Tag Archives: Early Reader

Elem. – Nothing Scares a Dinosaur

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Fenske, Jonathan. Nothing Scares a Dinosaur. Simon Spotlight, 2024. 978-1-665-93268-4. 32 p. $17.99. Grades PreK-1.

A young boy pretends to be a dinosaur and scares the spooky things in his bedroom at bedtime. He transforms into his alter-ego – an orange T-Rex to confront things that go bump in the night which ends in quite a loud celebration. That is until Mommasaurus puts a stop to the romp and demands he get back to bed. 

THOUGHTS: This is such a fun bedtime read. My child requests to reread it over and over. This Ready to Read level 1 book engages readers with colorful illustrations, funny circumstances, and rhyming words. 

Picture Book

Elem. – We are Up a Tree!

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Mack, Jeff. We are Up a Tree! Simon Spotlight, 2024. 978-1-665-93915-7. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades PreK-1.

Best friends Dog and Pony find themselves up a tree (literally!) in this beginner graphic novel. Dog and Pony are out taking a walk one winter day when Dog sees a tree he wants to climb. With a little help from Pony, Dog is able to climb onto a branch. But when it comes time to climb down, Dog is scared. Attempts to use a scarf and an umbrella to get Dog down are ultimately unsuccessful. What will the pair do? After some discussion, Pony decides to climb up and help Dog. Unfortunately, this results in both Dog and Pony being stuck in the tree! And while they’ve been busy, it has been snowing. Now the pair is stuck in a tree on a cold and snowy day. How will they ever be able to get down?

THOUGHTS: This humorous story is a great introduction to graphic novels. Large panels, accessible text and an engaging storyline will hold appeal for beginning readers. Readers will enjoy making predictions about how Dog (and eventually also Pony) will get down from the tree. (Spoiler Alert–the pair do successfully make it back down to the ground). A worthwhile addition for elementary schools looking to expand their graphic novel offerings for young readers. 

Graphic Novel

Elem. – Pencil & Eraser: We Have a Dull-Emma!

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Alvarado, Jenny. Pencil & Eraser: We Have a Dull-Emma! G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2024. 978-0-593-69976-8. 67 p. $12.99. Grades K-3.

When class is dismissed for recess, Eraser points out that Pencil’s point is dull. They need to find a pencil sharpener ASAP before Stella returns to her desk! Pencil is excited for an adventure, and his best friend Eraser grudgingly agrees to tag along. They summit the teacher’s desk only to find an out-of-order sharpener. They then venture into the hallway, hitching a ride on the janitor’s cart to an open classroom with a working pencil sharpener. Alas, it’s atop “the tallest mountain known to humankind” … a bookshelf! Can Pencil and Eraser overcome yet another hurdle on their quest to get sharp? Bright, candy-colored panel backgrounds complement the action and humor of this graphic novel for early readers. Each chapter concludes with a genuinely funny joke break, and the final pages include step-by-step instructions on how to draw both characters. With a gentle plot twist at the end (“for now”!), Pencil & Eraser’s dull-emma will have readers giggling and awaiting the next installment: Lost and Frown, coming in 2025!

THOUGHTS: Pencil & Eraser has great appeal for fans of opposites-attract friendship stories such as Matthew Cordell’s Cornbread & Poppy series.

Graphic Novel

Elem. – Dodo Dodgeball

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Stemple, Heidi E. Y. Dodo Dodgeball. Illustrated by Eva Byrne. Simon Spotlight, 2024. 978-1-665-95209-5. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades PreK-2.

Coach blows the whistle and the chicks and dodo’s start playing dodgeball, except for one. She says no thank you and sits in the corner reading. As the game continues, the reader notices that the broken furniture is being picked up by chick and by the end of the game, after the team takes their victory lap she has made a little free library! Dodos and ducklings each grab a book, including a special one for Coach Dodo.

THOUGHTS: This is a great starter book for readers, and with its bright and colorful illustrations they will keep returning to it time and time again.

Picture Book
Early Reader

Elem. – Go! Go! Dino! Ready-to-Read Level 1

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Windness, Kaz. Go! Go! Dino! Ready-to-Read, Simon Spotlight. 2024. 978-1-665-94427-4. $17.99. Grades PreK-1.

The dinosaurs are going to the starting line, ready for their dino race! Some are on unicycles, and others on roller skates. They all line up, the whistle blows, and… Go! Go! Dinos! Who will win this crazy dino race!?

