Reading Level: Early Elementary

Star of Stage and Screen

Lights, camera, Nancy! This year, Nancy Clancy’s elementary school is putting on a play about the 50 states called The Nifty Fifty. Everyone in her class is so excited to participate, and so is she. After only getting small parts in previous plays, Nancy is ready for something bigger and something with more of a spotlight. So, with her guitar and a song, she auditions. Her nerves and her bully, Grace, tell her she won’t be good enough, but she still performs. Mr. Dudeny, her teacher, is so pleased with her performance that he gives Nancy a callback and, then, a part! Nancy is determined to be the best she can be. 

There was much to do before the opening night. All of the students made sure to practice, but Bree, Nancy’s best friend, took her practicing a little too seriously. Every free moment Bree practices her tap routine. She is practicing so much because she is afraid to make a mistake. But Nancy doesn’t understand Bree’s feelings. Nancy’s lack of understanding and Bree’s perfectionist attitude cause a divide between them right before opening night. However, when she goes on stage, Nancy freezes which allows her to finally understand how Bree feels.  

Nancy’s parents and sister, JoJo, are her biggest supporters. Nancy’s family gives her advice not only on the fight with Bree but also on her upcoming performance. Nancy’s family is excited when she gets a callback, and they are sympathetic to her when she messes up. Throughout the story, JoJo and Nancy fight like typical sisters but, in the end, they lean on each other. Nancy tells JoJo “Merci mille fois– that’s French for ‘Thank you a thousand times.’ You’re a great sister and you really came to the rescue.”  

Star of Stage and Screen has 14 chapters each containing around 10 pages. Black-and-white illustrations, which appear on every other page, break up long pieces of text and show the emotions and actions of the characters. A young audience will find humor in the jokes told about the states. Lionel, who is the MC for the musical, tells most of these jokes. Some of his jokes include, “What did one Volcano say to the other? . . .I lava you!” and “If a cowboy rides into Houston on Friday and leaves a day later on Friday, how on earth can that be? Because his horse is named Friday!” Her family also adds humor to the story. For example, when Nancy’s dad is giving her advice about performing, he tells her, “Right before you start, you look out at the audience and pretend that everyone is in their underwear.” Nancy responds with, “Eww. Daddy, I don’t want to picture the parents undressed.” 

Star of Stage and Screen is geared more toward early elementary readers. The different plotlines may be difficult for some readers to follow. Star of Stage and Screen is most relatable to readers who perform in musicals or plays. Readers will empathize with Bree who is terrified of making a mistake in front of an audience. However, they will also empathize with Nancy who deals with stage fright. By reading Star of Stage and Screen, young readers will find comfort in knowing they are not alone. The story teaches the importance of being able to rely on family and friends during difficult times. Readers who enjoy performing on stage should also check out Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen and JoJo & BowBow Take The Stage by JoJo Siwa. If you’re looking for books that have positive lessons about friendship, add these books to your reading list: Bo the Brave by Rebecca Elliott and the Purrmaids Series by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • One of Nancy’s classmates, Grace, bullies Nancy throughout the story. Grace picks on Nancy by making mean comments. For example, right before Nancy is supposed to audition, her nervousness shows. Grace asks Nancy, “What are you so worked up about? . . . You won’t be one of the stars.’”  
  • As Nancy awaits a callback, Grace asks Nancy if she heard anything. Nancy replies, “No. Not yet.” Grace then tells Nancy, “Aw, too bad… But there have to be some kids in the chorus right?” 
  • At dress rehearsal, Grace yelled at Nancy for wearing a country outfit and cowboy hat like her. She accuses Nancy of “copying her” and tells her to change. Luckily, Mr. Dudeny explains to Grace that they could both wear cowgirl outfits. 
  • Nancy does not reciprocate her meanness. In fact, when Grace is sick and is not able to perform at the show, Nancy calls Grace and says, “I’m sorry you can’t be in the show . . . I feel really bad for you.” 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Eyes that Speak to the Stars

A young boy comes to recognize his own power and ability to change the future. When a friend at school creates a hurtful drawing, the boy turns to his family for comfort. He realizes that his eyes have the power to rise to the skies and speak to the stars, shine like sunlit rays, and glimpse trails of light from those who came before. In fact, his eyes are like his father’s, his agong’s, and his little brother’s – they are visionary.

Inspired by the men in his family, the young boy recognizes his own power and strength from within. This extraordinary picture book redefines what it means to be truly you. The story celebrates the relationships between fathers and sons by showing the wonderful and loving relationship through three generations of men. Throughout the story, the boy comes to understand the beauty of his eyes—they are just like his family members’ eyes. 

The beautiful illustrations have elements that highlight how each member of the family looks similar. The pictures also have elements of the family’s culture in them such as dragon kites, the deity Mazu, and a café in Japan. However, when the boy begins to understand the power of his eyes, the illustrations feature fanciful celestial illustrations that reinforce the boy’s sense of power. As the boy stands on a planet, a starlight dragon behind him, the boy thinks, “I am the emperor of my own destiny. I read a bright future in the stars and will fight to make it reality.” 

While Eyes that Speak to the Stars celebrates an Asian boy, anyone who has been teased because of their physical appearance will feel empowered by the picture book. Even though Eyes that Speak to the Stars is a picture book, the figurative language may be difficult for young readers to understand. Therefore the story will need to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it themselves. If you’d like to introduce more stories that focus on self-love, check out I Am Enough by Grace Byers, Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin, and Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’O.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • The story mentions Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea, who is a deity popularly worshiped in various parts of Southeast Asia. Through Agong’s eyes, the boy sees “Mazu’s miracles showing mercy from on high.” 

Mystery of the Egyptian Amulet

When the Nile town of Thebes is threatened by a scarab-amulet eating ghost, Zet is determined to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Zet’s best friend, a jeweler’s apprentice, is in trouble. Could the ghost and his best friend’s ominous master be connected somehow?

As if he didn’t have enough trouble, special orders have gone missing at Zet’s family pottery stall. With angry customers on his hands, his family’s reputation is going downhill fast. Soon the investigation becomes a race against time. Zet and his sister, Kat, must solve the ever-twisting puzzle before it destroys the people they love. 

Zet is an extremely likable protagonist who isn’t afraid to face danger to help the people around him. When Zet suspects that his best friend, Hui, is in danger, he does what comes to him naturally—he investigates the jeweler’s compound where Hui works. When he investigates, Zet is often impulsive; however, his intentions are always honorable. Zet’s fun personality, his mystery-solving skills, and his bravery make him shine. By the end of the book, readers will be wishing Zet was their best friend.

Mystery of the Egyptian Amulet is an engaging story that will appeal to anyone who likes a fast-paced mystery. Readers will also enjoy learning what life was like in ancient Egypt. Even though Zet is only twelve years old, he is responsible for running his family’s pottery stall as well as providing for his mother and younger brother. Zet takes this responsibility seriously, and while he worries about not being able to care for his family, he never complains about his lot in life. Likewise, even though his sister can be annoying, he treats her kindly and even appreciates her knowledge (although, he doesn’t let her know this!). 

