It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 7.12.21

This weekly post comes from Jen at Teach Mentor Texts

 and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.  

It's a great source to find new books to use with your students.

Last Week's Adventures

A political figure you will want to meet

Do you know readers who love Magic Tree House?  Here are some more chapter books to introduce to those readers!

This MG book is going to be a hit this fall!  Make sure you have copies of Secondhand Dogs for your readers!  Learn more about the book here.

Picture Books

America My Love, America My Heart

by Daria Peoples-Riley

I am often looking for books that can help discuss the civil unrest in our country with young readers.  This book is a really good entryway into a discussion.

How to Apologize

written by David LaRochelle

illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka

Oh, I like this one!  Giving tips like being sincere, making a plan so you don't repeat a mistake, as well as what a not-so-sincere apology looks like.  A good book to use at the beginning of the school year!

Amira's Picture Day

written by Reem Faruqi

illustrated by Fahmida Azim

It's Eid!  A day of celebration, good food, and friends and family.  But it's also picture day for Amira and she really wants to take part in both Eid and picture day.

A book you'll want for your holiday collection.  I like that it has information about Eid and traditions, but also celebrates those things kids just want to do!

30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag

written by Amanda Davis

illustrated by Sally Wern Comport

This is such an amazing story, and one I didn't know anything about.  I do remember the flag that was hung near the site of the fallen towers, but I didn't know there was a story about it after it was taken down.  I love the narrative Davis wrote and the illustrations by Comport are spot on.  The backmatter is so informative, you'll really want to make sure you make the time to read all of it to readers, as well.  This is a must have book.

Bella's Recipe for Disaster Success

written by Ana Siqueira

illustrated by Geraldine Rodríguez

I think it's important to talk to our young readers about persevering and having determination when working towards a goal.  Too often I see kids who frustrate so easily when something doesn't work correctly the first time.  Here's a book to share with readers!

Young Bella sees her brother and sister being successful at things but she doesn't feel like she has something she is really good at.  She decides to learn how to make polvorones with dulce de leche with her Abuela.  However, things don't go exactly how she wants them to and ends up having to make batch after batch.  While she's doing that, she eventually sees her sister and brother having trouble with the things they are good at, too.  Bella eventually finds success and it's all the more "sweet" since she worked so hard!

Spanish is sprinkled throughout the storyline.  I know my Spanish speakers are always so happy to see their language in books that are in libraries!  I was surprised there was not a Spanish glossary at the end, but non-Spanish speaking readers will be able to use context clues to figure out almost every word.  However, the recipe for the delicious cookies Bella makes is included in the book!

Thank you to author Ana Siqueira for the review copy!

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre

written by Carole Boston Weatherford

illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Wow.  This book is as powerful as everyone is saying.  I never heard of the Tulsa Race Massacre until this book, and that is wrong and I guess not surprising at this point.

Use this book to teach and discuss:

• history!  I'm going to go out on a limb and guess this event is still not in most history books...
• kids today need to understand they systemic racism that has been taking place in our country for centuries.  This is not something new.  This has been occurring for a very very long time.

Middle Grade

Ophie's Ghosts

by Justina Ireland

A historical fiction that is rich in accuracy of the injustices of African Americans in our country is married with a chilling ghost story that will want you reading in the daylight!  It's unique and fun and fascinating.

It is the 1920s and Ophie is surviving the tragedy that is the loss of her father and home.  She also has come to realize that she has the gift of sight and is able to see and communicate with ghosts.  Her mother and her have moved north to Pittsburgh and are now working in a manor as housekeepers and for Ophie, caretaker to the very old matron of the home.  Having to deal with the racist old Mrs. Caruthers as well as trying to figure out how to deal with all of the ghosts that also reside in the home is confusing.  But with the guidance of her aunt, Ophie learns more about the ghosts and why she should leave them alone.  But when a very friendly ghost befriends Ophie, she can't help but get involved and try to solve the mystery of the ghost's death.

