Early Elementary – Page 29 – Sneak Peek Books

The Escapades of Clint McCool

Walter wants everyone to call him Clint McCool. He’s always thinking of new ideas. Clint McCool tries to stay out of trouble, but some days trouble seems to find him. Clink McCool’s two friends Marco and ML are coming over after school. As they are walking home, Clink McCool and his friends stumble across a sci-fi movie set. Clink McCool is determined to find a way to be the star of the show. With Clink McCool’s six-button hat, which brings him special pretend powers, Clint McCool knows he can help make the Octo-Man’s movie even better. But he ends up ruining some of the movie props and angering his friends. Is there any way Clint McCool can still save the day?

Readers will relate to Clint McCool as he goes on his escapades. Clint McCool always has new ideas. “Zing, zong, zing. Brain Flash!” But other people don’t always appreciate his great ideas. Clint McCool seems to get into trouble even when he’s trying to help. In one afternoon, he upsets his teacher, his mother, his two best friends, and the crew of the Octo-Man movie. As he goes on his adventures, blue and white comic-style illustrations bring the story to life.

Clint McCool has a hard time concentrating and focusing on one idea. A member of the film crew tells Clint McCool that if he doesn’t focus on one idea, “You won’t get anything done. Don’t let your ideas run wild. Be their boss.”

The story also highlights the importance of forgiving each other. Even though readers will find humor in Clint McCool’s outrageous escapades, parents may find his behavior obnoxious. Clint McCool is self-centered, doesn’t listen to anyone, and has a habit of destroying things (film props and his friend’s shirt). Even though he repeatedly sneaks onto the movie set and destroys props, in the end, he is forgiven and given a small role in the movie. The end of the story illustrates how everyone wants people to like them, even when they make a mistake, as well as the importance of apologizing.

Emerging readers who are transitioning to chapter books will enjoy the engaging art as well as the mischief Clint McCool gets into. Even though some pages only have text, the text uses simple sentences with easy vocabulary. Reading the story is fun because of the dialogue, onomatopoeias, and pictures that are scattered throughout the story. Octo-Man and the Headless Monster is an entertaining story with relatable characters that teach positive lessons. However, parents will not want their children to emulate Clint McCool’s behaviors.

Sexual Content

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Violence

Trying to keep Clint McCool off of the movie set, a guard grabs him. “I try to pull away. I have to get to Octo-Man. The shirt rips. I fall forward. I crash into Octo-Man. He drops the jar. Glass breaks. His brains ooze all over the sidewalk.”

Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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The Wonky Donkey

A bird was walking down the road and saw a donkey. The donkey only had three legs. The story builds, until the end when the donkey is a spunky, hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey. Each page repeats a portion of the story and then adds more funny facts about the wonky donkey.

Younger readers will enjoy the repetition, rhyming story that has funny pictures of the bird and the donkey. The bird snatches an eye from the donkey and carries it away, which may scare some readers. The Wonky Donkey will cause giggles if it is read aloud because the main phrase becomes a tongue twister. The Wonky Donkey, which is a picture book, is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently.

Readers will either love or hate The Wonky Donkey. Some may find the illustrations and the rhyming words used to describe the donkey funny, while others may think the donkey and his many defects a bit creepy. The snappy rhyming words and the repetition of the donkey saying, “Hee Haw,” make The Wonky Donkey a fun book to read aloud; however, the story has no educational value.

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Pedro for President

Pedro is running for class president against Katie Woo. He has to write a speech about what he would do as president. But Pedro is stuck! He can’t even write one word. Will anyone vote for Pedro?

In Pedro for President, Pedro and Katie Woo show that they can still be friends even though only one of them can win. As Pedro goes through his day, he helps others and encourages them. Even though the ending is a bit predictable—Pedro wins—younger readers will still enjoy the story which is written with simple vocabulary that beginning readers will be able to master. Although Pedro for President is part of a series with many of the same characters, it does not need to be read in order.

Full-color illustrations appear on every page, showing Pedro and his diverse classmates. Short chapters that only have four or fewer sentences make the story accessible to independent readers. The end of the book contains a glossary, questions, writing prompts as well as two pages of jokes. Pedro for President wins the vote—it’s an engaging story for young readers! Readers who enjoy the Pedro series should also try the Katie Woo series because it has many of the same characters and is written in the same format.

Sexual Content

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Supernatural

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Katie the Kitten Fairy

The pet fairies and their special pets help all animals find safe homes. But Jack Frost has stolen the special pets, who were able to escape to the human world. When Rachel and Kirsty go to the park, they see a dog chasing a kitten. When they go to help the kitten, it changes into a tiger and then back into a kitten. Rachel and Kirsty know they must help the kitten get back to the fairy world, but Jack Frost’s goblins appear; they want the kitten for themselves. Can Rachel and Kirsty find the purr-fect solution to their problem?

Younger readers will enjoy Katie the Kitten Fairy because it combines fairies, animals, and goblins. The easy-to-read story has cute black-and-white illustrations on every page. The goblins add non-scary suspense, and readers will enjoy guessing what the goblins will do next. The story highlights the importance of being a good pet owner. For example, when James finds a kitten in the park, his dad won’t allow him to keep it until they call the animal shelter to make sure it doesn’t belong to someone else.

