Last week, I reviewed emergent and early readers for the newest readers. This week I'm concentrating on chapter books for children who can handle reading longer stories with fewer illustrations. My list will begin with shorter stories, and larger print, but gradually end up with stories that are more complex, smaller print, and with few or no illustrations.
Mercy Watson: Thinks Like a Pig, by Kate DiCamillo, and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen, introduces humor and words that are a little more difficult but not so much as to discourage the reader. The pictures are in color which also makes the story an invitation to read aloud.
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Rain or Shine, by Erica Silverman, and illustrated by Betsy Lewin, is the fourth book in a series about a horse-loving girl - Kate - who has to take her horse out in weather Cocoa doesn't' like. These illustrations are also in color and are a delight. Also - check out “School Days” that came out the same month as “Rain or Shine”.
Dodsworth in Paris, by Tim Egan, is another story with colorful illustrations. This is one book in a series that will undoubtedly expand the young reader's horizons as the stories take you to different parts of the world. This story is set in France and Dodsworth's little companion, the duck, is constantly getting into mischief making the story great fun.
Baby Animals: True or False, by Melvin and Gilda Berger, is a great introduction to non-fiction and the reader gets to participate by guessing the answers to many baby animal questions.
A Brand-New Day with Mouse and Mole, by Wong Herbert Yee, is actually a collection of stories about Mouse and Mole that will delight youngsters. And, once again, the pictures are vibrant and colorful.
Andy Shane is Not in Love, by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, and illustrated by Abby Carter, is a continuing story about friendship and misunderstandings. All of the Andy Shane books are terrific!
Julian Rodriguez: Trash Crisis on Earth, by Alexander Stadler, has a nice combination of story text and illustrations to keep readers engaged while also keeping them laughing.
Maybelle Goes to Tea, by Katie Speck, and illustrated by Paul Ratz de Tagyos, is hilarious and kids will want to re-read this one over and over again. Maybelle, the cockroach, meets a new friend, Maurice the fly, who tells her she doesn't need to hide while visiting the tea-party of humans. But everyone at the party is in for a big surprise.
Bad to the Bone, by Lucy Nolan, and illustrated by Mike Reed, is a quick read about a canine and his cat friend and the antics they go through as they attempt to train their owners.
Stink and the Great Guinea Pig Express, by Megan McDonald, and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, is the latest edition about how Stink and his buddies deal with a guinea pig epidemic. What to do with all of these homeless critters? Stink finds a solution for one, but will his mom approve?
The Naughty Nork, by Bruce Coville, and illustrated by Katherine Coville, is filled with magic and Nork, the huge monster who seems to break everything in his way. But is he really mean? The two protagonists are about to find out.
Wombat & Fox: Tales of the City, by Terry Denton, is actually 3 short stories about wily wombat and his high strung friend - Fox. The adventures are engaging and delightful and are sure to be a hit with youngsters.
The Dragon's Child, by Jenny Nimmo, is an adventure into fantasy as a young dragon can't seem to fly and is abandoned by the rest of the dragons. He's left to fend for himself. What happens to him will be engaging to the very end.
Clementine, The Talented Clementine and Clementine's Letter, all by Sara Pennypacker, and illustrated by Marla Frazee, involve the antics of a young third grader and the trouble she gets into. But with the help of her family, she always seems to come out on top.
Uncle Pirate, by Douglas Rees, and illustrated by Tony Auth, is a tale about what happens when Uncle Pirate, and his little penguin friend, show up at Wilson 's house and decides to go to school to learn how to read. Here is a rollicking fun story that's sure to whip you into ship-shape!
Jack Russell: Dog Detective - The Kidnapped Creature, by Darrel and Sally Odgers, is a great introduction to mysteries as Jack Russell attempts to discover what happened to a cat who's gone missing.
Mighty Monty, by Johanna Hurwitz, and illustrated by Anick McGrory, loves two things: reading and karate. He can even do the second one without his inhaler. Here's a charming and invigorating tale.
Judy Moody Goes to College, by Megan McDonald, and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, is the latest book about Judy learning higher math that puts her into a spin of algorithms with her college age tutor.