With some chapters being told by a variety of narrators that are important settings to the story, the reader learns a lot about what it was like growing up as an African American girl in the time of Jim Crow laws.... and will be entertained by a fascinating ghost story!

Young Adult

Off the Record

by Camryn Garrett

Woah, what powerful story!  Rooted in the #MeToo movement, this book uses the teen perspective to explore what the hard decision to speak up when it's easier to look away.

Josie is a budding journalist, the youngest of three sisters, has anxiety and body issues (she'll tell you she's fat but she's trying to be more positive), and has just won a major contest to report on an up-and-coming actor for a major magazine.  Josie and her appointed guardian/sister are about to go on a multi-city tour and follow along the cast and crew for a movie that is about to premier.  Josie is doing the lead article on the actor who is about her age and Josie is about to fall for him.  But... it gets complicated.  A major film director has been sexually preying on his leading actresses and they've had enough.  Will Josie be the one to write the exposé that lets the world know, or will she be silenced?  

Beautifully written!

Currently Reading

The Mending Summer

by Ali Standish

I love all of Ali's books and I've been looking forward to this one for awhile!

Happy July reading!

Secondhand Dogs blog tour - 7.09.21

Secondhand Dogs

written by Carolyn Crimi

illustrated by Melissa Manwill

published by Balzer + Bray

I know I can always find readers for books that have animals as narrators.  And if it is a dog narrator?  It's a sure thing!  I am happy to report this book is a sure thing!  

Secondhand Dogs is another name for rescue dogs.  Miss Lottie has quite a few.  There's Gus who is the leader of their pack.  He's a terrier and has a heart of gold.  Maybe too gold because he would do anything to spare any bad feelings for a dog.  Then there's Tank, the big bulldog who is a natural protector. The dog he is usually protecting is Moon Pie, the newest addition to their pack.  Moon Pie is a pug and is missing his former owner.  Finally, there is Roo, a hunting dog with only three legs.  Roo is a bit twitchy, a little nervous, and a lot of energy.  Rounding out the animals is a very quiet cat named Ghost.  With all of these animals, Miss Lottie is lucky to have Quinn, a young neighbor boy help her out.  Quinn is fantastic with the animals and they provide their own kind of therapy for Quinn.  At home and at school he is bullied by his older brother, Jessie, and Jessie's friends.

While this pack looks out for each other, Miss Lottie is getting ready to introduce them to a new dog.  From the start, Decker does not bring about happy or positive feelings for any of the dogs.  Moon Pie tries to talk the new dog up, Roo just wants to know if the new dog gets Gus' okay, and Tank is an immediate no.  Despite Gus' bad feelings about the newcomer, he agrees to allow the new dog into their pack.  However, Decker has plans that don't include the other dogs.

As soon as they get home, the trouble begins.  Decker ends up being very manipulative and causes problems for all of the dogs, picking them off one at a time.  Of course the dogs can't communicate in human language and are unable to tell Miss Lottie what is going on.  However, once Decker pulls off a stunt that leaves a dog in a lot of trouble, the pack must get together to help one of their own.

This book is going to be wildly popular!  I am already so excited to get it into the hands of readers.  It's one of those books that you're going to need multiple copies of.  Readers love reading from the perspective of the dog (Fenway and Hattie, need I say more???) and this time we hear the voices of all the dogs.  While multiple voices can be tricky, I love that there are illustrations included in this story.  Each chapter tells you whose perspective we're reading from in that chapter along with an illustration of the dog.  This was very helpful for me and allowed me to picture the dog very quickly from the start of the book.

* examples of the adorable illustrations located by the chapter number

Ideas for using this for book study/book club/guided reading:

• take a closer look at character traits.  Since the author included multiple voices how did she make sure you understood the different traits of the dogs?
• talk about perspective.  How did the change in character perspective add to the understanding of the story as it moved forward?
• dig deeper into emotions.  There was a variety of emotions between the animals and the humans.  How did the author show the emotions and what did it add to the scene?

