Review: Little Lucy

The Basics

littlelucy
Title: Little Lucy
Author: Ilene Cooper
ISBN: 9781448764334
Copyright Date: 2011
Publisher: Random House
Reader Brand: Step Into Reading
Level: Step 3 Reading On Your Own
Series: Little Lucy (Little Lucy Goes to School)

Thoughts

Lucy and her family go for a visit to the lake one day. But when Lucy’s family ties her leash to a tree, they never imagine that she would break free and have an adventure on her own. Can Lucy find her way back to her family?

This is a much longer reader and I really like the description that they use on the book: “Reading On Your Own, Grades 1-3. Is your child comfortable tackling new words? Does your child like to read on his or her own? It’s time for Step 3.” That’s a great help to both parents and librarians to judge whether or not the book is appropriate for a specific reader.

Lucy is a sweet character who can get into some mischief! Being a dog lover myself, I found it easy to sink into Lucy’s story and I look forward to reading more Lucy readers.

Recommended for libraries who need higher-level readers or libraries with lots of dog lovers!

Series to Know: Brownie & Pearl

Series Info

brownieandpearl

Books:

  1. Brownie and Pearl Hit the Hay (2013)
  2. Brownie and Pearl See the Sights (2013)
  3. Brownie and Pearl Get Dolled Up (2014)
  4. Brownie and Pearl Step Out (2014)
  5. Brownie and Pearl Grab a Bite (2014)
  6. Brownie and Pearl Go For a Spin (2015)

Links: Brownie & Pearl on ReadytoRead.com || Brownie & Pearl on S&S || Cynthia Rylant

Reviews: Horn Book (for the readers); School Library Journal & Horn Book (for the picture book versions)

Difficulty

This is a difficult Difficultly section to write about. All of the Accelerated Reader and Lexile scores available are for the picture book editions of the books. Average AR was 1.00 based on seven books and average Lexile was AD100L based on two books.

I looked at both the picture books and reader editions of the four following books: Brownie and Pearl Hit the Hay, Brownie and Pearl See the Sights, Brownie and Pearl Step Out, and Brownie and Pearl Go for a Spin. Hit the Hay and See the Sights omit sentences from the picture books in the reader editions. “She is already snuggly.” from Hit the Hay and “Brownie gets her handbag. Pearl gets her mouse.” from See the Sights. Most of the books also change the contractions from the picture books to full words in the readers. Which is helpful, but does change the score potential for both AR & Lexile.

Thoughts

These are a great beginning reader series and I think it was a very smart move to re-publish them as readers. The picture books are lovely and I do miss the full panel illustrations in some spreads, but the text was always a beginning reader text to me.

I’m not sure is there are any plans for more Brownie and Pearl released as only readers. I can imagine that a child who is already familiar with the picture books will not find any real challenge in the readers, especially if they have the storyline memorized.

More Brownie and Pearl?

Well, original Brownie and Pearl:

  1. Brownie and Pearl Step Out
  2. Brownie and Pearl Get Dolled Up
  3. Brownie and Pearl See the Sights
  4. Brownie and Pearl Take a Dip
  5. Brownie and Pearl Make Good
  6. Brownie and Pearl Grab a Bite
  7. Brownie and Pearl Hit the Hay
  8. Brownie and Pearl Go For a Spin

These were originally published from 2009 to 2012. The readers began in 2013.

Dates to Remember

It looks like a paperback set will be coming out on October 13, 2015. I just hope that they also release the last two Brownie and Pearl adventures in reader format, too!

Review: Grace

The Basics

grace
Title: Grace
Author: Kate Parkinson
ISBN: 9780823432073
Copyright Date: 2015
Publisher: Holiday House
Reader Brand: I Like to Read
Level: N/A
Series: N/A

Thoughts

Grace wants very much to be a ballerina, but just isn’t making the cut. When the other girls tell Grace to give up, she figures out a plan to stay involved in the ballet and to keep dancing.

The “I Like to Read” series are formatted very much like a picture book. Their font is definitely beginning reader sized though and encourages a child to read on their own. I like this series for that reason — for kids who are wary to try a new format but still need that beginning reader support.

Grace’s story is very simple and easy for a child to understand. Once Grace leaves the ballet, she draws a picture to feel better. She begins to realize that maybe her efforts are better served as a set designer and that she can continue dancing on her own, in her own way.

