#brl2

Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One is a second grade level chapter book with characters who first appeared in a picture book, The Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume. The Pain and the Great One was originally written as a poem for the book that accompanied the album and television special that aired in 1974, Free To Be You and Me.

The picture book version of The Pain and The Great One, still in print, is the story in verse of two siblings, a girl, The Great One, a third grader, and her brother, The Pain, a first grader. Although short on text, the words and illustrations combine to depict sibling rivalry and the different perspectives kids have on their siblings and how their parents treat them. In 1974 the bare expressions of jealousy and hatred this brother and sister have for each other was probably pretty revolutionary. After all, Judy Blume was the spearhead of the movement that presented real experiences and emotions felt by children and preadolescents in children's literature. Today, in the world of Junie B Jones and other outspoken sassy characters in books, television and movies, this book might seem like old hat. Nevertheless, I think that there is plenty of room for The Pain and The Great One in the world of second grade level chapter books.

Abigail, the Pain and Jake, the Great One, are introduced in alternating chapters in the first few pages of the book. The characters are sometimes a bit too precious and precocious, like when the Pain wears earmuffs to his visit with Mr Soupy, the barber, and won't let him get near his ears. However, most of the book is made up of stories and qualities that ring true. There is a great chapter titled "Soccer Doc," starring Jake, that addresses the problem of playing a team sport with a coach (and Dad of a friend) who makes playing less fun. This dilemma is resolved nicely and there is a good balance of adult presence and kid autonomy in the stories. My favorite chapter in the book is titled, "Party Girl" and stars Abigail. Because her real birthday is on July 4th and always celebrated with family rather than with her friends, Abigail yearns for a real party with pink (not red, white and blue) cake, a sleep over with friends and the absence of her brother. Her parents allow her to celebrate her half-birthday and have the party of her dreams. Falling in January, the day is a snowy one one. Jake wakes up sick and can't go to grandma's as planned. Sasha's mom won't let her come because she gets asthma from every little cold. Kaylee is sick, too. That leaves Emily, who has never slept at a friend's house before and doesn't like pink. However, she agrees to give it a try and the party goes well until bedtime. Abigail copes admirably and manages to enjoy her pink cake as well.

Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbucke by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, pictures by Abby Carter, is such a perfect book for a new reader who has just begun to be a fluent reader. At fifty-six pages with great illustrations throughout, it is just the right length. There are four chapters in each book, with a story arc that progresses from beginning to end, unlike a Frog and Toad book where each chapter is an individual story. Like the chapter books for more advanced readers, this book gives new readers the chance to try their skills on something a little longer with a slightly more complex story line than the average early reader book.

The plot of the book is very timely for emerging readers - school and socialization. Andy Shane, who lives with Granny Webb, gets along in this world just fine, unless Dolores Starbuckle is around to tell him what he is doing wrong. Andy Shane is a shy, observant boy who doesn't like being the center of attention, especially for the negative reasons Dolores keeps pointing out. Wonderful descriptions of the class room, Morning Meeting, math center and interactions with the teacher, Ms Janice, are simply but well written. When Dolores' attitude becomes too much, Andy Shane asks to stay home, but Granny Webb puts him on the bus anyway. When he walks into his classroom, Granny Webb is there helping out in the classroom. Dolores tries to boss Granny Webb, who is a bug expert and knows their Latin names, around as well. Granny Webb finds a way to get around Dolores and teach her a thing or two by having Andy Shane teach her something about bug names.

One of my favorite passages describes the relationship Granny Webb and Andy Shane have. "Andy Shane had lived with Granny Webb all his life. When he came into the world, he needed someone who could take good care of him. Granny Webb needed someone to share the fun of the hilly woods, salamanders, and stories with. So the two of them became a family. Just like that." This is a great representation of the Jaconson's straightforward writing and focus on connections between people, which is a lot from a book this short written at this reading level.

Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick, Andy Shane is Not in Love, Andy Shane and the Barn Sale Mystery and Andy Shane and the Queen of Egypt are available in paperback as well as the above book. Andy Shane, Hero at Last is available only in hardcover only right now.

Marie-Louise Gay is the author and illustrator of many picture books, including the "Stella" and "Sam" series. Her bright and gentle water colors, along with the quirky siblings, big sister Stella and little brother Sam, make for beautiful books for the 2- 4 year old crowd and are also good beginning readers for older children. Gay also illustrates the "Houndsley and Catina" series of beginning reader books written by James Howe, of "Bunnicula" fame. Travels with my Family is her first chapter book, and, along with her husband (and traveling partner) David Homel, they have written a wonderful book, which I suspect is largely autobiographical as the author info notes that they have two sons and a cat named Miro.

