The Rescues: Best Day Ever by Tommy and Charlie Greenwald, illustrated by Shiho Pate

 I loved the first book in this series, although it is taking a little while to take off with my patrons. This is no reflection on the book - it was only added to the library last December and kids in the early readers/transitional chapters section are definitely creatures of habit, reluctant to try new things. 

In their first collection of adventures, a three-legged dog and a one-eyed dog were rescued from a shelter. They were joined in their new home by a stray cat and the three are now close friends.

In this new collection, Cathy, their owner, takes them on an adventure... to the vet! Moose and Bear are scared and nervous, but Tiger bravely leads the way and they all make it through the exam, getting treats at the end. In chapter 2, after their busy morning, the three take a nap. But Tiger and Bear are fighting over the comfy orange chair! Glowing oranges, pinks, and yellows fill the pages as Moose figures out a solution, convincing both to share the chair. That evening, the three friends are playing with their toys when Cathy goes out for the evening. A scary storm comes up and the three speculate on what might be causing the strange noises and sounds. Fortunately, with the three working together, they make it through.

Glowing, swashy colors fill the pages of the three animals' simple, cozy adventures. The text is short but complex enough to offer a challenge to beginning readers.

Verdict: There are plenty of early readers and transitional chapters featuring animals, but the focus on rescuing, specifically animals that aren't perfect, and the gentle social-emotional tenor of the story makes this one that will appeal to a small but specific group of children. For readers who like gentle stories and animals.

ISBN: 9781636551173; Hardcover/Picture book on Baker & Taylor for $13.30

Published September 2024 by Red Comet Press; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

Dribble Trip Up by Daniel Mauleon, illustrated by Ceej Rowland

 I usually make several orders from individual publishers each year, usually Capstone and Lerner. This year, I ordered a lot of different transitional chapters/early comics from Capstone to try out a number of different series. This title is part of the Slam Dunk Graphics series. Like the other series I tried out, the book's format is that of an easy reader, in a 9x6 rectangle, and includes typical material for Capstone, from a guide to reading comics at the beginning to discussion questions and a brief author/illustrator bio at the end.

The story features Miguel, the brown-skinned, blue-haired boy on the cover, who loves to play basketball but struggles with his dribbling skills. He's helped to overcome his fear and practice to get better by his best friend Scott, a Black boy, and their coach, Carmen, a woman with light brown skin and curly brown hair. The team includes children of different genders and skin colors, but they all have the same skinny body shape and no visible disabilities.

The illustrations show lots of action and movement and yellow-boxed text narrates the action, in addition to the speech bubbles, which is a big help for beginning readers. The text is short and simple and the story moves quickly.

Verdict: If, like me, you are interested in building a transitional chapters collection and have a lot of lower level readers who want comics and need shorter, simpler reads, this is a strong addition to the library collection, especially with the sports theme which can be hard to find at this level.

ISBN: 9781484680421; Published August 2023 by Capstone; Purchased for the library

Bat, Cat & Rat: Vacation by Ame Dyckman and Mark Teague

 This new series is a mix of folktale tropes and has the classic feel of a Cynthia Rylant story. In their first adventure, we met three friends, Bat, Cat, and Rat and in this adventure the three are planning the perfect vacation.

The three roommates would like to go on a vacation, but they have no money. They all work hard to save up... well, Bat and Cat do. Rat, not so much. When they finally fill their savings jar, it's time to decide where they're going to go. But they all have very different destinations in mind - outer space, a spa, and a buffet! It's Rat who comes to the rescue, resolving their bickering with some clever shopping.

Teague's illustrations capture the classic flavor of the odd couple (or throuple) trope with three furry creatures that are much of a size and retain both their animal features and individual personalities along with a big dose of cartoon humor.

The short sentences, arranged in small clumps on each page, made me think at first this would be more in the easy reader section, but although there's not a significant amount of text, the vocabulary is more complex and the font is smaller than a typical leveled easy reader. The book is categorized by most outlets as a "picture book" but its 9x6 rectangular shape is more typical for an easy reader. So - transitional chapter. I don't know that most people will recognize the folktale aspects, but there are a lot of older tales that have three disparate animals living together. Of course, most of those end with one or more of the animals eaten!

Verdict: Fans of Cynthia Rylant are likely to enjoy this. It has a quiet humor and the comforting feel of an old friend that I associate with classic easy readers. A strong addition if you have fluent beginning readers who like gentle stories.

ISBN: 9781665930444; Published May 2024 by Beach Lane Books; Review copy provided by publisher and donated to the library (first book in the series purchased).