Katie the Kitten Fairy has likable characters who are kind to others. The story has easy vocabulary and short sentences, which make it perfect for readers transitioning to chapter books. Even though the story and characters are not well developed, younger readers will want to read every book in the series because the stories are so much fun. Younger readers will be able to read Katie the Kitten Fairy without assistance, and the stories will help them not only build confidence, but a joy for reading as well. There are seven books in the Pet Fairies series as well as the Sports Fairies series, the Fairy Tale Fairies series, and Special Editions.

Sexual Content

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Violence

Goblins try to capture the kitten. “With angry cries, two of the goblins dropped their butterfly nets and dove toward the girls. They stretched their gnarled green hands out to grab the kitten.” Rachel and Kirsty use fairy dust to escape.
The fairy queen tells Rachel and Kirsty that Jack Frost stole the fairies’ pets and, “He took them to his ice castle, and then sent out a ransom note.”

Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

A fairy’s kitten pet is in the human world. When a dog chases it, the kitten changes form. “A sudden flash of light flickered through the air. A cloud of amber-colored sparkles swirled around the kitten. Seconds later, the kitten had vanished—and an enormous striped tiger had appeared in its place!”
The kitten uses magic to knock a man’s plate on the ground. The kitten then eats the food.
The kitten uses magic, so Rachel and Kirsty can understand it. “Sparkles streamed out of its mouth and swirled around in the air! The kitten meowed again, but this time the girls could hear words in its meows.”
Rachel and Kirsty use fairy dust to go to the fairy world.

Spiritual Content

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When Dragons are Dreaming

The little dragon can’t sleep, and he wants to play with the fairies he can see flying through the sky. But the fairies don’t want to play with a dragon. When the little dragon finds a fairy caught in a spider’s web, can he show her that dragons aren’t that scary after all?

Written in beautiful rhymes, When Dragons are Dreaming has beautiful full-colored pictures that will delight little readers. The story has a simple plot that focuses on the little dragon’s desire to have a friend. The little dragon and the fairy fly through the night, showing readers that you don’t have to be the same in order to be friends.

Even though When Dragons are Dreaming is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page contains 1-2 rhyming sentences, which make this a perfect bedtime story. Younger readers will want to snuggle up and have their parents re-read When Dragons are Dreaming over and over again because of the adorably cute illustrations that will fill their dreams with dragons and fairies.

Sexual Content

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Where Does Thursday Go?

Thursday was Bruno’s birthday. It was such a special day that he doesn’t want it to end. Bruno wonders what happens to Thursday when night comes. Where does it go? Can Bruno and his friend Bert find it in time to say goodbye?

Where is Thursday has cute colorful illustrations that show Bruno, who is a bear, and his friend Bert, who is a bird, exploring the natural world looking for Thursday. With adorable pictures and four or fewer sentences on a page, Where is Thursday is the perfect bedtime story. The story contains dialogue, personification, and onomatopoeias, which make reading fun. The picture book illustrates the abstract idea of time in a fun story that focuses on two friends.

Sexual Content

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A Good Team

Yeti is good at bouncing a ball on his head, but Unicorn cannot bounce a ball on her head. Unicorn is good at running races, but Yeti can’t run fast. Even though Unicorn and Yeti aren’t good at the same things, they can still have fun together. They play ring toss, run a race, and go ice skating.

Designed for children who are learning to read, A Good Team contains easy-to-read text. When each character talks, their words appear in different colored quote boxes. Each page has a full page of illustrations, and contains three or fewer sentences. Beginning readers should be able to read the text alone, and will enjoy flipping through the story multiple times to look at the colorful, silly pictures.

A Good Team is the second installment in the series but can be read as a stand-alone story. Although the story does not have a plot, the characters enjoy a special friendship. As they play games, Unicorn and Yeti encourage each other to try new things, and they demonstrate positive communication skills. A Good Team is not as funny as the first book in the series, but readers will still enjoy the sweet story. A Good Team will build confidence, fluency, and a love of reading.

Sexual Content

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

Unicorn uses magic to make ice skates and hot coco appear.

Spiritual Content

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The Spooky Sleepover

Katie Woo is having a sleepover. She and her friends are going to eat yummy food, play dress-up, and tell spooky stories. After telling spooky stories, Katie Woo worries that there is a monster under her bed. She has a scary dream, and when she wakes up, her lucky kimono is missing. Did a monster steal it? Is there a ghost in the house? What happened to Katie Woo’s lucky kimono?

Younger readers will relate to Katie Woo and her sleepover fears. Even though Katie Woo and her friends have fun, Katie still worries about monsters. Independent readers will enjoy the easy-to-understand plot and the bright colorful illustrations that appear on every page. Each page contains four or fewer sentences, with simple vocabulary. Although Katie’s Spooky Sleepover is part of a series with many of the same characters, it does not need to be read in order.

