Four Good Friends by Margaret Hillert

I was racking my brain trying to think of where I had read this story before. Turns out that Margaret Hillert drew upon an old Grimm's fairytale, The Bremen Town Musicians, for "Four Good Friends". [And no, I had to do research and ask a bunch of people before I could 'recall' where I had read it before.]

[You can skip this part if you know the story]

In the Grimm's story a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster all find themselves hitting the trail after having been let go from their respective farms. They meet on the road and decide to go to Bremen to become musicians(??). On the way a cute little house gets their attention, and when they look in the window they see robbers gloating over their ill-gotten loot. The animals, who are standing on top of one another, make a chorus of sounds which ends up scaring the robbers away.

Since possession is two-thirds of the law in fairy tales, they immediately take over the home and begin settling in. However the robbers aren't done with the place and they return after regaining their nerve. The animals soon get the better of them when one of the men sneaks into the house after dark. He is scratched by the cat, bitten by the dog, kicked by the donkey and screeched at by the rooster. He runs from the house screaming in terror that a monster has taken over the house and that all bad-guys in the area ought to clear out. The animals, having apparently found a place that's better than Bremen, live happily ever after.
[end]

Margaret Hillert's version begins with the sad animals lamenting that no wants them. (It's very sad actually, because Krystyna Stasiak shows the animals crying at first.) The Dog, for example, says:

I can not work.
No one wants me.
I have to go away.
Away, away, away.

Like in the original though, the animals soon meet, decide to go down the path together and find a home. [They look inside. The men see them and run away.]

Now we have a house
We have something to eat.
We do not have to work.
We are happy.

THE SKINNY:::
I like this story but must say that with this simple text that everyone's motivation isn't clear. For example, there is nothing which explains why the criminal men run away when they see the animals. They just do.

However, if you read one of the many versions of The Bremen Town Musicians first, your youngster will be able to fill in the blanks and after that, they are going to be so excited to be able to read the story for themselves that they'll just beam.

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs

Four Good Friends

• Accelerated Reading level : .07
  
• Pages: 31
  
• Publisher: Modern Curriculum Press
  
• ISBN-10: 0813655617

THE TECHNICAL BITS:::

61 Unique words
274 words all together

The most challenging words is something. The rest mainly come from the standard Margaret Hillert list (hover here).

Accelerated Reader: reading level: 0.7 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 9361

The Three Bears by Margaret Hillert

I love! Margaret Hillert's books. The reason I'm so enthusiastic about them is that her books tell complete stories and that gives children a real sense of accomplishment when they can read them from beginning to end.


"The Three Bears" is a wonderful choice for new readers. Using just 206 words total (45 individual words) Margaret manages to tell the story amazingly well.

"Here is something.
Red, yellow, and blue.
One is big.
One is little.

Here is one for me."

This is a pattern for Goldilocks and the porridge and chairs and beds. It's got the repetition the beginners need, and yet it makes perfect sense story-wise.

I read many books from her series with my children and I highly recommend them.

THE TECHNICAL BITS:::
45 unique words

The toughest words are: yellow, something, and friend. The rest can be found in the standard Margaret Hillert list (hover here).

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs

The Three Bears

• Accelerated Reading level : .06
  
• Library Binding: 30 pages
• Publisher: Norwood House Press; Rev Exp edition (January 15, 2006)
• ISBN-10: 1599530260
• Take-a-Peek-Inside
  

I Like Things by Margaret Hillert

Well, if you've been looking at Margaret Hillert primers, you're probably tired of hearing about me gush about how great her little books are. But they really are good.

"I Like Things" is a fine example of one book that can be tied into other projects. It's a story about a little boy and 'collections'. It starts out which him playing with buttons. He sorts them by color and size and shape and finally makes a necklace out of them for his mother.

I like things.
Big things.
Little things.
Red and yellow
and blue things.

Look here.
Look here.
Here is something I like.
Something pretty.

Look what I can do.
Red, blue, yellow.
I can do it this way.
This is fun.

Following this he looks at a stamp collection with his father.

Oh, look.
Here are good ones.
Good ones for my book.