Sky & Ty: Howdy, Partner! by Steve Breen

I really, really hope the #1 on this book presages more additions to this goofy series. Steve Breen is possibly better known as a political cartoonist, but I've always loved his hilarious and carefully craft picture books. This book combines his cartooning abilities, goofy sense of humor, and dinosaurs in the desert!

Sky McGill, a Black girl with a ponytail and blue cowboy hat doesn't dream of a pony... she dreams of a dinosaur! A ferocious T. Rex she can ride around and which will terrify everyone! When she sets out on her eighth birthday to find the perfect dinosaur, she's at first disappointed when she meets Ty, a calm, friendly orange T. Rex. Not at all what she'd been envisaging for a pet! However, as Ty points out to her, they weren't exactly planning to be someone's pet anyways. After an epic dance-off with a ferocious bear, the two decide to be best friends. In the second chapter, they start up a delivery service, but spend so much time negotiating the name of their new business (and clarifying that no, Ty is not a steed, horse, or beast of burden in general) that they almost fail to deliver.

The chapters are interspersed with jokes, drawings, and a guide to "Western speak." Breen's fresh cartoons have a classic Western flair but depict a more diverse and accurate landscape than the typical Westernized versions of the "Old West."

Verdict: This is quirky in the best way, with a funny surprise on each page and an example of a friendship where the characters listen to each other and compromise. A fun addition to transitional graphic novels and one I personally greatly enjoyed reading.

ISBN: 9781645952145; Published April 2024 by Pixel and Ink; Purchased for the library

Happy Pudding by Kimberly Gee

 This is another one of the transitional chapters I purchased from Capstone this year. This one is definitely on the easier side, but as I am building my transitional chapters collection I am generally sticking to putting all the actual easy graphic novels into it, since they are either not leveled or don't fit exactly into any leveling system (and may all levels someday be a thing of the past, amen).

The story opens with a little map of "Yummy Valley" and the tree house shared by Arlo (a rhino), Alice (a hippo), along with a garden run by Spike the hedgehog and an underground home for Slide the snake. Arlo gets up in a blaze of sunshine and happily goes in to chat with his stove, Cooky. He decides a party will be nice and visits his friends in the valley, chatting with the mud puddle and other sentient items as well as his friends. With Alice's failed bread, cheerful music from Slide, Spike's berries, and the help of Cooky, they have a tasty pudding to share. The back includes a very simple recipe for bread or instant pudding with berries.

Verdict: This is clearly aimed a young audience and will be enjoyed by very young readers, either as a read-aloud or practicing their reading skills. It's a gentle story with little conflict and pleasant, pastel cartoons.

ISBN: 9781484679395; Published August 2023 by Capstone; Purchased for the library

The adventures of Penguin and Panda: Surprise!; Fun & Games by Brenda Maier and Fanni Mezes

 The odd couple dynamic is a classic trope of early readers and beginning chapters since the debut of Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad. However, I am increasingly wary of authors using this trope to portray unhealthy or unrealistic friendships. All too often, creators default to the "introvert vs. extrovert" with no real explanation of why these two characters are friends, except that they both have serious boundary issues.

So I was a little wary entering this new comic series, especially since I accidentally read the second book first, which starts with a story about how different the two are. However, it turned out to actually handle the trope very well, making this series a strong addition to the genre.

In their first adventure, Surprise! there are four stories. The titular story shows Penguin trying to surprise Panda but failing, since he's such a good guesser. It turns out ok though, because Panda, unlike Penguin, doesn't really enjoy surprises. The two continue their adventures, playing hide and seek, attending an art class, and they finish with an episode where Penguin fears Panda no longer wants to be friends with her - but once they talk things out, it turns out he was just preparing a surprise. Their adventures continue in Fun & Games with a visit to a carnival, a search for a pet, and two moments in their friendship - one where they realize that they can be friends even though they like different things and one where they resolve an issue caused by Panda breaking Penguin's bike and lying about it. I especially like this last, as there was more to it than Penguin just forgiving Panda; she talked about how his lying made her feel and then showed him how to repair their bikes, so he could fix what he broke.

There are guides to drawing the characters at the back of the books, as well as some facts about penguins and pandas. The art is fun and cheerful, featuring the classic black and white panda and a purple penguin with a pink t-shirt. There are bright balloons, lots of green grass and blue sky, and simple details. The two are implied to share a house, although there's little background explaining the characters; readers will pick up their interests and personalities along the way. The vocabulary is a little more advanced than an early reader and the panels can be challenging to follow, but the speech bubbles have minimal text. This is one I'll be putting into my transitional chapters, which sit right between early readers and beginning chapters, similar to Scholastic's Acorn imprint.

Verdict: There are lots of beginning graphic novels to choose from, but these stand out because of the healthy relationship portrayed in a fun way. The books are only available in paperback, but they appear to have fairly sturdy bindings and strong covers. A third book is scheduled to be published in fall 2024. Recommended.

Surprise!
ISBN: 9781958325056

Fun & Games
ISBN: 9781958325070

Published April 2024 by Marble Press LLC; Review copies provided by publisher; Donated to the library

Trim helps out by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Kristy Caldwell

 Trim, a snazzy little black cat with a white cross, is excited to be on his first voyage as ship's cat. He's not sure what his job is and checks in with the other animals on board, who tell him to go patrol the ship's hold and look for rats.

The hold is dark and scary, but Trim bravely starts patrolling and even meets a new friend! Unfortunately, the friend tells him it's HER job to patrol the hold! When a "creepy, scary-looking" "rat" shows up, Trim is on the job, but makes a surprising discovery about what a rat really is. It turns out his new friend is a rat and he's successfully defended his friends from a scorpion that escaped from the ship's specimens.

Happily, the new friends are ready to cooperate together and Trim looks forward to being the best ship's cat every. Hopkinson explains, in an author's note, a little about what historical fiction is and how Trim's story is based on a real-life scientific expedition that included a ship's cat. The book includes five short chapters and is similar in level to classic, longer easy readers like Houndsley and Catina, Mr. Putter and Tabby, or Cork & Fuzz.

Caldwell's pictures are cute and friendly, showing a perky black cat, scuttling scorpion, and friendly rat with a cloak. Images of the various scientists and artists on board, drawing a rare flower and sorting specimens are shown mostly as legs and hands. Some liberties are taken with the real story, like portraying the artist, "Will" as a young boy with dark skin (he was actually 19 and white). There are lots of pictures of Trim running, pouncing, and exploring and some pretty vistas of the sea and sailing ship.

Verdict: While not particularly historically accurate, this is a sweet and gentle series that will please young readers who like similar stories. I have a wide audience for Cynthia Rylant-type gentle readers and this will definitely find a place in my transitional chapters.

ISBN: 9781682632918; Published October 2023 by Peachtree; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

When moon became the moon by Rob Hodgson

 I loved Rob Hodgson's first nature chapter book, When cloud became a cloud, and was excited to see another in this series, focusing on the moon. Although I am not usually a fan of anthropomorphic, fictionalized science, I think this format really works and Hodgson's voice makes these little chapter books very accessible to young readers.

The book is divided into 11 chapters, starting with a general introduction to the universe. "Baby Moon" appears in chapter three with a BOOM! as Earth crashes into another planet and the resulting chunks of rock form into a moon. There's still a long journey before we get to the smiling moon from the front cover though! Readers will be introduced to the phases of the moon, her effect on tides (both Earth and the Moon have female pronouns) and her excitement when she gets her first visitors.

Hodgson's simple, cheery illustrations are a great match for the brief text and his smiling moon enjoys each moment, from celebrating her craters to watching over young readers at night. At 64 pages and a trim 9x8 inches, this isn't really a picture book although it can easily be shelved in that area (and that's where I put Cloud). Ideally, it's a transitional chapter book and I'm excited to add it to my new transitional chapter book section for both readers and listeners to enjoy.

Verdict: A charming introduction to the moon, from formation to its current place in the universe. A strong addition to chapter book collections, although of course libraries will want to have clearly nonfiction titles on hand for kids eager to learn more. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780593523629; Published August 2023 by Rise X Penguin Workshop; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

The Rescues: Finding Home by Tommy and Charlie Greenwald, illustrated by Shiho Pate

Moose, a scruffy brown pup with one eye, lives alone in an animal shelter. When new dog Bear, a small white dog with three legs and a mohawk, comes to live there too, the two become friends. They have a goofy conversation about their names and end up being rescued by Cathy, a plump, smiling lady with brown skin and dark curls. In their second adventure, Cathy has a fence built to keep them safe, but the two decide to venture outside it. When they return, they meet a new friend named Tiger, a shy stray cat. Cathy takes Tiger in as well and the three settle in together for a cozy evening in their third and final adventure. The simple art, in soft, pastel hues, varies from spot art to full and half pages.