The Mystery of the Egyptian Amulet’s danger and mystery will captivate readers. While they will enjoy trying to solve the clues, the best part of the Kid Detective Zet Series is Zet, an interesting character who has many positive character traits despite being impulsive enough to get into some sticky situations. Even though Zet often runs from thugs, the story is kid-friendly with plenty of suspense without being scary. The story’s short chapters and easy vocabulary also make the book perfect for reluctant readers. The Kid Detective Zet Series is a highly entertaining series that will hook kids on reading. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Zet’s best friend, Hui, is an apprentice for a jeweler. When Zet tries to see Hui, a guard tells Zet to leave. When Zet “didn’t move, the man cracked his meaty fingers. . . . the man grabbed his arm and twisted Zet into a headlock.” The guard says, “Makes a funny noise when your neck breaks. Crunch-like.” The next day Zet shows his sisters the bruises the guard gave him.
  • Hui says he must be careful of the jeweler or, “He’ll make me disappear. I know that’s what happened to his partner.” 
  • The police chief tells Zet to be careful because “a servant was attacked in Khonsu Street and almost killed. He was found unconscious, his head bleeding.” 
  • Zet tries to sneak into the jeweler’s house. When he jumps over a fence, “three large hounds crouched at the open door to the house. The snarling dog bared its teeth. . . They bore down on him in a flash of teeth and fur. . . Teeth caught hold of his ankle. He felt skin tear. He wrenched his leg free. . .” Zet got free and ran. His wound is not described. 
  • Zet knows the jeweler is planning on hiding stolen jewels in bread. To catch the jeweler stealing, Zet dresses like a demon. When he went into town, “people fell back in shock.” People began running which allowed Zet to get close to the cart with the hidden jewels.
  • When Zet begins throwing bread out of the cart, the jeweler’s guard, Snaggletooth, “snatched Zet’s ankle. Meaty fingers took hold of Zet’s oiled skin. Zet wrenched backward. . .” 
  • When Zet crawls into the cart, “someone shoved him hard. . . He flew forward. . . he saw Sanaggletooth’s sword chop down.” Zet is uninjured. The scene is described over three pages. 
  • Another one of the jeweler’s guards tries to get Zet. “The henchman landed a glancing blow against Zet’s leg with his club. Nails scraped down his shin. If it had been any closer, it would have broken Zet’s leg. . .” The injury is not described. 
  • When the jeweler’s guards are detained, Zet finds Hui hidden at the bottom of the bread cart. “Hui’s arms and legs were bound tightly to his side. The medjay [police chief] whipped out his blade and cut the bindings free.” Hui is uninjured.

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • When the police chief went to investigate a man’s residence, the man “sat back drinking wine while we turned the place upside-down.” 

Language 

  • Zet sneaks into the jewelry apprentice shop with Kat. When she makes a loud noise, Zet thinks, “Wormsnot and bettledung! He was a complete idiot. . .”
  • Kat uses “by the gods” as an exclamation once. 
  • When surprised, Zet yells, “What in the name of the gods?”

Supernatural

  • There is a rumor that an evil army of spirits is coming to town. A shopkeeper says, “They’re creeping into town. Stirring up trouble. Casting dark dreams.” The spirits are accused of stealing scarab amulets. The man explains, “And you know how important scarabs are to Egypt. They ensure long life. They ensure birth. Creation. Balance.”
  • Kat worries that the rumors are true because of the war. She says, “The Hyksos spirits probably are mad. And you know they can’t be burying the enemy Hyksos soldiers properly, with the war going on.” 
  • When Hui acts strangely, Kat thinks he has been “hypnotized, or worse, possessed.” 

Spiritual Content 

  • When giving the time of day, the text refers to the sun god. For example, when Zet walked to work, “the sun god spilled his rays over the rooftops.” 
  • When splurging on a litter to carry her, Hui’s mom says, “The gods know I don’t indulge in luxury much.”
  • Because of the strange things happening, some people were frightened. While walking, Zet “passed a man painting a protection symbol on his front door, and chanting what sounded like a spell.”
  •  A man opened a new shop. “Protection amulets of every kind swung from his awning. There were oil lamps with strange symbols, Hyksos spirits probably; heady, acrid-smelling incense burned, and he was stirring liquid in a pot and chanting.” 
  • When Zet’s mom travels down river to find out about a missing shipment, Zet prays, “Please, let her have found out about the shipment.” 
  • Hui made his mother “a tiny gold statue of Maat, Goddess of Truth. The goddess looked ready to do her job – to greet people when they arrived in the afterlife.”
  • In his room, Hui had a statue of “Bes – Hui’s family God. . . Sure he protected their household, like all family gods did, but Bes also loved to stir up trouble. Generally of the entertaining kind.”  
  • Zet passes a temple that had a pool of water in front of the doors. Hui thinks, “Everyone knew the temple pools were doorways into the underworld.” He hurries past the temple.
  • When Zet’s mom doesn’t return home as expected, he prays. “Zet went straight to the household shrine. He knelt in front of the statue of Bastet. The cat goddess regarded him with her gold-rimmed eyes. He lit one of the incense for her . . . ‘Please bring Mother and Apu home safe,’ he whispered.” 

My Diwali Light

Devi loves the Diwali season. It’s a time to wear her favorite red dindi and eat samosas until she bursts! Make mithai and design rangoli with her papa. And paint diyas with her nani—a reminder to shine her light brightly all year long.

The story, with vibrant collage illustrations, follows one girl’s Diwali traditions as her family celebrates their favorite holiday with the ones they love. The illustrations are full of interesting details that feature Devi’s clothing, her family, and her neighborhood. The pictures’ brilliant, bright colors give the book a joyous, festive tone. Each page has one to five sentences. However, both the complex sentence structure and the frequent use of Hindi words will require the book to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Since the book doesn’t contain a glossary, My Diwali Light will not help children from other cultures to understand the customs associated with Diwali. 

Devi’s activities show a strong sense of family and the importance of learning from your elders. For example, “Nani says when we clean our home, we remember to keep our hearts clean, too.” During the holiday preparations, Devi’s family strings marigolds and twinkling lights and also paints diyas. While they are preparing for the holiday, Nani says “the flame is a reminder for all of us to shine our lights brightly, to be kind, helpful, and loving.” 

While readers unfamiliar with the holiday may have difficulty understanding some of the book’s language, the general concept of allowing your kindness to shine will be understood by all readers. My Diwali Light revolves around Devi’s family, who show kindness to each other as well as others. 

While all of Devi’s family celebrates the season, they all celebrate differently, which allows readers to understand that the holiday is about sharing the Diwali light and sparkle. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language   

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • As part of the holiday tradition, Devi’s Papa gets the thali ready and Devi “sprinkle[s] the rice and the water and help[s] shower the statures in the mandir with milk, yogurt, honey, ghee, and sugar. We offer flowers and mithai. I shake the coins. Mama sings the aarti, and I ring my bell loudly.”
  • Devi’s family prays “our own prayers, quietly whispering words of hope from deep in our hearts.” The family prays for health, happiness, peace, and that “we are always together on Diwali.” 

Mummies and Pyramids

When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning, they had lots of questions. Why did people make mummies? What was the mysterious writing on mummy cases? How did most ancient Egyptians spend their days? How were the pyramids built? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts.

Filled with up-to-date information, photos, illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discover in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures. Teachers can use Fact Trackers alongside their Magic Tree House fiction companions to meet common core text pairing needs. Mummies and Pyramids pairs with Magic Tree House #3: Mummies in the Morning.

Mummies and Pyramids is broken into small sections. Almost every page has a black-and-white illustration. Because readers may not be familiar with some of the vocabulary, unfamiliar words are explained in the book’s margins. Pictures of Jack and Annie are also scattered throughout the book. 

Those interested in mummies should read Mummies and Pyramids. The easy-to-read text is packed full of interesting facts about mummies, pyramids, and Ancient Egyptians. Even though the book includes information about how mummies are made, the matter-of-fact tone and non-gory descriptions will put readers at ease. There is only one drawing of a body being mummified, but the person is mostly wrapped in linen. Because the book explains the Ancient Egyptians’ belief in the afterlife, parents may want to discuss their beliefs with their children. 

Mummies and Pyramids is an engaging nonfiction book that brings Ancient Egypt alive. Readers who want to learn more should also read the nonfiction book The Curse of King Tut’s Mummy by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfel. To take a step back in time while learning more about Egypt, read Escape from Egypt by Wendy Mass and Secret of the Prince’s Tomb by Marianne Hering.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • Tomb robbers would steal from mummies. “Sometimes tomb robbers even burned the mummy to light the tomb while they worked. . . Ancient Egyptians thought tomb robbers were committing crimes against the gods. If they were caught, they were beaten and often put to death.”

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Food and jugs of beer have been found in mummies’ tombs.