It is fun to do this,
but I have to work at it.
I find out things, too.
I like to do it.


More types of collecting follow -- shells, rocks, trading cards -- which makes this a very 'rich' book to have in the library because it can be tied in to so many activities. Children can be motivated to start collections --fall leaves, buttons, etc. -- and with all the sorting this book can be mixed in with a math exercise.

THE TECHNICAL BITS:::
64 unique words

The toughest words are: yellow, something, and friend. The rest can be found in the standard Margaret Hillert list (hover here).

Highly Recommend

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs

I Like Things

• Accelerated Reading level : 1.0
  
• Paperback: 31 pages
• Publisher: Modern Curriculum Press (January 1981)
• ISBN-10: 0813656028

The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, The Bard by Gregory Rogers

*Starred* Review from Don, SLJ

There is normally no consistency in what I read, whether it be genre, age targeted, new, old, bad, good... I just read.

As such I have recently run across a number of wordless books; some for the younger set such as the one being reviewed here, and some for the older crowd.

One of the nice things about these wordless reads is that they are just as enjoyable for old geezers like myself as they are for the wee ones. This is certainly the case with The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, The Bard.


In this book, a little boy is kicking a soccer ball around the street in present day London. As often happens with little boys and sports balls of all makes, the ball ends up crashing through a window-- in this case the window of a very old theater. Needless to say our young delinquent athlete removes some boards from the windows and goes in search of his lost ball.

He ends up going into an old closet where he discovers costumes from an earlier age. He tries some on, finds the ball and then kicks it through a pair of curtains. Again, he gives chase.

BLAM! Our little guy finds himself on an open air stage in Elizabethan London in the middle of a play being directed by the Immortal Bard himself! [We see at this point that there is another side to Shakespeare...he has a temper! Thus the chase is on!]

The boy is pursued through the streets of Elizabethan London by the angry playwright. And along the way he picks up a bear he finds locked in a cage and the two proceed across London Bridge (the heads stuck on pikes are an added touch) and on to the Tower of London where they happen upon an unfortunate Baron awaiting the headman's block.

The boy and the bear help him escape. But as chance would have it when they jump on a barge on the River Thames it happens to be the Queen's own. The boy, the Baron and the bear are introduced to Elizabeth I, and she is smitten by the young Baron. They have a wonderful party. Suddenly Bill S. shows up again and the chase continues.

I won't go on as I do not want to spoil the story by giving away the ending. But I will say that the entire book is hilarious and does end happily and well.

Talking Points:::
The art work here, in particular the facial expressions of the main characters and the people met in the streets, are absolutely a delight. Each drawing --some as large as a full page; others quite small-- are executed perfectly, and absolutely no words are needed to tell this amusing tale.

I like this one as even small children will be able to figure out the story line with little or no problem. And at the same time it's entertaining for the older reader. too It allows both little and big imaginations to soar.

This is a fun book that is heavily used at the school and public library in our area. Kids seem to be fascinated with it ,and I have seen many older persons smirk and grin while going through it.

An while it may not be historically accurate, it is a wonderful way to introduce the small child to the works of Shakespeare and give a very nice history lesson at the same time, rather twisted and tweaked though it may be.

Now reader take note. There are aspects of this work that are pretty sophisticated and it might be wise to read this one with your child through the first time and give little words of explanation as to the context of the story.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

The Boy, The Bear, The Baron, The Bard

• Accelerated Reading level : wordless
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (March 29, 2007)
• ISBN-10: 1596432675
• Take-a-Peek
• 

Related posts on Wordless Books:::

• The Babysitter
• The Lion and the Mouse
• South
  

The New Kid by Susan Hood

We like these "Real Kids Readers" by Millbrook Press. Their Level 1's really seem to be at the right level for beginners (whereas some other publisher's Level 1's seem like they were written for 2nd graders).

This particular book -- The New Kid -- has pictures that span two pages. On alternating pages there are two short sentences. The vocabulary is fairly simple with words like: one, class, fall, Miss, and grin. (See below for an example of text.)

He sits down with me,
with Bess, and with Lee.