While I liked the story’s idea of being able to try something else if your original plan doesn’t work, I didn’t feel that the page spreads of Grace trying really gave readers a full picture of how Grace was feeling. (And I know it’s hard to convey all that in a reader, I know!) Maybe if I had known that Grace was frustrated with her dancing, I would have bought into the storyline more. Overall, I just felt Grace was sad the whole time and even a bit bullied by her classmates.

Still, this is definitely a beginning reader that will work for most collections.

Geisel 2015 Award & Honors

For more information about the Geisel Award, visit the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award homepage.

youarenotsmall
Winner: You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant

Two different groups of furry creatures cannot decide which one of them is big and which one of them is small. A engaging and energetic picture book, written by a husband and wife team. I purchased this for my library and after reading it cataloged it as “Picture/Basics/Opposites/Kang”. You can imagine my surprise when I heard it announced as the Geisel Award winner that cold February morning!

After the announcements, I took the time to read through You Are (Not) Small carefully, looking at it through the eyes of a beginning reader.

The font size is absolute perfection if you ask me. The illustrations fill the majority of the page, but there is still more than enough white space for a beginning reader to use. The vocabulary is very limited, but easy enough for a beginning reader to handle on their own. The characters convey the change in emotion from inquisitive to argumentative to angry perfectly.

I laughed out loud the first time that I read the book myself. And I had quite a few preschoolers who enjoyed it at my family storytime. I would definitely encourage librarians to get this into the hands of beginning readers — to make sure it doesn’t become lost in the picture books!

geisel2015honors

Honor: Mr. Putter and Tabby Turn the Page by Cynthia Rylant and Arthur Howard

This sweet story will touch the hearts of librarians everywhere. Mr. Putter and Tabby sign up to read books together at the library, but when Mrs. Teaberry and Zeke the dog also sign up, they become nervous about the event. Will Zeke manage to stay out of trouble?

A more advanced beginning reader, this will charm many existing fans of the series and will draw in new fans!

Honor: Waiting Is Not Easy! by Mo Willems

Piggie has a suprise for Gerald, but he must wait. Can he wait until Piggie’s surprise arrives?

I often think that there is no greater fan of Elephant and Piggie than myself. And then I immediately meet a child that has connected with Piggie and Gerald on a perfect childhood level and I gladly relinquish my title as “Number One Fan”. This is a fabulous addition to the series, one that nearly eclipsed We Are In a Book! as my favorite.

On the Radar: Growing Minds April 2015

“On the Radar” is a new feature when I plan to call attention to readers reviewed in major publications.

Growing Minds April 2015

growingminds-april15

In this month’s Growing Minds (which is put out by Baker & Taylor and available online, Early Chapter/Beginning Reader starts on pg. 31), I found this plethora of beginning readers! No reviews, just plot summaries.

Always Bet on Chopper (Star Wars Rebels)
Angelina at Ballet Camp (Angelina)
Buck’s Tooth by Diane Kredensor
Daniel Feels Left Out by Maggie Testa (Daniel Tiger)
Disney/Pixar Inside Out
Don’t Throw It to Mo! by David A. Adler
Elephant Joe, Brave Firefighter! by David Wojtowyca
The Foolish Tortoise by Richard Buckley/ills. Eric Carle
How to Defend Your Dragon by Ellie O’Ryan
I Am Benjamin (Peter Rabbit Animation)
A Mystery Comes Knocking by Albin Sadar
Pinkalicious and the Pink Parakeet by Victoria Kann
Rabbid of the Sea by Cordelia Evans (Rabbids Invastion)
Riches to Rags (Sofia the First)
Stingrays: Underwater Fliers by Carole Gerber
Time for School, Charlie Brown by Charles Schultz (Charlie Brown)
The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

Review: Pig and Pug

The Basics

pigandpug
Title: Pig and Pug
Author: Laura Marchesani and Zenaides A. Medina Jr.
ISBN: 9780448483436
Copyright Date: 2015
Publisher: Penguin Group/Penguin Random House
Reader Brand: Penguin Young Readers
Level: Level 2 Progressing Reader
Series: N/A

Thoughts

Pig is the only pig on his farm. All the cows and chickens and sheep have friends to be with…but not Pig. That is until Pug arrives. All the other animals think that Pug is a pig. But can Pig and Pug learn to be friends?