At the end of the story, readers will find a glossary, questions, and writing prompts. Younger readers can continue the fun with the pancake recipe at the end of the book. Readers will enjoy Katie Woo’s sleepover adventure and improve their reading skills along the way. Readers who enjoy the Katie Woo series should also try the Pedro series because it has many of the same characters and is written in the same format.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Prince Fly Guy

Buzz has a hard homework assignment. He has to write a fairy tale. With Fly Guy’s help, Buzz brainstorms story ideas. Fly Guy puts himself into Buzz’s story suggestions—an ugly troll, a smelly pig herder. Fly Guy decides he wants to be a handsome prince. Prince Fly Guy flies to a dark castle, fends off a giant, and rescues a beautiful princess.

The fiftieth installment of the Fly Guy series does not have to be read in order because the plot does not build on previous books. Like the previous books, the story uses slapstick comedy and humorous full-colored illustrations. Much of the humor comes from the illustrations that show Fly Guy as different fairy tale characters. At the end of the story, Prince Fly Guy lives happily ever after.

Prince Fly Guy introduces the process of brainstorming ideas for a story. Throughout the story, Buzz and Fly Guy discuss different story possibilities. For every story possibility, Fly Guy imagines himself as the character going through the scenario. Readers will giggle at the illustrations that show Fly Guy as a fairy tale character who runs from a giant, kisses a frog, and eats cold porridge. Although the story is not unique, younger readers will still enjoy the story, and the conclusion is sure to please.

Designed for younger readers, each page contains large illustrations that use exaggerated facial features to help readers read the character’s emotions. The story will give emerging readers confidence as they move from picture books to chapter books. Prince Fly Guy has three chapters, and most pages have only one sentence. The story’s short sentences, simple vocabulary, and pattern of wording make Prince Fly Guy a good choice for younger readers.

Prince Fly Guy uses the same format as the others stories in the series. Although the story does not have a lesson, the story shows how fun the creative process of writing can be. Prince Fly Guy is an entertaining story that may just lead readers to pick up a pen and try to write their own fairy tale.

Sexual Content

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Violence

When a giant swats Prince Fly Guy and the princess, “The princess threw her crown. It hit the giant on the nose. The giant fell down.”

Drugs and Alcohol

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Supernatural

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The Secret Mountain

Jack and his friends are hanging out in Tale Town’s magical tree when they see a surprising sight. Mayor Fitch’s guards lock a troll child in the stocks. Everyone knows that trolls are trouble, but how could it be right to hold a child prisoner? Jack and his friends, the Little Legends, decide to rescue the young troll and help her get home. With Mayor Fitch’s guards looking for them, is there any way to get the troll home?

Children will enjoy the silly magic, the non-frightening suspense, and the fairy tale characters that appear in The Secret Mountain. Cute black-and-white illustrations appear on almost every page, and help bring the diverse cast of characters to life. As Jack and his friends try to help the troll return to her home, the reader will learn that outward appearance isn’t what makes a person good or evil. Ella explains, “You get good people and bad people. Why would it be any different with trolls?”

Readers can understand the story without reading the previous books; however, reading the stories in order is suggested because The Secret Mountain often refers to events that happened in previous books. Younger readers will need help tackling the story because some of the vocabulary is difficult and the pages are heavy in text. The Secret Mountain has a large cast of characters—a talking chicken, Jack, Red, Rapunzel, Hansel, and Gretel are just a few. As the plot unfolds the story jumps from place to place, which may confuse readers.

The Secret Mountain drops readers into a fairy tale world where magic is real. The story highlights the importance of working together to do what is right. The Secret Mountain will delight confident readers looking for a fun story with cute illustrations.

Sexual Content

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Violence

Mayor Finch’s guards put a troll child in the stocks.
When a girl was jumping on a pogo stick, a guard “swiped the pogo stick, bending it in two.”
Mayor Finch sets fire to a troll village. The event is not described.
A group was riding in a hot air balloon when people below began shooting arrows at them. “More and more arrows ripped into the balloon.” When the group crashes, they discover that a troll turned the mountain into marshmallows so no one would get hurt.
Hurrilan swings a magical crystal-topped staff. “. . . Then the crystal started glowing with a bright red light, leaving shimmering trails that twisted around each other, becoming almost solid. The light trails snaked through the air toward Rufaro and Adeola, twisting them around like a slow-motion lasso that bound them completely and dragged them back toward the glowing crystal.” The light shrinks the kids, and “the light dimmed and was sucked back into the crystal, taking Rufaro and Anansi’s mom with it.” The scene takes place over three pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

Lily the Sea Witch gives the group magic capsules that make them fall asleep.

Language

Someone told a small green monkey to move his “furry green butt.”
A chicken says, “that Mayor Finch is a stupid, sausage-faced—”

Supernatural

Tale Town has a magical tree. “If you ran your finger along the branch, the story would happen inside your head.” The tree has a spell of protection, which “means that the only way to trim off a story is using the Sacred Shiny Story-Snipping Shears.”
Cole uses fairy magic, but it “never really worked properly.” He accidentally turned his friends into hamsters.
Lily the Sea Witch uses her magic to put the town’s guards to sleep. Lily, “pulled the lid off a colored jar and flung the contents of it all over the guards, who immediately crumbled and fell fast asleep.
Lily the Sea Witch gives a group some, “magic capsules containing the concentrated essence of it wasn’t like this when I was young! This powerful spell was made up of the complaints of older people, who were always complaining that It wasn’t like this when I was young! It was one of the most boring things you could ever hear and would make everyone fall asleep immediately.
Someone meets a boy’s parents, who are trolls. Someone explains that “Anansi’s mom and uncle have been cursed by the troll warlock Hurrilan. The spell used to make them look like trolls all the time, but now it’s only in the daylight.”
Anansi can talk to spiders, and he asks them to make a hammock for him to sleep in.
“When soldiers appear, Hurrilan uses magic to turn them into goats.