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • While a body was being mummified, “the priest wrapped magic charms in the mummy’s linen strips. The Egyptians believed these charms would bring good luck and protect the person in the Next Life.”
  • Before a mummy was laid in its tomb, there was a ceremony called The Opening of the Mouth. “Egyptians believed the Opening of the Mouth ceremony made it possible for the dead person to eat, drink, and speak in the Next Life.”
  • To help a mummy make the journey to the Next Life, “mummies were buried with prayers, magic spells, and maps of the underworld.”

Spiritual Content 

  • Ancient Egyptians believed in many Gods and these beliefs are explored throughout the book. There is one chapter dedicated to the different Gods. Because of this, not every reference to the Gods is listed below. 
  • Egyptian rulers, called Pharaohs, “had total power over their people. . . Egyptians thought their pharaoh was more than a person. They worshipped him as a god.” 
  • Some of the Egyptian Gods “were like ordinary men and women. Some were like animals. Many were half-human and half-animal. The Egyptians believed the gods and goddesses watched over everything they did.”
  • Egyptians created statues that were cared for by priests. The priest “washed and dressed them. They even served them meals. . . At home, they prayed to their own statues of their favorite gods and goddesses.” 
  • When taking a mummy to be buried, the “priest said prayers and recited magic spells.” 

Mummies in the Morning: The Graphic Novel

In the pyramid, a real-life mummy is waiting. . . .The magic tree house has whisked Jack and Annie to ancient Egypt. Inside a pyramid, Jack and Annie find a long-dead queen who needs their help solving a centuries-old riddle. If only they can find their way through the pyramid’s maze!

Fans of the Magic Tree House Series will enjoy seeing the same stories in a graphic novel format. The illustrations use bright colors that help bring the adventure to life. Even though the story includes a picture of a mummy and a ghost, the story isn’t frightening. Instead, the sibling’s journey is full of adventure as it teaches about the Ancient Egyptians’ world. 

The graphic novel is accessible to even the most reluctant reader because of the easy vocabulary and the simple sentences. Some of the pages tell the story without any text, while other pages have up to nine sentences. Readers who are unfamiliar with the Magic Tree House may have difficulty following the plot because so much of the original text has been cut out. While the short word count will appeal to many readers, they will miss out on some of the joy of reading the longer version.  

If you love to read, reading the original Mummies in the Morning is definitely the way to go because it’s much more in-depth. However, struggling readers will still find the graphic novel format entertaining.  

Readers who want to travel back in time to learn more about Egypt should also read Escape from Egypt by Wendy Mass and Secret of the Prince’s Tomb by Marianne Hering. You can also learn more interesting facts by reading the nonfiction companion Magic Tree House Fact Tracker: Mummies and Pyramids.  

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Annie opens to a page of a book and says, “I wish we could go to this place.” Magically, the tree house begins to spin. “It spun faster and faster.” When the tree house stops spinning, they are in Ancient Egypt.  
  • Jack and Annie meet the ghost of Hutepi, Queen of the Nile. Hutepi asks Jack and Annie to help her find “the magic spells I need to get through the Underworld.”  
  • Hutepi has not been able to travel to the afterlife because she cannot read due to her bad eyesight. When Jack tries to give her his eyeglasses, Hutepi says, “I fear I cannot wear your glasses, Jack. I am made of air.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Great Escape

Back for their third adventure, siblings Peter and Mary journey back in time to Egypt, where Moses fights for the Israelites’ freedom and plagues wreak havoc.

The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls Series follows siblings Peter and Mary and their dog, Hank, as they discover ancient scrolls that transport them back to key moments in biblical history.

In The Great Escape, Peter, Mary, and Hank journey to the pyramid-studded desert of ancient Egypt. When the trio becomes friends with the Pharaoh’s daughter, Princess Shephara, they witness first-hand as Moses petitions the Pharaoh for the Israelites’ freedom. Plagues wreak havoc as the group races to decode the scroll, gets chased by a panther, and battles the Pharaoh’s cunning advisor, the Great Magician.

Peter and Mary’s third adventure into the past is an exciting story because the Great Magician and his panther try to stop God’s plan. Through it all, the Pharaoh’s daughter stays by the siblings’ side, which gives Peter and Mary perspective into the Pharaoh’s reasoning. When the twins are in imminent danger, the angel Michael swoops in to help the kids. Even though the reason for the Pharaoh’s stubborn behavior is unclear, the ultimate message is clear: God is with us even in the midst of our troubles. 

Black and white illustrations will help young readers visualize the story and understand the plagues that affected the Pharaoh’s people. As each day ends, Peter uses a journal to document his activities; this helps readers keep track of the important events. Readers who want to learn more about Pharaoh and the plagues will find a list of related Bible chapters at the end of the book.

Readers who are interested in learning about the Bible will enjoy The Great Escape series. In each book, Satan appears as a different person which may confuse some readers. However, the angel Michael always appears to give the siblings help and guidance, and readers will look forward to the angel’s return. Link to time traveling book. 

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • The Pharaoh’s magicians turned their staffs into snakes. “Snakes slithered everywhere! . . . The snake rose up and was face-to-face with Princess Shephara. Its forked tongue flicked between sharp fangs. . . Mary spun and kicked the snake in the side of the head. It fell to the floor with a thud!”
  • The captain of the Pharaoh’s army takes Peter’s bag and begins looking through it. “Mary ran straight at the Captain, who was still bending over. She jumped in the air and did a spinning kick right to his backside. . . The Captain fell flat on his face. The sword and the royal dagger slid across the floor.” The kids escape.
  • Peter and Mary are trapped in a room with the Great Magician and his panther, Midnight. “Suddenly, a rushing wind blew through the room, extinguishing the candles. A ball of light flew into the room and slammed into Midnight. The panther slid across the floor. . . The ball of light transformed into Michael.” 
  • Moses explains how, according to God’s plan, “At midnight, all of the firstborn sons in Egypt will die. . .He pointed to a lamb lying dead on a small table. . .Moses picked up a small bowl filled with blood from the lamb.” He paints the door with the lamb’s blood which protects them.
  • The Great Magician tries to follow the Israelites through the Red Sea. When the man takes away Peter’s scroll, “Peter saw a glowing ball in the water. It grew bigger and burst through the wall of water. It flew into the chariot and knocked the wheels off. . . The ball of light became Michael.” Michael saves Mary from the panther and helps Peter get the scroll back. The scene is described over two pages.

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • With the help of a scroll, Peter and Mary transport back in time. When the seal is broken, “the walls shook, the floor quaked, and books flew off the shelves. . . The library crumbled around them. Then everything was still, quiet, and hot—very hot.”
  • Moses told the Pharaoh, “The God of Israel said to let his people go.” The Pharaoh wanted to see a miracle so Moses’ brother, “Aaron threw his staff on the ground. It turned into a big slithery snake.” The Great Magician was also able to turn his staff into a snake.
  • When Aaron waves his staff, “frogs flooded out of the river. Thousands of frogs were hopping everywhere.” The Great Magician also waved his staff and “mumbled some mysterious words. . .Two tiny frogs hopped out of the fountain.”

Spiritual Content 

  • The Great Magician teaches Shephara that there are over a hundred gods. But Peter says, “I believe there is only one true God.”
  • The Great Magician believes the Israelites’ God is weak because he has allowed the Israelites to become slaves. Peter says, “God is strong. . . Maybe he is waiting for the right time.”
  • Peter and Mary realize that the Great Magician is Satan.
  • The Great Magician, Satan, mocks Peter and Mary, saying “Where is God? You’re all alone.” Peter is unafraid because he believes, “God is always with us.” 

Pumpkin Day!

Carve out family time for this early reader! Read along as a boy and his family visit a pumpkin patch. While at the pumpkin patch, the two siblings have fun seeing all of the animals. Then they pick out the perfect autumn gourds and carve them into silly faces. 

