George and Lenny Are Always Together by Jon Agee - 4 Stars

 

George and Lenny are friends, and they spend all their time together. They are never alone, until one day Lenny wants to know what it would be like to be by himself. George does not think this sounds like fun at all. Lenny is persistent and off he goes to be alone will he find it as much fun as being together. I read this book with my five-year-old granddaughter and both of us were a bit underwhelmed with the story. I enjoy so many of Jon Agee’s books, but I would get this one from the library. 

Published In: 2025
Publisher: Rocky Pond Books
Age Level: 4-8 years                       
AR Level: 1.3
Pages: 40                                                   
Stars: 4

 

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown - 5 Stars

 “The Runaway Bunny” is a classic children’s picture book. It was first published in 1942 and has been popular with children for over 85 years. Little Bunny tells his mother he is going to run away from home, and she says she will run after him. Bunny tells her if you run after me, I will turn into a fish, and his mother tells him I will become a fisherman and catch you. Bunny then tells her I will become a rock on a mountain, and she tells him I will become a rock climber and climb to where you are. Bunny has several other plans on how he can successfully runway, but his mother always has a way to catch up to him. In the end he decides it’s just easier to stay home with his mother and eat carrots. A beautiful book highlighting a mother’s love. 

Published In: 1942
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers Inc.
Age Level: 1-6 years                                                             
AR Level: 2.7
Pages: 48                                                   
Stars: 5

Marvin Redpost: Super Fast, Out of Control! by Louis Sachar - 5 Stars

Marvin has a new bike, and it scares him. It is bigger than his old bike, it has hand brakes and he has to shift gears. To make matters worse he has accepted a dare from his friends to ride his new bike down Suicide Hill. Suicide Hill has lots of curves, it is the scariest, and steepest hill in his neighborhood. Will Marvin be able to overcome his fear and make the ride down the hill? All Elementary School boys will enjoy Marvin Redpost books, and the updated illustrations have made them even more entertaining. 

Published In: 2000
Publisher: Random House
Age Level: 6-9 years                       
AR Level: 3.6
Pages: 79
Series: 8 Books                                          
Stars: 5

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats - 4 Stars

 “The Snowy Day” is a very simple story about a boy, Peter who ventures outside after a night of snow fall. He makes tracks in the snow, he builds a snowman, he slides down a snowy mountain, and he has many other adventures in the newly fallen snow. I can understand why toddlers love the simplicity of the story, but older children will find it dull and tedious. I would like to give this classic children's picture book a 5-star rating but honestly it is a 4-star story. 

Published In: 1962
Publisher: Puffin
Age Level: 1-5 years                                                             
AR Level: 2.5
Pages: 28
Awards: 1963 Caldecott Medal                   
Stars: 4

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback - 5 Stars

 Joseph’s overcoat is “old and worn”, so he makes a jacket out of it, then a vest and on and on it goes. By the end of the book, all he has left of his overcoat is a button, but he loses it and he has nothing. So, Joseph makes a book about the overcoat and the different forms it takes over the years. The moral of the story “you can always make something out of nothing”. My granddaughter laughed throughout the book, and she loved the bold and bright illustrations. 

Published In: 1999
Publisher: Viking
Age Level: 3-6 years                                                             
AR Level: 1.7
Pages: 33
Awards: 2000 Caldecott Medal                   
Stars: 5

Stink and the Great Guinea Pig Express by Megan McDonald - 5 Stars

Stink and his friends, Webster and Sophie find three stray guinea pigs while building the Great Wall of China with cereal boxes. At a loss of what to do with them they take off to Mrs. Birdwistle’s, who owns the local pet store. When they get there, they find a lot more guinea pigs and they have all escaped from their cages. Once everything is put back in order Mrs. Birdwistle explains that she had rescued the animals from a lab testing facility for shampoo and perfume that was performing experiments on the guinea pigs. The friends decide to help Mrs. Birdwistle to find homes for all 101 animals. Can they find enough kids to adopt all of them? The story is funny and engaging. Elementary School readers will want more of Stink and friends once they have read one of these books. My grandkids are hooked on the series.

Published In: 2008
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Age Level: 6-9 years                                                             
AR Level: 3.7
Pages: 118
Series: 14 Books                                        
Stars: 5

The 13-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths - 5 Stars

 “The 13-Story Treehouse” is so ridiculous that every chapter makes you belly-laugh. It has just the right kind of humor for 7–12-year-old boys. Andy and Terry live in the 13-story treehouse which has many cool rooms and gadgets. They are constantly experimenting or building something, flying cats, giant bananas, sea monsters or enormous gorillas. They also write funny books and are working under a deadline to get one completed. Will they get their next book written on time or will they have to save the world? All three of my grandsons enjoyed the antics of Andy and Terry. Not only is the story wacky but the illustration back up all the shenanigans.

 

Published In: 2013

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Age Level: 7-12 years                                                         

AR Level: 3.8

Pages: 239                                                 

Stars: 5

Series: 13 Books