Ivy + Bean: Take Care of the Babysitter

The Ivy + Bean series is probably my favorite transitional chapter book series and the one that I enjoy most reading with my daughters. Writer Annie Barrows and illustrator Sophie Blackall make a perfect team. Barrows' plot lines are engaging and funny, while Blackall's creative illustrations add so much. My daughters both love seeing the pictures, which appear more often than not. Rather than being in a confined space, at times the illustrations flow without boundaries and instead the text adjusts to the picture.

Last night I read the 4th book in the series, Ivy + Bean: Take Care of the Babysitter. Similar to others in the series, Bean and Ivy, along with other neighborhood friends at times, get into some mischief. Initially, a group of neighborhood kids decide that it would be fun to turn a pile of dirt that was just delivered to the house for some work the parents were going to have done in the backyard into a volcano. When they decide that the best option for the lava would be to dig a hole at the top and then have the smallest boy go in there with a hose, he decides to run back home. That is until his older sister stops him and bribes him with some toys and treats. Sophie W.'s parents weren't home to witness all that was happening in the front yard, and after saying that two of the kids could play in the dirt as long as they did not get it in the house, the babysitter is absent, seemingly oblivious that more neighborhood kids have joined in and that chaos is ensuing.

Initially, I thought the title referred to that babysitter. However, then I learned that it actually referred to Nancy, Bean's older sister. Right when they are really getting in to the volcano simulation, Bean's mom calls her home and tells her that she and her dad are going to a play. Since Nancy is 11, she gets to babysit Bean for the first time. Bean is not allowed to leave the house, but she can have Ivy come over. However, since Bean can't play with her friends outside, she is dramatic about the whole experience, saying that she is trapped in her house like a jail. Later when Ivy does come over, Bean sneaks her in. She even thinks about how it is not necessary because her mom gave her permission to come over, but it is more fun for her to act like she has to sneak. It ends up that the volcano was just the start. There is a lot more adventure throughout the book.

Aside from enjoying the illustrations, I also love the characters. They stand out to my daughters and have them asking days after if they can see a particular illustration of a certain character, and they laugh all over again. My oldest and I have read the first book several times, and we never get tired of laughing about a scene where Bean and Nancy are pushing each others' buttons in a dressing room while shopping with their mom. The books do not feel repetitive, but there is a comfort in the consistency of main characters, while still leaving some room for surprises.

As far as getting students to notice features of books, the information about the author/illustrator at the end of each book is unique, providing glimpses into the author/illustrator as children and how their experiences connect to the content of the current book. For example, this book shares how Barrows had many babysitters and provides glimpses into all that she did, while Blackall did not have babysitters, but babysat for many kids as a teenager. This gives something related to the book that will interest young readers and help them to think about who wrote and illustrated the books.

Released last November, the newest book in the series is #8, No News is Good News. I look forward to seeing if another is released this fall. Though I will wait until they come out in paperback, I will keep buying each new book for years to come, as when my oldest outgrows them, my youngest will still love them for a while longer.

Tia the Tulip Fairy

Last year my oldest daughter started loving the Rainbow Magic fairy transitional chapter books. Coming in various sets of books following certain patterns, the books provide readers with a layer of comfort. Whereas Junie B. Jones books start with the same paragraph and readers can expect a certain general direction of the books, these books are even more predictable. At the start of each set, readers come to expect that two friends, Kirsty and Rachel will find a fairy in need. Those fairies will let them know of something that Jack Frost and his goblins stole, and of course, Kirsty and Rachel will recover the items one book at a time until all is back to normal.

Thus, I already knew what to expect when I opened up Tia the Tulip Fairy, the initial book in the Petal Fairies set. At 67 pages with frequent illustrations, it is typical in length for the series. Because the initial books in the sets always have to set up the scenario for what Jack Frost and the goblins stole, by the time it gets to the confrontation with the goblins, all is resolved quickly. The remaining books in the sets typically have more space to build the tension over time.

The books also provide a simple introduction to the fantasy genre. The start of the books have maps, including key locations throughout the series, such as the Fairyland Palace, Jack Frost's Ice Castle, as well as locations specific to the set, such as Blossom Hall and the Fairy Garden.

