. Bird and Squirrel fall into the river and lose all of their belongings. The scene is described over three pages.
When Cat chases Bird and Squirrel, the two friends hide in a hole. Cat tries to follow, but he cannot fit inside the hole. With his butt pointing up out of the hole, Cat is hit by lightning. The scenes is illustrated over three pages.
Bird accidentally angers bees, and the bees chase him. Bird leads the bees to Squirrel, who is shown with stingers sticking out of his face and body. The scene is described over three pages.
While walking through a dark forest, a snake attacks Bird and Squirrel. The snake wraps its tail around Squirrel, and Bird flies to the rescue. The scene is illustrated over five pages.
A hawk scares Bird, who is carrying Squirrel. Bird drops Squirrel, but is able to grab him before he smashes into the ground. The hawk gives chase, but Bird is able to get Squirrel to safety.
When it looks like Bird is in trouble, Squirrel jumps on the hawk’s back. The hawk stops chasing Bird, and drops Squirrel, who falls to the ground. The scene is illustrated over six pages.
Cat again tries to eat Bird. When Cat holds Bird to the ground, Squirrel throws a rock and hits Cat between the eyes. Squirrel taunts Cat, “I bet you’re too slow and too stupid to catch me!” Cat chases Squirrel and the hawk grabs Cat and carries him away. The scene is illustrated over six pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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The 39-Story Treehouse: Mean Machines & Mad Professors!

Andy and Terry have added thirteen new levels to their amazing treehouse! With a new trampoline, chocolate waterfall, active volcano, opera house, baby-dinosaur petting zoo, museum, boxing elephant, not-very-merry-go-round, X-ray room, disco dance floor, high-tech office, and the world’s scariest rollercoaster, the treehouse has gotten even more ridiculous!

As usual, Andy and Terry are too busy having absurd amounts of fun to realize that their next book is due tomorrow afternoon. Even though the boys have not written a scrap, Terry has a solution. He unveils his new top-secret invention: a Once-Upon-a-Time Machine that writes and draws the books for them. After the invention locks them out of the treehouse and threatens to write its own books, the duo must seek the aid of a mad professor, who is determined to destroy the universe, in order to save their treehouse.

Will the boys be able to save the universe and the treehouse all while finishing their book?

The Treehouse Series is a fantastic series for young readers who are reluctant to read. Griffiths and Denton create a silly, funny, and ridiculous story that will leave readers rolling on the floor laughing. In order to finish their book, Terry invents a machine that will write the book for them. After the machine locks the boys out of the treehouse, Andy and Terry go through a range of slapstick scenarios in order to save their treehouse and book series. In the end, the boys realize they should have written their book and not have depended on the machine to do it for them. This teaches readers the importance of doing their own work.

Unlike other books in the series, Griffiths and Denton do not depend on bathroom humor or inappropriate behavior as a crutch for their jokes, but instead, use wordplay and a bit of slapstick comedy to entertain their readers. The funny black-and-white drawings contribute to a positive reading experience and will help younger readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels.

Unlike other series, readers can enjoy each of these books by themselves and the series does not have to be read in order. In the end, this fun, easy-to-read book will teach readers the importance of doing your own work and encourage reluctant readers to finally read. The story’s fast pace and silly situations will keep readers turning the pages until the very end.

Sexual Content

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Violence

In the treehouse’s baby-dinosaur petting zoo, one of the velociraptors bites one of Andy’s fingers off. It is illustrated, but not gory or violent.
The Once-Upon-A-Time Machine slaps the boys “away whenever we get too close to the treehouse.”
The Trunkinator, a giant boxing elephant, “stomps into the room and punches [Professor Stupido] in the nose.”

Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

After Terry’s jet-propelled swivel chair malfunctions, he calls it “stupid.”
When the Once-Upon-A-Time machine refuses to let Terry and Andy in, Terry yells, “You’re just a dumb machine that I invented! Open the treehouse door! NOW!”
Professor Stupido, the world-famous un-inventor, is a main character in this book. He calls penguins “stupid, flightless things.”

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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by Matthew Perkey

King & Kayla and the Case of the Mysterious Mouse

Kayla (a human) and King (a dog) are both detectives. One day, King and Kayla decide to play fetch with their friends, Jullian (a human) and Thor (a dog). When Jullian throws King’s ball too hard, it goes over the fence. Jullian goes to look for the ball, but she can’t find it. King and Kayla must put together the clues to find out where it went—and who had his ball.

Mystery fans will love Kayla and King who enjoy doing ordinary things like playing fetching, eating grilled cheese sandwiches, and following clues to solve a mystery. King’s enthusiasm is contagious and readers will enjoy King as he tries to find out who stole his ball. Thought bubbles appear over King’s head with cute pictures that explain what King is thinking. The illustrations add humor to the story. For example, when King thinks about his “stolen” ball, he pictures a cat thief wearing a mask.

As Kayla and King try to solve the mystery of the hidden ball, Kayla makes a list of “what we don’t know about this case” and a list of “everything we know about this case.” King causes a little havoc as he looks for the answer, but he also makes a new friend. In the end, King is surprised by the unexpected ball thief.