Pumpkin Day! is intended for children who know the alphabet and are eager to begin reading. With large text, easy words, and full-page pictures on every page, Pumpkin Day is a quick story to read because each page has 2 to 7 words that are used in easy-to-read sentences. Plus, younger readers will enjoy both the story and the cute illustrations that fill every page. 

If you’re ready to snuggle up in a warm blanket and read about the wonders of fall, then Pumpkin Day! is the perfect book for you. The siblings see waving scarecrows, running ponies, and giant pumpkins. After visiting a farm, the family has fun “scooping out the good” and carving funny faces on the Jack O’Lanterns. When the orange moon looks like pumpkin pie, you know it’s time to read Pumpkin Day! 

The story is perfect for preschool and kindergarten readers who are ready to learn to read. It’s also a good book to read aloud because of the descriptive words. But beware — after reading Pumpkin Day, readers are going to want to bundle up and head to the pumpkin patch themselves. As the nights become colder, snuggle up and read a fall-inspired book such as Dragon’s Halloween by Dav Pilkey and Mr. Murry and Thumbkin by Karma Wilson. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The Red Ghost

Jenna finds the perfect gift for her sister at a neighbor’s garage sale—a beautiful old doll dressed all in red velvet. Jenna can’t believe her luck. Not only does Mrs. Tate seem happy to be rid of the doll, she even gives it to Jenna for free! But when Jenna takes the doll home, trouble begins. First, her best friend gets a creepy feeling whenever she’s around it. Then, the family cat hisses at the doll, and at night Jenna thinks she can hear it moving around in her closet. Finally, when Jenna gives the doll to her sister, she won’t take it. Could the red velvet doll be haunted? And if it is, what can Jenna do? 

In this companion book to The Blue Ghost, Newbery Honor winner Marion Dane Bauer creates a spooky story that may scare young readers. At first, Jenna is taken in by the doll’s beauty, but soon after taking the doll home Jenna is frightened because the doll’s eyes seem to be talking to her. The unnatural demeanor of the doll is reinforced when Jenna’s sweet-natured cat attacks it. The doll also scares Jenna’s friend, who thinks the doll can talk. To make matters worse, Jenna’s sister Quinn refuses to take the doll because it is “full.”  

Not wanting to throw the doll in the garbage, Jenna tries to return the doll to her neighbor, Mrs. Tate. The old woman refuses to take the doll because it belonged to her dead sister. However, instead of being sad at the thought of her sister, Mrs. Tate is angry and bitter. Mrs. Tate complains that her mother “used to sit and rock that thing all day long . . . all night, too. Like she was rocking Hazel.” After Hazel’s death, her mother “didn’t seem to care about anybody except Hazel. And when Hazel was gone, she cared about that silly doll instead.” Readers who are dealing with grief may be upset by Mrs. Tate’s anger at her mother and confused when they discover Hazel’s ghost was trapped within the doll.  

From the start, Quinn knew there was something that filled the doll. Later, she explains that the doll held the ghost of Hazel, who was “Happy to go, you know?” Quinn doesn’t know exactly where Hazel went, but Quinn “made ‘away’ sound like a very pleasant place.” The Red Ghost doesn’t explain what happens after death or how Hazel became trapped in the doll. Despite this, the idea that a person’s spirit can become trapped may frighten young readers.  

Even though The Red Ghost is part of the Stepping Stone’s Mystery Series, it creates a creepy mood especially because Jenna is afraid of the doll. The Red Ghost has short chapters, large font, and illustrations. The black and white illustrations appear every three to six pages and will help readers understand the story’s plot. The Red Ghost book is part of the Stepping Stones Series that is specifically written for beginning readers. The series allows readers to explore different genres such as history, humor, mysteries, and classics. 

Readers who are ready for a creepy ghost story will enjoy The Red Ghost’s fast pace and suspense. Readers will relate to Jenna, who isn’t sure what to do with the doll but doesn’t feel it is right to throw her in the garbage. In the end, Jenna doesn’t understand why Hazel’s ghost was trapped in the doll, but she is happy to know that Hazel has moved on and that the doll has a new home with Quinn’s other dolls. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • When Jenna brings the doll into her bedroom, her cat Rocco attacks it. “Rocco’s yellow eyes were slits. . . Rocco sprang! He swiped at the doll’s face. His claws caught in the lace edge of the bonnet. They caught and held.” Jenna hides the doll in her closet. 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • Jenna hears the doll crying.  
  • The doll says, “Help me!”  
  • When the doll falls and cracks, “something red was drifting through the crack. . . It seemed like red smoke. The red smoke shaped itself into a girl. . . The red girl stayed joined to the broken doll at first. . . Then slowly, slowly, she broke free.” The girl floats out the window and disappears. 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

The End of Time

Following the epic conclusion of The Secret Society, Oliver, Mya, and Jorge find themselves at an impasse: The Protectors’ headquarters lie in ruins; the nefarious Octavian is nowhere to be found; and they have no idea how their tampering with the timeline of Poptropica might affect history.  

As our heroes band together to save the mysterious, uncharted island world and find a way home, they are reminded of crucial events from their past—including how they were transported to Poptropica in the first place. The trio suddenly finds itself in the heart of Poptropica, where the Protectors discover the nexus of all time and are offered the opportunity to see what their lives would be like if they could change just one thing from their pasts. But will they choose to go down these alternate paths? 

The End of Time jumps back and forth between the present and the past. The story quickly tells what life was like before Oliver, Mya, and Jorge went to Poptropica. Because of the difficulties the trio faced, the book takes on a more serious tone. Before Poptropica, Mya struggles to deal with her mother’s death. Oliver wonders why his father disappeared from his life. Jorge doesn’t have any friends. Through their experiences, the kids realize “We’ve all lost something along the way. But we’ve gained even more. A friend. A family. Through it all, we’ve become ourselves.” 

As the last book in the series, The End of Time, ties up the loose ends and explains the characters’ backgrounds. However, jumping from different time periods and seeing alternative realities makes the plot more complex and readers may have a difficult time understanding the significance of some of the events. The story explores the importance of overcoming grief and accepting things as they are—not as we wish they would be. The graphic novel strays away from the humor and action of the previous books, and instead, takes on a serious tone to get its message across.  

The conclusion is somewhat bittersweet. Oliver, Mya, and Jorge realize the importance of their friendships, return to their own world, and are happily reunited with their parents. Even though Octavian is portrayed as a villain throughout the story, it’s hard not to feel sorry for him. While some of his actions are not acceptable, he is trying to save his love. While this reinforces the idea of accepting a loss, many readers will not understand the message. 

Each page has brightly colored illustrations that use fun elements such as onomatopoeia—”Krash! Smash! Krak!”—as well as comical characters with oversized eyes. The illustrations clearly show the characters’ varying emotions such as annoyance, fear, and confusion. Some of the pages let the illustrations tell the story without text. Other pages contain up to nine sentences with easy-to-understand vocabulary. Most of the sentences are super short, which makes the book accessible to most readers. 

The Poptropica Series is a fast-paced graphic novel that takes an adventurous trip into the past. With plenty of humor and silly illustrations, the series will entertain readers. If you’re looking for another funny graphic novel that will leave readers smiling, check out Pets on the Loose! by Victoria Jamieson. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Octavia goes back in time to Pompei in order to save the woman he loves. Men in space suits appear and tear Octavian away. Octavian watches the volcano erupt and he knows his love has died. 
  • Jonas, a protector of Poptropica, is injured in an explosion. The explosion was described in the previous book.  
  • In order to make friends, Jorge joins a group of mean boys. They take a child’s toy away and throw it into a mud puddle.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language    

  • Dang is used twice. 
  • Heck is used three times. 
  • The characters call each other names such as cheater.  
  • In the past, two mean boys make fun of Jorge and call him a baby, a dweeb, and a dork. 
  • In an alternate reality, Oliver gets a glimpse of his father. Oliver realizes, “my dad is kind of a jerk.”

