Into the Thicket

Written by Gail Kuhnlein

Illustrated by John Megahan

Patrick is a sensitive young boy with a gentle heart. His older brother, Ben, is rather hard and often teases Patrick.

One day, Patrick finds an injured baby rabbit. He convinces Ben to accompany him to Felice at the Wildlife Rescue. To get there quickly, Patrick and Ben will have to cross a scary thicket, which Patrick believes contains all manner of scary creatures. Patrick overcomes his fears because the urge to help an injured creature is stronger.

Throughout the sixty-page book, children learn about nature and its delicate creatures. Patrick teaches how to care for and nurture this frail rabbit. They learn that even when a strong bond develops, these creatures must learn how to be strong, resilient, and survive on their own.

I enjoyed the author’s technique of using onomatopoeia to teach sights and sounds of nature. The soft watercolors complement the mood of the tale.

This book is both a picture book and a beginning chapter book that is suitable for new readers.

SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG FOR NEW BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.

When The Sky Roars: Dyslexia Font Edition

Written and Illustrated by Katie Weaver

A little boy is afraid of thunder. He decides he must put his foot down and conquer this fear. He ventures off on a trip to the sky with helium balloons. Once there he meets all kinds of fascinating scenarios like a pirate ship and a family of dinosaurs who are eating their delicious pie.

Bonus extras include a yummy recipe for Berry Crumb pie. Children will lose their anxiety about thunder and enjoy a delightful rhyming picture book filled with imaginative pictures and verse. I particularly like the color enhancement of key vocabulary words and the font that is friendly for dyslexic readers.

Recommended for parents and teachers of children ages three through eight.

Looking for more learning opportunities for the family.

Check out all the resources at http://www.LittleMissHistory.com

Charlie the Smart Elephant: Books for Kids: Bedtime Story, Beginning Reader

Written by Jeff Harris

Short tale of less than twenty pages featuring Charlie the Elephant, an intelligent but hungry elephant who was born in a small town somewhere in Africa, but who longs to live the life of a pet in a cozy family. One day he is adopted and placed in a stray animal shelter where Charlie finds the company of other animals. He is delighted when a boy named Connor adopts him; and the family builds a separate house for the elephant. Then Charlie becomes sad because he has everything he needs and is bored. Charlie rejoices when he overhears two pet dogs talking about their cookies being missing. So Charlie decides to become a detective and solve the missing cookie mystery. Following the cookie crumbs, Charlie comes to a deep forest. Should he enter the forest and risk becoming lost? Will he solve the mystery and return to his family?

This book is charming and sweet for a bedtime story, and beginning readers will be able to handle the text, but the plot does not always flow smoothly or connect the dots. Children might have questions that go unanswered. A few simple illustrations are included. Targeted for readers ages two through fourteen, I would recommend it as a bedtime story for preschoolers or as a beginning reader for a child who enjoys stories about pets.

If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right hand corner of this page.