easy readers

20 Jul 2012 2 Comments

Five For Friday — Some Summer Stuff

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By Lisa Dalesandro/@abookmama
Author of “Raise a Reader: 25 Effective Ways to Get Kids Reading”       
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Moving through the dog days, I’ve listed a few great books that celebrate the joy of the summer season. What’s your favorite summer book?

Ages 3 – 5

SUMMER by Alice Low.  An oldie but a goodie.  Many moms and dads may remember this one from their childhood.  A boy, a girl and a dog share some summer fun.  

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Ages 5 – 7

BAD KITTY by Nick Bruel.  Okay, this isn’t exactly a summer book, but because BAD KITTY  is one of my favorite series for emerging readers I listed it as light summer reading.  On the surface, this is the story of a cat that turns bad when her family runs out of her favorite food, this is really a clever alphabet book for kids old enough to appreciate the way words work.    

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SUMMER ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY by Betty G. Birney.   When Humphrey hears that school is ending, he can’t believe his ears. What’s a classroom hamster to do if there’s no more school? It turns out that Mrs. Brisbane has planned something thrilling for Humphrey and Og the frog: they’re going to Camp Happy Hollow.

Ages 7 – 9

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Ages 9 -12 

ONE CRAZY SUMMER by Rita Williams-Garcia.  Set during one of the most tumultuous years in recent American history, One Crazy Summer is the heartbreaking, funny tale of three girls who travel to Oakland, California, in 1968 in search of the mother who abandoned them. It’s an unforgettable story told by a distinguished author of books for children and teens, Rita Williams-Garcia.

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Good summer reading for grown ups.

THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern.   This is the last book I read that I could not put down.  Set at the turn of the 19th century, this dark mystical love story about a magical circus will steal your heart and help you kill a few hours at the beach.

 

by Lisa in Book Recommendations Tags: , , , , ,

28 Jun 2012 1 Comment

Five For Friday — Book Suggestions For All Ages

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I get asked for book recommendations all the time, so I’ve decided to start a regular post every Friday in which I recommend five books that I really love.  I’m going to split the list up by age and reading level that way there will be a little something for everyone.  

I’m listing five of my all time favortites for this first week.  Happy reading!

 

Ages 3 – 5

Moo, Baa, La, La, La! by Sandra Boyton.  Serious silliness for all little ones.  A comedy of errors for preschoolers.  Young children find this book totally delightful.  It all starts with –

“A cow says MOO.”

“A sheep says BAA.”

“Three singing pigs say LA LA LA!”

“‘No, no!’ you say, ‘that isn’t right.

The pigs say OINK all day and night.’”

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Ages 5 – 7

Miss Daisy is Crazy by Dan Gutman.  Dan Gutman has written two gazillion books for young readers.  This is the first book in the popular “Weird School” series that emerging readers find funny and engaging.  Great for both boys and girls. 

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Ages 7 – 9

Weird But True: 300 Outrageous Facts.  Well did you know that… Peanut butter can be converted into a diamond? The world’s oldest pet goldfish lived to be 43 years old? On Neptune, the wind blows up to 1,243 miles an hour? An elephant’s tooth can weigh as much as a bowling ball?  This fun fact book published by NatGeo will provide many hours of fun for kids and adults alike.  

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Ages 9 -12 

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger.  Um, actually, this isn’t exactly a “Stars Wars” story (but your little Star Wars fans don’t need to know that).  The plot is something of a philosophical conundrum for kids.  I love this little book and recommend it whenever I get the chance.  In fact, I did a previous review that you can read here.

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What I’m reading

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt.  My intention was to recommend a grown up book here, but truthfully, this week I’m in the middle of this compelling YA (11 and up) novel.  Gary Schmidt is a new author to me, and I plan to get his award winning “Wednesday Wars” after I finish this book.

By Lisa Dalesandro/@abookmama
Author of “Raise a Reader: 25 Effective Ways to Get Kids Reading”      

by Lisa in Book Recommendations Tags: , , , , ,

“I Spy Fly Guy” by Tedd Arnold

12 Apr 2011 2 Comments

“I Spy Fly Guy” by Tedd Arnold

An easy reader series

THE BOOK MAMA BASICS

For ages: 4- 7

Gender specific: Boys will love it

Any pictures?:  Silly cartoons

How long?: 32 page

Are there more?: 8 or so.

What’s it similar to?: PJ Funnybones or Marvel I-Can-Read.