First of all, I have to say how much I’m in love with the illustrations of this book. They are spot-on and so child friendly. The artist really uses the space in a perfect beginning reader. And Pig and Pug look just enough alike that it makes sense that the other animals think they are the same.

There are a lot of nicely built vocabulary opportunities and chances for readers to gain confidence as words are repeated. I felt like it was a fairly good balance; although the beginning of the book is more wordy which may turn off struggling readers or reluctant readers. I think the story is worth it though!

Penguin Young Readers books are leveled using Fountas and Pinnell and “Pig and Pug” is at an F level. (I really like that the books state this on the back on the cover — a good tip for librarians to remember if their patrons are looking for this specific leveling system!)

Overall, this is a recommended reader for all collections. I hope to see more of this happy duo soon!

On the Radar: Kirkus 3/15

“On the Radar” is a new feature when I plan to call attention to readers reviewed in major publications.

Kirkus Reviews 3/15/15

kirkus315

All of these titles received reviews:

Don’t Throw It to Mo! by David Adler
Templeton Gets His Wish by Greg Pizzoli*
The Totally Secret Secret by Bob Shea
What This Story Needs Is a Pig in a Wig by Emma J. Virjan**

*Kirkus marked Templeton as a picture book but as a former Geisel medal winner, I included it here.
**Kirkus marked this book as an early reader and I haven’t had the chance to see it in-person to weigh in.

kirkus315-2

These titles were featured in continuing series:

Benjamin Bear in Brain Storms! by Philippe Coudray (Kirkus called it a graphic early reader.)
Poppy the Pirate Dog & the Missing Treasure by Liz Kessler (Kirkus called it an early reader, but it would fall as early chapter at my library.)
Amelia Bedelia Is for the Birds by Herman Parish (early reader)
Monkey and Elephant and a Secret Birthday Surprise by Carole Lexa Schaefer (Kirkus called it an early reader, but it would fall as early chapter at my library.)

Review: Tug the Pup

The Basics

tugthepup
Title: Learn to Read with Tug the Pup and Friends (Box Set 1, 2, & 3)
Author: Dr. Julie M. Wood
ISBN: 9780062266897, 9780062266910,
Copyright Date: 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reader Brand: I Can Read!
Level: My Very First
Series: So far, only the three reviewed here.

Thoughts

Box Set 1
Tug the Pup and his friends (Big Pig, Nat the Cat, and Pen Hen) have a variety of adventures ranging from what they like to do each day to catching fireflies to having a birthday party in the first box set.

Each book is numbered and if a child were to read them in order, they get progressively harder. Book one has sentences like “Big Pig can jump.”; book five has “This is Little Blue Farm.”; and book ten has “Zzzzz. Pen Hen is taking a nap.” The first four books each contain six simple sentences, while the later books range from eleven to sixteen sentences. (And yes, I am counting “Zzzzz.” as a sentence since it contains a period.

Box Set 2

In Box Set 2, there is an excellent book that talks specifically about rhyming: “Book 3: Rhyme Time” — that’s a great thing for children learning to read to practice. By the end of Box Set 2, Tug the Pup has gained a new friend, Sally the Snake. Book eleven has the highest sentence count at seventeen sentences and things are getting more complex with dialogue between the characters and higher difficulty in words.

Box Set 3

In Box Set 3, Tug the Pup has even more friends in these books: Crab, Dotty Duck, Sly Fox, Scram the Skunk, etc. Book eleven has the highest sentence count at thirty-two sentences, with a lot of complex dialogue and difficulty. At this point, the text has almost out-grown the tiny pages!

General

These books are a great addition to the beginning reader field. What makes these books special in my opinion are the parent guides (book twelve in each set). They have information on Common Core Standards, which I know is a great help to many of my patron parents. Also to note: the guide contains activities to complete before, during, and after reading. A cute incentive for parents who will be buying these books — they also have stickers inside to place in each book once the reader has mastered it. I took those out in the library’s editions.

Another added bonus for parents looking for guidance is that these books come already leveled under Guided Reading Levels. The first set is Levels A-C, the second set is C-E, and the third set is E-G. It’s perfect for parents who know their child’s level and for librarians who often hear, “My child is a B level. What should they read?”

All in all, I give Tug the Pup two very enthusiastic thumbs up! Highly recommended.