Spiritual Content

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Ride, Fly Guy, Ride

When Buzz and his dad decide to go for a ride, Fly Guy happily goes with them. Fly Guy’s adventure begins when the wind blows him out of the car’s window. Fly Guy blows into a passing truck and lands in the driver’s mouth. The man spits out Fly Guy, who continues on a wacky adventure. Fly Guy even ends up on a circus train, where he meets a sleepy and surprised elephant. Will Fly Guy b lost forever, or will he make it back to Buzz?

Ride, Fly Guy Ride will pull readers into the silly story, which focuses on transportation. Giggles will erupt because of the slapstick comedy and the humorous full-colored illustrations. Much of the humor comes from the illustrations that show Buzz and his father trying to save Fly Guy. Fly Guy ends up in some silly situations including landing in a man’s mouth and falling onto an elephant’s nose. At the end of the story, Fly Guy survives unscathed, which will delight readers.

Designed for younger readers, each page contains large illustrations that use exaggerated facial features to help readers read the characters’ emotions. The story will give emerging readers confidence as they move from picture books to chapter books. Ride, Fly Guy Ride has three chapters, and most pages have only one sentence. The story’s short sentences, simple vocabulary, and pattern of wording make Ride, Fly Guy Ride a good choice for younger readers.

Even though Ride, Fly Guy Ride is part of a series, the stories do not have to be read in order because the plot does not build on previous books. Ride, Fly Guy Ride is a fun story that beginning readers can read alone; it is also is a quick read for those looking for a story to read aloud.

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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The Magic Looking Glass

Trolls steal a branch for the magical Story Tree, and Hansel and Gretel must find the branch and bring it back. As they begin their search, Hansel and Gretel meet a new friend, Wolfie. The three venture into the forest and find a fortress with a Magic Looking Glass inside. The Looking Glass promises to help them, but can the reflection be trusted? Can Wolfie and the twins save the day or will the Magic Looking Glass have the last laugh?

Wolfie, the grandson of Throat-Rip the Destroyer, doesn’t want to be like his father, who eats grandmothers whole. When Wolfie meets Hansel and Gretel, he welcomes the opportunity to do something good. Wolfie is a fun new character in the Little Legends series. Through his adventures, he realizes that no one can force him to do evil deeds.

Unlike the other books in the series, The Magic Looking Glass has an easy-to-follow plot. Most readers will be able to relate to Hansel and Gretel, who have a great sibling relationship until the Magic Looking Glass curses them. The siblings’ fighting makes them funny and relatable. Throughout the story, Wolfie has to come up with unique ways to keep the siblings apart. Unlike the big bad wolf, Wolfie proves that he has the ability to bring people together instead of eating them.

Black and white pictures help bring the characters and action to life. Some readers may find The Magic Looking Glass scary because the mirror wants to steal Hansel and Gretel’s bodies. Readers will enjoy the action-packed story, the humor, and the black-and-white pictures that help bring the characters and their actions to life. The Magic Looking Glass is a good choice for confident readers who want to see fairy tale characters in a new light.

Sexual Content

Hansel and Gretel talk about their father’s string of wives.

Violence

When the Sacred Shiny Story-Snipping Shears were dropped, Jack tries to pick them up, but “he was barged out of the way by a large, blue creature with webbed fingers and brightly glowing eyes. . . It waved its hand, and a torrent of water flooded over Jack and Betsy, sending them skidding backwards over the ground.”
When Wolfie tries to help Hansel and Gretel, the reflection in the Magic Looking Glass casts a spell, and a big hole opens up, “beneath Wolfie’s feet. He tried to step around it, but the hole opened faster and faster. There was no way he could avoid it. . . He tumbled into blackness.”
As Wolfie and Gretel are trying to escape from trolls, “a swarm of imps poured out of the door at the top of the staircase and came running toward them, roaring and waving a ragtag collection of weapons.” When Hansel begins shooting arrows at Gretel, the imps stop.
Wolfie breaks the Magic Looking Glass. “For a moment, the reflection stood in the middle of the hall, looking shocked, angry, and scared, then it too broke into a million of pieces, which blew away on a howling wind.”

Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

Several characters call the mayor names or talk badly about him. Someone says he’s a “horribly slimy man.” Someone else calls him “Sausage-Face Fitch.”