What’s it cost?: $5.99 on Amazon

Synopsis:  Boy and fly meet and so begins a beautiful friendship.  Er, and so begins a very funny friendship.  Fly Guy’s propensity to hide in a garbage can when he and Buzz play hide-and-seek results in disaster. Fly Guy is carted off to the dump, and when the boy tries to find him, he is faced with a multitude of flies that look, act, and sound exactly like his pal.  Using hyperbole, puns, slapstick, and silly drawings, bestselling author/illustrator Tedd Arnold creates an easy reader that is full of fun.  (edited from School Library Journal)

Review:  If you’re struggling to get a kindergartener or first grader — especially a boy — to read on their own then you may find that “I Spy Fly Guy” by Tedd Arnold is stinky good fun for little readers.  It’s the perfect I-Can-Read series for kids just getting the hang of that whole reading thing.  The clever storylines don’t talk down to kids.  The vocabulary is fairly simple.  Told in three easy chapters, the number of words per page is manageable for young readers ranging from 2 to about 20 words per page.  And because it’s a series, if they like one, you’ll likely have an easier time getting to read the next one.

by Lisa in Ages 4 - 8, Reluctant Readers Tags: , ,

“Mercy Watson to the Rescue” by Kate DiCamillo

31 Mar 2011 No Comments

“Mercy Watson to the Rescue” by Kate DiCamillo

THE BOOK MAMA BASICS

For ages: 4 – 7

Gender specific: Fun for all pigs and people

Any pictures?:  Vibrant fun illustrations

Are there more?: Yes!  Six amazing porcine adventures

How long?: 80 page

What’s it cost?: $5.99 on Amazon

Synopsis: After the Watsons tuck their pet pig Mercy into bed with a sweet song and a kiss, she feels warm inside, as if she has just eaten hot toast with a great deal of butter on it. However, afraid of the dark, Mercy snuggles into bed with the couple. Moments later, all three are rudely awakened from their lovely dreams with a BOOM! as their bed falls into a hole that has opened in the floor beneath them. In hot pursuit of buttered toast, the porcine wonder inadvertently gets help and saves the day.  Along the way, she causes great, humorous distress to the fussy next-door Lincoln sisters. (edited from School Library Journal)

Review: Mercy Watson, a disarmingly charming pig adopted by a loving human family, makes her debut in this new series of chapter books for beginning readers.  Three cheers for Kate DiCamillo author “The Tales of Despereaux” and “Because of Winn-Dixie.”  Mercy Watson is her first, but surely not last, foray into the “easy reader” genre.  This is a fun, quirky series about a lovable pig, who seems more like a family dog or even a small child, that will get the most reluctant little reader hooked.   Van Dusen’s bright gouache illustrations have a jovial exaggerated style and capture the sometimes frantic action and silliness of Mercy’s heroic escapade.  Four hooves up!

Fun, gorgeous illustrations for young readers. From Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise

by Lisa in Ages 4 - 8 Tags: ,

24 Feb 2011 2 Comments

“A Book of Sleep” by Il Sung Na

A book of sleep by Il Sung Na

When the sky grows dark
and the moon glows bright,
everyone goes to sleep . . .
except for the watchful owl!

Just paging through “A Book of Sleep” by Il Sung Na (4 – 8 ) makes me want to crawl back in bed.  This book worked particularly well in my house because we have a neighborhood owl who occasionally camps out in a nearby tree and hoos quietly through the night.

With a spare, soothing text and beautifully rich and textured illustrations of a starry night, this is the perfect “book of sleep.” Join the owl on his moonlit journey as he watches all the other animals settle in for the night: some sleep standing up, while some sleep on the move! Some sleep peacefully alone, while others sleep all together, huddled close.

Il Sung Na makes his American debut with this gorgeous bedtime offering. While each animal rests in its own special way, your little ones will drift softly off to a cozy night’s sleep.

by Lisa in Ages 4 - 8 Tags: ,

16 Feb 2011 No Comments

“Hide and Squeak” by Heather Vogel Frederick

“Hide and Squeak” by Heather Vogel Frederick, illustrated by C.F. Payne ( ages 3-6) Reviewed by Mary Harris Russell for the Chicago Tribune.

A mouse father and baby play hide-and-seek before bedtime, in the front yard. Mice with a front yard? It’s your front yard, dear reader, facing a solid brick house but not so solid that mice can’t enter.

Illustrations by C.F. Payne

The pictures and the words capture the speed (and cloak of invisibility, almost) with which a mouse can move. The words come in short, highly repeatable bundles: “Daddy sees your whiskers! Daddy’s on your trail.”

