Category Archives: Highly Recommend

A Tractor’s Day

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written by Lily Schell and illustrated by Mike Byrne

Blastoff! Missions: Machines at Work is a series of ten narrative nonfiction books that explore different large machinery led by “Blastoff Jimmy”, a cute cartoon astronaut. Each book has mission goals that enhance the reading adventure. Readers learn facts about the large equipment and unfamiliar words are bolded within the text and defined in the glossary at the back of the book. Bright, engaging illustrations are labeled and each book has an index, table of contents and “To Learn More” section. The machines’ jobs are noted and a diverse mix of workers are happily working with the equipment.

A Tractor’s Day details the hard work that this piece of machinery throughout the seasons. Driven by a female farmer, the tractor and its extra implements prepares the soil in the fall, plants the seeds in the spring and looks forward to the harvest at the end of the summer. After a quick clean up by the farmer, the tractor is back in the barn and ready for its next job. This will be a hit with your youngest readers!

An Airplane’s Day

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Written by Harriet Loy and illustrated by Mike Byrne

Blastoff! Missions: Machines at Work is a series of ten narrative nonfiction books that explore different large machinery led by “Blastoff Jimmy”, a cute cartoon astronaut. Each book has mission goals that enhance the reading adventure. Readers learn facts about the large equipment and unfamiliar words are bolded within the text and defined in the glossary at the back of the book. Bright, engaging illustrations are labeled and each book has an index, table of contents and “To Learn More” section. The machines’ jobs are noted and a diverse mix of workers are happily working with the equipment.

In An Airplane’s Day, Blastoff Jimmy leads the reader through the day of an airplane and its crew. Starting with leaving the hangar, fueling up and loading cargo and passengers and ending with a completed trip and preparations for the next one, this book does a fantastic job of giving the reader a general idea of the work done with an airplane. Text is accessible for young readers and the labeled illustrations are really helpful. Give this book to young travelers or kids that love airplanes. They will love this book!

Sam’s Super Seats

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by Keah Brown and illustrated by Sharee Miller

Sam is excited – her mom is taking her school clothes shopping at the mall with her two best friends, Sarah and Sydney. She starts the morning with her dad, singing and brushing her teeth and then saying four things that she likes about herself that day. Her mom joins in the fun and they end up downstairs where we meet Sam’s couch, Misty, names after famed African American ballerina, Misty Copeland. Sam often rests on Misty, because she has cerebral palsy and her legs get tired at times. Her other favorite seat is Laney, the jokester back seat of her mom’s car. She and her friends giggle and chat in the back seat as they head to the mall, where they try on some amazing school outfits, including Sam’s cute adaptive clothing. They take a break on a new bench called Maya and then are on their way back to Sam’s house and a final fashion show. Sam is really excited for school to start now!

Colorfully drawn illustrations enhance a story that embraces and celebrates differently abled children. Characters are diverse. Sam and her parents are Black, Sarah is Asian and Sydney is a red-haired white girl. This is a sweet story that normalizes differences. It’s a winner!

The Cozy Home: Three-and-a-Half Stories

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Ame Dyckman & Mark Teague

Three friends (Bat, Cat & Rat) are introduced in this book containing three (and a half!) short stories centered around their move into a new home. Personalities are evident from the start. Cat unpacks books and is somewhat serious. Rat unpacks a bunch of joke and prank stuff (he’s the funny one) and Bat is smart and able to turn the tables on jokester Rat in one story. Stories are short (up to sixteen pages) with simple text and few sentences on each page. This accessible book is filled with Mark Teague’s cartoon–like illustrations, colorful and bright. Young readers will feel very accomplished after reading three-and-a-half stories about three friends that live together and care about each other. Highly recommended.

The Spooky Story

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by Amy Marie Stadelmann

Paige is a fact collector and carries around a handy notebook in which to write her facts and solve mysteries. Along the way, she engages the reader by sharing her notebook pages and insights. One might notice that she seems to be using parts of the scientific process in her methods. In “The Spooky Story”, she and her friends, Penn and Karla, investigate the mysterious ghostly occurrences at Karla’s home. Karla shares a house with her grandmother, who teaches music to a collection of interesting characters that were introduced in the first book of the series. In this case, there are ghostly footsteps on the stairs, an upstairs door that slams shut and eery shadows that show up. Paige and friends are able to use their keen senses to determine that the occurrences can be explained with observable facts, although Penn is still a little caught up in the notion of ghosts. Paige remarks, “Even when you have fully investigated, made clear observations, and proven the facts, some people still come to their own conclusions”. Hmm…that rings true even with adults, doesn’t it?

There are color illustrations throughout and glimpses of Paige’s notebook pages help explain her reasoning as the story moves along. The cover of the book calls this story “a graphic novel chapter book”, which should hook your graphic novel readers AND your easier chapter book readers. Highly recommended.

Lawrence and Sophia by Doreen and Brian Cronin

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Lawrence is a boy who is scared to venture out of his yard. Sophie is a bird who is scared to venture down to the ground. One day Sophie is feeling brave and walks down to the end of a branch and finds Lawrence. They start spending time together in the yard – Lawrence on the ground and Sophie in the tree – sharing things they love with each other. Sophie moves her nest to be closer to Lawrence. Lawrence builds a tent to be closer to Sophie, but still neither will venture beyond their comfort zone. When a big storm hits, both are worried enough for the other to go beyond their fears to find and protect their friend.

By Doreen Cronin, the author of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type and Diary of a Worm. A precious story of how the strength of friendship can bolster someone to step into situations outside their comfort. Highly recommended.

Frog Can Hop

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written by Laura Gehl and illustrated by Fred Blunt

Frog can do many things – hop, shop, bop and chop. Pig can….flop. But, Frog suddenly flops and Pig takes over and hops, shops, mops, bops and pops. He pops a little too much popcorn and Frog jumps in to hop mop, and flop with him. They can do it all together!

Simple, repetitive sentences and engaging illustrations make this short reader a perfect book for a young student. There is an added word box in the front and questions in the back to increase depth of understanding. Put this in your library for kids that love “Elephant and Piggie”. They’ll thank you!

Night Market Rescue

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written by Charlotte Cheng and illustrated by Amber Red

GoGo, a stray dog, is resting near the bustling night market when his nose leads him to some delicious snacks. As he wanders through the crowds, he notices a little girl that looks sad and alone. He leads her through the market, sharing its vibrant scents and sights. Eventually, she breaks away from him to run into her parents’ arms, who tearfully hug her. GoGo thinks his friend is now gone. But, no! They call him over and he now has a family and a home!

This vibrantly illustrated book is a wonderful glimpse at the lively hustle and bustle of a night market. Text is spare and the illustrations serve to fill out the story beautifully. And, who doesn’t love a story where the girl and the dog become best friends forever?

I’m an American

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I’m an American sets out to demonstrate the ideology that created the United States and why people from around the world continue to immigrate to the United States of America.

This is a powerful book that should be shared with everyone in every age group! Darshana Khiani’s words beautifully explain why people have been coming and continue to come, while Laura Freeman’s illustrations will warm your heart in a way take might just bring you to tears. Khiani has chosen people’s stories from China, Ireland, Russia, Muscogee Nation, Germany, Japan, and India knowing there are so many more countries that could easily be included. The values of: being able to vote, freedom of religion, perseverance, diligence, justice, pursuit of happiness, safety, equality, freedom to express yourself, and unity each tell a story of one people’s reason for traveling here for a new life.

It is important to continue reading after the illustrations are finished to include the Author’s Note, My Family’s Immigration Story, Migration Factors, and Around the World- about each of the groups listed above.

This book is a treasure of what America was created to be!

Submitted by Mary Pong

Fungi Grow

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WOW! written on two levels one simple and one complex, the world of fungi is amazing and will blow your mind! AND I’m not talking about ‘magic mushrooms’ .

This book is fun to share with young children using only the two larger sizes of words and the intricate illustrations of over fifty fungi, as a mature mushroom releases its spores to travel and reproduce. The small cursive font names the illustrated fungi. The small (half the size of the large font) print font explores the world of fungi on a biological study level.

DO NOT SKIP the three additional information pages at the end of the book concluding with the diagram of ‘Fungi Life Cycle’. “How Fungi Heal and Help’ includes information on how some fungi can break down plastics and other petroleum products. Some fungi can help decrease the use of chemical pesticides. And some fungi connect trees underground to where information can be passed from tree to tree. This is simply fascinating.

There are two or three Pacific Northwest connections to this book in the types of fungi mentioned and in where the field of study (mycology) is taking place.

Submitted by Mary Pong