Supernatural

Tale Town has a magical tree. “If you ran your finger along the branch, the story would happen inside your head.” The tree has a spell of protection, which “means that the only way to trim off a story is using the Sacred Shiny Story-Snipping Shears.”
Spells are cast throughout the story. When the reflection in the Magic Looking Glass “clicked its finders,” Hansel and Gretel’s minds switched, “so that they were in the wrong body.”
Hansel and Gretel meet a Magic Looking Glass that is able to talk. The looking glass is able to lock Hansel and Gretel in a room. When they try to leave, “their legs stiffened and slowed down, until they couldn’t move at all.”
The reflection in the Magic Looking Glass wants to steal someone’s body. The reflections explain, “I can’t actually touch anything! I’m not really real! But with one of your bodies, and my troll friend’s help? Well, then I can be real—and it will be you rotting away in this mirror instead!”
The reflection casts a spell on Hansel and Gretel. “The reflection pointed at the twins again, a glowing light snaking from its hands toward them. The light grew brighter until, with a brief, blinding flash, it fell away.” The curse made it so the two couldn’t do anything together.

Spiritual Content

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Shawn Loves Sharks

Sean loves sharks. He has 126 shark books, which have taught him a lot about ocean predators. Sean loves how sharks have a big mouth full of sharp teeth. Sean does not love his classmate Stacy. He loves to pretend to be a shark and chase Stacy around the playground.

Sean loves sharks more than anything else in the world. When his teacher announces that every student will do a report on a predator, Sean is excited write about the shark. But he isn’t assigned the Great White Shark. When Stacy begins researching sharks and acting like one at school, Sean turns mean. Is there any way sharks can bring Sean and Stacy together?

Young shark lovers will love Sean Loves Sharks. Although the story has shark facts, it is also about building new friendships and discovering new things. Sean acts like a shark as he goes through his day—he chops his food and pretends to chomp the cat and his classmates as he chases them. When Sean is forced to learn about seals, he is incredibly disappointed, but as he reads he learns that seals are actually really amazing.

At one point, Sean is really mean to Stacy. As he thinks about his behavior, he realizes that “he knew that even a fast and clever seal could never be friends with a shark.” The conclusion is absolutely, adorably wonderful and will lead to some great discussions between parents and their young readers. Readers will not only learn facts about sharks and seals, but will also learn about bullying, friendship, and being kind to others.

Besides being an entertaining story, Sean Loves Sharks also has beautiful, often funny, full-colored illustrations. The illustrations will put giggles into young readers because humor is often incorporated into the pictures. For example, Sean’s cat is dressed as a shark, and the students pretend to be predators. Another positive aspect of the illustrations is that they show diverse characters; Stacy has dark hair and slanted eyes; Sean has brown skin; the students in the classroom are also drawn showing different ethnicities.

Even though Sean Loves Sharks 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 engaging story is fun to read aloud. Since there is little text on each page, the story is a quick read making it an excellent bedtime story. Sean Loves Sharks is not only an entertaining story containing ocean creature facts but also has a positive message about being kind to others.

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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Shoo, Fly Guy!

Fly Guy comes home to discover that Buzz has gone on a picnic without him. Sad and hungry, Fly Guy goes in search of his favorite food. Buzz only wants a bite to eat, but the others don’t want to share their meal. Fly Guy goes in search of his favorite food. Readers will want to know what oozy, lumpy, smelly, and brown food Fly Guy loves.

Shoo, Fly Guy introduces readers to descriptive writing, as Fly Guy goes from one food to the next. Readers will giggle as others shoo Fly Guy away from their food. Fly Guy licks a hamburger, chomps on a dog’s bone, and even tastes some roadkill. The comical, exaggerated facial features help readers read the character’s emotions. Although the story focuses on Fly Guy’s adventure, the story also shows Buzz taking care of Fly Guy. The non-violent suspense and happy ending make Shoo, Fly Guy a good choice for younger readers.

Designed for younger readers, each page contains large full-color illustrations and introduces chapter books in an easy-to-read format. The story will give emerging readers confidence as they move from picture books to chapter books. Shoo, Fly Guy has three chapters, and most pages have only one sentence. The story’s short sentences, simple vocabulary, and pattern of wording make Shoo, Fly Guy Ride a good choice for younger readers.

Even though Shoo, Fly Guy is part of a series, the stories do not have to be read in order because the plot does not build on previous books. Shoo, Fly Guy Ride is a fun story that beginning readers can read alone; it is also a quick read for those looking for a story to read aloud. Even the most reluctant reader will enjoy Shoo, Fly Guy and want to read more of his adventures.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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The Genie’s Curse

Rapunzel loves being a princess because it’s so much fun. Disaster strikes when she accidentally breaks a magical urn and blames it on Ella. The urn belonged to a genie, who is now very angry. The genie cast a spell on Rapunzel. Now everyone in Tale Town blames everything on Rapunzel. In order to avoid the angry town people, Rapunzel leaves town. Can a little green monkey called Alphege help Rapunzel? Will Rapunzel lose her new friend, Ella, if she tells the truth behind the curse?

Each book in the series focuses on a different character but continues from plot points in previous books. The Genie’s Curse has non-stop action and funny humor. The plot jumps from disaster to disaster, which makes the story interesting, but confusing. The large number of characters and difficult vocabulary make The Genie’s Curse a good choice for confident readers. There are several characters that have been cursed and only appear as humans for part of the time; this may cause confusion for some readers.

Rapunzel’s parents are absent for most of the book and are more concerned with vacationing than being good rulers. Although the story has a good theme—honesty is the best policy—the ending falls flat. When the queen discovers that Rapunzel lied, she says, “I’m very proud of you, Rapunzel. Your brave words have shown me that there is more to life than being pretty and having lovely things. And to reward you, I shall buy you two new ponies and a party dress!”