The mice faces are expressive and detailed and their surroundings have all the charm of “The Borrowers” world. Winsome and speedy this book is an easy re-read.

by Book Mama in Ages 4 - 8 Tags: ,

10 Jan 2011 1 Comment

Easy Reader Series That Boys Will Love

The question I  get asked the most often is — can you recommend something my 5, 6, 7-year-old boy will actually want to read?

It’s a tough age, for both boys and girls, because they’re used to being read to and frequently haven’t quite gotten into the habit of reading on their own.  Or they want to read, but get frustrated because the material that interests them is too difficult for their reading level.

Here are three different series, each of which has lots of books in the series so if he likes it you can get more.  I’ve included a sample page from each series so you can gauge for yourself if the reading level is appropriate for your little man.

The Fly Guy series by Tedd Arnold is adorable fun with quirky cartoons and zany plots that keeps kids reading and laughing.  In the first book we meet a boy who goes out searching for a smart animal to take to The Amazing Pet Show and bumps into a fly that is intelligent enough to say the child’s name, Buzz. Although his parents and the judges feel at first that a fly is only a pest, not a pet, the insect puts on a performance that astounds them all and wins an award.

Got a little superhero at home?   It doesn’t matter if his favorite crime-fighter is Superman, Batman, Spiderman or even, gulp, Wonder Woman, there are tons of these “I Can Read” books in which good always defeats evil. This series will have them reading without even knowing that it’s good for them.

The P.J. Funnybunny series is a very sweet series that deals with problems that feel relatable to kids.  For example, in this book P.J. thinks that camping is not for girls.  At least, that’s what P.J. and his pals tell Donna and sister Honey Bunny when they want to tag along on a camping trip. But when two mysterious ghosts frighten the boys all the way home, only the girls know the real story.

Next time, I’ll tackle the same topic except we’ll switch genders and talk about girls as emerging readers.

by Book Mama in Ages 4 - 8, Reluctant Readers Tags: , ,

06 Dec 2010 No Comments

Best Boxed Sets Gifts for Readers 4 – 8

If Santa is looking for some gift ideas for good little emerging readers, I have a few suggestions.

1.  What do the Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, A to Z Mysteries, Andrew Lost, and Nate the Great series have in common? Not only are the main characters spunky and lovable kids whose exciting adventures have captivated readers for decades—they’re also all found in one place in the Favorite Series Starters boxed set.

This is the first-ever sampler of its kind, introducing young readers to five favorite series through the first book in each. Kids will be clamoring to read more—and will have five different series to pursue—after they’ve read the “favorite firsts” in this collection.

This is an awesome collection for any young reader.

2.  How did four strange teachers get into this little box?

Meet a teacher who eats bonbons, a principal who kisses pigs, a librarian who thinks she’s George Washington, and an art teacher who dresses up in pot holders! They’re all inside this box! They must be getting pretty crowded in My Weird School Collection by Dan Gutman.

3.  Ivy and Bean are two friends who never meant to like each other. This boxed set, Ivy and Bean: books 1 – 3 by Annie Barrows,  is a delightful introduction to these spunky characters. It includes the first three books in the Ivy and Bean series and a secret treasure-hiding box with a surprise inside.

by Book Mama in Ages 4 - 8, Reluctant Readers Tags:

23 Nov 2010 No Comments

Stink Stands Alone — Judy Moody's brother gets his own series

Megan McDonald, author of the hugely successful Judy Moody series, said, “Once, while I was visiting a class full of Judy Moody readers, the kids, many with spiked hair a la Judy’s little brother, chanted, ‘Stink! Stink! Stink! Stink! Stink!’ as I entered the room. In that moment, I knew that Stink had to have a book all of his own.”

Every morning, Judy Moody measures Stink, and it’s always the same: three feet, eight inches tall. Then, one day, the ruler reads – can it be? – three feet, seven and three quarters inches!

Is Stink shrinking?

In Stink’s first solo adventure, his style comes through loud and strong – enhanced by a series of comic strips, drawn by Stink himself, which are sprinkled throughout the book. These homespun sagas reflect the familiar voice of a kid who pictures himself with super powers to deal with the travails of everyday life – including the occasional teasing of a bossy big sister.

Currently you can get “Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid” along with the next two books in the series ”The Adventures of Stink in Shrink Monster” to “The Adventure of Stink in Newt in Shining Armor,” as a three-pack.