Don't take my word for it, here's additional praise for Secondhand Dogs:

“A sensitive, satisfying, and intriguing canine tale.”   —Kirkus Reviews

About author, Carolyn Crimi:

Carolyn Crimi received her MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College in 2000. She has published over 15 books, including Dear Tabby, Don’t Need Friends, Boris and Bella, Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies, Where’s My Mummy?, and I Am the Boss of this Chair. Her book There Might Be Lobsters won The Golden Kite Award in 2018 for Best Picture Book Text, and her middle grade debut, Weird Little Robots, was named a BEA Book Buzz pick. Carolyn has received over thirty state awards and award nominations and was given The Prairie State Award in 2012 for her body of work. You can visit Carolyn at carolyncrimi.com.

Facebook: Carolyn Crimi       Twitter: @crims10

There is a fantastic Educator's Guide that goes along with this book.  Click on this link to see it.

Secondhand Dogs published this week so run to your local library and store to pick up a copy of this one!

#road2reading Challenge - Chapter Book Summer Series - give these books to kids who love Magic Tree House - 7.08.21

Welcome to the Chapter Book Summer Series!  Each week I will feature a round up of chapter books that would be fun to use with readers.  Some are stand alone books, many are series.  I'll pass along my recommendations for what grade levels match up best with the books for independent reading and for read alouds.  Keep stopping by every Thursdays for more ideas through the month of August!

A well loved series for newly independent readers is the Magic Tree House series.  I find that series is one of the most recommended series for readers.  Jack and Annie have been guiding readers through their chapter book series for decades!  When I first started teaching second grade (yeah.... decades ago) it was one of my go to series.  I loved the predictability of their adventures, even if they were going somewhere different each time.  Readers became friends with Jack and Annie and couldn't wait to go on another adventure.  And while interest in this series has ebbed and flowed over time, time travel is always a fun topic.  Here are some more series to share with readers who enjoy MTH!

     

Ms. Frogbottom's Field Trips series

written by Nancy Krulik

illustrated by Harry Briggs

Krulik is a chapter book master!  She knows her audience and the popularity of her series (Katie Kazoo, Princess Pulverizer, Science No Fair! to name a few!) with young audiences speaks for itself.

Now we get to meet Ms. Frogbottom.  Part Ms. Frizzle, part Jack and Annie, this teacher really gives her students real-life experiences!  She has a magic map that takes the students all over the world AND in different times in history!  Of course nothing goes smoothly on their time travel, but it's always an adventure!  Count on several things going wrong before they hitch a ride via the map back to their classroom.  Each book is told in the voice of a different classmate, but the changing of the narrator isn't confusing because they are in each book so you quickly learn characteristics of each student.

The books are trim in size and the font is a bit on the larger size.  Comes in at over 130 pages, but there are full page illustrations throughout the book.  Very helpful to get visual ideas for each character.

Recommendations:

for read aloud: grades 1-2

for independent reading:  grades 2-3

     

The Wish Library series

written by Christine Evans

illustrated by Patrick Corrigan

I think this series is going to be enjoyed by young readers!  No time travel in this series, but there is something magical about it!

Everyone knows there are so many ways to make a wish - upon a star, on an eyelash, blowing dandelion fuzz - but how often do those wishes come true?  In the first book in the series, Raven is not having much luck.  Her best friend has moved away and she was supposed to do all the talking in their upcoming Voices of History presentation.  Raven is so nervous to speak in front of people and she can't stop thinking about it.  Her nerves actually cost her from making a new friend.  But when she comes upon a strange coin and a well in the forest, maybe this time Raven's wish may come true?  She finds herself at the bottom of the well where she meets a Librarian and a Wishing Library.  Raven receives a special no school wish and strict instructions on how to use it.  Who would think a no school day would come in the form of a snow day... in July... when they live in California!  But that's what happens and as readers know, that means there are going to be consequences.

There were a few weak transitions in the story, but I had the ARC so maybe they are cleaned up in the final copy.  I definitely will be purchasing this series, although I do wish it came in paperback, as well as hard cover.  The books are under 100 pages, so the hard covers are expensive to always justify.  Although I'm sure libraries will appreciate the more durable cover, especially with the number of check-outs it will have!  With an illustration on most pages, this series will visually support readers who are new to longer stories.