Black-and-white pictures help bring the characters and actions to life. The evil villains are not scary, but add suspense to the story. The Genie’s Curse is an entertaining story that allows readers to jump into the fairy tale world.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

Rapunzel accidentally destroys a hermit genie’s home. When she lies to her parents about who broke the urn, the genie curses her. He tells Rapunzel, “From now on every single thing that goes wrong in Tale Town will be blamed on. . . YOU!”
A troll tries to cook Alphege in a pot of oil. “The troll held Alphege just above the pot and grinned as he lowered the small green monkey toward the bubbling oil.” Alphege turns into a boy and “kicked his legs out and knocked the pot over, splashing oil all over the floor.”
Town people chase Rapunzel. The group chases her, “throwing silverware, dishes, bread, cushions, and anything else they could find.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

Tale Town has a magical tree. “If you ran your finger along the branch, the story would happen inside your head.” The tree has a spell of protection, which “means that the only way to trim off a story is using the Sacred Shiny Story-Snipping Shears.”
Spells are cast throughout the story. For example, the wicked witch cast, “a spell on Ella that makes her want to fix everything. Someone gives Ella a necklace that makes it so ‘no spells or curses will have any effect on her at all!’”
Alphege was cursed so that he looks like a green monkey most of the time. He can “look human for one day every week. . . I can change back and forth as often as I like. . . so long as I’m not a boy for more than twenty-four hours every seven days.”

Spiritual Content

None

Because I Love You

A long time ago, Shaddai built a village for the children to live in. The children were safe to play and spend time with Shaddai, who was always near. Shaddai would sing to the children and tell them stories. He knew everything about the children—who was shy, who was afraid, and who was curious.

One day Shaddai built a wall around the village. He loved the children and wanted to keep them safe. But Paladin was curious. He wanted to see what was on the other side. Despite the warnings of danger, Paladin crawled through a hole in the wall and was soon lost in the dark forest.

Because I Love You is a parable about God’s love. Shaddai, like God, listens, protects, and loves his children. Even though Paladin chooses to do what is wrong, Shaddai loves Paladin and goes to finds the lost boy. Although the message of God’s love will be clear to adults, the story’s message may need to be explained to younger readers. The story explores the idea of free will as well as God’s desire for us to do what is right. Some readers may not understand why Shaddai created a hole in the wall that Paladin could crawl through or how the hole closes once Paladin goes through it.

Beautiful full-page illustrations show scenes from the village and make Shaddai’s caring nature shine. Even though Because I Love You is a picture book, parents will need to read the story aloud because of the text heavy pages and difficult vocabulary. For parents looking for a book that teaches about the Christian faith, Because I Love You would make an excellent addition to a child’s library. Readers will enjoy looking at the pictures over and over again as well as having the story read to them aloud.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

The Mystery Valentine

Zeke doesn’t understand the Earth tradition of Valentine’s Day. Harris tries to explain why people give candy and cards on Valentine’s Day, but Zeke is still confused. When Zeke gets an anonymous valentine, Harris wants to help him discover who sent it. In order to decide who gave Zeke the valentine, he decides to give some of the girls in his class a gift. He gives gifts that the girls on his home planet would love, but the girls on Earth don’t like the same things. How can Zeke find his secret admirer? Will he come up with a gift that an Earth girl will like?

Earth children will giggle as Zeke tries to find the perfect valentine gift. Even though Zeke wants to show his appreciation, he doesn’t understand what Earth girls like. The story has many silly situations such as when Zeke presents a bucket of worms to a girl, who isn’t happy about the “gross” gift. The fun black and white illustrations show the characters’ reactions to Zeke’s gifts as well as his confused facial expressions.

The sixth installment of The Alien Next Door series takes a humorous look at the traditions of Valentine’s Day. Readers can enjoy the story even if they have not read any other books in the series. Although the story focuses on Zeke, Harris makes an appearance and helps Zeke understand the differences between how humans see things, like mice, in comparison to how Zeke sees things. Readers will learn the importance of thinking about other people’s perspectives.

The Mystery Valentine has the same format as other books in the series—easy vocabulary, short sentences, and dialogue. Readers who are transitioning to chapter books will enjoy the illustrations and the easy-to-read format. The Mystery Valentine is a silly story that will leave readers wanting a chocolate bar and wanting to read more about Zeke’s adventures on Earth.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Baseball Blues

Baseball season brings excitement to Zeke, Harris, and Roxy. They are all on the same team and are looking forward to playing together. Zeke doesn’t know how to play baseball. After watching baseball on T.V., Zeke learns that he can use his alien powers to hit and pitch better than anyone else on the team. Harris thinks Zeke is cheating. He wants Zeke to play without using his powers, but Zeke doesn’t see what’s wrong with using his special abilities. Will the baseball season be the end of Zeke’s and Harris’s friendship?

Readers do not need to be a fan of baseball in order to enjoy Baseball Blues. Although the story focuses on baseball, it also touches on themes of friendship and doing what is right. Even though Zeke doesn’t know anything about baseball, he is one of the best players on the team. Harris thinks Zeke should improve his skills through practice instead of using his powers. When Zeke uses his powers to redirect the baseball, Harris tells him, “It’s a shortcut and it’s cheating. It’s not fair to the other players. You need to improve your skills through practice.” In the end, Zeke learns that playing fairly is more important than winning the game.