These books are ideal for early grade boy readers, say, in first thru third grade.  Large print and lots of illustrations keep the pages turning.

And then there’s the Stink-O-Pedia.   Want to know where you can view the world’s oldest ham? Who holds the record for the world’s loudest burp? The answers to these and many, many more essential questions can be found in Stink-O-Pedia — just the sort of reference book that Stink Moody, who reads encyclopedias in his spare time, might make up himself. From J-for-Jawbreaker (and how long it would take an average frog to digest one), to P-for-Professional Smeller (and other strange but true careers), to Y-for-Yeti (why not?), this volume contains enough amazing stuff to keep readers saying “No way!” for a googolplex* of years. At the back of the book, facts are cross-referenced with related Stink and Judy Moody titles.

 

by Book Mama in Ages 4 - 8, Reluctant Readers Tags: ,

25 Oct 2010 1 Comment

"Clementine" by Sara Pennypacker

Clementine is having not so good of a week.
- On Monday she’s sent to the principal’s office for cutting off Margaret’s hair.
-Tuesday, Margaret’s mother is mad at her.
-Wednesday, she’s sent to the principal…again.
-Thursday, Margaret stops speaking to her.
-Friday starts with yucky eggs and gets worse.
-And by Saturday, even her mother is mad at her.

As Clementine says, “Spectacularful ideas are always sproinging up in my brain.” All the better for the young readers who like to laugh. Reminiscent of Ramona, Judy Moody and Junie B. Jones, “Clementine” by Sara Pennypacker (ages 7 -11) is an ingenuous third-grader with a talent for trouble and a good heart.
Her best friend is her neighbor Margaret, a fourth-grader who experiences both qualities firsthand.
After all, plenty of kids may have had their hair chopped off by a helpful friend in an effort to get the glue out, but how many of those friends would think to improve matters by drawing hair back on the scalp, forehead, and neck with a Flaming Sunset permanent marker?
“It looked beautiful, like a giant tattoo of tangled worms,” Clementine observes in the fresh, funny, first-person narrative.
Marla Frazee’s expressive ink drawings capture every nuance of the characters’ emotions, from bemusement to anger to dejection. Sometimes touching and frequently amusing, this engaging chapter book is well suited to reading alone or reading aloud to a roomful of children.  (Booklist)

Clementine has loads more charm than some of the other “girl” series. It’s a wonderful choice if you have a 2nd or 3rd grade girl who isn’t clicking with other series books.

by Book Mama in Ages 4 - 8, Ages 8 - 12, Reluctant Readers Tags: , ,

22 Sep 2010 1 Comment

"I Can Read" Books with the Wonderful Arnold Lobel

I was at a friend’s house the other day and her first grader was reading Arnold Lobel’s “Mouse Tales.”  (Ages 4 – 8 )   I couldn’t help but be reminded how enchanting I find both Mr. Lobel’s stories and illustrations.   As any parent can tell you, there are a ton of “learn-to-read” books out there, but for my money you just can’t go wrong with these timeless, quaint, engaging stories.

Frog and Toad

So who was this Lobel guy, you ask?  Hey, that’s what I’m here for!

Uncle Elephant

Born in 1933,  Arnold Lobel wrote and/or illustrated over 70 books for children during his distinguished career. To his illustrating credit, he had a Caldecott Medal book – Fables (1981) — and two Caldecott Honor Books-his own Frog and Toad are Friends (1971) and Hildilid’s Night by Cheli Duran Ryan (1972).  He has a Caldecott Honor for Frog and Toad Together.

Owl at Home

Mr. Lobel passed away in 1987, but to his greatest credit, he had a following of literally millions of young children with whom he shared the warmth and humor of his unpretentious vision of life.

Here are a few excellent choices if you have a book baby who’s just getting the hang of this whole reading thing.  But there are many more to choose from as well.

Uncle Elephant

Owl At Home

The Frog and Toad Collection

Grasshopper on the Road

by Book Mama in Ages 4 - 8, picture books, Reluctant Readers Tags: , , , , ,

20 Sep 2010 2 Comments

PLEASE WRITE IN THIS BOOK by Mary Amato

Please Write in This Book by Mary Amato (ages 7 – 10)   tells the harrowing tale of what happens when a teacher leaves a blank composition book in the Writer’s Corner for her students to find with the instructions “Please Write in this Book.”