The new boy is Sid.
He is silly, that kid!

What is nice about "The New Kid" is that there is actually a story. (Some readers don't have much in the way of plotline.) The presence of a story and the large, fun, photographs that show adults and children with exaggerated expressions makes this a good choice for beginning readers who still might need the occasional visual clue.


Talking Points:::
Good practice material. This book has rhyme and a plot.

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs

The New Kid (Real Kids Readers, Level 1)

Accelerated Reading level : .09

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Millbrook Press (September 1, 1998)
• ISBN-10: 0761320393
• See-a-Sample
• 

Related posts for books for newbie readers:

Seuss for Noobie Readers
The Lion and the Mouse
Pigs Make Me Sneeze

The Tortoise and the Hare by Betty Miles

This little Ready-to-Read book tells the classic story of the tortoise and the hare. (If you aren't familiar with the tale, here's the Wikipedia entry.)

The book is a primer and Betty Miles does a nice job of simplifying the story so that the message is still clear, even to very young readers. The sentences are short and there is plenty of repetition so new readers get plenty of easy practice that will build their skills and confidence.

Here's a sample of what you'll find:

Hey! Look at me!
Look at me run.

I can run faster than you, Squirrel.
Faster than you, Fox.

Faster than you, Bear.
Faster than you, Mouse.
I can run faster than anyone.

As for as artwork, Paul Meisel's illustrations are kid-friendly and appealing.

Considerations:::
All-in-all this book is good choice for a primer as it provides a message as well as reading practice.

The publisher describes this book as one for children who are "Starting to Read". The Accelerated Reading folks are more precise and have determined that this version of The Tortoise and the Hare is at the 1.0 level. Essentially it is a book meant for entering first graders.

The book is a Good Read-aloud version of the classic story. Consider getting it at the library or for the home shelves if there is hand-me-down potential.

Below by Nina Crews

Published in 2006, we just found this book at the library and its marvelous. It had my son absolutely mesmerized, and my daughter liked it as well (7 and 9 currently).

The story is about Jack, a brown haired, brown eyed charmer, and his toy, Guy. Jack and Guy share all sorts of adventures. Then Guy vanishes down a hole.

Jack looked hard, but he couldn't see Guy.
Would Guy be okay down there?

At first, Jack imagines Guy having further adventures, which is sort of fun, and then Jack imagines Guy being all alone in the dark. :(

Jack asks his mom for help but she's busy with his little brother. And then Jack asks his dad for help, but he's fixing a door. Which leaves Jack to rescue his buddy by himself.

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) ( 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805077286
• ISBN-13: 978-0805077285
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches

Considerations:::
This book is appealing to children for a number of very good reasons. First, there are the photographs which are oversized, bright and engaging. (They are very much like the one on the front cover.) And I don't know about your children but mine love pictures of other kids, especially if those kids are doing things, like playing like they do.

Secondly, there is so much imagination in Jack's play, the magic of which isn't lost on either the author or the photographer. For example, in one episode Guy and Jack are in a big city. In the forefront of the picture there are wood blocks on the stairs and all sorts of little cars-- Jack's constructed cityscape. But muted in the background, ever so subtly, you can make out the image of a real city; what Jack sees with his imagination. I believe children can entirely identify with this.

But the big attraction though, is Guy's dilemma and Jack's rescue. Most children have prized possessions, and what better role can children dream up for themselves than that of a rescuer of those treasures. A rescue, without mom and dad, really puts children in the driver's seat. It empowers them and that's why I think Nina Crews' Below so captivated my children.

Definitely get this one at the library and give it a test run with your children and see if it wouldn't make a good addition to the home shelves. Would make a nice gift.

The Accelerated Reading level for Below is 1.9 -- which means the language in this book is at the 9th month of 1st Grade level.

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

I'm a pout-pout fish
with a pout-pout face
So I spread the dreary-wearies
all over the place

Well, spreading the dreary-wearies is fortunately not all that happens in this fun book and I highly recommend it as a Good Read-aloud and good story.

