Thursday, June 18, 2020

Small Readers: I wish I was a llama by Jennifer Bove

think I have gotten all the llama easy readers. So far. This is part of Ranger Rick's I wish I was... series, so it has a specific layout.

It starts out asking the reader if they wished they were a llama - or perhaps the llama's wild relative, the guanaco. The book compares the two animals, explaining where and how they live, what they eat, and their family structure. These are all through the lens of the human reader, so it asks what you would eat if you were a llama, where you would live, and how you would sleep. Along the way, the Ranger Rick raccoon icon shows up and asks questions. For example, when llamas are shown carrying burdens, it asks if readers have a backpack.

The book ends with a quick summary - while it would be fun to be a llama for a while, you wouldn't want to chew your cud, roll in the dust, or spit so it's a good thing you are yourself! There's some further information about llamas, a little game to tell the different relatives apart, and a link for more information on the Ranger Rick website. I Can Read calls this a level one, but it has an F&P level of L which puts it firmly in the fluent reader section of my easy readers, with a green sticker. The more complex vocabulary is sounded out in syllables, but it still has lots of unfamiliar words and longer sentences.

Verdict: Readers who like true animal stories, especially the National Geographic easy readers, enjoy this series and they have a nice variety of animals, from butterflies to bison, available. For those llama fans, this will be a fun addition to your collection.

ISBN: 9780062432292; Published March 2020 by HarperCollins; Purchased for the library

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