There are always new books about pets, especially rescue animals. It's a perennial topic that kids love and there is always a plethora of titles to choose from (unlike, shall we say, books about sports, although Greenwald also has a new chapter series on sports available...) However, when choosing which titles I'll add to my library, I look not only at the content of the books, for diversity, a twist or hook that differentiates them from other series, and to see what they can add to my collection, but also, and most importantly, I look at the potential audience. Early readers and beginning chapters are a huge part of my collection and I spend a lot of time curating these collections and making sure I have a wide variety of offerings available - not just in content, but in word count, reading difficulty, and illustration. My most recent overhaul of these areas including creating a transitional chapters section and I am currently looking specifically for titles to fill in this area between early readers and beginning chapters.

This new series is the perfect fit with easy reader-style chunks of dialogue, spot art, and a slightly larger layout than a typical 6x9 easy reader size. A lot of my transitional chapters are graphic novels and while this doesn't fit into that category, it is similar enough to be very accessible to young readers.

Verdict: If you are looking for nontraditional, or nonleveled easy readers, for transitional chapters, and for gentle reads for young listeners and readers, this will be a just right choice. There are no signs of a sequel yet, but the book appears to be the first in a series.

ISBN: 9781636550763; Published September 2023 by Red Comet Press; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

Zooni Tales: Keep it up, plucky pup by Vikram Madan

I've had mixed feelings about Vikram Madan's previous easy readers/graphic novels. I've purchased their Owl and Penguin comics for the easy reader section, but they don't have a huge following. I didn't have high expectations about this new series, but it turned out to be delightful and just what I'm looking for to build up my new transitional chapters collection.

The titular hero, Zooni, is based on the author's dog, a small, scruffy pup that smiles happily at readers from a cameo appearance on the title page, placed over the literary Zooni who has whisps of fur on their head and flipped out to the side as ears and wears a kurta-style tunic in bright yellow over blue shorts. The story begins with three pink creatures wearing striped blue shorts making off with Zooni's blue shoe. Five short chapters range from a 4 to 40 pages and present Zooni in a series of simple adventures.

In Seuss-like rhymes, "We saw some shrews run with a shoe!/They dropped this as they ran! Hoo-hoo!" Zooni tracks down the thieves of their shoe, has an underground adventure, makes delicious pancakes, and has an adventure at sea. Each story rhymes throughout the simple dialogue balloons and features quirky little twists in the story, like the use of Zooni's single shoe at the end of the first chapter or the solution for their ocean disaster.

The cheerful colors lean towards blues, pinks, and purples, with smiling cartoon creatures that include an elephant, pig, sheep, ox, monkeys, and shrews. Most backgrounds are simple colors or patterns, but some show slightly more detailed landscapes, like a sparsely-populated beach or splashy ocean. There are arrows to help beginning readers follow the action in the larger and more involved panels, and speech bubbles have colors that help readers attach them to the speakers. A variety of pronouns are used, including they/them for Zooni.

Verdict: This makes both a fun read-aloud and a delightful transitional chapter for young readers. The simple text and adventures, bright colors and rhymes, will attract beginning readers and will be accessible to readers at a variety of points on their reading journey. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780823453573; Published October 2023 by Holiday House; Purchased for the library

See the dog: Three stories about a cat; See the ghost: Three stories about things you cannot see by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka

Publishers, authors, and illustrators have been trying to recreate the success of Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie series since it became popular. While no one has quite managed the magical combination of lovable, memorable characters and child-like humor, their efforts have produced some delightful early readers in the same general style. In 2020, LaRochelle and Wohnoutka debuted See the Cat with a wacky and subversive sense of humor that delighted young and old readers alike.

In 2021, the duo followed it up with See the Dog. This flipped the original premise (the book was talking about a cat but the pictures showed a dog) back - the blue cat, Baby Cakes, bounces onto the scene, explaining that they're taking the dog's place, since he is sick. The cat turns out to have mixed feelings about taking Max the Dog's spot - she enjoys digging (with a bulldozer) but she's definitely not pleased at fetching sticks and swimming and she doesn't know how to protect the sheep at all! Fortunately, Max gets back just in time and Baby Cakes takes off for a relaxing vacation.

It felt like a long time before another set of stories about Max and Baby Cakes came out, but See the Ghost was released this year, in August, and the two sometimes-companions are facing a whole new slew of challenges. In their first story, they run into a ghost, unseen of course, since these are all stories about things you cannot see. The ghost at first enjoys scaring things but then scares itself! The second story features the wind and the chaotic results when it shows up during Max and Baby Cakes' picnic. The final story features a fairy, shown only by a giggling speech bubble and a dotted line. It takes an intervention from the wind to put an end to the fairy's mischief, and the friends, new and old, enjoy a happy ending.

