IF THE BOOK FITS...READ IT

Used-Up Bear

Learn to Read, Sr, 

REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

Laugh Meter: Not a Comedy
Fear Factor: No Fear
Subject Matter: Light: "G"

Used-Up Bear is winning follow up to Bear at the Beach. This time Bear 

is worried Clara will forget all about him now that he is getting old and tattered.

After a few poignant scenes where Bear puts himself up for sale in order to beat Clara to the 

punch of getting rid of him and another scene where "the sofa animals" tell him all the things

that will happen to him when Clara loses interest, Bear becomes thoroughly depressed. But alas,

Clara has not forgotten about him. She presents him will a little red suit that will protect his tattered

self and not let anymore of his stuffing fall out.

This is another gentle read and rumination from Clay Carmichael on what it means to be loved. 

Any young (or old) reader will relate to the way Bear is feeling...unloved and taken for granted. 

But, alas, he is not. He just perceived it that way. 

This is an appealing story for a few different kinds of readers:

- short and appealing enough for a toddler to sit through 

- perfect for a newly independent reader to read by him/herself 

- lastly, an older child to read feeling left out or unloved by friends will be comforted

Author/Illustrator:  Clay Carmichael

Book Stats:  1998, $5.95, 46 pp

Subjects:  Family, Love, Animals: Bears, Friendship

If You Liked This, Try:

Bear at the Beach, Clay Carmichael

Houndsley and Catina, James Howe

Click Here to Buy Used-Up Bear from Amazon

Bear at the Beach

Learn to Read, Sr,

REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

Laugh Meter: Not a Comedy
Fear Factor: No Fear
Subject Matter: Mild Concerns

Bear at the Beach is a lovely little story with a vintage, ethereal quality. It is about a little bear who is lovingly cared for by Clara, but the little bear realizes that he is missing a father.  His journey to find his father comes full circle when he realizes he is looking for someone to love and be loved by and he realizes he has all that in Clara.  

Bear at the Beach is wonderful chronicle about the meaning of love and family, that emphasizes family can look very different from our traditional idea of it.  I love these words of wisdom from the hermit crab who Bear runs into, "Some of us make homes where we find them.  What matters is that you are safe and cared for and loved."

Just one word of caution, if your reader is fragile about fathers, I would proceed with caution.  This whole book is about fathers or the idea of fathers.  

This story is a really nice departure from the usual (read: sometimes boring) Learn to Read fare, as it is beautifully written and illustrated.  It is also one of those easy books older readers can use and be reassured by if they are having any issues of loneliness, etc.

Author/Illustrator:  Clay Carmichael

Book Stats:  1996, $5.95, 43 pp

Subjects:  Family, Love, Animals: Bears

If You Liked This, Try:

Used  Up Bear, Clay Carmichael

Houndsley and Catina, James Howe

BUY NOW FROM AMAZON:  Bear at the Beach

Squirrel's World

AUTHOR: Lisa Moser

ILLUSTRATOR:  Valeri Gorbachev

ISBN#: 978-0763629298 

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Candlewick (August 28, 2007)

SUBJECTS: Animals: Squirrels, Friendship, Cooperation, Humorous Stories

READER LEVEL: Learn to Read, SR

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Squirrel's World is the charming tale of an endearing, do-gooding, but energetic squirrel - think Steve Carell's squirrel, Hammy, in the movie Over the Hedge.  Squirrel likes to help, help, help his best friends, even if the helping is not so much helping. When trying to help mouse forage for food, he buries her in apples and corn.  When trying to play with Turtle, he just proves to be a nap impediment.  And when trying to help a water-fearing rabbit grab a floating leaf, he soaks him.

This is a great message of friendship, cooperation and that sometimes more and faster is not always better.