Though they are meant to be read in succession, my girls often just grab a random book. Because they are so predictable, readers are not lost if they read them as stand alones. Some may argue that these books do not have a lot to offer because they are so predictable; however, I think that they serve a purpose of building motivation for some readers. As long as kids have an interest, I would advocate for providing access to the books. However, teachers and adults should be ready to think ahead to which books to suggest next when the pattern does get old. (And as a parent, I have to keep reminding myself that it is about when it gets old for the girls, rather than for me!)

Junie B. Jones is (almost) a Flower Girl

The Junie B. Jones series by Barbara Park and illustrated by Denise Brunkus provides engaging plots in a transitional chapter book format. Not surprisingly, Junie B. Jones is (almost) a Flower Girl starts with the same paragraph as every other Junie B. book, "My name is Junie B. Jones. The B stands for Beatrice..." (p. 1). While as an adult (and probably for some kids), the introduction is repetitive and not the greatest hook, for others it provides a comfortable start as they are transitioning from beginning picture books.

In this book, Junie B. starts out dismayed that her "boyfriend" Ricardo has decided that they should just be friends after she laid out the rules that as her boyfriend, he could not chase others at recess. Her parents, of course, were not very sympathetic about her plight, telling her that she was much too young to have a boyfriend and that it was much better at her age to be footloose and fancy free.

There is a glimmer of hope to distract Junie B. from the disappointment. Her aunt is getting married and her two best friends have told her all about being flower girls. Only, Junie B. learns that it will not necessarily end up the way she hopes. Nonetheless, she finds happiness in the book and comes to her own realization about the "true" meaning of her parents words when she least expects it.

With her funny antics, parents can notice aspects of Junie B. in kids her age, probably in a way that some kids miss. Yet, they are able to enjoy the voice of a strong-willed character about their age. With many books in the series, as well as the Junie B., First Grader series, readers who enjoy the Junie B. books have plenty of books to read in order to practice at a comfortable level until they are ready to move on to more complicated texts. Then they can still enjoy books in the series from time to time as they are looking for a quick, easy read.

Sarah, Plain and Tall

I remember watching Sarah, Plain and Tall when it was a television series when I was growing up, and we loved watching the episodes as a family. It always reminded me of Little House on the Prairie. At the time I did not realize that the series was actually based off of a set of books by Patricia MacLachlan. 

While reading the first book with the same name as the television series, my memory was refreshed that it was about a woman from Maine answering a newspaper ad for a wife and mother. The kids anxiously await Sarah's arrival, and once she is there, they are preoccupied, wondering if she will stay or if she will miss the sea and her family too much and end up returning.

I once again made comparisons to the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I thought about how the MacLachlan books are quick, relatively easy reads, ideal for a transitional reader. However, it would be ideal if the readers had some background about the time period so that they could better understand the book. That made me think about how it would be an excellent opportunity to pair up with a read aloud of a Laura Ingalls Wilder book. The read aloud would build background information to better enjoy reading MacLachlan's text independently. Another option that I could see as be for a parent to read aloud an Ingalls Wilder book to the child and to have the child read aloud the MacLachlan book. That way, both books would be a shared experience, discussing similarities and differences. I like that if the child is motivated by either of the books, there are more available from both of the authors.

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Even though The Twelve Dancing Princesses is Marianna Mayer's retelling of a traditional story, I was not familiar with it prior to reading this book other than the Barbie movie version.

 Accompanied by K. Y. Craft's paintings, Mayer introduces the story with a young farmer Peter who has a vision that he should go to the castle in the hopes that he will "succeed where others have failed," leading to him being able to marry a princess. Then it shifts to set the stage for a mystery at the castle that has the king perplexed and worried.There are many twists and turns  before reaching the happily ever after style conclusion.

While the book jacket lets the readers know that it is a traditional story, I was sad to see that there was not an author's note to provide more background about the history of it or to provide insights into the author's thought process while retelling. I was further dismayed when I went to get the link to the book on Amazon and saw the review by The School Library Journal stating, "In this lavishly illustrated but poorly structured retelling of the classic Grimm tale, Mayer retains little of the original, making major and inexplicable changes in the story [...]" I love to read updates to traditional stories, but I like to understand the background and notice the similarities and differences between versions. I guess that if I want to familiarize myself with the original or at least historically earlier versions of the tale, I will need to keep looking! Soon I will be reading Diane Zather's The Thirteenth Princess.