There are some similarities in the ever-popular Elephant & Piggie and this new series, with a limited palette of bright colors, short, simple sentences in word balloons, and a quirky sense of humor. However, the stories are more complex, with the combination of the narration of the book opposed to the reactions of Max and Baby Cakes. While the cat and dog are funny, we don't get a really strong feeling for them as personalities and it's hard to imagine kids asking for the "Max" books. So, in terms of a new bestseller series, it's probably not going to happen. But, these are extremely funny and they circulate quite briskly, definitely making it worth purchasing multiple copies.

Verdict: If you missed the earlier titles, now is a great time to purchase them all together and introduce your kids to these funny stories. Caregivers will also get a giggle out of them and they work quite well as read-alouds as well. A must-have for your early reader collection.

See the dog

ISBN: 9781536216295; Published 2021 by Candlewick; Review copy provided by publisher; Purchased two copies for the library

See the ghost

ISBN: 9781536219821; Published July 2023 by Candlewick; Purchased two copies for the library

Styx and Scones in The Sticky Wand by Jay Cooper

 Realistically, you just can't get much into an emerging reader. Sure, a genius like Mo Willems can get a lot of nuance into simple lines and phrases, but there's only so much you can do with limited words and simple pictures, especially if you're going to make a book that's actually suitable for a kid trying to decode words and follow artwork, practicing both visual and textual literacy, in a comic. This means that, naturally, titles that are just a bit more complex are going to be more interesting.

This new series from Ready-to-Read's comics line is a fun addition, but is going to need a reader who can handle a little more complex of a story to fully appreciate. This is hinted at in the series title, which includes a play on words (Styx and Scones, i.e. sticks and stones). The two main characters introduce how to follow the sequence of comic panels and how to read word balloons on the first page and then jump into the story.

The story happens in the main room of a witchy cottage. Miss Hattie, a stereotypical witch with green skin, long hooked nose and chin, and scraggly hair, is dressed in black pants and shirt and going out with Miss Hildy, a plump, gray-haired witch with a straw hat and purple pinafore. Their personalities are clearly opposites and there are little hints of magic all over the room, from a deck of tarot cards and a crystal ball on the table to a scaled hand holding the cauldron over the purple fire. Styx, a sleek, purple cat, is curled up on a pillow while Scones, a friendly brown retriever-type dog with a star on their ear, sits up alertly.

After a lecture from the witches on behaving, they leave. Scones notices that they didn't say anything about the crooked stick on the mantelpiece and immediately grabs it. Styx, bored, explains that it's not a stick but a wand but still gets a big surprise when Scones does magic with it! The two have increasingly raucous fun, with Scones transforming Styx, but then they begin to argue over the wand and panic when they break it. All too soon the witches return; will they be angry or is a really good stick just a good stick? There are a few more shenanigans in store before the story finishes on a light note.

Verdict: I really liked this as it reminded me a bit of a childhood favorite of mine, Hocus and Pocus at the circus. Despite her grouchiness and scary appearance, Miss Hattie turns out to be just as kind as Miss Hildy and the animals goofy antics will have kids giggling as they work their way through the words and pictures. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781665935371; Published June 2023 by Little Simon; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

There might be a Kazoo Emergency by Heidi E. Y. Stemple, illustrated by Selom Sunu

This comic easy reader starts out wacky and goes completely off the rails very quickly. I love it!

Gregory James and Lola, the two main characters, show up before the story to explain how to read comic panels and speech bubbles. Gregory James has light tan skin, freckles, and exuberantly curly brown hair. Lola also has tan skin with a gap in her front teeth, black hair, and dark eyebrows. There is diversity in body types shown right away, with Lola having a square, broad figure and Gregory being more lanky, wrapped in a hoodie and long shorts.

The story begins with Gregory James walking to the bus stop with a heavy, clanking backpack. Accosted by bullies, his backpack spills an array of random objects across the sidewalk. In chapter two, Lola appears and cheerfully helps him pick up the items, offering to walk with him to school. When she asks about the things he has, including a colander, feather duster, and kazoo, he says "There might be a kazoo emergency."

The two new friends are chatting when suddenly... there is an emergency! A tyrannosaurus has grabbed the bus which is stuck on a hot air balloon! This is the unexpected situation Gregory James has been preparing for, and with the backup of Lola (and his kazoo) he saves the day. The two friends continue on to school, ready for anything.

Cheerful digital cartoon illustrations fill the panels, adding humor to the characters' matter-of-fact delivery as the wacky events accumulate. The art and text is simple but bold, with clear, easy to follow speech balloons and uncluttered panels with strong background colors to make the art and text pop.