As for artwork, you can see that Dan Hanna's drawings are bright, whimsical, and kid-friendly. And look at our hero . Bless his heart, as soon as I saw him sitting on the library shelf, I knew I needed to take him home to see if the text lived up to the artwork. It surely does.

The story, btw, is about our really glum looking buddy. You see, despite all the efforts of his friends to shake him out of his doldrums, nothing seemed to work. That is, until someone special came along. It's down-right amazing how a kiss can change everything.

Considerations:::
This is classic sort of book which should be considered for the home shelves. With good artwork, good rhyme and lots to talk about, The Pout-Pout Fish ought to appeal to kids as old as 9. Certainly my 7 and 9 year olds enjoyed it.

The Accelerated Reading Level for Pout-Pout is 3.0. Younger children should be able to read the refrain though with some practice.

What's There to Talk About
Folks that read my reviews on a regular basis know I love books that have lots to talk about, and which are rich in language. In Pout-Pout there are many things to discuss. For very young children there are colors and expressions to point out. For older children they are the sea critters to discuss -- clams, jellyfish, crabs, squid, octopuses, starfish, urchins, and puffer fish for examples.

For all children there are the marvelous rhythms and rhymes, and a rich vocabulary. New words might include aghast, statue, astounded, kaleidoscope (of mope), and scowl, amongst others.

One of the benefits of all this syllabic play is that children will be exposed to a variety of letter sounds and phonemes. All of which has been shown to increase reading and language skills.


Check this out at the library. I'd be surprised if you don't end up buying a copy. An excellent choice for a gift.


Destined to be a new classic, The Pout-Pout Fish has delightful illustrations and great rhymes.

Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems

No more for the moment. But a Mo Willems book none-the-less. This one features Elephant and Piggie and is really rather sweet. In the story, Gerald and Piggie are excited about going outside to play. Piggie exclaims that they are going to run! and skip! and jump! And the friends head out to have a great time, but then it begins to rain. And not just a little splitter splatter. It REALLY rains: a torrential downpour.

Piggie laments, "I have never seen so much rain in all my life! I DO NOT LIKE RAIN! HOW CAN ANYONE PLAY OUTSIDE WITH ALL THIS RAIN!?!"

Piggie is on the verge of a temper tantrum when she (he?) notices two earth worms having a perfectly good time splashing about. With Gerald's gentle nudging Piggie gives it a try and soon the friends are having a great fun, when suddenly... the rain stops.

Well, just like a human child, Piggie is just as upset about the lack of rain. That is, until Gerald figures out how to help. (**spoiler: he uses his trunk to make it 'rain'**) And Piggie shouts with glee: "Elephants make the best friends!"

Talking Points:::
This is a sweet book for younger children. A Good Read-Aloud, parents can use the story to urge children to be more flexible and adaptive. [The adage of making lemonade from lemons, also comes to mind.] The book additionally emphasizes the importance of friendship and the lengths to which friends will go for one another.

Complete Accelerated Reading testing of this book has not been done yet. It has been put in the 1st Grade category without any further clarification as to exactly what month it is at. The font is very large, and there is not much text per page. The quotes (see Piggie's lament, above) are an example of what you'll find. The book can be read, of course, to any age.

Definitely worth reading to younger children - toddlers through 1st Grade. It may be used as a practice reader for newer readers who have a little experience under their belts. It is not a book that I would necessarily buy for the home shelves.

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs

related posts:

Elephant and Piggie

• Pigs Make Me Sneeze!
• Elephants Cannot Dance!
• Watch Me Throw the Ball!
• Today I Will Fly!

Pigeon

• Pigeon Wants a Puppy!
• The Pigeon Loves Things That Go!
• The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!

Other

• Knuffle Bunny Too
• Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed

HOW THE MOON REGAINED HER SHAPE by Janet Ruth Heller

How the Moon Regained Her Shape by Janet Ruth Heller and Illustrated by Ben Hodson has much to offer the young reader, and indeed, any adult reading the book with the child. While it does have a strong message, which becomes quite obvious rather soon in the book, there are many little lesson packed into very few pages. This work has won multiple awards and just one reading will allow the reader to know why.

This is the story of the moon, a rather happy young lady that enjoyed dancing across the sky, laughing and twirling her skirts as she took pride in the gentle and soothing light she brought. As is so often the case, she runs into a situation that more or less shakes up and alters her world. The Sun, who in this little story is a rather nasty creature who seems quite unhappy with happy people, or in this case, celestial beings, feels the need to put her down. This is often the case with bullies, as you have probably noted in your own life. He insults the happy moon and points out her shortcomings and his superiority. This causes our happy moon to start doubting herself and, indeed, her entire self worth. We also learn that once we know our worth, even further insults, while they may hurt and cause us some anguish, can quickly be overcome by just remembering who we are and what place we hold in the world.

The author has used a folk tale mode to tell this story. She has drawn from the method of the Native American; to tell a story, using nature, to make a point. The story has certainly been influenced by this method of telling a story, but nowhere do I find that the author or artist has tried to pass it off as an authentic Native American Folk Tale. They have merely used a conveyance that has long been in use, a good example being Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whom I doubt seriously would attempt to pass his The Song of Hiawatha as a “genuine” Native American Folk Tale or pass off The Saga of King Olaf as truly Norse. This method is a literary tool and should be taken as such.

All that being said, this is a wonderful work. As one reviewer has pointed out, it is a lesson in astronomy, a touch of history, wonderful new fable, and like all good fables, teaches us lessons. In this work, we find that we cannot let bullies rule our lives; that we all have our strong points and all contribute greatly to the world and, indeed, universe around us. We may not see or be aware of the impact of our lives on others, but nevertheless we do have an impact and we all need to be aware of it. There is, beyond a doubt, a strong feminist message in this work, something I find refreshing as it is not overbearing with the message, but rather gently and practical.

The written text is extremely readable and is ideal for a group read. This simply written text, along with the wonderful short course in astronomy found in the back of the book, which covers information about the moon and its phases, gives the parent and teacher absolute hours of material to discuss with their child; more about this later.

The text is only half the charm of this particular work though. Ben Hodson has done a wonderful job, using a Southwestern Native American motif. While certainly not absolutely authentic, it does convey the feeling and mood in rather interesting color combinations that are absolutely eye catching.

I “kid tested” this work on three different classes of second grade students and it was a hit. In fact, I was asked for second readings by two of the classes. They loved the story and loved the pictures. You cannot get a better endorsement for a children’s book than this.

The book ends with five page mini-lesson on the mood and phases of the moon. This little lesson is for adults and is written as such. The author has given us some nice projects and food for thought for the children.

All in all, the concept of this book is great. Kids love
it and it is fun to read with them. The art work is of the highest quality. I hardly see how you could go wrong with this one.

Considerations :::
How The Moon Regained Her Shape has an Accelerated Reading (AR) designation of 3.4 which means that the average 3rd Grader in the 4th month of school should be able to read it without getting frustrated by the vocabulary. It can be read aloud to any age.

The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss

Well, this is the Seuss book that riles the feathers of some adults. It's got a definite anti-war theme and deals with the consequences of a military arms escalation.

Who's at war? It's the Yooks and the Zooks. Essentially the same sorts of people, they clash over whether bread should be eaten butter side up or down. The story is told from a little boys (?) perspective and is the only Seuss book I can recall that ends on an ominous note.

"Grandpa!" I shouted. "Be careful! Oh gee!
Who's going to drop it?
Will you...? Or will he..."
"Be patient," said Grandpa. "We'll see.
We will see..."

It's hard to say whether kids pick up on these various messages. My own impression is that they won't, unless you sit and have a chat with them. They will be far too busy listing to the clever rhymes and gazing at the wild Seussian artwork.

Meant for practice reading, the Accelerated Reading designation for "The Butter Battle Book" is 3.9 which means that end of year 3rd Graders should be able to read this book themselves without getting too frustrated by words they don't know.

The "Official" Interest Level is given as Preschool thru 2nd Grade, but that makes no sense given the reading level. And personally, I would say that it's more appropriate for First thru Fourth Graders.