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Rise of the Earth Dragon

When King Roland’s guards whisk Drake away from his family’s onion farm, Drake never imagined that he’s about to learn that dragons and magic are real. Even better, he learns that he is a Dragon Master —  along with three other children — Ana, Rori, and Bo. The Dragon Masters must learn how to connect with and train their dragons and they must also uncover their dragons’ special powers. But Drake wonders what King Roland wants with the dragons. And why did the Dragon Stone choose four children to be the Dragon Masters? Most importantly, will Drake and his dragon learn to cooperate? 

Rise of the Earth Dragon, the first installment of the Dragon Masters Series, sets up the rest of the series by introducing the main cast of characters and giving hints about the rest of the Kingdom of Bracken. The primary conflict in Rise of the Earth Dragon is Drake’s struggle to learn about the dragon’s world and to bond with the other Dragon Masters. Plus, Drake must learn how to be a dragon master and understand his dragon Worm’s power.  

Despite being taken from his family and feeling insecure about not knowing much, he finds solace in his fellow Dragon Masters, and his confidence increases as he learns more. Drake is fairly optimistic because he has his own dragon and is making friends. At first, he gets frustrated when his dragon doesn’t exhibit powers, but he doesn’t give up trying to cooperate with Worm or his classmates. He is friendly and resilient, which young readers will like. 

The other Dragon Masters have been training for longer than Drake. They have varying reactions to Drake and his somewhat underwhelming dragon, but ultimately, they become friends. Bo offers to dictate a letter for Drake, who cannot read or write, and eventually, Bo teaches Drake how to do so. The other two students, Rori and Ana, are more wary of Drake and are occasionally condescending. Drake earns the others’ respect when he and Worm save them from a collapsed tunnel. In that moment, Drake and Worm show that even those who are different can have extraordinary power. 

Rise of the Earth Dragon is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. The book is told in a straightforward manner with short sentences that ensure clarity. The oversized font and easy-to-read text make the story perfect for independent readers. Rise of the Earth Dragon includes black-and-white whimsical cartoon drawings on nearly every page. The illustrations bring the fantastical elements to life for young readers. Those interested in reading the rest of this series should begin with this book to understand the basics of the world and the characters. 

Rise of the Earth Dragon is a fast-paced adventure that incorporates the classic fantasy elements— dragons, wizards, and far-away kingdoms — that readers will love. Even though the book is mostly exposition, the quick bonds Drake forms with his dragon and with the other kids contain enough excitement to keep young readers interested. The story also shows that adaptability and being different are valuable qualities and that our differences should be embraced rather than hidden. After reading Rise of the Earth Dragon, dragon-loving readers will be eager to read the next book in the series, Saving the Sun Dragon. Readers looking for more adventure should also read the Dragon Slayers’ Academy Series by Kate McMullan. 

 Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • Worm shows Drake his memories of being taken by King Roland’s guards. The images show Worm’s fear and explosions. The images aren’t graphic, but they depict the dragon in distress.  
  • Worm shows Drake a vision of what happened to Worm’s family, which Drake had also dreamt about the previous night. Drake notes, “Worm was trying to get out of the cave, but the other dragons were in the way. Then soldiers rushed into the cave. The soldiers wrapped Worm in chains. They dragged him out of the cave.” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Rori, one of the other Dragon Masters, tells Drake that his dragon “really is like a big, ugly worm.”  

Supernatural 

  • Drake lives in the Kingdom of Bracken, and one day he’s whisked away from his onion farm by a soldier and brought to the castle. Inside, Drake describes seeing “the face of a giant, red dragon!” Drake thinks, “Dragons aren’t real,” showing that this is not common knowledge in his world, but dragons and magic do exist, and he learns about them throughout the course of the book. 
  • Drake meets a wizard. Drake describes the wizard, saying, “He had a long white beard. He wore a pointy hat and a dark green robe.” This is Griffith, the king’s wizard, and Griffith can do magic spells. For instance, Drake watches Griffith unlock a door. Drake describes, “Griffith pointed at [the door’s] big, brass lock. Sparks flew from his finger. The lock opened.”  
  • Griffith shows Drake something called the Dragon Stone, which “has the heart of a dragon . . . and those with the heart of a dragon become Dragon Masters for King Roland.” 
  • Drake has a piece of the Dragon Stone which helps him communicate with his dragon. Drake describes putting the stone necklace on and feeling “tingly all over his body.”  
  • When the Dragon Masters try to sneak their dragons outside to play at night, the Dragon Masters encounter a “glowing, red orb.” Another Dragon Master named Bo notes that it’s not Griffith’s magic, and that “it feels . . . scary.” One of the dragons panics and causes the tunnel to cave in. 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Kitty and the Twilight Trouble

Girl by day. Cat by night. Ready for adventure! In the sixth book of this popular chapter book series, Kitty, a little girl with catlike superpowers, must teach a new friend what it takes to be a true superhero.  

Kitty is looking forward to visiting the carnival with her family and her cat crew. But her feline friend, Pixie, is too busy spending time with Hazel, a new superhero. When near disaster strikes at the carnival, Kitty uses her catlike superpowers to help. But Hazel thinks she can save the day without any assistance from Kitty. Can Kitty show Hazel what being a true superhero means, before someone gets hurt? 

Kitty returns in this fast-action story that focuses on friendship. In this new installment of the series, Kitty and her cat crew experience friendship trouble when Pixie meets a new friend, Hazel. Pixie starts spending all her time with Hazel and ignores everyone else. Even though Kitty and the cat crew are hurt, Kitty tries to be understanding and non-judgmental. When Figaro complains about Hazel, Kitty says, “She might be really nice once you get to know her.” Even though it’s difficult, Kitty doesn’t criticize Hazel.  

But when Kitty finally meets Hazel, Hazel is mean. Hazel tells Kitty, “Pixie is my sidekick now. She doesn’t need you anymore.” Kitty is upset and wonders why Pixie didn’t stick up for her. However, when Hazel and Pixie need help, Kitty doesn’t think twice; she jumps in to rescue the two cats. In the end, Kitty forgives both Hazel’s and Pixie’s bad behavior and even befriends Hazel. Kitty realizes that “being a superhero is more than being brave. It’s about being kind, too, and looking for the best in others—animals and humans.”  

Kitty and the Twilight Trouble has a fast-paced plot that will keep readers engaged 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. The beautiful pictures will help readers visualize the story. Although most of the vocabulary is easy, younger readers may need help with some of the words such as harrumphing, clambered, dangerously, and slunk. 

Whether readers are new to the Kitty Series or have read them all, Kitty and the Twilight Trouble will captivate them. Newly independent readers will fall in love with Kitty because she is brave and kind; however, she is not perfect and learns from her mistakes. In the end, the story teaches that friends forgive each other. Both parents and children will love the Kitty Series because Kitty and her cat crew show the importance of being kind and having empathy for others. If you’re looking for another cute cat book that teaches about friendship, check out Pioneer Cat by William Hooks or The Catfish Club by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. 

Sexual Content  

  • None

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • Hazel calls Kitty a “silly human.” 
  • A cat, Figaro, says, “That Hazel is a menace!” 

Supernatural 

  • Kitty has “catlike” superpowers that allow her to jump and somersault. “With her superpowered senses, she could see in the dark and hear sounds from miles away.” 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Bunny’s Book Club

Bunny loves to sit outside the library with the kids and listen to summer story time. But when the weather gets cold and everyone moves inside, his daily dose of joy is gone. Desperate, Bunny refuses to miss out on any more reading time and devises a plan to sneak into the library at night . . . through the library’s book drop! 

Soon, Bunny hatches a plan for a great adventure—one that brings the joy of reading to all his forest friends. 

Bunny’s Book Club will introduce children to the magic of reading as they learn about Bunny and his forest friends, who love reading books and who have a wide range of interests. Bunny loves sharks and swashbucklers, while porcupine is interested in caterpillars and cocoons. Mouse wants to read about ghosts, and Mole wants to learn about volcanoes. Young readers will fall in love with Bunny and his friend who find delight in curling up with a good book. Readers’ hearts will speed up when the librarian shows up and catches the inquisitive creatures. The book ends with a sweet conclusion that will leave readers smiling. 