Recommendations:

for read aloud: grades 1-2

for independent reading: grades 1-4

Some other series readers may enjoy along this theme that I've reviewed in the past:

Locker 37 series

by Aaron Starmer

Magic on the Map series

by Courtney Sheinmel

Like what you see here?  Be sure to stop by every Thursday for more chapter book suggestions!  If you want to see all of the posts in the series, click on "Chapter Book Summer Series 2021 under the "Labels" section, located on the right side of the blog.  See you again next week!

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday - Indelible Ann book review - 7.07.21

It seems that I'm finding more and more picture book biographies about mighty women who have shaped our world, but until recently, it has been difficult to find their names mentioned in other books.  I have another mighty woman who I am thrilled to be sharing with you today!

Indelible Ann:  The Larger-Than-Life Story of Governor Ann Richards

written by Meghan P. Browne

illustrated by Carlynn Whitt

published by Random House Studio

Just one look at the cover and you know you are looking at the profile of a women who did remarkable things!  But it wasn't done in a day.  Like the repeated phrase from the book...

...JUST WAIT, you'll see.

First off, let's start with the title of the book... indelible.  What does that mean?  From Oxford, it tells us "not able to be forgotten or removed".  From the title alone, we know Ann Richards is someone who should not be forgotten.  But what did she do, why should we remember her?  We can tell from the title she was a governor, but where?  While it doesn't tell us on the cover, the illustrator (Carlynn Whitt) leaves us some clues.  I see the Texas bluebonnet flower on the cover, a star pin on Governor Richards' blouse, and then we see Governor Richards profile taking up pretty much the entire cover.  If you know "everything is bigger in Texas", than you can probably guess where Governor Richards is from!  The great state of Texas!

courtesy Random House Children's Books

Yes, Dorothy Ann (she dropped the Dorothy when she wanted to reinvent herself) was born and raised in Texas, just outside of Waco, until she was in high school.  She moved to California and when she got there, she saw a whole new diverse world.  Dorothy Ann learned to speak up and be bold, and she brought that new enthusiasm back with her to Texas to finish out her high school year.  Ann got involved in many things as she continued her schooling, and even after marrying and having a large family, she continued to speak out on the causes she believed in.  As her political career began to grow, Ann continued to bring in a wide representation of people to work with and have more women on her staff.  She pushed for the rights of all people and went all over the great state of Texas to make sure she heard everyone.  After a successful four years as governor of Texas (she lost to future president George W. Bush), Ann continued to work in Texas politics.  What  a mighty woman!

courtesy Random House Children's Books

I love picture book biographies because they introduce us to some amazing people.  And while I think biographies are perfect for that, they can also be used for additional studies.  Educators can use this biography to:

• talk about perseverance and determination.  Using the tagline "...just wait, you'll see", readers can look back at how Governor Ann Richards continued working for the causes she believed in, even when told no, even when asked to stop, she kept at it and continued to make things better.
• discuss how change does not happen overnight.  Make a timeline of Governor Richards' accomplishments and note the years that certain things took.  What kind of things did she have to do to get change to happen?
• talk about democracy and using your voice in your community.  How can students create change and participate in the democracy in their own communities?

More about the creators of this amazing book:

Meghan P. Browne was born and raised in Austin, Texas, and was five years old when Ann Richards was elected governor. She considers Governor Richards to be one of her most influential 

foremothers. Meghan earned a BA in political science from the University of Arizona and an MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in her 

beloved hometown with her husband and their three children, a dog, a barn cat, chickens, goats, and a thriving honeybee apiary. Learn more at meghanpbrowne.com. 

Twitter: @meghanpbrowne 

Instagram: @meghanpbrowne

Carlynn Whitt grew up in the piney woods of East Texas and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. An award-winning illustrator, she attended the University of Texas at Austin and received a BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design. Carlynn loves to visit her home state as often as possible, where happiness is a sliced brisket combo plate and a good thunderstorm passing through. For more information about Carlynn and her work, visit carlynnwhitt.com. 

