Early Reader – Page 23

Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Busy Wheels’ Plane’s Royal Rescue is on a mission!

Posted on August 28, 2015August 27, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Plane’s Royal Rescue, by Peter Bently/illus. by Louise Conway (Aug. 2015, QEB Publishing), $14.95, ISBN: 9781609927912

Recommended for ages 3-6

Another book in the Busy Wheels series from QEB Publishing, Plane’s Royal Rescue tells the story of Plane, its clever captain, Captain Koala, and how they save the day for the traveling royal family. We meet Plane, who is getting ready for the day’s journey, and Captain Koala, who is talking to his copilot. The royal family is boarding a flight to the same destination, but when the jet takes off, the limousine driver discovers a big problem – the king has forgotten his crown in the car! Captain Koala and Plane step in to save the day.

This is such a fun series for young readers, and just enough detail to introduce them to the concepts of flying and the parts of a plane. There are details included throughout the story, including new vocabulary, and a Let’s Look at section that provides detailed pictures and terms for the parts of a plane and other airport vehicles. The kids at my preschool libraries will be happy to see this one Plane’s Royal Rescue join Train is On Track.

Early Reader, Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Intermediate, Uncategorized

Paranormal fiction for beginners: Seymour Strange

Posted on August 28, 2015January 30, 2026 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Seymour Strange: How to Trick a One-Eyed Ghost, by Susan Lurie/Illus. by Victor Rivas (December 2015, Blue Apple Books), $6.99, ISBN: 9781609055554

Recommended for ages 6-8

Seymour Strange (that’s not his real last name) sees ghosts, even if no one else does. In his first adventure, How to Trick a One-Eyed Ghost, Seymour and his best friend, Ozzie, find themselves being chased by three wacky ghosts.

This is a fun early chapter book, perfect for readers who are ready for a little extra thrills and chills in their fiction, but aren’t quite ready for Goosebumps – in fact, author Susan Lurie was the Goosebumps series editor. There’s a great mix of humor and wacky, creepy fun in this debut – no nightmares need apply here.

Seymour Strange: How to Trick a One-Eyed Ghost is part of Blue Apple’s I Can Read Chapters series; paperbacks with a smaller trim size and denser text that are just right for readers with growing competence who are ready to move on from Blue Apple’s Jump-Into-Chapter series.

Early Reader, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Train is On Track is perfect for your transportation book lovers!

Posted on August 27, 2015January 30, 2026 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Train is on Track, by Peter Bently/Illus. by Louise Conway (Aug. 2015, QEB Publishing), $14.95, ISBN: 9781609927905

Recommended for ages 3-6

Train is in the rail yard, preparing for today’s journey. Dog checks the controls and gets the train moving, picking up and discharging passengers. But wait! During a thunderstorm, a tree has fallen onto the track and the mail truck has derailed. Can train help deliver the mail on time?

With bright colors and easy to read text, Train is on Track from QEB’s Busy Wheels series is a fun addition to any transportation library. Mr. Bently presents new vocabulary words for young learners; Ms. Conway’s art helps make the connections. A detailed spread at the end of the story, “Let’s Look at Train”, offers illustrations detailing different parts of railroad vehicles, such as the driver’s cab and switches, and several different types of trains.

The kids in my preschool libraries LOVE transportation books. Boys and girls alike, the books fly off the shelves, and I’m always on the lookout for good transportation books. This Busy Wheels series will be a great purchase for me!

Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

Max the Brave is FEARLESS!

Posted on August 25, 2015August 23, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Max the Brave, by Ed Vere (Sept 2015, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky), $15.95, ISBN: 978-1-4926-1651-1

Recommended for ages 2-6

Max is a fearless kitten. He is a brave kitten. He does not like being dressed up in cutesy bows. He is a kitten who catches mice… or, he would, if he knew what a mouse looked like. He sets off in search of a mouse, politely asking several animals along the way if they are mice. Somewhere along the way, though, it looks like someone told Max a fib…

This book is adorable. The cartoony artwork will grab little readers and storytime attendees right away. Max is bold and black, with big yellow eyes. The animals he encounters are largely bold and black, set against bright background pages. The minimalist artwork makes it easy for younger readers to follow along, and the plain black text makes for an easy read for storytime.

The story reinforces manners – even though Max is brave and fearless, he’s always polite when asking for directions to Mouse. The story’s end will make parents giggle along with their children, and they will cheer for Max on his quest. There’s just enough repetition on Max’s search to keep kids engaged and interactive with the story.

I read this story to preschoolers and toddlers, and each time, they LOVED it. There was a fantastic amount of interaction, with kids calling out the names of the animals Max encounters and calling out advice to Max. The toddlers giggled and clapped and asked me to read it again – so I did!

Bottom line: Put this one on your Fall reading lists. The kiddies love it. There are great activities available as a free download from the publisher, and there’s also a free Common Core educator’s guide.

Watch this space – there’s going to be a Rafflecopter giveaway on this blog shortly!

Early Reader, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Enjoy the last days of summer with The Specific Ocean

Posted on August 17, 2015January 30, 2026 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Specific Ocean, by Kyo Maclear/Illus. by Katty Maurey (Aug. 2015, Kids Can Press), $17.95, ISBN: 9781894786355

Recommended for ages 4-8

A young girl wants to stay home in the city and spend her summer vacation with her friends. Her dad says no. Over the course of the story, the girl goes from being bored to falling in love with the beach, the water, and the joy of having time.

This is a beautiful book. The mixed media artwork and muted colors being a relaxing, peaceful feeling to readers. The young girl’s desire to stay with her friends will resonate with readers who feel the same way, as will the gradual love story that begins between the girl and the beach, and her desire to take the beach home with her at the summer’s end. The peaceful feeling of not having anywhere to be and the calming water brings a lovely feeling to both reader and audience. This makes a great cuddle-time, bedtime story to wind down after an exciting summer day.

Author Kyo Maclear’s author page includes a blog with sneak peeks at her upcoming books.

Animal Fiction, Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds is an adorable Fall read!

Posted on August 6, 2015August 5, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds, by Marianne Dubuc (Aug. 2015, Kids Can Press), $17.95, ISBN: 9781771385725

Recommended for ages 4-8

Mr. Postmouse loads up his wagon and goes on his delivery rounds. He visits all the animals on his route, from Mr. Bear, who’s having lunch with Goldilocks, to a special delivery at the end of his route. Each animal household is loaded with fun glimpses into their lives: the Rabbit family grows root vegetables on their roof, so they can just pluck them from the ceiling when they’re ready to eat; they have a warren below the house that includes multilayered bunk beds and a toilet; Magpie’s home is loaded with stolen goods, evidenced by the “Wanted” poster on the tree to his home and the “Lost” poster bearing a ring that looks just like one in his home; Pigeon’s planning his next trip and has luggage stamped and ready.

Marianne Dubuc’s artwork is wonderful for young readers because of all the elements she includes in her pictures. Her book, The Bus Ride, was loaded with little winks and smiles to careful eyes, and Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds is just as rich in visual detail. The animal homes are drawn in cross-section, allowing readers a tongue-in-cheek peek into their homes. Some, like the Birds, are naturally located in trees, but the Fly family is located in what appears to be a giant animal dropping. Mr. Octopus lives in a shipwreck, and the Penguin family lives in an igloo. Mr. Bear has a beehive on his roof, with a pipe that delivers honey straight to his kitchen, and the Yeti knits hats and socks to keep warm in his icy mountain home.

This is a fun way to introduce the idea of animal habitats into a conversation. Start with fiction, and work your way to the actual facts, comparing and contrasting the elements Ms. Dubuc brings into play with Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds, and ask children to talk about their own habitats. Have them draw a picture of their room, for instance.

Mr. Postmouse’s Rounds is an adorable book that will appeal to younger readers. It’s a fun read-aloud, but will be even more fun for readers to curl up with and discover Ms. Dubuc’s little gifts on their own.

Early Reader, Fiction, Graphic Novels

Flop to the Top – A WhatchaReading Review!

Posted on July 24, 2015July 23, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

TOON Books is knocking it out of the park with the graphic novels they’re putting out for younger readers. I love Toon Books. Their Fall lineup looks amazing – check this space often enough, and you’ll hear all about it. Flop to the Top is a great book about learning to be a good friend and a great commentary on the role of social media in pop culture today, all written and illustrated for young kids.

Check out my review, plus a preview, over at WhatchaReading!

Early Reader, Graphic Novels

Written & Drawn by Henrietta: A WhatchaReading review!

Posted on July 24, 2015July 23, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

I can’t say it often enough: I love TOON Books. They consistently put out fun, smart content for kids of all ages and tastes. I love having them in my home, I love having them in my libraries, I love that they exist. One of the books they’re putting out this Fall, Written and Drawn by Henrietta, by 2014 Eisner nominee, Liniers, is likely to be one of my favorite books of the year. In fact, I’ll be using this book with my early readers (rising Kindergarten & 1st graders) next week at storytime; I’ll read the book to them, and then we’ll be working on creating our own graphic novels. I’ll make sure to report back!

Check out my full review and an 8-page preview over at WhatchaReading!

Fiction, Uncategorized

Conspiracy Girl- a new heroine on the scene?

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Conspiracy Girl, by Karen Chacek/Illus. by Abraham Balcazar (Sept 2015, Cinco Puntos Press), $14.95, ISBN: 9781935955986

Recommended for ages 8-13

It all starts when Nina’s born. She’s a girl, which sets off riots, because everyone expected a boy. Then, these mangy, shifty looking birds follow her home from the hospital. All Nina needs is her dad’s laughter, though, to see through grown-ups’ crazy behavior, and a box of cereal and her imagination to fend off the birds. It seems that the birds are out to get Nina, and she’s going to save the world by seeing them for what they really are.

While I enjoyed the art for Conspiracy Girl, the story took several readings to click for me. I’m concerned it will go over many younger readers’ heads, and that older readers – think fans of Emily the Strange -may have a hard time connecting with Nina and her story. That said, it does make for an interesting read, and can spark some interesting discussions about Nina, her father, and how exactly she’s going to save the world.

Conspiracy Girl was originally published in Spanish in 2009.

Non-Fiction, Uncategorized

The Alphabet of Bugs is perfect for young nature buffs!

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Alphabet of Bugs: An ABC Book, by Valerie Gates/Photography by Ann Cutting (June 2015, Sky Pony Press), $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-63220-407-3

Recommended for ages 3+

Ready to go beyond ladybugs and butterflies? Then this is the book for you. Award-winning photographer Ann Cutting presents 26 different bugs in beautiful detail, with alphabetical alliteration by Emmy Award-winning art director Valerie Gates. From the Ailanthus Webworm Moth to the Zebra Longwing Butterfly, there are beautiful, detailed pictures with fun sentences that will kids will love to look at and giggle over again and again.

I’ve already ordered copies of this book for my libraries. The photos are amazing – so crisp and clear, with unbelievable detail. Each page has something exciting to see – a colorful page with a huge letter of the alphabet and a fun, alliterative sentence on the left side, and a full-page photo of an insect, against a colorful background to set off the picture, on the right. And what kids aren’t interested in bugs? The sentences make learning fun, and the book introduces kids to a world of insects they likely haven’t heard of before, expanding their world. There’s also a “Did You Know?” glossary with additional facts at the end of the book.

The Alphabet of Bugs hits stores on June 2. Visit Valerie Gates’ website to purchase a companion poster!