Bunny’s Book Club is a delightful story with an engaging plot and adorably cute pictures that add to the book’s charm. The large, full-colored illustrations are whimsical and each animal shows their love of books in a unique way. Bunny sneaks a stack of “his treasures through the book slot.” Porcupine hugs a book about hedgehogs. Throughout the story, one thing is clear: Books are full of wonder and the library is full of adventure.  

Even though Bunny’s Book Club 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 has two to eight sentences that include a lot of dialogue. The story is full of onomatopoeias, alliteration, and dialogue which makes Bunny’s Book Club perfect for reading aloud.  

 Bring the magic of reading into a child’s life by introducing them to Bunny and his woodland friends. Readers will be so captivated by both the story and the illustrations that they will want to read Bunny’s Book Club again and again. The story gives many examples of how a book can take readers on wonderful adventures, so be prepared for a trip to the library. Since Bunny often has cupcakes and tea while reading, Bunny’s Book Club is best served with a sweet treat. Young readers can go on another adventure with a bunny by reading Charlotte the Scientist Finds a Cure by Camille Andros and Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Shadow

Welcome to the Puppy Place—where every puppy finds a home! Charles and Lizzie Peterson know a lot about puppies. That’s because the Petersons are a foster family for young dogs. Someday, they will have a puppy of their own. Until then, they keep busy helping special puppies find homes. 

When the Petersons meet Shadow, they know he is very special. He is a cute black Labrador retriever, and he is extremely smart. Everyone agrees that Shadow deserves the best. He will be the perfect puppy for someone. But who will be the perfect owner for him?

At the beginning of the story, Lizzie is pretending to be blind because she “wants to know what it’s like [because] our class is reading a book called The Story of My Life, by Helen Keller.” Lizzie tells her brother some interesting facts about Helen Keller and later, Lizzie discovers that one of her classmate’s mother is blind. Even though the story includes information about blind people, all the information comes from a second-hand source.

Even though Charles and Lizzie are not well-developed, they are both kind children who put the needs of Shadow above their own wants. The kids have a difficult time giving Shadow to another family; however, they know that Shadow is being placed in a good home, which alleviates some of their sadness. In addition, Shadow’s thoughts also reinforce Shadow’s traits which shows that his new home will be a happy place. 

While the story’s focus is on finding a good home for Shadow, a lot of the story revolves around Charles and Lizzie’s family life. The two-parent family has positive interactions and communication skills. When Charles and Lizzie want to be Shadow’s forever home, they discuss their feelings of distress, but their parents stand firm in their decision not to keep Shadow.

Shadow will appeal to many readers because of the topic. The story has ten short chapters that are easily digestible for independent readers. The Puppy Place Series revolves around the same human characters, but each new book focuses on a different puppy, so the books do not need to be read in order. Shadow is an entertaining story with many positive aspects that will appeal to the reader and their parents. If you’d like to sniff out other dog-gone good puppy books, grab a hold of Marley Firehouse Dog by John Grogan and Puppy Pirates Series by Erin Soderberg.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Honeysmoke: A Story of Finding Your Color

Simone, a young biracial girl looks around her world for her color. She asks her parents and her classmates, “What color am I?” All of them have a different answer. The girl compares herself to different colors—the black of a tire, the color of chocolate, and finally her coloring pencils. By studying her parents, she finally chooses her own color, and creates a new word for herself―honeysmoke. 

Honeysmoke shows one young girl’s struggle to understand herself. Because she doesn’t look like the other kids at school, she tries to find the right word to describe her skin color. “Simone wants a color, one that shows who she is on the inside and the outside.” In the end, Simone realizes that she is a mix of both her mother and her father and she comes up with a word — honeysmoke — that reflects both of them. The last page of the story reads, “Colors are words. Words are colors. Discover your color word.” The page shows different colors and describes them with creative names such as bronze leaf, copper storm, sugar coal, etc.  

While many readers may not relate to Simone’s conflict, they will recognize the need to understand who they are and how they fit into this world. Honeysmoke encourages readers to embrace each person’s differences including their own. The story would be the perfect conversation starter about heredity as well as loving yourself. 

The illustrations have beautiful and vibrant colors that jump off the page. The students at Simone’s school are diverse and show how each student is unique. In addition, Simone’s skin tone is contrasted with everyday objects that young readers will be familiar with such as glue, teddy bears, and colored pencils. Each page has one to six sentences that use simple vocabulary that makes the message shine. 

Honeysmoke is a beautiful story that highlights the importance of accepting yourself. In addition, the story shows the importance of words and encourages readers to creatively play with words. Adults who are looking for a picture book with a positive message will find Honeysmoke an excellent addition to their library. If you’re looking for another picture book that encourages readers to love their differences, add Angus All Aglow by Heather Smith, Danbi Leads the School Parade by Anna Kim, and I Am Enough by Grace Byers to your reading list. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None 

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Ultimate Shark Rumble

Sixteen different sharks battle it out in a huge underwater fight! Who will be the champion? 

This nonfiction read compares and contrasts 16 ferocious sharks. Readers will learn about each animal’s anatomy, behavior, and more. Then, they’ll the animals will compete before finally revealing the winner!  

Ultimate Shark Rumble’s fun format will appeal to most readers. Each page has large pictures of sharks as well as shark facts, true stories, language facts, and definitions. For example, one fun fact is that “some Native Hawaiians believe that tiger sharks are the spirits of their ancestors.” Each “shark rumble” explains the characteristics of each shark as well as which shark would win in a battle. The pictures show the battles, including a shark’s sharp teeth biting another shark; while not gory, some blood is shown.  

Anyone who wants to learn more about sharks needs to read Ultimate Shark Rumble. Similar to a picture book, each page has a full-page illustration. With six to eleven simple sentences per page, Ultimate Shark Rumble is accessible to most readers. However, younger readers may need help with some of the vocabulary such as cartilage, positioned, caudal fins, and remoras.  

Ultimate Shark Rumble is jam-packed with interesting shark information. The nonfiction book will spark readers’ attention and make them want to learn more about sharks. The Who Would Win? Series has 20+ books that will satisfy all kinds of animal fans. Readers who want to take a bite out of more shark-related books should add The Great Shark Escape by Jennifer Johnston and Shark Lady by Jess Keating. 

Sexual Content  

  • None 

Violence  

  • In each shark rumble, the text explains which shark would win and why. For example, in a fight between a hammerhead shark and a tiger shark, “the tiger shark glides to the side and bites off one of the hammerhead’s eyes. The hammerhead is in trouble. The tiger shark then bites it in the back. Tiger shark wins!”

Drugs and Alcohol  

  • None

Language  

  • None 

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content  

  • None 

Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer

Mary Golda Ross designed classified airplanes and spacecrafts as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation’s first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work.

Cherokee author Traci Sorell and Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan trace Ross’s journey from being the only girl in a high school math class to becoming a teacher to pursuing an engineering degree, joining the top-secret Skunk Works division of Lockheed, and being a mentor for Native Americans and young women interested in engineering. 

Mary Golda Ross’s amazing life will encourage readers of all ages to pursue their passions by working hard. When Mary attended a state teacher’s college, the boys refused to work with her which motivated Mary to “get better grades than they did.” In her early career, Mary shared her love of math as a teacher. However, when World War II started, Mary went to work at the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, where she helped design fast-flying planes. Later, she worked on spacecrafts that “helped the Apollo space program send astronauts to the moon!” Even though Mary never received public acclaim, that didn’t bother her. Throughout her life, Mary continued to work hard and encourage young women to study math and science.

As the first female engineer for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Mary “modeled the Cherokee value of working together in mind and heart.” Mary also wasn’t afraid to ask questions. Even though Mary was the only female, she proved herself a capable engineer. “Her male colleagues respected her intellect, her drive to solve problems, and how she worked in the team.” These qualities allowed Mary to make a positive impact in the world. 