The story also models how to be a good friend. When Harris is upset with Zeke, he talks to him and explains why he is upset. Harris also worries “more about his friendship with Zeke than about Zeke using his powers.” To make matters more difficult for Harris, he can’t tell Roxy why is he upset with Zeke’s impressive baseball skills because he “promised to keep Zeke’s secret, even if it costs me his friendship.”

The fifth installment of The Alien Next Door series takes on a more serious tone as it teaches the importance of honesty. However, the readers will still enjoy the fast-paced story and the black and white illustrations that appear on every page. The pictures highlight Harris’s emotions as he tries to work through his problem with Zeke. Like the previous books in the series, the story uses large font, simple vocabulary, and short chapters which are perfect for students who are transitioning to chapter books. Baseball Blues will be a hit with younger readers.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

Roxy tells Zeke that some professional baseball players cheated by using steroids. She explains, “It’s something the league banned that makes players unfairly strong, no matter how hard the other players exercise and practice.”

Language

None

Supernatural

Zeke is an alien who can change shape. Zeke explains, “People from Tragas have the ability to change our appearance. We can make ourselves look like the inhabitants of whatever planet we’re currently on.”

Spiritual Content

None

It’s Not a Dinosaur!

A sneaky person takes a picture of Peanut, a baby dinosaur, and posts it on the internet. Now, there’s no way to keep Peanut a secret! Frank, Frank’s father, and Sara decide that they must take Peanut on a camping trip until the dinosaur’s new home is fenced. They pack up and head into the forest. While there, Frank’s dad wants to search for the Northosaurus he saw as a boy. The Northo isn’t a dinosaur, it’s a prehistoric reptile, but is he dangerous? The only way to find out is to find the Northo.

The third installment of The Dino Files is more suspenseful than the last. Not only does the group have to keep Peanut’s whereabouts a secret, they must also discover if the Northosaurus actually lives in the river. The story shows the fascination and fear that people might feel if dinosaurs were living. Although there is no violence, an angry group of people wants to capture the Northo because they think he’s dangerous. In the end, the Northo is left to enjoy his habitat. The interaction between Peanut and the Northo is a sweet addition to the story.

Readers who are new to chapter books will enjoy It’s Not a Dinosaur, with its easy vocabulary, short sentences, and black and white illustrations. The illustrations appear every 2 to 7 pages, which helps break up the text. This story also contains a glossary of dinosaur-related vocabulary at the back of the book.

Readers will enjoy the story’s suspense and will like learning about Peanut and the Northosaurus. For readers who dream of being a paleontologist, The Dino Files have dinosaur facts scattered throughout the series. It’s Not a Dinosaur! has a simple, suspenseful storyline that will help readers get ready for longer dinosaur stories such as the Dino Riders Series.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Trick or Cheat?

Harris is excited about sharing the traditions of Halloween with Zeke. Zeke discovers that he can use his true form for his “costume.” Zeke wants Harris to have an amazing costume, so Zeke uses his powers to create a costume for Harris. Now Roxy feels left out because she and Harris always make their costumes together.

When Halloween finally arrives, Roxy is still upset with Harris. To make matters worse, another student is jealous of Zeke’s costume and tries to ruin it. Can Harris and Roxy keep Zeke’s costume from being destroyed? Who will win the Halloween costume contest?

Harris is the only human that knows that Zeke is an alien. When Zeke goes to school as his true self, others wonder about his “costume.” Will Zeke be able to keep his identity a secret? Readers will keep turning the pages to discover the answer. The story doesn’t just revolve around Zeke’s “costume,” but also focuses on Roxy’s hurt feelings. Even though Roxy is upset with her friends, she still helps them. Readers will learn that friends can be upset with each other and not want to talk to each other; this doesn’t mean that the friendship is over.

Readers will be drawn to the book because of the cute cover and the black and white illustrations that appear on every page. The fun illustrations will help readers recognize the characters’ emotions. The story will keep the reader engaged with its fast-paced plot, large font, simple vocabulary, and short chapters. Although Trick or Cheat? is the fourth installment of the series, the story can be enjoyed without reading the previous books. The humorous story is perfect for students who are transitioning to chapter books.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

A student puts a bag of flour over a door. The student was trying to destroy Zeke’s costume, but instead, “it fell right on top of Mr. Mulvaney. A cloud of white exploded right on the gym teacher’s head, and Zeke looked over to see him covered in flour.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

Zeke is an alien who can change shape. Zeke explains, “People from Tragas have the ability to change our appearance. We can make ourselves look like the inhabitants of whatever planet we’re currently on.”
Zeke used his power to “redirect” a bag of flour.

Spiritual Content

None

Showtime!

The King and Queen have asked Sasha to plan the Summer Solstice celebration. The celebration will bring the horses of Verdant Valley and Crystal Cove together. But Sasha has never planned a big party before. Even though she has a list to help her plan, there is a lot to be done before the party. Will Sasha be able to plan the perfect party?