Third grade teacher has Ms. Wurtz decided to encourage creative dialogue by leaving a blank notebook in the hopes that students will “talk to each other.”  The only rules are to “have fun” and “sign your name.”  She promises not to read the entries until the end of the month.  (and she seemingly keeps this promise despite the uproar that ensues) More →

by Book Mama in Ages 4 - 8, Ages 8 - 12, Reluctant Readers Tags: , , ,

06 Sep 2010 No Comments

A Pirate's Guide to First Grade

Here’s the WSJ’s childrens book review from today. Thought it sounded cute!

Young children who love pirates—and parents who might relish reading aloud with swashbuckling gusto—are going to find “A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade” just their cup of grog.

The rollicking tale follows a boy as he embarks on his first day of school in the company of a ghostly crew of rowdy, swaggering pirates who are visible, of course, only to him. The boy himself sounds as if he has spent more time sailing under the Jolly Roger than chewing on Jolly Ranchers. “Arrr!” he says by way of introduction. “What a slobberin’ moist mornin’!” Licked awake by his “scurvy dog,” the boy leaps out of bed and gets himself shipshape. “Me mother was soggy with fare-thee-wells, fussing over this, that, and the other thing,” he tells us. “Fair winds!” he cries to her and sets off, his lunchbox carried by a wraithlike parrot.

After cheerfully boarding a big yellow school bus, the boy and his roistering comrades disembark at elementary school, where they meet the first-grade teacher, “a fine old salt” named Silver. School turns out to be jolly enough, but even pirates are apt to wilt under the workload: “I’ll make no bones about it,” the boy confides at one point, “Cap’n Silver worked us like black dogs on a hot day. We counted and spelled ’til we nearly dropped, brain-addled and weary.”

Greg Ruth’s retro illustrations for James Preller’s story adhere in a satisfying way to piratical convention—his buccaneers have flowing beards, eye patches and gnarly expressions—but he adds witty modern-day touches, too, like the vaporous juice box in one man’s hand. Children may quibble with a mildly didactic ending that shows the narrator finding “treasure” at the library, but that hardly sinks an otherwise lively read.  —Meghan Cox Gurdon

by Book Mama in Ages 4 - 8, Reluctant Readers Tags: ,

26 Aug 2010 No Comments

The Crate of Danger! It's not easy being a 7 year old mad scientist.

Franny K. Stein is not your average girl — she’s a mad scientist and she is fabulous!   She prefers poison ivy to daisies and piranha to goldfish, and when Franny jumps rope, she uses her pet snake.

In Franny K. Stein’s Crate of Danger (boxed set) by Jim Benton (ages 7 -9) we learn that although being a mad scientist is exciting, it does have its drawbacks. From fending off giant monstrous fiends to getting a lab assistant to battling her own teenage self, Franny has her hands full!  Your book babies can join her in her first four wacky, weird, creepy adventures.

The publisher lists this series at a reading level of 9 -12, but I think it skews younger, more like 7 -9.

Books in this set include:

Lunch Walks Among Us

Attack of the 50-Ft. Cupid

The Invisible Fran

The Fran That Time Forgot

Hey wait, there’s more!  You can also get your very own Franny K. Stein “action figure flashlight!”  Go Franny!

by Book Mama in Ages 4 - 8, Ages 8 - 12, Reluctant Readers Tags: , ,

25 Aug 2010 No Comments

Never Glue Your Friends to Chairs and more excellent advice from Roscoe Riley

Roscoe Riley Rules #1:  Never Glue Your Friends to Chairs by Katherine Applegate (ages 4 – 8 ) is the first title in this new series for independent readers introducing good-hearted, mishap-prone first-grader Roscoe.  In short chapters filled with simple, snappy sentences, Roscoe tells his own story.

He’s excited about his class’ bee-song performance for the school open house. But the students’ bobbing antennas keep slipping, and kids won’t stay seated. Aiming to help, he tries Super-Mega-Gonzo Glue, a too-successful solution that attaches antennas to chairs and brings chaos, remorse, and a new appreciation for the awesome power of glue.

Roscoe is an appealing, lively kid whose story is both entertaining and thought-provoking (adults may want to review with kids the meaning and repercussions of permanent glue), and Biggs’ expressive pencil drawings add to the humor. A list of Way Cool Things that Somebody Should Invent closes the book.

The second title in the series, Roscoe Riley Rules #2: Never Swipe a Bully’s Bear, is also filled with comic mishaps.  There’s obvious appeal for boys, but girls will like Roscoe as well.  Grades K-3. (Booklist)

by Book Mama in Ages 4 - 8, Reluctant Readers Tags: , ,

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