Mary’s experiences come to life in realistic illustrations that use muted colors. One of the best aspects of the illustrations is their ability to incorporate math and science. For example, one picture shows a series of images of teenage Mary using a microscope, helping with a science experiment, and performing another task; around these pictures are math equations. Pictures of planes and drafting pages are incorporated into many of the illustrations.

Even though The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer 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 has one to four complex sentences that will be difficult for beginning readers to tackle on their own. In addition, the book contains some advanced vocabulary such as colleagues, orbiting satellites, concepts, and classified. Even though some readers will not understand all the book’s concepts during the first read, The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross is still an excellent book to share with young readers.

The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer is an American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award Honor Picture Book; this award to given to stories that represent Indigenous North American peoples in the fullness of their humanity. This picture book is a must-read not only because it introduces a woman of importance, but also because “the narrative highlights Cherokee values including education, working cooperatively, remaining humble, and helping ensure equal opportunity and education for all.” To learn more about women who made notable contributions in engineering, read Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 by Helaine Becker and Mae Among The Stars by Roda Ahmed.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Maria Tallchief

Maria “Betty” Tallchief was one of the most famous American ballerinas who trailblazed onto the international ballet scene, but her rise to prima ballerina did not come easy. As another installment in the She Persisted series, Maria’s story follows her from her early years through her rise to international stardom.

Maria Tallchief was raised as part of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma and moved to California as a child. Her mother signed Maria up for ballet, and she loved it. Although she faced adversity because of her mixed heritage, she persisted because she loved the sport. Desiring to be a professional ballerina, Maria worked hard and moved to New York City to pursue her dreams.

To help her stand out in the ballet world, “Betty” was encouraged to change her name. While she changed her first name to Maria, she adamantly refused to change her last name from Tallchief, as she was proud of her Osage heritage. Because of Maria’s hard work, she became one of the most famous American ballerinas, and she became the first American to dance with the Paris Opera Ballet and work with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, the famed Russian ballet company. Most famously, she performed the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. 

Among her other notable achievements as a ballerina, her signature role, Firebird, helped launch her fame, and she became the first American to perform at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. Even in retirement, Maria dedicated her time to ballet, moving to Chicago and opening her own ballet studio. She also continued her work in fighting for Native American rights in the United States, proudly speaking of her Osage heritage. Many organizations in Oklahoma to this day have dance studios and awards in her honor, including the University of Oklahoma’s Maria Tallchief Endowed Scholarship, which provides financial assistance to college-level dance students.

Young readers will find Maria Tallchief’s story engaging even if they don’t understand the magnitude of her fame and the scope of her impact on the ballet world. To help keep readers engaged, the book has short chapters and black-and-white illustrations every three to five pages. Maria’s perseverance shines throughout the book and will appeal to a broad audience. 

Readers who enjoyed Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen will enjoy Maria’s story because both books show that dreams can come true. The book ends with a list of ways readers can be like Maria and highlights the importance of working hard to achieve your dreams. She Persisted: Maria Tallchief will appeal to readers interested in dance; however, it is also a worthwhile book for all young girls to read because it encourages chasing your dreams through dedication and passion, even in the face of adversity. For more inspirational dance-inspired stories, twirl to the library and check out Parker Shines On by Parker Curry & Jessica Curry and Tallulah’s Ice Skates by Marilyn Singer.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • To help readers understand Maria’s upbringing, the book gives a brief overview of the Osage Nation. The narrator describes, “In the 1800s, the Osages and other Native Nations suffered in the area known as Indian Territory, which got smaller and smaller until it made up only most of what is now the state of Oklahoma . . . many Osage children were sent to boarding schools, and Osage elders could only share their histories and traditions in secret.”

Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Maria developed arthritis later in her life, and she treated it with “herbs and Tylenol.”

Language 

  • Maria was often bullied by classmates for being Osage. Classmates made “war whoops” whenever they saw her. They asked her why she didn’t wear feathers in her hair. In addition, they made racist, hurtful comments about her father. They made fun of her last name, pretending to be confused by whether it was Tall or Chief.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • Maria is part of the Osage nation in Oklahoma, and they have their own religious beliefs and practices. The book notes that her parents “took the family to powwows held in remote corners of the Osage reservation. If they had been caught, they could have gotten in trouble. At the time, Native American ceremonies and gatherings were illegal. (And they would remain illegal until Congress passed the American Indian Religious Freedom Act in 1978 when Betty was fifty-three years old!)”

What If You Had Animal Hair!?

If you could have any animal’s hair, whose would you choose? If you chose a polar bear’s double coat, you would never have to wear a hat when playing in the snow. If you had a reindeer’s hair, it would help you stay afloat in water. And if you had a porcupine’s hair, no bully would ever bother you again! The animal kingdom has lots of awesome types of hair, but yours is pretty great, too!

If you love animals and want to learn more about their hair, then you must read What If You Had Animal Hair!? The simple, entertaining format uses a two-page spread that features a photographic image of the animal and its hair on the left and an illustration of a child with that animal’s hair on the right. The large pictures of children with animal hair are so humorous they will cause giggles.

While What If You Had Animal Hair!? is intended for younger readers, it will appeal to older readers because of the interesting facts and fun illustrations. Each two-page spread has seven to eight complex sentences that beginning readers will need an adult to read aloud to them. Despite this, the story is a quick read that is informative as well as entertaining. Readers will not only learn about familiar animals such as a lion and a zebra but also less familiar animals such as a pangolin and a star-nosed mole.

Introduce a child to non-fiction text by reading What If You Had Animal Hair!? The fun format, silly photos, and engaging text will entertain as it teaches children about animal hair. For more fun facts, fly over to the library and grab a copy of 13 Ways to Eat a Fly by Sue Heavenrich.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol 

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Language 

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content 

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Palace of Books

From prolific author, Patricia Polacco, comes a retelling of her first experience with books. Polacco was not always a reader. Growing up, she preferred to spend time on her farm with her grandfather, admiring the birds and absorbing her grandfather’s knowledge of each bird’s species.

When her family moved to California, Polacco had to adjust to life beyond the farm. Fortunately for her, her new teacher, Miss Bice, regularly took her class on nature hikes. One these hikes, Polacco would admire the birds and try to share her knowledge with her classmates. However, her classmates did not share her passion, and they were not interested in the many owl pellets Polacco found on the forest floor. 

To make matters worse, Polacco’s new classroom rewarded reading, something that had always been challenging for her. Although she would eventually come to realize that she had dyslexia, Polacco spent much of her childhood unable to explain her struggle with reading. All she knew was that books were difficult to approach. This perspective changed when Polacco stumbled upon the giant library of her new town. Here, she was greeted by the excited librarian, Mrs. Creavy, who showed her that not all books require words. In fact, this library possessed rare art collections from John James Audubon, an artist renowned for his beautiful paintings of birds. These books introduced Polacco to the wonderful world of illustration and encouraged her own drawings of birds. Though she did not know it, this discovery was the first step in her success as a student and artist.

Palace of Books is a touching and heartfelt true story that will show young readers that everything has an outlet to express themselves, so long as they look for it. The story of art’s power is assisted by beautiful illustrations that fill entire pages. Detailed and lively, these illustrations show how far Polacco has come as an illustrator. It is worth noting that the book’s narration is particularly wordy, with some pages featuring up to 36 sentences of text. This can be a welcome and rewarding challenge to advanced readers, but younger readers may need help navigating the long narration. If you are looking for another story that teaches the importance of individuality and creativity, Palace of Books is the book for you.

Sexual Content 

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Violence 

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Drugs and Alcohol 

  • None

Language 

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Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

The Lucky Baseball Bat

Martin Allan is a new boy in town who wants to play baseball for his local baseball league. However, after a disappointing first tryout, Martin loses confidence in his baseball skills. That is, until a friendly neighbor named Barry Welton gives Martin a new glove and a lucky baseball bat. With the new bat, Martin rediscovers his baseball skills and leads his team to the Grasshoppers League World Series. However, when Martin discovers that his lucky baseball bat has gone missing, he panics that the baseball season will be lost! Will Martin find his lucky baseball bat in time to save his team’s season?