Most of the conflict revolves around Sasha, who chooses her sister, Poppy, to perform in a special dance, which makes another horse angry. As Poppy prepares to dance, it becomes clear that someone is trying to sabotage her. The saboteur destroys Poppy’s property and gives Poppy food to make her sick. When the sabotage is discovered, the horse said, “I was wrong to try to stop her from being able to perform so I could get what I wanted.” Although the sabotage is revealed, the horse doesn’t receive any consequences for the bad behavior.

Younger readers will enjoy reading about flying horses and will be able to relate to the conflict between friends. Cute black and white pictures appear on every page. The simple sentence structure and vocabulary make Showtime an easy-to-read chapter book. If your little reader enjoys horse books, The Unicorn Princesses would also make a good choice.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

A horse stands on “his huge magic flying leaf” so he can go on to Mystic Mountain with the flying horses.
Horses who live in Crystal Cove eat food with magic in it.

Spiritual Content

None

Too Big to Hide

Frank and Sam spend the summers with their grandparents, who own the Dinosaur Education Center of Wyoming. They must keep Peanut, a baby dinosaur, hidden. This is made more difficult when Frank and Sam’s grandparents find a new fossil, prompting a family of scientists to show up. The scientists want to make a documentary about the new fossil. How can Frank and Sam hide Peanut from the scientists?

Readers who are new to chapter books will enjoy Too Big to Hide, with its easy vocabulary, short sentences, and black and white illustrations. The illustrations appear every 2 to 4 pages, which helps break up the text. Even though the text doesn’t indicate race, the illustrations depict the visiting scientists as African-American, adding diversity to the story.

This book teaches some new vocabulary words and also contains a glossary of dinosaur-related vocabulary at the back of the book. Readers will enjoy watching Peanut get into mischief and will like Frank’s positive interactions with his family, his dinosaur, and his cat. For readers who dream of being a paleontologist, The Dino Files has dinosaur facts scattered throughout the story. Younger readers will be able to follow the simple, suspenseful storyline and will want to read the third book in the series, It’s Not a Dinosaur.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

A Mysterious Egg

Frank spends his summer at his grandparents’ house in Wyoming. His grandma is a famous paleontologist. When Frank gets a sunburn, his grandma decides he needs to stay inside with his cousin, Samantha. He’s disappointed that he can’t help, but when his grandma finds a fossil of a dinosaur egg, Frank has to keep Samantha from breaking it open. As he’s watching over the egg, an amazing thing happens—a dinosaur hatches. How can Frank and Samantha keep their dinosaur a secret?

Dinosaur enthusiasts will enjoy A Mysterious Egg as it teaches about dinosaurs and the importance of keeping a scientific notebook. Taking care of a baby dinosaur takes a lot of work, and Frank uses his knowledge to create a healthy meal plan for the baby. The easy-to-read story has a simple plot that revolves around hiding the dinosaur. Frank and Samantha are afraid that if anyone finds out about the baby, the dino will be taken away from them. In the end, the adults in the story work together to do what is best for the dino.

A Mysterious Egg will engage younger readers not only because it’s about dinosaurs, but also because of the fast-paced plot and humorous scenes. Many readers will be able to relate to Frank, who is often annoyed with his cousin and doesn’t understand all of his grandmother’s rules. The story portrays a caring family, who shares a passion for dinosaurs and science (except for Samantha who would rather be famous).

Readers who are new to chapter books will enjoy A Mysterious Egg, because of its easy vocabulary, short sentences, and black and white illustrations. The illustrations appear every 2 to 4 pages, which helps break up the text. This story also contains a glossary of dinosaur-related vocabulary at the back of the book. The Dino Files have dinosaur facts scattered throughout the series. A Mysterious Egg has a simple, suspenseful storyline that will encourage readers to pick up the next book in the series, Too Big to Hide.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

Samantha calls Frank a weenie.

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

The Goat Who Chewed Too Much

Inspector Flytrap, a world-class detective, relies on Nina the goat to push him around on a skateboard. When a string of robberies occurs, Nina becomes the prime suspect. While investigating, Inspector Flytrap must sort the clues that the robbery victims give him. He also must sneak into a dog show. Can Inspector Flytrap solve the mystery without Nina? Will the missing items ever be found?

The third installment of the Inspector Flytrap series has some of the same wacky characters as the previous books. Nina the goat eats her way into and out of jail. Younger readers will have fun guessing what the goat will eat next. The story contains plenty of puns, onomatopoeias, and repetitive quotes that will engage readers.

Inspector Flytrap is full of illustrations that bring the animal characters to life. The simple, silly storyline and funny antics of Inspector Flytrap and his assistant will engage readers. Although Inspector Flytrap does very little to solve the mystery, he does discover the unlikely criminal. The Goat Who Chewed Too Much is a fast-paced, funny story that will keep younger readers turning the pages. Pick up Inspector Flytrap if you’re looking for a goofy story that will leave readers giggling.

Sexual Content

Wanda the rose gives Inspector Flytrap “a big kiss.”

Violence

The criminal strikes Inspector Flytrap. “As fast as a striking snake, he swung one of his big slothy claws at my flowerpot. Crack! The pot split in half, and all the dirt—and all of me—spilled to the ground.”

Drugs and Alcohol