This Learn to Read, SR selection is published by Candlewick Press and is part of the Candlewick Sparks series of early readers.  There is so much junk out there in the Learn to Read category, but Candlewick Sparks really stands out.  When you see the name Candlewick, you can really almost always be assured of a quality read for your child.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Zelda and Ivy, Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Houndsley and Catina, James Howe

Zelda and Ivy: The Runaways

AUTHOR:  Laura McGee Kvasnosky

ILLUSTATOR:  Laura McGee Kvasnosky

ISBN#: 978-0763630614

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Candlewick (May 8, 2007)

SUBJECTS:  Animals:  Fox, Friendship, Sisters, Humorous Stories

READER LEVEL: Learn to Read, Sr

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Series Snapshot:

Zelda and Ivy are two fox sisters who have exciting little adventures together. Laura McGee Kvaznosky has created a well-written series that gently moves along, with soft humor, while showcasing Zelda and Ivy's sisterly love.  This series is for the very young reader, either just learning to read on their own or just learning to sit for more than a picture book.  The chapters are episodic, which means each chapter stands alone as a short (mini) story.  This type of story structure is perfect for the young reader attempting to read this book on their own, because they don't have to retain the story all the way from beginning to end. Perfect practice before jumping into the more advanced Learn to Read, Sr., titles, like Minnie and Moo or Houndsley and Catina.

In this Volume:

In Zelda and Ivy:  The Runaways, the sisters run away together in protest of too many cucumber sandwiches.  They get as far as the back yard, and when dinner time comes, they realize cucumber sandwiches aren't so bad after all.  In the second story, Zelda and Ivy charmingly try to fill a time capsule, only they realize they aren't ready to part with the things they put into the capsule.  And finally, in the last story, Ivy gets creative when Zelda needs to get over her writer's block.  

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Meet Mr. and Mrs. Green, Keith Baker

Minnie and Moo and the Case of the Missing Jelly Donut, Denys Cazet

Houndsley and Catina, James Howe

Minnie and Moo: The Case of the Missing Jelly Donut

AUTHOR: Denys Cazet

ILLUSTRATOR:  Denys Cazet

ISBN#: 978-0060730093

PUBLISHER/YEAR: HarperTrophy (September 5, 2006)

SUBJECTS: Animals:  Cows,  Mystery, Humorous Stories, Friendship,  Excellent Read-Aloud

READER LEVEL:  Learn to Read, Sr

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Series Snapshot:

The Minnie and Moo stories are delightful, funny stories written in the tradition of a slapstick "Who's on First" kind of adventure.  Minnie and Moo are a pair of bovine friends, who live on the farm and always seem to be getting involved in zany little capers.  The writing is really humorous, a nice introduction to satire for a young reader.  This type of writing is a challenging thing for an author of such easy-readers: making the humor funny and intelligent, yet still at a level a young child can appreciate. Denys Cazet has done just that with this charming Learn to Read, Sr., series.  This series is also wonderful for the Learn to Read, Sr., reader who is getting ready for chapters, as Minnie and Moo chapters are continuous, not episodic.  This means the story continues from the start of the book to the end of the book, giving the young reader practice in retaining the story, thus readying them for the longer chapter books in our next reader level, Reader, Jr. 

In this Volume:

Minnie and Moo are two cows on the hunt for missing baked goods.  In Minnie and Moo, The Case of the Missing Jelly Donut, Minnie misplaces said donut, and Moo is on the case! Both the adult reader and the child will enjoy the comedy as the hunt leads Minnie and Moo around the farm on a wild goose chase for the donut; which they end up finding in the most unexpected place!

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Meet Mr. and Mrs. Green, Keith Baker

Houndsely and Catina, James Howe

Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time, James Howe

Zelda and Ivy, Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Houndsley and Catina

AUTHOR: James Howe

ILLUSTRATOR:  Marie-Louise Gay

ISBN#: 978-0763632939

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Candlewick (April 24, 2007)

SUBJECTS:  Animals:  Dogs,  Animals:  Cats, Friendship,  Excellent Read-Aloud

READER LEVEL: Learn to Read, Sr

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Houndsley and Catina is a wonderful little friendship book about a dog and a cat. Houndsley is an excellent cook and Catina is a tenacious writer.  Catina has doggedly produced a seventy four chapter memoir, and Houndsley makes delectable dinners every Saturday night.  However, Catina's memoir is awful and when Houndsley enters a cooking contest, he fails miserably.

Thus the chance for a sweet moral...Houndsley discovers being good is enough, he doesn't have to win any contests to validate that.  And Catina realizes she really doesn't enjoy writing, she was just trying to be famous.  