Series to Know: Amelia Bedelia

Series Info

ameliabedelia

Books:

  1. Amelia Bedelia
  2. Thank You, Amelia Bedelia
  3. Amelia Bedelia and the Surprise Shower
  4. Come Back, Amelia Bedelia
  5. Play Ball, Amelia Bedelia
  6. Good Work, Amelia Bedelia
  7. Teach Us, Amelia Bedelia
  8. Amelia Bedelia Helps Out
  9. Amelia Bedelia and the Baby
  10. Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping
  11. Merry Christmas, Amelia Bedelia
  12. Amelia Bedelia’s Family Album

Links: Amelia Bedelia website || Amelia Bedelia publisher site || Amelia Bedelia Facebook || Amelia Bedelia Twitter

Reviews: School Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, Horn Book

Difficulty

I grew up reading the classic Amelia Bedelia books. They were one of my first reader series. As a child, I never thought that the words were too difficult or that Amelia’s mix-ups were hard to understand. As an adult, I think that the classic Amelia books are definitely appropriate for readers. But they are most appropriate for shared reading or for older readers. (In the “I Can Read” brand, they are listed as Level 2: Reading With Help.)

Some of the words or phrases have become outdated — like when Amelia is directed to “draw the drapes” or “put out the lights” — but this is a great way to develop some new vocabulary.

The classic Amelia books have an average Lexile of 193 and an average Accelerated Reader of 2.2. All of the original twelve books have Lexile and AR ratings.

Thoughts

This series has a wonderful pull with today’s parents because it’s the series that they (like me) might have read as children. I constantly see new children being introduced to Amelia Bedelia all the time and I don’t see her staying power waning any time soon.

I think that the way Amelia makes mistakes makes her totally appealing for children, who often struggle with finding their own way and figuring out their own mistakes. I think the humor is still accessible, though again it might require a bit of explanation.

More Amelia?

Oh, man. Is there more Amelia? YOU BET.

After Peggy Parish’s death in 1988, her nephew Herman Parish took over the Amelia Bedelia series with these volumes:

ameliabedelia_herman

  1. Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia
  2. Bravo, Amelia Bedelia!
  3. Amelia Bedelia 4 Mayor
  4. Calling Doctor Amelia Bedelia
  5. Amelia Bedelia, Bookworm
  6. Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia
  7. Amelia Bedelia, Rocket Scientist?
  8. Amelia Bedelia Under Construction
  9. Amelia Bedelia’s Masterpiece
  10. Amelia Bedelia and the Cat
  11. Amelia Bedelia Talks Turkey
  12. Amelia Bedelia Bakes Off
  13. Go West, Amelia Bedelia
  14. Amelia Bedelia, Cub Reporter

These seemed to be published simultaneously published in both a picture book format and a beginning reader format. Their difficulty ratings were 342L based on 12 books and 2.7AR based on 14 books.

He also wrote these picture book special editions:

  1. Amelia Bedelia and the Christmas List
  2. Amelia Bedelia Goes Back to School
  3. Be My Valentine, Amelia Bedelia

youngameliabedelia

The last “classic” Amelia published in 2012. Then came Young Amelia Bedelia, first with picture books:

  1. Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School
  2. Amelia Bedelia’s First Valentine
  3. Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie
  4. Amelia Bedelia’s First Field Trip
  5. Amelia Bedelia’s First Vote
  6. Amelia Bedelia’s First Library Card

Then a beginning reader series:

  1. Amelia Bedelia Makes a Friend
  2. Amelia Bedelia Sleeps Over
  3. Amelia Bedelia Hits the Trail
  4. Amelia Bedelia Tries Her Luck
  5. Amelia Bedelia Joins the Club
  6. Amelia Bedelia Chalks One Up

Difficulty: 414 Lexile based on 5 books and 2.5AR based on 6 books.

And finally, Parish introduced Amelia Bedelia early chapter books:

  1. Amelia Bedelia Means Business
  2. Amelia Bedelia Unleashed
  3. Amelia Bedelia Road Trip
  4. Amelia Bedelia Goes Wild
  5. Amelia Bedelia Shapes Up
  6. Amelia Bedelia Cleans Up

Dates to Remember

The next beginning reader “Amelia Bedelia Is For the Birds” publishes on April 21st, 2015.

The next early chapter “Amelia Bedelia Sets Sail” publishes July 7th, 2015.