The book consists of nine chapters, each one recounting a different vacation trip. However, as Charlie, the narrator and big brother to Max, states in the very first paragraph of the book, his parents don't go on on "normal" vacations that include hotels with swimming pools, amusement parks, giant water slides or miniature golf. When Charlie's family travels, they go in a car with no air conditioning and their cat, Miro joins them and gets carsick. Instead of "fun" vacations, Charlie's family travels to Maine and gets a visit from hurricane Bob. From there they head to Tybee Island off the coast of Georgia where Max, who can't swim, is almost drowned when the family is stranded on a shrinking sand bar as the tide comes in. They also visit northern California, where Charlie rescues Max from a sneaker wave. Not having a change of clothes, Max is forced to sit wrapped in a table cloth in the laundromat in the town of Punta Reyes as his clothes dry. They also get stuck in a sand storm in Arizona, meet some crazy farm animals on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, have a heart stopping moment in the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and have some harrying adventures in Mexico, including a man who tries to fix their car engine with a spoon.

This book is ideal because it is a really well written, entertaining book for kids reading at a high second or third grade reading level and there are so few of these. It is really a travelogue more than a traditional chapter book with a plot, a climax and a resolution. Gay's illustrations lose some of their beauty in black and white, but they are a playful, welcome addition to the text. Travels with My Family is also a super book because all families take vacations, even if it is just a six hour drive to visit grandparents, so everyone can relate to these stories. As I was reading it, I was reminded of some of the crazy, but mostly fun, family vacations I have been on with my husband, kids and extended family (there were eighteen of us at a villa in Tuscany last summer) over the last five years. If you are reading this out loud to your kids, it's a great opportunity to reminisce. It's also the perfect inspiration to sit down and write out some of your own memories of family trips with your kids' help. Gay and Homel have written a sequel, On the Road Again, More Travels with my Family, in which they move the kids to the French countryside for a year. Currently it is only in hardcover.

If you read my review of Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid, you know how that I am newly and very pleasantly surprised by Megan McDonald, a well loved author who has definitely left her mark on the world of children's books with her Judy Moody series. But what I will remember and value her for most is the brilliance of the her Stink series, which is will appeal to boys and is superlative among books written at this reading level, a level for emerging readers that serves as a bridge between leveled readers and traditional chapter books.

My favorite parts of Stink and the Incredible Super-Galactic Jawbreaker involve idioms, which are being taught to Stink by his 2nd grade teacher Ms. Dempster, and the power of letter writing, the formal structure of which is also being taught in school. As I mentioned in my review of Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid, the kids in Ms. Dempster's class are always writing, which I think is fantastic! When he purchases what he considers to be a faulty jawbreaker, Stink writes a letter of complaint to the candy manufacturer. To his great joy and surprise, the company sends him a complimentary ten pound box of 21,280 jawbreakers for his trouble. This immediately inspires Stink to write several more hilarious letters of complaint that net him even more candy, toys and other assorted goodies.

McDonald has a few other plot threads working, one of which involves glow-in-the-dark bacon and egg pajamas, a misplaced birthday party invitation, an accidental punch in the head to Stink's best friend Webster, and a really excellent use for all the swag Stink accumulates. As usual, McDonald does some great classroom story telling, this time involving the coolest pajama day ever. I have seen a few pajama days in my time, usually in kindergarten, but never one that, in addition to the usual stuffed animals and parades, included a spooky story time with drums.

The best part of this book, besides all the candy -  and who doesn't love creative writing about candy??? - is the page of idioms at the end of the book. McDonald does a great job of weaving them throughout the story and is thoughtful enough to list 37 of them. I was fascinated by idioms as a teenager and tried, feebly, to make my own list (this was before the wealth of information to be found online.) This made me question making them an integral part of a book intended for second graders, but, I am all for throwing concepts like this at kids at an early age because I am all about the written word and where it can take you!

The Stink Series:

Readers who enjoyed this book might also like: Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon

Sticky Burr by John Lechner

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Megan McDonald has definitely left her mark on the world of children's books with her Judy Moody series, which debuted in 2000 and is now fifteen books strong. But what I will remember and value her for most is the brilliance of the her Stink series, which began in 2005. Stink, aka James Moody, is Judy's younger brother and his series of books is written at a lower reading level. And in this, they have stood out on the shelves of the chapter book section from day one. The format of the Stink series is markedly different from the super popular Junie B Jones and Magic Tree House chapter books. The font is larger, the trim size of the book itself is square rather than the traditional rectangular, the illustrations are more numerous (Stink draws a comic strip that ends each chapter!) and the page count is a bit shorter. This all adds up to what I consider to be the perfect Bridge Chapter Book that will carry your emerging reader from leveled readers to traditional chapter books. 

I enjoyed Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid, the first book in the series, so much that I went on to Stink and the Incredible Super-Galactic Jawbreaker immediately and enjoyed it even more than the first book! The illustrations by Peter H Reynolds, a fabulous children's book author and illustrator in his own right (Sky Color, the dot, and ish) are the perfectly matched with the text, which makes sense since Reynolds illustrates the Judy Moody series. Peter H Reynolds is also the co-owner of The Blue Bunny Bookstore in Dedham, MA. The Blue Bunny publishes the semi-annual Hutch: A Kids' Literary and Art Magazine which features stories, poems and art work by kids as well as contributions by Peter H Reynolds and other guest authors and illustrators. And, as if this wasn't enough, Peter is the president and creative director of FableVision Studios where he produces award-winning children's broadcast programming, educational videos, and multimedia applications.