Judy Moody Goes to College

In Judy Moody Goes to College by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, Judy reflects on the importance of attitude. As such each chapter is titled ____-i-tude, such as Math-i-tude, Brat-i-tude, Cat-i-tude, and Grat-i-tude. The only exception is one titled A New Attitude. The titles are a fun play on word to spark creativity with words and to instill a love of word play.

At the start of the book Judy is clashing with a teacher filling in when Mr. Todd has an accident while on vacation. Judy is annoyed that the teacher recommended she could use the extra support of a math tutor. However, she quickly changes her mind when she realizes that she will go to college for her math tutor and that the sessions are from from the way her little brother said they would be. She ends up loving her time with her tutor and frequently brags about it to her classmates. Her chattering about college becomes so much of a distraction that the substitute teacher sends her to the Attitude Tent.

An interesting plot, accompanied by engaging art, makes this book an excellent choice for an early chapter book. Because it is a part of a series, readers can read other books by McDonald benefitting from the familiarity that comes with reading about the same characters.

Many Nations: An Alphabet of Native America

Many Nationas: An Alphabet of Native America by Joseph Bruchac and illustrated by Robert F. Goetzl has a single sentence for each letter of the alphabet accompanied by the style of illustration and background shown on the front cover. Some illustrations, such as the one for B, "Blackfeet riders following buffalo herds", span a two-page spread. However, the majority have a letter on each single page. Many of the letters selected are for the names of tribes, which provides readers with a glimpse into the rich, diverse history. However, a small portion of the alphabet does not feature tribes, but rather other important aspects, such as animals. The V is "Visions of the future held in each child's eye," and the X is "X marking the four directions from which we all come." 

The final page in the book contains an author's note in which he describes his purpose was indeed to "help children recognize the diversity of Native Americans." He discussed the difference between the number of tribes prior to Columbus compared to the number of tribes that most readers are familiar with. He also wanted to demonstrate common threads, such as the "respect for the natural world." The author continues to provide a little bit of background for some of the illustrations; however, he concludes that the book was only able to portray "a handful of the hundreds of surviving nations of Native America." He then expresses that he hopes the book will prompt readers to "respect and learn more about the many original nations of our land." 

As a reader, I did notice that it has captivating pictures along with short text that provides glimpses into the range of information that readers can consider and discover about Native American tribes. This alphabet book could be used in various grade levels. While many might often consider it for the lower grades because of the limited text, I can also see it as being effective as a read aloud at the start of a unit for older grades, allowing them to consider how they can expand what they already know about Native Americans. The illustrations aid in being able to capture a wide audience. 

Bruchac has written many books related to Native Americans, so teachers would be able to create text sets or an author study considering the age range. For example, for older readers, the text set could include some of his picture books, such as this one that would still have illustrations appealing to older readers along with some of his novels, while a text set for younger readers could feature his picture books. I have wanted to read his, Code Talkers: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two for a long time. 

Snakes Live in Grass

Snakes Live in Grass by Melving and Gilda Berger is an informational text that is a part of the Scholastic Readers: Time-to-Discover series. Each page has a similar layout of a rectangular photograph framed by a thinned colored border and one sentence of text. The first page is the same as the title, "Snakes live in grass." After that there is a pattern for each two-page spread. The left hand side says, "Snakes live in ____________", listing areas such as forests, deserts, near water, and under rocks. Then the right hand side is a sentence relevant to the specific place. Each two page spread also has an oval fun fact on top of one of the photographs. The last page is a stand alone page, similar to the right hand pages in the rest of the text, providing one more bit of information about snakes.

There is a lot that I like about the format of this book for emergent readers. The photographs are interesting and could prompt a lot of discussion about what readers notice and wonder. All of the text is in a large font and each page is limited to one sentence, with the exception of the fun facts pages that have one additional sentence. The left hand pages provide a pattern for kids to gain familiarity, but the left hand pages and fun facts add a layer of authenticity, rather than strictly following the pattern throughout the whole book. It seems like this series offers an engaging, comfortable way to start engaging in informational texts. You can read more about the other science related books in the series here.