Knights of the Kitchen Table The Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka - 5 Stars

This series of books featuring the Time Warp Trio is about three Elementary School boys who time travel around the globe. It all starts when Joe, one of the Time Warp Trio gets a magical book for his birthday from his favorite uncle. The three friends soon find out that all they have to do is wish they could see a certain place and the green mist from the book transports them to that location and time period. The boys then must find the same book to get back home.  Along the way they encounter dangerous characters and have harrowing experiences. All my boys and grandkids loved these books. They are great for the beginner reader, they are funny, engaging and educational. 

Published In: 1987
Publisher: Viking Penguin
Age Level: 7-11 years                                        
AR Level: 3.8
Pages: 55
Series: 16 Books                                        
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 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

Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures The Mount Rushmore Calamity by Sara Pennypacker - 3 Stars

I read the original Flat Stanley books with both my children and grandchildren, which we all really enjoyed. Now Flat Stanley (he’s flat because a bulletin board fell on him) goes on worldwide adventures with his family. These books do not compare with the first books in the series. They do provide the reader with historical content and geography information, but they lack depth. The plots are predictable and the characters are too goody-two-shoes. I advise sticking to the original Flat Stanley.

Published In: 2009
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc
Level: 6-8 years
AR Level: 4.4
Pages: 71                                                   
Stars: 3
Series: 15 Books

Princess Posey and the First Grade Parade by Stephanie Greene - 4 Stars

Posey is not ready for the first grade. Two things scare her, first she must enter the school by herself. Everybody knows there is a monster in the “Blue Hall” which is the hall all first graders have to go down to get to their classrooms and monsters frighten her. Second, her mother will not let her wear her favorite tutu. The tutu makes her feel special and she can do anything when she is wearing it. How will Posey survive the first day of school?

My 8-year-old granddaughter is in second grade but the reading level for this chapter book is 2.9, so I decided to see if it would appeal to her. Surprise, surprise she liked it. Not a great read but enough humor and “how does Posey get out of this fix?” to keep my granddaughter interested. A 4 out of 5 stars from this grandmother.

Published In: 2010
Publisher: Putnam
Age Level: 6-8 years
AR Level: 2.9
Pages: 82
Stars: 4
Series: 12 Books

Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin - 5 Stars

“Diary of a Worm” is a picture book full of giggles. It’s a favorite of all six of my grandkids. I can read it over and over and it will make me laugh every time. A school age worm writes in his diary and tells the reader about his everyday life, school, friends and home. Who knew that a worm’s life could be so funny. Get this book for your child’s home library.

Published In: 2003
Publisher: Joanna Cotler Books
Age Level: 3-7 years
AR Level: 2.8
Pages: 40
Stars: 5
Series: 4 Books

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin - 5 Stars

 

Children’s picture books do not get any better than this story. The cows in the barn have found a way to communicate with Farmer Brown by using an old typewriter. They are cold at night and have asked Farmer Brown for electric blankets. After some negotiations they get the blankets and soon more farm animals are making requests, where will it end? A classic book that will make all preschoolers giggle.

Published In: 2000            
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc,   
Age Level: 2-6 years
AR Level: 2.3
Pages: 40                                                   
Stars: 5
Awards: 2001 Caldecott Honor

Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

 

Bink and Gollie are two friends, Gollie likes pancakes, and Bink likes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The book is about the funny antics of these two friends and the compromises they make to stay friends. The plot is uncomplicated, and beginning readers will have no trouble following the story. It was simple enough that my 7-year-old granddaughter could read it on her own. A great series of books for elementary school children just starting to read chapter books.

 

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2010	Profanity: No
Publisher: Candlewick Press	Violence: No
Age Level: 5-8 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 2.5	Mature Themes: None
Pages: 81
Stars: 5 Series: 3 Books

The Noisy Paint Box by Barb Rosenstock 🟊🟊🟊🟊

“The Noisy Paint Box” is the story of Vasya Kandinsky, one of the first painters of abstract art. Vasya was a very “proper Russian boy” but when his aunt gave him a paint box a whole new world opened up to him. When he painted, he heard noises, then the more he painted it turned into an orchestra. As an adult Vasya tried to conform to Russian society and he becomes a lawyer, but one night he goes to the opera, and again sees the music as art. Not able to stop himself from doing the one thing he truly loved, he quits his job and moves to Munich to paint. Buy this book for the artist in your family. They will appreciate Vasya’s nonconformist approach to art.

Published In: 2014
Publisher: Knopf
Age Level: 4-8 years
AR Level: 4.4
Pages: 36
Stars: 4
Awards: 2015 Caldecott Honor

Inspector Flytrap: The President's Mane Is Missing by Tom Angleberger 🟊🟊🟊🟊

Inspector Flytrap solves BIG DEAL mysteries, and he has decided to also take on THRILLING mysteries to become the World’s Greatest Detective. This is the second book in a series of three about Inspector Flytrap and his assistant Nina the Goat. In this mystery the President’s of the Unites States, who is a horse, mane is missing from his statue. Can the Inspector and his assistant solve the mystery?

The story is very silly but perfect for the beginner readers of chapter books, especially boys. The print is big and with graphics on nearly every page making the book easy to read. The series may not win any awards, but elementary school kids will love the ridiculous humor.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2016	Profanity: No
Publisher: Amulet Books	Violence: No
Age Level: 5-8 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 3.8	Mature Themes: No
Pages: 99
Stars: 4

The Wheel On The School by Meindert DeJong 🟊🟊🟊

I tried so hard to read all of this children’s classic but after 100 pages I was done with it. Six schoolchildren are on a quest to bring back storks to their small Dutch fishing village. They are looking for a wagon wheel which supposedly is where storks like to build their nests. The story moves very slowly, and it was not that interesting. Maybe in 1955 it appealed to elementary school students, but it will not engage today’s children.


Published In: 1954
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.
Age Level: 8-12 years
AR Level: 4.7
Pages: 298
Stars: 3
Awards: 1955 Newbery Medal

Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary 🟊🟊🟊🟊

Beverly Cleary’s series of books about Ramon are classics. In this book she is in second grade, and she has two big worries. They both concern her father. First, her father has been laid off from this job and her mother must go back to work full-time. Not only is the money tight but the family routine has been disrupted. Second, Ramona’s sister had told her their father’s smoking will cause him to die. Ramona and her sister embark on a campaign to get their father to quit smoking.

In today’s world not many American families have a parent that smokes. So, I found this part of the book irrelevant. On the other hand, many families can relate to a parent losing their job. Ramona antics bring laughter to the story and overall, it is an enjoyable read, even thou if feels a bit dated. I would get this one from the library.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 1975	Profanity: No
Publisher: Fitzgerald Books	Violence: No
Age Level: 8-12 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 5.2	Mature Themes: Unemployment
Pages: 165 Series: 8 Books
Stars: 4 Awards: 1978 Newbery Honor

 

Snow by Uri Shulevitz 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Love the illustrations, love the book. One boy and his dog really want it to snow. As they look out the window, they see a snowflake. They run outside and go all around town telling the people on the streets that it will snow but the towns people tell him it will melt. The boy is right and by the end of the book the whole town is white. This book was at my granddaughter’s reading level, so she read the book to me. We had fun with the pictures, and she was so proud to be able to read it by herself. A great first reader that is actually a good book.

Published In: 1998
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, Giroux
Age Level: 2-7 years
AR Level: 1.6
Pages: 28
Stars: 5
Awards: 1999 Caldecott Honor

The One Thing You'd Save by Linda Sue Park 🟌🟌🟌🟌

“If your home was on fire, what one thing would you save?” People and pets are safe, and it doesn’t matter the size of the item. This is the homework that Mrs. Chang gives her class. The answers she gets back are as varied as the diversity of the children in her class. The book is written in verse which is the perfect vehicle for each the students to express their thoughts. Being a Nana I particularly loved the responses that had items associated with family, the sweater that Gran had knitted, hair clippings from a dead brother, or the plant cutting from a grandmother’s philodendron.

My 9-year-old grandson liked the book, but he found it a bit overwhelming. After each student’s response he would have to rethink his own answer. It took us two sittings to finish. I do agree with other reviewers that the author jumped around too much between students and their inner thoughts. “The One Thing You’d Save” gets a solid 4 from me.

Published In: 2021
Publisher: Clarion Books
Age Level: 8-12 years
AR Level: 3.9
Pages: 80
Stars: 4

26 Fairmount Avenue by Tomie DePaola 🟊🟊🟊🟊

“26 Fairmount Avenue” is a good book but not a great one. The one-year autobiography of Tomie DePaola covers his fourth year of life. The first event he describes is the hurricane of 1938 that hits the town of Meriden, Ct., what it was like and the aftermath of the storm. This is also the year that his family starts to build a new home and with all building projects there are ups and downs. Two other significant events happen to Tomie, he starts kindergarten, and the movie Snow White by Disney is released. He is very disappointed to find out that he will not learn to read until 1st grade and refuses to go back to school. Then the movie Snow White is not at all like the book and is very upsetting. The book is heartwarming and entertaining, but it did not leave my grandkids wanting more. Get this one from the library.

