Tag Archives: friends fiction

Captain Cat Goes to Mars

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by Emma J. Virjan

Captain Cat and his friend, Pilot Matt, fly their spaceship to Mars. They meet some friendly aliens there and explore the surface of the planet. A storm comes up and they wait it out with their new friends and some yummy snacks. Unfortunately, the storm tips over their spaceship, which cracks it. Their alien friends save the day with some glue and tools. The intrepid astronauts take off and their new friends follow behind.

This book, part of the Ready to Read series, is a very accessible story, with simple text that rhymes that are not overwhelming for the beginning reader. Engaging illustrations make it even more fun. Add this to your collection for those newly minted readers in your school.

Cactus and Flower : a book about life cycles by Sarah Williamson

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Cactus and Flower are best friends. They watch the sky as it changes color throughout the day. They visit with their desert animal friends and they watch the stars. These are “Butterfly Days”. One day, one of Flower’s petals drops and then another and another, until…flower is gone. Cactus is so sad. Even the beautiful butterflies can’t cheer him up. But, sadness eventually changes to sweet memories of his friend, Flower. One day, a little green bud appears on Cactus and it turned into a new Flower. “Butterfly Days” are back.

This is a simple, sweet rendition of the life cycle. While the botany might not be totally accurate, the desert animals are there and the basic story line works. Illustrations are bright and simple. Endpapers add interest with clouds in the front and their constellation counterparts in the back. This would be a nice introduction to plant life cycles.