Young readers will love King who thinks that every new thing is his favorite thing. King, like many children, is upset when someone yells at him. The bright illustrations show each character’s emotion making it easy for young readers to understand what they feel. The illustrations often have unexpected details, like Thor making friends with a worm.

King & Kayla and the Case of the Mysterious Mouse is perfect for readers transitioning out of picture books and into chapter books. Each page has a large picture that allows the text to be spaced out so younger readers will not get discouraged by the amount of text. The simple, fun plot and interesting characters will keep readers engaged until the very end. Beginning readers who love animals will enjoy the King & Kayla series.

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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Hair Love

Zuri’s hair lets her be her. It coils and kinks to perfectly match a princess tiara or a super-hero cape. This morning, Zuri is too excited to sleep because her mom is coming home. Zuri knows that she’s beautiful, but today she wants an extra-special hairstyle.

Zuri knows her father has had to work extra hard while her mom was away, so she doesn’t want to wake him up. Zuri wants to do her own hair, but she accidently wakes up her daddy. He is convinced that styling Zuri’s hair will be “a piece of cake.” Soon, Daddy realizes that Zuri’s hair has a mind of its own.

While Zuri’s father loves the hairstyle he has created, Zuri and her cat aren’t impressed. After several styles and some tears, Daddy watches a tutorial. “Daddy combed, parted, piled, and twisted. He nailed it!” When Mommy comes home, she gives Zuri a big hug and tells her, “And your hair is beautiful.”

Hair Love isn’t only a book about expressing yourself, but also a beautiful story of a father and daughter. Both Zuri and Daddy show each other their love through actions. Zuri makes her father breakfast—cereal, an apple, and a juice box. Zuri lets him sleep because she knows he is tired. Zuri’s father also acknowledges Zuri’s need to look beautiful and creates several hairstyles before he finds the perfect one.

Told with full-page pastel illustrations, Zuri’s plight becomes real. When Daddy tries to style her hair, the results are often comical. Both the cat and Zuri’s opinions of each hairstyle are portrayed through the characters’ expressions. Even though the illustrations are often humorous, Hair Love does an excellent job of showing how Zuri’s hair allows her to express herself. The ending of the story shows Zuri’s mother, who is wearing a scarf over her head, hinting that she is undergoing cancer treatments. Even though most readers will not pick up on this aspect of the story, readers who know someone with cancer will understand the illustration’s significance.

Readers will fall in love with Hair Love and want to read the story over and over. Through both the illustrations and text, the story shows the special bond between father and daughter and highlights the family’s love for each other. The story’s message is simple and readers will understand Zuri’s need to feel beautiful and to express herself. Hair Love will leave readers with a smile and a new understanding of family love.

Even though Hair 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. Most pages contain 1-2 sentences, which makes the story a quick read and an excellent bedtime story. Hair Love should be in everyone’s home library because the story showcases healthy family relationships and highlights the importance of expressing yourself. If you’re looking for another picture book that explores family relationships, add Mars Needs Moms by Berkeley Breathed to your reading list. Another must-read picture book that shows the importance of loving yourself is Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o.

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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Safari Pug: The Dog Who Walked on the Wild Side

Pug and Lady Miranda think a lion is hiding in the house—maybe under the bed. Pug is so afraid that Lady Miranda thinks there is only one thing to do—take Pug on a safari adventure so he can face his fears. Pug is afraid to meet a lion, but he soon realizes that Florence, a rare lion cub, isn’t scary at all. What’s scary is Arlene von Bling who wants to kidnap Florence. Can Pug save the lion cub? Will Pug be able to defeat Arlene von Bling?

As Pug and Lady Miranda visit the zoo, the villainous Arlene von Bling tries to sneak several of the animals out of the zoo. Later, the reader discovers that Arlene von Bling hopes to sell the animal to make money. Safari Pug focuses more on Arlene von Bling and less on Lady Miranda who spends much of the time locked in a room. Safari Pug is missing much of the humor that appears in Cowboy Pug. If readers are new to the Adventure of Pug Series, they may want to read Cowboy Pug first.

Safari Pug draws the reader in with the silly illustrations that have splashes of green and yellow. The large illustrations and big make Safari 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 animals, and the conclusion.

Safari Pug will appeal to a wide range of readers, especially pet lovers and adventure seekers. The fun story will keep readers interested until the very end. Even though Safari Pug is part of a series, the books do not need to be read in order to be enjoyed. Readers who enjoy adventurous animals should also read the Pets on the Loose Series by Victoria Jamieson.

Sexual Content

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Violence

Arlene von Bling tries to kidnap a lion cub named Florence. Pug tries to help. Pug “lifted Florence into the air. In a moment of quick thinking, Pug grabbed hold of Florence’s tail to pull her back, but it was no good. Arlene von Bling was much stronger than Pug and she shoved them both into her enormous bag.”
In order to leave the zoo, Arlene von Bling throws the bag that Florence and Pug are in. “Then suddenly Pug and Florence felt themselves flying through the air. Arlene von Bling had thrown them over the fence.” The bag catches on a tree branch.

Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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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

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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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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

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Violence

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

Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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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

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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