Tag Archives: little brown and company

Review: Ling & Ting Together in All Weather

The Basics

lingandtingtogetherinallweather
Title: Ling & Ting Together In All Weather
Author: Grace Lin
ISBN: 9780316335492
Copyright Date: 2015
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Reader Brand: N/A
Level: N/A
Series: Ling and Ting (Ling & Ting Not Exactly the Same; Ling & Ting Share a Birthday; Ling & Ting Twice as Silly)

Thoughts

Ling and Ting are twins. This beginning reader takes us on a seasonal journey full of different kinds of weather in six stories.

I think what I love most about the Ling and Ting books are the simple, relatable stories intertwined between the six different chapters. This collection shows a thunderstorm, heat (summer), leaves falling (fall), snow (winter), spring, and rainbows. I think there are opportunities for teachers to use this book with STEAM concepts!

Ling and Ting continue to shine in the fourth volume of their series. I love the inviting cover of the girls in their striped dresses and think that the book just asks to be read.

Keep making this fabulous series and I will keep buying it!

Review: Power Ponies to the Rescue!

The Basics

powerponiestotherescue
Title: Power Ponies to the Rescue!
Author: adapted by Magnolia Belle
ISBN: 9781480671959
Copyright Date: 2015
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Reader Brand: Passport to Reading
Level: Level 1
Series: My Little Pony (Heart and Hooves, Holly Jolly Harmony, Meet the Ponies of Ponyville, Meet the Princess of Friendship, Ponies Love Pets!, Ponyville Reading Adventures, We Like Spike!)

Thoughts

The ponies of Ponyville are zapped into Spike’s comic book. They must defeat the evil villain Mane-iac in order to return home. Luckily, the ponies all have superpowers…except Spike. Will they ever get home?

This is another media tie-in that’s based off a television episode. The plot and names will make sense to readers already familiar with the material. At the beginning of the book, readers are given four words to be on the look-out for. This is a great activity for kids who may be seeking a challenge in their reading but wanting familiar characters and stories.

As for the plot itself, it’s straightforward for the most part. At one point, I was unsure how the ponies were captured by Mane-iac because the previous page had just stated that she had stopped them, not capture them. (That being said, I was reading this while playing ball with two dogs so that might have been a me issue.)

I really enjoyed once the ponies were in the comic book that the beginning reader reflected that by switching to a comic book format with panels and graphic backgrounds.

My ultimate verdict is that libraries should purchase if they have My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fans in their libraries.

Review: Meet the Dinotrux

The Basics

meetthedinotrux
Title: Meet the Dinotrux
Author: Chris Gall
ISBN: 9780316400640
Copyright Date: 2015
Publisher: Little Brown and Company, Hachette Books
Reader Brand: Passport to Reading
Level: Level 1 Reading Together
Series: Dinotrux (Dinotrux Go to School)

Thoughts

The Dinotrux world (originally picture) has expanded to begin to include beginning readers! This second volume follows all the Dinotrux as they band together to create a bridge to visit one another. Dinosaurs and transportation — do I need to say anything more to get preschool boys to pick this series up?

At the beginning of the book, a “Guide to the Dinotrux” is printed that includes both pictures and phonetic pronunciations of the Dinotrux. This is great for beginning readers to work on sounding on the Dinotrux’s names even though fans of the picture books will likely be familiar with how they are pronounced. The text is definitely large enough for readers to feel comfortable. Most of the text is above the pictures, on a white background and I think that will also help beginning readers.

The storyline is fairly predictable, which is perfect for this age group. But I’m still going to agree with Passport to Reading‘s assessment that this book is a beginning reader best shared with an older sibling or parent. Recommended.