My own two children showed moderate interest in the book and they are currently 6 and 8; boy and girl. They requested multiple reads and the book is a pretty good read-aloud. Not amongst Seuss' best, in my opinion. It IS definitely worth a read.

Considerations :::
The Butter Battle Book has an Accelerated Reading (AR) designation of 4.6 which means that the average 4th Grader in the 6th month of school should be able to read it without getting frustrated by the vocabulary. It can be read aloud to any age.

Awards: New York Times Notable Book of the Year

RAIN MAKES APPLESAUCE by Julian Scheer and Marvin Billeck

This strange, weird and fascinating work, Rain Makes Applesauce by Julian Scheer and Marvin Bileck, dates back to 1964. Fortunately it is still with us today, but is getting more difficult to find. This work consists of very strange and nonsensical sentences. Examples of these are “Salmon slide down a Hippo’s hide, and rain makes applesauce,” and “Monkeys mumble in a jelly bean jungle, and rain makes applesauce.” These silly words cover two pages in a scroll type script, across and through some of the most interesting illustrations I have ever seen in a children’s book.

The illustrations are well... I can only call them mind boggling. They first appear to be quite cluttered and are extremely complicated and detailed. Now this is important….the adult mind will quite often glance at these pictures, become instantly overloaded, and then move on to the next page. Big, big, big mistake here! I did this myself when I first opened this book, but then I started watching children reading it. I mean reading it over and over and over again! I stopped, took a second look, and now I find myself reading it over and over and over again! There is something new to see each and ever time you go through this work! Each illustration covers two pages, is detailed in the extreme and lightly colored so as not to be completely overwhelming.

As to the text; it is a string of very silly statements, which by the way, is pointed out by a number of little pixie type kids hidden in the corner of many of the illustrations. You are reminded several times throughout the entire book that “Oh, you’re just talking silly talk.” If you read the text very closely and study the pictures very closely, you will find a common theme running throughout the book…Rain does indeed make applesauce!

Considerations :::
This book was written for kids from age four to eight. The reading level is not very high, but in this case reading levels really are not the point, but imagination and stimulation is. About the only people I have found that do not like this particular work are adults, and I am sorry to say that those that did not like it sort of fell into the category of “big people with little or no imagination who forgot what it was like to be a kid again.”

PLEASE TAKE NOTE: The title of this book is “Rain Makes Applesauce,” and not “Rain Makes Apple Sauce.” This makes a big difference when you go to buy the book. This book was out of print for some time, but happily is once again for sale.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks


Rain Makes Applesauce

Word Count: 181
32 pages
ISBN-10: 0823400913
Accelerated Reader: reading level: 2.5 / points: 0.5
AR quiz: 31891
Lexile: NP
-- amazon

HUMBUG RABBIT by Lorna Balian

Lorna Balian is, in my opinion, one of the best writers and illustrators of children’s books we have. She is extremely prolific, and each book she creates in a little jewel within itself. Humbug Rabbit, of all her books, is my favorite. Even though this work presents itself and is perceived as an Easter Story, it is so much more, and can be read year around and still be enjoyed by all.

This particular work, Humbug Rabbit is actually two stories in one. We have the “top story” of a Granny getting ready to color Easter Eggs for her grandchildren when they visit on Easter morning. Secondly, we have the “bottom story” of a family of rabbits who live under Granny’s house, and I mean way under, getting ready for Easter. The children in the family of rabbits are convinced that their father is actually the Easter Bunny, and talk and deny as he may, he cannot convince his family differently.

This is a sweat story, but, just as importantly, it is a well told story and the author’s keen sense of humor shines through on each and every page. You, the adult, will actually find yourself laughing out loud. This is a story that not only will the children love, and they do love it, but it is one that adults can appreciate also. It is very, very well crafted. There is a myriad of characters; Granny, the rabbit family, a “devilish cat,” a mouse, (good grief, don’t forget the mouse!), chickens and (now this is important) the actual Easter Eggs!

Even though the story is well written and an absolute delight, it almost holds a secondary position to the wonderful illustrations by Lorna Balian. She has used a rather unique method of telling two tales in one and illustrating it as such. As the story unfolds telling of Granny and the chickens, et al on top of the ground, the bottom half of each page tells the story of the rabbits in their underground home under Granny’s house. The two stories run parallel. I cannot say enough about the art work in this one. At first glance one might feel that the illustrations are simple…no, no, no! With each reading of this work you will find more and more details here and there that you did not see in previous readings. Small birds, nests, rocks, roots, decorations, old buildings, critters, and yes, eggs! Each picture, and these pictures cover two pages, is executed perfectly and the artist has done wonder with colors and blends. Even though these are illustrations for children, the reader has a feel that they are actually a part of the two world represented here. It just does not get better than this!

This work has been kid, parent, grandparent and teacher tested since at least 1974 and is still around and still enjoyed as much today as when it was first published. Endorsements do not get much better than this. If you buy one book for your child this year, I do recommend that you give close thought to making this one that one. This work is suitable for those children between the ages of three and 101.

Considerations :::
The Accelerated Reading (ATOS) level for this book is 3.3 which means that it is a practice reader for the average 3rd Grader in the 3rd month of school. Humbug Rabbit may be read to anyone. (Teachers and school librarians can help assess what level children are comfortable reading at.)

Back to School is Cool! by Jim Jinkins

We borrowed this book from the library and my son (6 years old) loves it. In fact, he drags it to bed every night so we can read it, and he drags it downstairs every morning so he can look at it before school -- and I don't know of a better recommendation than that.

If you aren't already familiar with the television series and books, you should know that the principal characters are Pinky, her little brother Tyler, “Mr. Guinea Pig” (the family pet), and the 'word of the day'. I say the-word-of-the-day is a character because a big deal is made about introducing this word, and a lot of hoopla ensues whenever the word is used. On the television series there's a dramatic pause and ta-da horns are blown. In the book attention and fun is created by the use of funky large print.

As a mom, I love the party atmosphere and the effort that is made to make large-and-impressive words understandable and less intimidating. And I've found that my two kids absorb the definitions and begin using those words pretty quickly.

In “Back to School Is Cool”, Tyler is 'apprehensive' about his first day at school. To demonstrate that all the newness of school is nothing to worry about, Pinky tells Tyler a story about the worst school day imaginable. One where it's Picture Day and everyone has 'bad hair'. Pinky shows Tyler how she and her school mates worked past their apprehension, and how that led them to have a good day. And that he can do the same.

RATING ::: Extremely Good
This book is fun and educational. (Whoo-hoo!) Good Read-Aloud. The artwork is a combination of colorful drawings and pictures, with conversation bubbles and a variety of fonts that 'keep it lively'!

AR (Accelerated Reading/ATOS) level is 2.9

Snowshoe Thompson by Nancy Smiler Levinson

Snowshoe Thompson (Amazon link) was a real person. An immigrant from Norway, he came to Placerville, California in the 1850's in search of gold. While he did not strike it rich, he did become a legend in that part of the country by daring to transverse the frigid Sierra Nevada mountains in the dead of winter in order to deliver the mail: a feat, I should say, that was only made possible because of his knowledge of cross country skiing.

In order to make this story accessible to children, the author takes the essence of Snowshoe's story (wiki link) and weaves it around a the plight of a little boy. In the story, Danny O'Riley wants to send a letter to his father who has gone away to prospect. He wants to tell his dad how much he misses him and that he would really like to have him home for Christmas. The problem, of course, is that the roads are already closed, and Danny is told it will not be until Spring that his letter can be delivered. It is in response to Danny and his community's anguish, that Thompson asserts that he can get the mail through. And Danny and Thompson become friends as Thompson shows him (and us) how to make the skis that help him save the day!


Rating ::: Good
Good Read-Aloud. Okay artwork. The AR designation for this book is 2.2, but non-reading children should like it as well. Certainly my 6 year-old son did.

What I really liked about the book was that it provided us with a jumping off point to discuss the California Gold Rush and how immigrants came to the United States from all over the world. We talked about how Snowshoe introduced skis to his area, and how other immigrants had other 'inventions' that they brought from their homelands, which benefited everyone here in the States.

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Reading Level: 2.2