#road2reading Challenge - more new series! 5.09.19

All journeys have a starting place.

This is a weekly place to find books and tools

that you may use with readers 

at the start of their independent reading journey.

Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

I'm adding to some favorite series this week!  2 brand new books, 1 that I'm just slowly getting around to reading now!  Quick review of each one and information on the readers who will treasure the story.



Fenway and Hattie in the Wild
by Victoria J. Coe
Every time I read a Fenway and Hattie book I send up a thank you to Victoria Coe for writing this series.  Kids LOVE Fenway - Fenway is the kind of dog character who makes friends with readers who love reading and those who come very reluctantly to a book.  This series reaches so many readers and so many ages.  Very young, avid readers will follow along with the plot line as the adventures are relatable and fun.  Readers who are older yet need some support will thrive with this series and feel good about what they are reading.
In this fourth adventure, Fenway and his short human, Hattie, are off on a camping trip with other families and their dogs.  And just like when any group gets together, there is going to be some friendly, and no so friendly, competition.  There are two main storylines for readers to follow.  Hattie is doing her best to fit in with all of the kids, who are used to doing this camping trip.  She fits in well, but also wants to be friendly with a girl who is not fitting in as well.  Fenway is having the same issue and he's trying to solve the campground mystery - who is getting into their food? 
Don't miss the fun book trailer that just premiered this week!

Polly Diamond and the Super Stunning Spectacular School Fair
written by Alice Kuipers
illustrated by Diana Toledano
Polly Diamond is a reader and a writer!  She collects words the way other people collect action figures and legos.  And lucky for Polly, she has a very special journal, named Spell, that she can write in, and.... it not only writes back to her but can make her words come alive!
In this second adventure, Polly is off to her school fair - make that her spectacular school fair!  The best part about it is the theme is all about reading and stories!  Polly and Spell write some crazy adventures on the way and at the fair.  Readers will enjoy the ride... literally in parts of it!
Great read for 1st-3rd graders!  With the illustrations on every page, readers have some supports yet will enjoy the longer story split up into chapters.



Lulu is Getting a Sister
written by Judith Viorst
illustrated by Kevin Cornell
Lulu is one of my absolute favorite book characters.  She's hard to love (unless you enjoy kids who throw a tantrum every time they don't get their way and are always looking to manipulate the situation) but that's also why you love the story.  Readers get to experience all that is Lulu and hear the hilarious thoughts that are interspersed by the narrator (author) that make this a very very enjoyable series.
In this fourth installment in the series, Lulu is getting a baby sister!!  To help her prepare for the big event, her parents send her to Camp Sisterhood, where she gets to be a Sister-In-Training.  Each SIT gets a "little brother or sister" to take care of for half a day.  By the time camp is over, Lulu has gone through three siblings, but will they be able to teach her some positive ways to be a great big sister?  
With laugh out loud funny scenes, this book will bring even more readers to the series.  And for those who are already familiar with it, will fall in love with Lulu, or maybe just the predicaments she ends up in, all over again.
I used this series in a third grade #FirstChapterFriday read aloud and that created a huge buzz for the series in the class.  I think Lulu's perfect audience is between 2nd-5th grade.  You have to have a little bit of knowledge about the world to appreciate her sense of humor!


All three of these series are perfect for primary and intermediate classrooms.  I know your readers will love getting to meet all of the characters!