While their journey's may seem different, they conclude at the same place. Both Houndsley and Catina learn from each other, and through their friendship, that you should find something you love to do, and do it because you enjoy it.  Prizes and being famous should be second to that.  

This "buddy" book is in the same vein as Frog and Toad, Henry and Mudge and George and Martha.  It is especially well-written.  

I like that Houndsley and Catina has three chapters that are continuous, meaning the story continues from chapter to chapter.  Most early readers are episodic, which means they are small vignettes that are about the same character, but can be read as separate short stories.  I like that Howe has created an easy reader, what we call Learn to Read, Sr., here at if the book fits, that has a continuous story line.  This gives a young reader practice in retaining a story, preparing them for longer books.  

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Meet Mr. and Mrs. Green, Keith Baker

Minnie and Moo, Denys Cazet

Zelda and Ivy, Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time, James Howe

Tales of Oliver Pig

AUTHOR: Jean Van Leeuwen

ILLUSTRATOR: Arnold Lobel

ISBN#: 978-0140365498

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Puffin (August 1, 1993); original pub. date 1979

SUBJECTS: Animals - Pigs, Brothers and Sisters, Excellent Read-Aloud, Talking Animals

READER LEVEL: LEARN TO READ, SR.

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Oliver pig is a typical little boy, or really a typical little pig.  He wants to play outside, he gets in arguments with his little sister, and he likes to try doing things by himself.  The story lines follow Oliver's daily activities, all of which are subjects that the beginning reader can relate to and will enjoy hearing about.  He spends a day baking with his mom, builds a road for his cars and trucks, prepares for a visit with his grandmother, struggles with the many layers needed for a snowy day and appreciates a good game of hide and seek before bed.

The five unrelated chapters of Tales of Oliver Pig are sweet, innocent, feel good stories that sometimes also impart a subtle lesson. Oliver and his family seem as though they are from a simpler time, even before 1979 when the book was published.  The sentence structure and vocabulary are simple and there are no real paragraphs.  Although Tales of Oliver Pig and other books at the Learn to Read Sr. level are longer and include brief chapters, there is still plenty of white space so the reader will not be overwhelmed by the text on the page.  The consistency of the small square, serene illustrations on each page will also be a comfort to the reader.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Mercy Watson to the Rescue, Kate DiCamillo

Poppleton, Cynthia Rylant

Poppleton

AUTHOR: Cynthia Rylant

ILLUSTRATOR: Mark Teague

ISBN#: 978-0590847834

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Blue Sky Press (October 1, 1997)

SUBJECTS: Animals - Pigs, Books about Books, Excellent Read-Aloud, Friendship, Talking Animals

READER LEVEL: LEARN TO READ, SR.

RATING: 

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

The character Poppleton is introduced in this, the first book in a series about this charming pig's every day adventures.  Human in every way other than the illustrations, Poppleton is a likable, welcoming character.  In three unrelated chapters, the reader can enjoy discovering how Poppleton adjusts to small town life after moving from the big city.

When Poppleton's new neighbor, Cherry Sue keeps inviting him over, Poppleton has to figure out how to let her know that he really doesn't want to join her all time.  Rather than spraying her with a hose, as he does, he realizes he should have just been honest. Poppleton shows his serious side in chapter two when the reader learns about his ritual of visiting the library every Monday. Finally in the third chapter he helps his sick friend, Fillmore swallow a pill by hiding it inside something.  Twenty-seven cakes later they are both stuffed.

The watercolor and pencil illustrations are appealing and flow perfectly with the written story. They often produce a chuckle, like the one of Poppleton jogging by the roller blading chicken on the first page or reading in the library on page 32.  The overview of the town at the beginning and end of the book help to draw the reader into Poppleton's world.

An excellent book for either the newly independent reader or to read aloud, Poppleton, has been a favorite for more than ten years.  Young readers will be comfortable with the language, which although somewhat simple, is anything but boring.  The repetition of certain phrases like, "yoo-hoo Poppleton," "library day" or the recipe for cherry pie will help keep the reader engaged.  They will also feel important reading a book with separate chapters, often a goal for those just starting the reading process.  