Verdict: Ready-to-Read has done some really strong comic easy readers and my only regret about this title is that it doesn't appear to be a series. A delightfully humorous story with a diverse cast, strongly recommended.

ISBN: 9781665920049; Published May 2023 by Simon Spotlight; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

Rainbow Days: The Gray Day by Valerie Bolling, illustrated by Kai Robinson

This is one of the new additions to the Acorn line, coming from picture book author Valerie Bolling. It features a Black girl named Zoya, who loves to make art and in three short chapters shows her resilience and creativity.

In "Glitter" she starts outside painting the colorful autumn scenery, but is disappointed when rain ruins her art and sends her running indoors. In "Rain", she is sad at first that she can't paint the colorful picture she'd planned, but quickly cheers up and starts thinking of all the things she loves that are black, white, and gray. The final story, "Leaves" sees her creating colorful leaves to add to her gray pictures ending with heading back outside after the rain. The story ends with a brief note on the author and illustrator, guide to drawing Zoya, and some questions.

Robinson's art is bright and cheerful, with lots of glitter, matching Zoya's own colorful art. They have created a cheerful world for Zoya, with child-like artwork and and a cute, furry dog. Zoya's face is expressive with deep brown skin and eyes and a signature hair style of braids and a poufy bun.

Verdict: This brings some welcome diversity to the imprint, although the story is more on the gentle side than the more raucously humorous animal stories. I have a fairly large audience for quieter early readers and beginning chapters and this is likely to be popular. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781338805932; Published May 2023 by Scholastic; Purchased for the library

Browsing the beginning chapter books: Racing Ace: Drive it! Fix it! by Larry Dane Brimner, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

Genre: Transportation; STEM
Protagonists: Black, female
Reading level: 330-430
Series: Currently 3 titles, with the last published in December 2022

To be shifted to transitional chapters

Review:   Ace, a Black girl with an explosion of purple curls, takes off in a sparkly purple race car in this simple early reader.

Acorn is Scholastic early reader imprint, creating books that are one step below their Branches series but in a small chapter book format. They are nicely sized for kids to feel they are reading a "real" chapter book, but simple enough for readers who can handle traditional titles like Frog and Toad. In fact, some of the Acorn titles are published early readers like Rylant's Poppleton.

  This cheerful story shows Ace building her car, continuing despite setbacks, and eventually winning the race.

Verdict: The simple text will be attractive to young children ready for more challenging books and this is a nice addition to the Acorn family, with a touch of diversity in the Black, female driver.

ISBN: 9781338553789; Published April 2022 by Scholastic; Purchased for the library

Browsing the beginning chapter books: Sparkly new friends by Heather Ayris Burnell, illustrated by Hazel Quintanilla

Genre: Fantasy

Protagonists: Fantasy creatures, male/undefined

Reading level: J

Series: Currently 7 titles, with the last published in December 2022

Originally reviewed in June 2019

To be shifted to transitional chapters

Review: This is one of the new Acorn readers from Scholastic. The Branches books, meant to be a branch from easy reader to chapter book, have been a huge success with my readers. Kids up to 5th grade devour Dragon Masters, Notebook of Doom, and Owl Diaries, among others. This new line is meant to hit that spot right between early leveled readers and beginning chapter books, where you'd find, say, Frog and Toad, Henry and Mudge, etc. In fact, some of the series coming out later are actually remade from easy reader series like Rylant's Poppleton.

I sampled a couple books from the series and first I'm looking at Unicorn and Yet. The first book, Sparkly new friends, introduces Unicorn who is pink, has a rainbow mane, can fly, and is, well, sparkly. Yeti is big and fluffy and... not so sparkly. Or is he? When Unicorn sees something sparkling, he flies down to investigate and discovers Yeti. By crashing into him. Yeti wishes he was sparkly and Unicorn decides to convince him that he - and the snow - do have sparkles! In the second and third chapters, their friendship continues as they discover things that are different and the same about each other and learn more about their different abilities.

The pictures are cute and colorful; Yeti has a male pronoun at the end of the book but I didn't see one for Unicorn so I've decided he's a boy because I was annoyed that they defaulted to Yeti as male. Lots of sparkles, pastel colors, and little cartoon figures dot the pages. The book is laid out like a comic book, with different colored word balloons (Unicorn is orange and Yeti is purple) and a mixture of panels and full-page illustrations. 