 

Instagram: @carlynnwhitt

Publisher social media:

Twitter: @randomhousekids

Facebook: @randomh*ousekids

Instagram: @randomhousekids

*Thank you to Barbara at Blue Slip Media for the review copy!*

Look for this picture book biography to add to your collection!  How will you share Ann's story?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 7.05.21

This weekly post comes from Jen at Teach Mentor Texts

 and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers.  

It's a great source to find new books to use with your students.

Last Week's Adventures

Chapter Book Summer Series - give these books to kids who think outside of the box

#ReadAndRemember 9.11

Picture Books

Oh Look, A Cake!

by J.C. McKee

I've seen this book mentioned on a few blogs and I'm glad I got to read it.  It's fun.  It made me laugh.  And it has a surprise ending.

Phoebe Dupree Is Coming to Tea!

written by Linda Ashman

illustrated by Alea Marley

Young Abby has done everything she could to plan and prep a perfect tea party for her friend, Phoebe Dupree.  Abby obviously thinks the world of Phoebe and wants everything to be as perfect as Phoebe is.  And you know what happens when you've spent so much time in the planning....  Of course the girls have a wonderful time despite things not going to plan.

Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope

written by Jodie Patterson

illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow

This is the story of activist/author Jodie Patterson's son, Penelope.  Penelope knows he's a boy, but everyone sees him as a girl.  This is the story of how he was able to work with his mom to, "make a plan to tell everyone we love what we know... you are a boy."

Necessary book for your LGBTQ collection.

Fred Gets Dressed

by Peter Brown

Another really important book about acceptance and identity.   Fred is running around the house naked, and quite happy with his status of being dressed!  Until, he gets to his parents closet.  He decides to dress up like his parents.  First, are dad's clothes.  But they are too big and they are too difficult to get on (buttons, ties....).  Then he tries on mom's clothes and wow, they are easy and fun!  Fred next gets into mom's makeup but doesn't know quite what to do with it.  

And then.... his parents walk in.

Instead of getting upset, mom shows Fred how to apply makeup and even dad joins in. 

I found this on Peter Brown's site and I think it's important to read and get more details and background to this lovely story.

On the Trapline

written by David A. Robertson

illustrated by Julie Flett

A perfect story to use for memory moments.  A boy and his moshom (grandfather in Swampy Cree) are visiting a trapline, which is an area where "people hunt animals and live off the land"; this particular one in a more remote area.  The young boy gets a glimpse into what life was like when his moshom grew up.

Middle Grade

Healer of the Water Monster

by Brian Young

This book is rich with Navajo language, culture, and traditions.  It's a magical fantasy story that has a lot of Navajo folklore to tell the story.  Yet it also has issues kids are dealing with - bullying and a family member dealing with alcoholism.

I had trouble getting into this one but eventually fell into the story.  There are a lot of uses of the Dine words and phrases, and while there is a glossary at the end, the way it is organized makes it not easy to use, especially for a middle grade reader.  I wish the publisher had chosen to use footnotes and put them right on the page.

Because of the complexity, I would suggest using it with 5th grade and older.

The Last Super Chef

by Chris Negron

One of my favorite books from last summer was Negron's Dan Unlimited.  I was very excited to see we had a new book to look forward to this summer, and I was not disappointed after finishing it!  

Both Dan Unlimited and The Last Super Chef are realistic fiction novels.  They will both pull at your heartstrings, although in different ways.  But that is pretty much where the similarities end.  You know how some authors have their "genre"?  It's like "their thing"... and all of the plot lines sound the same?  I'm so glad to say these books are different which tells me Mr. Negron knows how to write, and doesn't stick to the same formula!

Curtis, our budding chef, lives with his mom and younger sister, Paige.  When he finds out his favorite cooking show, Super Chef, is getting ready to end but will go out with a kids cooking show, Curtis knows he has to not only try out, but be selected.  See, there's big prize money involved and he sure would love to buy his mom and sister a much bigger house to live in.  And the host of super chef, well, Curtis knows its his real dad who left his little family and now it's time to meet.