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY:

Mercy Watson to the Rescue, Kate DiCamillo

Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig, #6

AUTHOR: Kate DiCamillo

ILLUSTRATOR: Chris Van Dusen 

ISBN#: 978-0763632656 

PUBLISHER/YEAR: Candlewick (July 8, 2008) 

SUBJECTS: Animals: Pigs, Neighbors, Humorous Stories

READER LEVEL: Learn to Read, SR 

RATING: ****

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Watson!  This series is quite enjoyable, and this latest installment is no disappointment.  Mercy is at it again with her neighbors, the Lincoln sisters.  Eugenia is the cranky sister and Baby is the more docile, happy sister (think Betty White in the Mary Tyler Moore show).  Eugenia declares, even though they have to live next door to a pig, of whom she disapproves greatly, there is no reason not to live graciously. She has decided living graciously includes having a yard full of pansies. Eugenia and Baby set about planting the whole yard full of pansies.  But where Eugenia sees a beautiful garden, Mercy see lunch; let the games begin!

In all of the previous Mercy Watson books, Eugenia has complained loud and clear that a pig belongs in a barn, not in a house, a car, a bed, or any of the places the Watsons take their darling pig, Mercy, "their porcine wonder".  

Eugenia has made her disapproval clear by calling all manner of authorities to get rid of the pig.  But not until this installment, Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig, does she call Animal Control.  And lucky for us, as DiCamillo introduces a hilarious new character in the form of Francine Poulet, the Animal Control Officer. 

As with most of what DiCamillo writes, the language is lovely.  As with most of what Van Dusen draws, the illustrations are eye-catching, and a large part of the story.  The visual aspect of this book will draw your young reader in and the zany plot line DiCamillo weaves will have the young reader asking for more.  DiCamillo, as usual, puts enough droll and funny references in for the adult reader.  Can't wait for Mercy Watson, #6! 

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY: 

Mercy Watson to the Rescue, Kate DiCamillo

Mercy Watson Fights Crime, Kate DiCamillo

Mercy Watson Princess in Disguise, Kate DiCamillo

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride, Kate DiCamillo 

Mercy Watson Princess in Disguise

AUTHOR: Kate DiCamillo

ILLUSTRATOR: Chris Van Dusen 

ISBN#: 978-0763630140 

PUBLISHER/YEAR:  Candlewick; Library Binding edition (July 10, 2007)

SUBJECTS: Animals: Pigs, Neighbors, Humorous Stories, Princesses, Halloween

READER LEVEL: Learn to Read, SR 

RATING: ****

Review Highlights:

Laugh Meter	not a comedy	giggles	laugh out loud	can’t stop laughing
Fear Factor	no fear	needs explanation	cover the eyes	bad dreams
Subject Matter	light : “G”	mild concerns	caution ahead	needs supervision

Kate DiCamillo does it again.  The critically-acclaimed author of both The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and Tale of Despereaux, among many others, has now created a wonderful series for the younger reader.  

Mercy is Mr. and Mrs. Watson's pet pig and the apple of their eye.  Mercy Watson Princess in Disguise is the fourth in this laugh out loud series which, as of July, 2008, has grown to five books in all.  In this installment, the wide-eyed Watson's decide Mercy should be a princess for Halloween.  A typical who's on first adventure ensues during their trick or treat rounds, started when Mercy is disappointed treats meant candy and not her usual  "toast with a great deal of butter on it".

The charming cast of characters is back in this book including Eugenia and Baby Lincoln,the neighbors, General Washington the cat, and the fire department.  We are also introduced to a young brother and sister from down the road, Frank and Stella.  Check out page 46, you are in for a treat (think Blanche Duboise).

The combination of DiCamillo's use of beautiful language, not at all condescending to the reader, the comically drawn characters (how does DiCamillo make you understand a character in one sentence, what a gift she has!), and Van Dusen's illustrations all make for a side-splitting read. It makes you want to jump right inside this book and visit Deckawoo Drive.

The book itself seems a hybrid of picture book and chapter book.  It is a great read-aloud and is also great for the Learn to Read, SR, reader to read by him/herself.

Enjoy!

IF YOU LIKED THIS, TRY: 

Mercy Watson to the Rescue, Kate DiCamillo

Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride, Kate DiCamillo

Mercy Watson Fights Crime, Kate DiCamillo

Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig, Kate DiCamillo