Acorn titles are labeled easy readers, but after due consideration I have decided to put them in with beginning chapter books. Physically, the books are smaller than a Branches book - about 7x5 inches - and 56 pages long. They include a drawing tutorial and an encouragement to tell your own story in the back. Most Branches books are a 400-500 lexile and these seem to be coming in at a 300-400. More generally, I've found that kids are being pushed to start reading younger but are falling behind and losing interest earlier. Having an easy series in with the beginning chapter books will attract both younger and older readers.

Verdict: With a unicorn and Scholastic's track record of success with Branches, there's no argument that this is a necessary purchase. The only decision is the best spot to put them and how many copies to purchase.

Revisited: This series continues to fly off the shelves and I hope it will continue for many more volumes.

ISBN: 9781338329018; Published April 2019 by Scholastic; Purchased for the library.

Liam Kingbird's Kingdom: Liam the lion by Andrew Stark, illustrated by Emily Faith Johnson

Capstone, and their imprints Stone Arch and Picture Window, have a really excellent selection of intermediate early readers and beginning chapter books featuring a diverse selection of children. These are also made by creators from those same cultures. So far they have included several different Latinx characters, Asian characters (including the first chapter books to feature American-Hmong children and their families), and this year their new offerings include an indigenous child, Liam Kingbird, who lives on an Ojibwa reservation and has a cleft lip.

He is introduced with a series of simple statements, including his heritage and cleft lip, but also that he is imaginative and likes to draw. The story focuses on his worries about attending a new school on the reservation. Once there, he meets another boy, Jeremy, who focuses on Liam's cleft lip and initially says some unkind things that make Liam feel bad. After talking to his mom, Liam gets together his courage and with the support of the kids in class sees the positive side of being called a "lion" and settles into his new school.

The author, like Liam was raised on an Ojibwa Reservation and the illustrator is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa. Simple illustrations in color show Liam's feelings and emotions and the text, written in paragraphs, should be accessible to most 2nd graders. The story is followed by some additional information about Ojibwa history and culture, a simple glossary, and some questions to discuss the text. The book doesn't paint Jeremy as a bully, just as a kid who talks without thinking and inadvertently hurts Liam.

Verdict: A must-have for collections already including other similar titles and some much-needed diversity for this age group. This is also a nice, simple story for readers to discuss in class and it's great to see multiple identities smoothly blended into the story as well. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781666395051; Published January 2023 by Picture Window/Capstone; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library

Browsing the beginning chapter books: Poppleton by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Mark Teague

Genre: Humor

Protagonists: Animals, male and female

Reading Level: J

Series: This is somewhat confused. The original easy readers were published in the late 90s, with the Acorn editions republished in 2019. However, there are new Poppleton title(s), not previously published, listed for publication, but they've been delayed several times. Good luck.

Originally reviewed in March 2021

To be shifted to transitional chapters

Review: Originally published in 1997, Poppleton has been an enduring and silly character along with Cynthia Rylant's other well-known early reader characters like Henry and Mudge and Mr. Putter and Tabby.

Poppleton is introduced in his titular book as a plump, vibrantly pink city pig. Tiring of the city, he moves to a charming small house in a stereotypical, suburban small town. There he grows a garden, visits the library, and enjoys getting to know his neighbors, including a friendly llama named Cherry Sue and a goat named Fillmore. Rylant invests these simple activities with humor and charm; Poppleton enjoys the friendliness of Cherry Sue until it gets to be too much and, at a loss as to how to talk to her, squirts her with a hose! A whole chapter is devoted to his regular library day and his thorough enjoyment of reading adventure stories. The third chapter shows him eating cake (and trying to take medicine) with his friend Fillmore the goat who just needs a little more cake to make him feel better.

Teague's vibrantly colored illustrations show the fresh pink of Poppleton, bright green of the trees and lawns, and clean white picket fences and houses. The pictures have a gently humorous air, but not an overtly silly one, letting the words speak for themselves.

This is a more challenging early reader, which I would characterize as intermediate. Although the sentences are short and choppy, "Poppleton went to the library every Monday. Monday was always Poppleton's library day." the text includes more complex vocabulary as well as dialogue.

In 2019 Scholastic republished Poppleton as part of its Acorn imprint. While most of the Acorn (and Branches) titles are new, a few are reissues in a new format. Although the text and illustrations are reformatted to fit the smaller, more trim size of the new format, the basic content remains the same. However, I did notice that Teague's illustrations in the Acorn editions are somewhat muted, having lost the glossy color of the original.

Verdict: The Acorn reissues are mostly out of stock; possibly others have noticed and objected to the poor quality of the reproductions of the illustrations. The original titles are still in print, mostly in prebound editions, and if your budget allows I would collect either or both if they remain popular with your readers.