The cooking competition is set up just like ones you've seen on TV - mystery boxes, cooking stations, timed challenges.   But the big change is there is not someone selected to go home after each show.  So the five young contestants stay with each other throughout the whole book.  This adds to the character development of not only Curtis, but the other kids.  With there only being five contestants, it was pretty easy to keep track of each one.

There are a couple of twists in the book, one I had figured out pretty early on, the other surprised me.  With all of the different cooking challenges the kids have to face, it keeps the book's momentum going - which is good since it's a longer story.  And despite me reading an e-galley (thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins), I never got restless and was always intrigued to find out what was going to happen next.

The book publishes tomorrow (July 6th), make sure you add it to your list!

Something to Say

by Lisa Moore Ramee

This book was on my #mustread list for the month.  I had selected it because it was a book I had purchased and wanted to read last year, and just never got to it.  I loved Ramee's debut, A Good Kind of Trouble, and was excited to get to this one.

I liked the complexity of the main character, Jenae.  She has a lot going on inside her mind.  She feels like she actually made some life altering things happen and is carrying around a lot of guilt.  Jenae is also an introvert.  It doesn't bother that she doesn't have friends... until a new boy moves to her school.  Aubrey is everything she isn't - extroverted and confident - and he really wants to be Jenae's friend.  Will she let him in and even step out of her comfort zone to help him?  

Adult Novel

Evvie Drake Starts Over

by Linda Holmes

This one came recommended by my friend, Susan Dee.  And when Susan tells me to read something, I always listen!

This was a wonderful read, especially during summer, when I had time to binge read it!  When we read books about people who are figuring out their identity, it's a theme most often found in our middle grade books.  However, sometimes things change even as you grow older, and you find the need to grow and change some more.  Evvie is figuring out who she is after some pretty big life changes.  She decides to take on a tenant in a small apartment room from her house, and that comes in the form of Dean Tenney.  Dean is a MLB pitcher who is having mental troubles with his baseball game.  Both Dean and Evvie are looking for change, but will they find it with each other?  I really enjoyed this one!

Currently Reading

Off the Record

by Camryn Garrett

I'm halfway through and it's good!!!

Hope you had a happy July 4th weekend!  I'm in denial it's July so I'll just bury myself into some reading and pretend time is not flying by!

September 11th #ReadAndRemember

*This post is from author Gae Polisner and reprinted with her permission.*

This September 11th marks a staggering 20 years since many of us watched in horror, over and over again, as the iconic twin towers fell, and our nation was under attack.

Many of us still grieve the shock and trauma of that day, while students in desks become ever more removed, not yet born in 2001, and, thus, without any first-hand understanding. Now those students are experiencing shared trauma of their own: constant gun drills and mass shootings, political unrest, and, yes, even quarantine and a pandemic. Indeed, it is now well understood and documented that story -- via literary fiction -- builds empathy and understanding even better than text or non-fiction ever could. Stepping into story, and the metaphorical shoes of children their own age, to "witness" that day and the days after, to feel with their own hearts how we rose from grief as a nation, is one of the most instructive ways for children today to also learn to cope with their ongoing grief. Nora Raleigh Baskin's NINE, TEN: A SEPTEMBER 11 STORY; Tom Rogers' ELEVEN (both for ages 9-12) and Gae Polisner's THE MEMORY OF THINGS (ages 12+) are all stories about growing up, coping with tragedy, and so much more, each set against the unforgettable terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Please watch and share this brief video with your colleagues and administrators and have us in, either individually or together, to help your students step into that moment and truly understand. https://youtube.com/watch?v=-P7fOXdwjNM… To never forget, #ReadAndRemember

Be sure to watch the powerful video featuring Gae, Nora, and Tom.  

If you're looking for more 9.11 books, check out this post.  Additional books have published since the original post, but it will get you started.