Published In: 1999
Publisher: Putnam
Age Level: 5-8 years
AR Level: 4.6
Pages:58
Stars:4
Awards: 2000 Newbery Honor

Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal by DanTDM 🟌

The book is written by a popular You Tuber and Minecraft gamer, DanTDM. The plot of the book “reimagines the minecraft-style world and characters”. My 9-year-old grandson read the first 30 pages and he had enough. Even though he is into gaming and watches You Tubes he didn’t like the book. He told me the main character was not interesting and kind of boring. Which is too bad because I thought the book had great potential.

I did make an attempt to read some of this book myself but I have to say graphic novels are not my thing. I am not sure if it’s all the pictures on the page or the small print. I never know what panel to read next. I had a very hard time following the story. I did notice that it was all the DanTDM fans that gave the book 5 stars. Wish I could rate it higher, but Nana gives it 1 star.

Published In: 2016
Publisher: Harper
Age Level: 7-9 years
AR Level: 2.7
Pages: 192
Stars: 1
Graphic Novel

Stone Soup by Marcia Brown 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

“Stone Soup” is a children’s classic tale that has been retold by many authors. This version was written in 1947. Some of the older Caldecott books do not age very well, but this one does stand up to the test of time. Three soldiers are on their way home after fighting in the wars. They are very hungry when they come to a village. They ask the villagers for some food and a place to sleep. After the villagers say no to their request they have an idea, let’s make stone soup. Can stone soup turn in to a feast? This vintage book is a must for the home library.

Published In: 1947
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publisher
Age Level: 3 -8 years
AR Level: 3.3
Pages: 46
Stars:5
Awards: 1948 Caldecott Honor

The Pied Piper's Magic by Steven Kellogg 🟌🟌🟌🟌

Peterkin is a cheery elf even though he is poor. He is searching for work when he comes across the home of a retired witch whose house need some repairs. The witch tells him she has no money to pay him, but he does the work anyway. Upon Peterkin completing the work she gives him a magical pipe. The pipe does not make the sound of notes but instead letters. When he spells out the letters of animals they appear before him and then when he reverses the letters the animal turns into what he has spelled out. While Peterkin is traveling the county, he comes upon a dark and dreary city full of rats. With his magical pipe he is able get of rid the rats but also turn the city into a lovable place for people to live.

The illustrations in this book are bright and colorful. The pictures make the reader happy just looking at them. I never read the original tale of the Pied Piper which apparently is not a very happy story but this one has a feel-good ending. My granddaughter and I liked the book, and we will read it again. If you were to pick just one of Kellogg’s books, I think there are better ones such as the those that retell American folk stories.

Fun Activity: Try to find some simple wind instrument in your house such as a recorder or harmonica, and have your child make some noise.  

Published In: 2009
Publisher: Dial/Penguin
Age Level: 4-8 years
AR Level: 4.3
Pages: 40
Stars: 4

Galaxy Zack Monster In Space ! by Ray O'Ryan 🟊🟊🟊

The “Galaxy Zack” books are perfect for the student who is just beginning to read chapter books, lots of pictures and big print, but that might be all its good for. I read the “Galaxy Zack Monsters in Space!”, number 4 of 18, with my grandson and he was not impressed. The book did excite him enough to want to read anymore in the series. The story is about a new kid at school who does look like anybody else in the class. Can Zack find it in himself to be friends with him? There are more engaging books for the beginner reader, get this one from the library before you purchase.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2013	Profanity: None
Publisher: Little Simon	Violence: None
Age Level: 5-9 years	Sexual: None
AR Level: 3.3	Mature Themes: None
Pages: 119	Series : 18 Books
Stars: 3

A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart by Zetta Elliott 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Many strong feelings are presented in this book. As a young boy copes with a shooting in his neighborhood he deals with sorrow, fear, and anger. At the same time, he has other emotions joy, pride, and peace. The story is told in the form of a poem, and the illustrations are expressive and powerful. The Black Live Matters movement is displayed prominently throughout the book. The audience for this picture book is the elementary school student, I would not recommend it for preschoolers.

Published In: 202
Publisher: Farrar, Staus and Grioux
Age Level: 6-10 years
AR Level: N/A
Pages: 32
Stars: 5
Awards: 2021 Caldecott Honor