Revisited: The publication of these is odd and most of the original editions are now out of print, with what appears to be an original addition to the story continually being delayed in publication. However, my patrons who like Rylant's gentle style are firm fans of these and don't seem to mind the poor reproductions, so I make an extra effort to collect them.

ISBN: 9781725430679; Acorn edition published 2019; Purchased for the library

Browsing the beginning chapter books: Hello, Hedgehog! Do you like my bike? by Norm Feuti

Genre: Fiction

Protagonists: Animals, implied male gender

Reading Level: H

Series: Currently six titles, with the last released in 2022. Part of the Acorn imprint.

Originally reviewed in August 2019

To be shifted to transitional chapters

Review: Hedgehog and Harry (it doesn't SAY they are a guinea pig, but they look like one to me) are friends, much in the vein of Elephant and Piggie. Hedgehog is enthusiastic, eager to try new things, and wants his friend to come along. Harry is not so sure about new things and a little reluctant to step outside their comfort zone.

The first chapter features Hedgehog alone. He wants to ride his new bike, but he can't find his helmet! In the second chapter, the longest one, Hedgehog introduces Harry to his new bike. Harry is worried, first by the speed with which Harry approaches and then, gulp, Harry wants them to RIDE his bike! Harry finally admits that they can't ride without training wheels and Hedgehog cheerfully says "You will learn when you are ready." In the last chapter, the friends ride to Hedgehog's house and he finds the perfect snack for them to share.

At the end is an introduction to debut author Norm Feuti, a tutorial for drawing Hedgehog, and a few questions to encourage kids to tell their own story. The story is arranged in simple panels with broad white lines between them. Some illustrations are full-page and some are spot illustrations on a white background. Harry's speech bubbles are a pastel pink background and Hedgehog's are a light violet. The text is bold but not as large as a typical easy reader. It's about 300 in lexile levels, so about the right level for a child moving to the upper end of easy readers.

Verdict: This is a light and fun addition to the new imprint, with gentle humor and an example of friendship and kindness.

Revisited: This isn't a super popular series, but it's definitely beloved by my families who like the classic, gentle easy readers like Cynthia Rylant and Arnold Lobel. I hope the series will continue past the current six books.

ISBN: 9781338281392; Published 2019 by Scholastic; Purchased for the library

Browsing the beginning chapter books: Fox Tails: The great bunk bed battle by Tina Kugler

Genre: Humor

Protagonists: Animals, male and female

Reading Level: G

Series: Three titles, part of the Acorn imprint

To be shifted to transitional chapters

Review: Tina Kugler, author of the silly and popular Snail and Worm easy readers, has her own mini Acorn series featuring a pair of sibling foxes and their hijinks.

Fox siblings Fritz and Franny, and their dog Fred, need to go to bed. At least, their parent thinks so. They have other ideas. Once they're finally in bed, Franny in the (purple) top bunk and Fritz in the (orange) bottom bunk, the fun doesn't end... because now they're arguing about whose bed is best!

They imagine their bed as a castle, volcano, forest... but the fun quickly ends when their parent, looking even more exhausted, appears to order them to sleep, now! They're not done yet though - they decide to switch bunks. However, they quickly discover that while they love their own bunks, they don't love switching! The beds are too hot, too cold, too high, too low. Fortunately for them, they find the perfect bed where all three of them, including Fred the dog, can sleep comfortably.

While the parents are not definitely identified, the adult gray fox, matching Fritz, wears green pajamas and makes one brief appearance, reading the kids a bedtime story - and looking on helplessly when they turn it into a dance party. The adult red fox, matching Franny, wears a blue bathrobe and purple slippers and is present throughout, telling the kits it's time for bed, shooing them along, and coming back in, with increasing circles under their eyes, to tell them to quiet down and go back to sleep. It's pretty clearly implied that the gray fox is the dad and the red fox the mom - so one might want to know why all the bedtime rituals, not to mention discipline, are up to her!

Kugler's pictures are bright and cartoonish with cute little details, like acorns and paws carved onto the bunk bed. Franny and Fritz have long, sharp snouts and caregivers will appreciate watching their mom's patience diminish as the story continues.

Verdict: A funny addition to the Acorn line, although not necessarily a required purchase.

Revisited: Kugler's Snail and Worm are more popular titles, although if you have readers working their way through all the Acorn titles, it's nice to have these as well.

ISBN: 9781338561678; Published September 2020 by Scholastic; Purchased for the library