#road2reading Challenge - #ChapterBookSummer Series - books for kids who think outside of the box - 7.01.21

 

Welcome to the 3rd Chapter Book Summer Series!  I have been shining the spotlight on chapter books for the last few years because all too often I see in chat groups people asking for chapter book titles and the series that are mentioned the most often are Magic Tree House, A-Z Mysteries, and Junie B. Jones.  While all of these series are great, there are many many many more out there that just aren't mentioned as often.  I often see other recommendations be very lacking of representation of BIPoC creators and characters.  

I've been sharing chapter books for the past two summers, but also in my Thursday posts throughout the year.  And speaking of BIPoC creators and characters, they are sorely lacking in representation in chapter books.  It  also has not gone unnoticed the small amount of boy main characters.  Hoping publishers are taking notice of some of the conversations that have taken place on social media about the lack of both.

Over the next two months, I have a round up of chapter books.  Each focuses on a topic kids might enjoy reading about.  Today's roundup is for kids who enjoying thinking outside of the box.

Too Small Tola

written by Atinuke

illustrated by Onyinye Iwu

Tola is the youngest sibling in her apartment in Lagos, Nigeria.  Tola lives with her older brother and sister and her Grandmommy, who is described as being very bossy :)  Her father is in the UK because he can find a steady job there and send money back to the family.  While Tola is young and small, she learns that doesn't have to define her.  Tola has talents that can stop a bully, help out a neighbor, and help her Grandmommy in the market place.  And she comes up with ideas that might be different from how others would approach the same problem.

The book is split into three chapters, each a different story.  It's perfect for young readers who are venturing into chapter books but may struggle with a cumulative story.  Having three episodic chapters means they don't have to carry the plot through the entire book!  

I also love the setting of Lagos, Nigeria.  The illustrator, Onyinye Iwu helps bring it to life for young readers.

Recommendations:  

for read aloud:  grades 1/2

for independent reading: grades 1-3

          

Fort Builders Inc series

written by Dee Romito

illustrated by Marta Kissi

When you were little, do you have memories of making forts?  That was a big part of my childhood.  The best was when you could get an appliance box - those made the best forts!  But so did blankets and couch cushions and underneath tables.

This series features kids who use a STEAM approach to their fort building business.  Someone is the designer, the organizer, the builder, and the artist. Each book features teamwork, cooperation, and compromises.

The books have 6 chapters and illustrations featured throughout the text.  With realistic characters, settings, and problems, it's a comfortable book for readers who are starting to read books with chapters.

Recommendations:

for read aloud: grades 1/2

for independent reading: grades 1-3

     

The Invincible Girls Club

written by Rachele Alpine

illustrated by Addy Rivera Sonda

Meet the four girls that make up the Invincible Girls Club!  Each one has a particular passion and will have a book that features them.  The first book spotlights Lauren who loves animals, especially dogs.  But since her stepfather is allergic to them, she settles (although it's certainly not a chore) for volunteering at the local dog shelter.  Her friends join her and they love helping out with the puppies.  But they soon realize that it's not just puppies at the shelter, there are older dogs there, too.  Unfortunately, they are not rescued as quickly as the puppies, so Lauren and her friends decide to do something about it.  But even best plans don't work out and the girls have to think creatively to come up with a solution.  

The second book focuses on Emelyn.  Emelyn is the artistic type and she decides to put that to use when a bully leaves messages all over the school.  The messages name students at the school and say something hurtful about the person.  The Invincible Girls Club and art to the rescue!  But just like the first book, nothing goes to plan and the girls find themselves having to be extra creative!

I like that it shows young readers the need to persevere and to always keep thinking of new and different ways to solve problems.  

This series is a bit longer than the other two I featured today.  They come in at just over 100 pages and have a smaller font and more words on a page.  This series also has illustrations, but they are spread out a bit more through the book.  There is also backmatter with ideas and 2 page-spreads featuring a variety of females who have done some very creative things with the topic in each book.

Recommendations:

for read aloud: 2nd grade

for independent reading: grades 2-4

Hope you found a new book or series for your readers!  Be sure to check back next Thursday for books to hand to readers who love The Magic Tree House series!