THOUGHTS: A cute Ready-to-Read book with a fun story, readers will enjoy the different dinosaurs and the chaos they get into as they try to win first place in their dinosaur race!

Picture Book
Early Reader

Elem. – Pizza for Pia

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Groban, Betsy. Pizza for Pia. Illustrated by Alison Steinfeld. Simon Spotlight, 2024. 978-1-665-94701-5. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-1.

This Level 1 Ready to Read title features Pia and her family (all with names that start with the letter P) getting ready for dinner. They all think that Pia loves pizza. As they discuss their favorite toppings, Pia tells everyone that tacos, not pizza, is her favorite food. Her family pivots and adds tacos to the menu!

THOUGHTS: This cute little story is perfect for beginning readers.

Leveled Reader
Realistic Fiction

Elem. – Nat the Cat Has a Snack

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Lerner, Jarrett. Nat the Cat Has a Snack. Simon Spotlight, 2024. 978-1-665-95709-0. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-2.

Nat the Cat has a snack. Does Nat want to share his snack? Pat the Rat is hungry. He loves snacks! Will Nat share his snack with him? This is a ready to read book that has lots of rhyming words to keep early readers engaged. It feels very similar to Elephant and Piggie, so this would be a good book to hand to the reader that has read all of those books. The illustrations are simple and will make the reader want to the draw Nat the Cat.

THOUGHTS: This is a must own for any elementary collection and a great read aloud to use with preschool or kindergarten library classes.

Early Reader

Elem. – The First Woman Cherokee Chief Wilma Pearl Mankiller

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Buckley, Patricia Morris. The First Woman Cherokee Chief Wilma Pearl Mankiller. Random House, 2023. 978-0-593-56850-7. 48 p. $5.99. Grades 1-3. 

For many years, before European settlers arrived in America, Cherokee men and women equally shared the leadership of their nation. This created balance, which is an important idea in Native cultures. White settlers told Native people that only men should be leaders, and this shifted the balance of power for generations. Wilma Pearl Mankiller believed that the chief should be the person best suited for the job, no matter whether they were a man or a woman. Pearl was born in 1945 in Oklahoma and lived on Cherokee lands. She felt a strong connection to the natural world around her and had a hard time adjusting to her new life when her family moved to the city. After graduating from college, she made a career of helping Native people stand up for their rights. She helped Cherokee families improve their communities by fixing up houses, installing running water, and founding Native American Youth Centers. In 1987, Pearl ran for Cherokee Nation chief. Although some people did not want a female leader, she reminded them how women once had equal responsibilities in running the tribe. She ultimately was elected the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation. During her ten years as chief, she welcomed new businesses, oversaw the construction of health clinics and job training centers, and built day care centers and schools.

THOUGHTS: This easy reader biography reminds young readers that anyone can be a leader and inspires them to think about how they can bring positive changes to their own communities. This title will be a solid addition to biography collections, particularly for schools trying to increase their texts on underrepresented populations.

973.04 Native Peoples in United States
Biography

Elem. – It’s a Sign!

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Pumphrey, Jarrett, and Jerome Pumphrey. It’s a Sign! Hyperion Books for Children, 2022. 978-1-368-07584-8. $10.99. Grades K-2.

One, Two, Kat, and Four are starting a club together and they are making a sign for the club! Each club member is really good at doing something for their club. One can fold paper into hats, Two can write words, Kat can write longer words, and Four knows the exact thing to write! If only they could think of a name for their club, everything would be perfect.

THOUGHTS: Another great Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! Book! Following the traditional format of this ‘series,’ young readers will giggle as they try to figure out what these four members will name their club.

Picture Book Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

Elem. – Figgy & Boone: Best Brother Ever!

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Trasler, Janee. Figgy & Boone: Best Brother Ever! Simon Spotlight. 2022. 978-1-665-91449-9. $17.99. Grades K-2.

Figgy is a mouse, and Boone is a rat. Figgy really feels that they are brothers, even though Boone reminds him that they technically are not. Figgy pulls other rodents into the equation, asking if they are his brother, but Boone always tells him no. When a cat is brought into the equation, readers learn that sometimes family is more than just what species you are!

THOUGHTS: The development and description of how graphic novels are to be read is extraordinary in this book. As an Early Graphic Novel, the book explains the definition of sections, what items mean, and how to read graphic novels. A very well done development for early readers to learn.

Graphic Novel Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD