Easy Readers

Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes

| Tasha

Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen.

Is that the scent of butter in the air?  No!  It must be a new Mercy Watson book!

Finding that there is a movie called When Pigs Fly playing at the Bijou, the Watsons set out to the movies.  Mercy is pleased to hear that they serve real butter at the Bijou!  On their way, they meet up with many familiar characters from the series who join them:  Eugenia and Baby Lincoln, Stella and Frank.  Once they reach the drive-in, readers will happily recognize more characters, all of whom enter the fray as Mercy disrupts the drive-in as only a butter-loving pig can.

If you are a Mercy Watson fan, you must pick up this latest one.  If you have not yet enjoyed the buttery wonder of Mercy, don’t start with this title.  Head to the first book and enjoy them one by one.  Note: it is impossible to not want to read them by the bucketful, but try to show some restraint and not pig out.  Van Dusen’s illustrations are colorful, lively and wonderfully manic when called for.  His tiny touches of buttery toast behind each page number make for a complete package of a book that one can simply sink into with a joyous sigh.  This world of pigs, butter and fun is one that is always a pleasure to return to and linger in. 

A great read-aloud series that is also great fun.  I highly recommend it for young readers who are heading for chapter books but still enjoy illustrations to break up the text a bit.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from library copy.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Spill the Beans

| Tasha

Mr. Putter and Tabby Spill the Beans by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Arthur Howard

As a huge fan of the Mr. Putter and Tabby series with their gentle and very funny humor, I was delighted to see that there was a new entry in the series!  In this latest book, Mr. Putter and Tabby (his cat) join their friends Mrs. Teaberry and Zeke (her dog) on a new adventure, a cooking class.  To be specific, a cooking class that offers one hundred ways to cook beans.  At first the worry is that Tabby and Zeke won’t stay below the table, but the two animals are capable of causing plenty of trouble from right under there.

Rylant has a special gift for writing text at a beginning reader level that is not only accessible for new readers but also great fun to read aloud.  She writes in a way that belies the difficulty of a smaller vocabulary.  Howard’s art offers additional humor and great facial expressions from Tabby.  Both author and illustrator delight in naughtiness, making this ever so much more approachable for children because of it!

This entire series is highly recommended.  Fans of the series can rejoice in yet another book that meets the high standard of the series.  Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Joe and Sparky Get New Wheels

| Tasha

Joe and Sparky Get New Wheels by Jamie Michalak, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

When Joe the Giraffe thinks he has won the grand prize in a contest he entered, he takes Sparky the turtle on a joyride in his brand new and very yellow car.  The fruit-covered hat in the front seat is seen as another prize, one definitely worth donning while driving.  The two have a series of great adventures from shopping at the mall to grabbing lunch at Tasty Burger.  Sparky would much rather just be home and safe in his pond while Joe is thrilled to be out and about on an adventure.  By the end of the story, the two are fast friends and both appreciate their differences.

Easy readers can be challenging.  Not the reading level, but the content.  It can so often fall flat.  This one, however, manages to set just the right tone of manic silliness and easy content.  The illustrations add to the zany fun, as the two animals careen around town merrily.  The bright colors will make the book very approachable for new readers.

Just the right mix of fun for young elementary readers, this is a good choice for easy reader shelves in both school and public libraries.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by PlanetEsme and Young Readers.