Martin is a young boy with a passion for baseball who struggles with a lack of confidence and a timid personality. Told from his point of view, readers will relate to Martin’s difficulty in moving to a new town, making new friends, and jumping into a new baseball league. However, Martin’s ability to move past these obstacles and succeed will be inspirational for many readers. His uplifting personality and strong determination to solve his problems also make him a very likable character.

Martin wears his emotions on his sleeve and his reactions to his circumstances range from excitement to sadness and anger. While some of Martin’s responses seem to encourage adverse reactions, such as blaming another kid on his team for taking his lucky bat, Martin ultimately grows as a character by learning to move past these impulsive responses. He learns from his mistakes and becomes an admirable character who is patient, kind, and forgiving. After accusing Rick of taking his bat, Martin apologizes saying, “Rick, I—I’m sorry that I said you had my bat. I got it back yesterday. Freckles Ginty had taken it out of my yard.”

Martin’s adventures with his new baseball team teach readers the importance of having confidence in one’s abilities. It’s easy to place one’s worth in outside things, like how Martin puts his athletic worth in one baseball bat, but the story encourages readers to recognize that their strengths and talents come from within themselves. Whether on the baseball field, in the theater, or with a pen and paper, we all can find strength in what we love to do. It just takes a little bit of confidence.

The Lucky Baseball Bat is beautifully told in ten short chapters with enlarged print and easily understandable words. Each chapter features one fully illustrated page that depicts crucial moments in the story with enjoyable, pencil-drawn images. Overall, The Lucky Baseball Bat is the perfect story for those who love baseball. With memorable characters, an engaging plot, and supporting illustrations, readers will enjoy Martin’s journey as a baseball player. Plus, they will learn that succeeding in their endeavors starts with believing in themselves.

Readers who want to learn more about baseball should read the non-fiction book Babe Ruth and the Baseball Curse by David A. Kelly and Catching the Moon by Crystal Hubbard. Other fiction series that will appeal to baseball fans are The Ballpark Mysteries Series by David A. Kelly and Little Rhino Series by Ryan Howard & Krystle Howard.

Sexual Content

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Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

  • A mean bully calls Martin Allan a “hick” for missing a fly ball.
  • The head coach of the baseball team, Jim Cassell, yells “for Pete’s sake.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None 

Howard Hates Sports

Howard is the youngest member of a large family who loves sports. However, unlike his athletic siblings, Howard hates sports and finds attending his family’s sporting games annoying and boring. Instead of watching the games, he explores the world underneath the bleachers and meets many friends along the way, such as Macho Nacho, Lefty the Shoe, and Rock Hard Soft Pretzel. There, Howard and his friends play a very silly game, and he learns that maybe sports aren’t such a bad thing after all. 

Many readers will find Howard to be a very relatable character. He feels pressured to love sports because of his family, yet he chooses to pursue his own interests. He finds joy through his imagination, using discarded objects to create a game. Although Howard does isolate himself from his family during sporting events, he enjoys playing a game that vaguely resembles the sport of baseball: “If Howard hits one of the balls to the Sticky Spot of No Return, he wins. If he misses the ball all three times, Macho Nacho is the Bleacher League Champion!”

Howard’s adventure under the bleachers teaches readers that differences aren’t a bad thing; in fact, people can discover similarities through their differences. Although Howard hates sports, he still loves his siblings and appreciates their athletic skills and strengths. He doesn’t let his differences impact his view of himself either, as he finds excitement in his own games, which ironically appear much like the sports games he dislikes. Howard Hates Sports acknowledges that while we have many differences, we all share similarities as well. 

Each page of Howard Hates Sports has fun illustrations that add to the book’s quirky charm. Readers will fall in love with the colorful depictions of everyday objects. The book’s simple art style enhances the story’s silly take on the game of baseball. In addition, Howard Hates Sports contains large, easy-to-read text that includes many words bolded and filled in with color. The special font highlights critical moments in the plot. Each page has one to seven sentences; however, beginning readers may need an adult’s help reading the complex sentences. Howard Hates Sports would be fun to read aloud because it includes dialogue, alliteration, and rhyming text. 

Howard Hates Sports is a perfect book for those new to sports. The personification of many ordinary objects, like nacho chips, hotdogs, and shoes, aid the book’s sports theme and serve as lovable side characters; for example, “His old pal, Lefty the Shoe, who lost his partner, Righty, some time ago, holds out a frayed lace to shake Howard’s hand.” These characters enhance the story by offering a splash of humor to keep readers engaged. With its relatable protagonist, silly characters, and engaging illustrations, readers will discover that despite our differences, we can all find similarities between us. Readers who enjoy humorous stories should also add Don’t Throw it to Mo! by David A. Adler to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

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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Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?

Skunk opens the cookie jar to find that all his cookies are missing. He follows the cookie crumb trail and asks each of his animal friends – Mouse, Raven, Squirrel, Rabbit, Turtle, Raccoon, Snake, Beaver, and Frog – who took the cookie from the cookie jar? Along the way, readers will discover what each animal’s favorite snack is. 

Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar will delight young readers. As Skunk talks to each of his friends, they follow him and discover the surprising cookie thief. Using the colors of the desert, the picture book puts a spotlight on Skunk as he follows the clues — a cactus with teeth marks, paw prints, and cookie crumbs. 

Even though Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar is a simple story, young readers will want to read it again and again. Following Skunk as he looks for the cookie thief is a lot of fun, even if you’ve read the book before. The story’s cadence, repetition, and animal dialogue make this picture book perfect for reading aloud. Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar? is a cute story that reinforces the importance of sharing and can be paired with the picture book The Cookie Fiasco by Dan Santat.

Sexual Content 

  • None

Violence 

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Drugs and Alcohol 

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Language 

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content 

  • None

Juniper Kai: Super Spy

Juniper Kai was born to be a spy. She’s well-versed in all forms of codebreaking, lockpicking, and disguising. She is always equipped with a fake mustache, a spy camera, and a code-breaker wheel in case of emergency. With her vast list of skills, there’s nothing Juniper can’t solve. Except, of course, one thing. Juniper is the only kid in her neighborhood, which means she has no one to play I Spy or Spy-And-Go-Seek with. Usually, Juniper has her mom and dad for such things, but lately, both her parents have been too busy and too tired to play. 

Juniper understands that spies don’t play, least of all with their parents, but where some may see playtime, Juniper sees missions! And it seems she has just found her next one – uncovering what’s making her parents so busy. 

Fast-paced, brightly colored, and cleverly written, Juniper Kai: Super Spy is a delightful picture book for all young readers with an imagination as thrilling and vivid as Juniper’s. While her gadgets help her in certain areas, it is her creative interpretation of the events around her that make her story an exciting one. The book’s dynamic narrative is matched with colorful, detailed illustrations, and a second read will allow viewers to spot all the hints sprinkled throughout the pages that reveal the book’s big twist. The font is relatively small, but the more exciting words and phrases like “Spy-o-Scope,” “investigate,” and “James Bond,” etc. are bolded and colored for emphasis. 

By reading Juniper Kai: Super Spy, young readers will be encouraged to embrace their creative side just as Juniper does. The book will be particularly helpful to children with a younger sibling on the way, as Juniper’s investigation eventually leads her to discover that her parents are expecting a second child. Rather than reacting with jealousy or fear that her little brother will distract her parents, even more, Juniper delights in the news, seeing her incoming sibling (who she fittingly names “James” after her favorite spy) as a good co-agent, something no true spy can be without. And, after all, Juniper Kai was born to be a spy.  

Sexual Content 

  • None  

Violence 

  • None 

Drugs and Alcohol 

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Language 

  • None   

Supernatural 

  • None 

Spiritual Content 

  • None 

by Luke McClain

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