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid, short as it may be, is filled with many different plot threads. There is humor and name calling, done mostly by Judy, creating a believable sibling relationship and taking up a little less than half the story. Then there are Stink's school experiences, which, while on the whole were much more exciting and entertaining than anything I remember from my lower elementary school experience - or my kids' - nevertheless rang true. McDonald superbly captures the childhood feeling of "everything is wrong and nothing ever goes right for me," when Stink, who hates being the shortest kid in his class believes that he is shrinking. His teacher even reads a book (a real book - click the title for my review) called The Shrinking of Treehorn, about a boy who is getting smaller. The story swings to the elated feeling that everything is going just right when Stink gets to collect the milk for lunch AND is chosen to take home Newton, the class pet.

One part of the book that I must mention, and I feel like a huge alarmist for doing so, but I must, is when Judy accidentally drops Newton the Newt down the drain of the kitchen sink then, in an effort to have enough light to find him by, accidentally grinds him up in the garbage disposal. Maybe I am just a big baby about (accidental) cruelty to animals, maybe it is because I have been accessory to more than one accidental small animal death in my  years of parenting, maybe it is because I, as an adult know how the garbage disposal really works, but this scene REALLY disturbed me. I was merrily reading along and experienced a bit of concern when I saw the illustration of Newton, mid-air as he slipped from Judy's hands. But, I let out an audible gasp when I turned the page and saw the next illustration showing Judy reaching up and flipping a switch next to the sink and I rarely make audible sounds when reading anything, adult, kid or otherwise. Having flipped the wrong switch many a time, I knew what to expect but could not believe that McDonald would take that path. I went back and re-read the pages to make sure that it didn't really happen. But it did. Then I sped-read to the end of the book because, foolishly, I thought that Newton might not really be dead.

However, much, much much to Megan McDonald's credit, she deals with this event wonderfully. Perhaps because of the humorous tone of the books, as well as the age of the intended reader, Judy does not experience too much remorse for being the Hand of Death. She tells Stink it's part of the cycle of life (thank you, Lion King.) Stink does seem to be a little bit sad, but really, in my experience, most kids do not get that wrapped up in the death of a small pet. My son was practically indifferent when I broke the news to him that one of his two hermit crabs cannibalized the other then died two days later for obvious reasons.  Getting back to McDonald's brilliant classroom writing, when Stink tells his teacher what happened on Monday morning, she very wisely suggests that they tell the class simply that Newton escaped. Then she has the class write stories about what they imagine Newton is up to now that he is "free in the world..." The kids in Stink's class are always writing, which as we all know is a crucial component of any education, and I love that McDonald is setting this example and making writing seem like the most natural, obvious thing that we as learners and humans can do. I can only hope that my youngest child has a second grade teacher who asks as much of him.

Another lovely component of McDonald's storytelling are the Moody parents, who play a small but important part in the book. Mrs Dempster, Stink's teacher, has begun teaching the class how to write letters. As part of a President's Day project, Stink chooses James Madison, the shortest President of the United States ever, for obvious reasons. As he learns about Madison, Stink is compelled to write a letter to the governor of Virginia to suggest that James Madison be on the state quarter, not ships. To cheer Stink up, his parents throw a surprise President's Day birthday party on the holiday complete with cupcakes and presents as well as a letter from the governor that includes a very special surprise.

I had no idea I had so much to say about this little book. It has made a very good impression on me and I recommend it highly. It would make a great read out loud but, because it is one of the rare, truly well written books at this reading level, encourage your children - boys or girls - to read the rest of the series on their own!

The Stink Series:

Readers who enjoyed this book might also like: Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon

Sticky Burr by John Lechner

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Megan McDonald has definitely left her mark on the world of children's books with her Judy Moody series, which debuted in 2000 and is now fifteen books strong. But what I will remember and value her for most is the brilliance of the her Stink series, which began in 2005. Stink, aka James Moody, is Judy's younger brother and his series of books is written at a lower reading level. And in this, they have stood out on the shelves of the chapter book section from day one. The format of the Stink series is markedly different from the super popular Junie B Jones and Magic Tree House chapter books. The font is larger, the trim size of the book itself is square rather than the traditional rectangular, the illustrations are more numerous (Stink draws a comic strip that ends each chapter!) and the page count is a bit shorter. This all adds up to what I consider to be the perfect Bridge Chapter Book that will carry your emerging reader from leveled readers to traditional chapter books. 

I enjoyed Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid, the first book in the series, so much that I went on to Stink and the Incredible Super-Galactic Jawbreaker immediately and enjoyed it even more than the first book! The illustrations by Peter H Reynolds, a fabulous children's book author and illustrator in his own right (Sky Color, the dot, and ish) are the perfectly matched with the text, which makes sense since Reynolds illustrates the Judy Moody series. Peter H Reynolds is also the co-owner of The Blue Bunny Bookstore in Dedham, MA. The Blue Bunny publishes the semi-annual Hutch: A Kids' Literary and Art Magazine which features stories, poems and art work by kids as well as contributions by Peter H Reynolds and other guest authors and illustrators. And, as if this wasn't enough, Peter is the president and creative director of FableVision Studios where he produces award-winning children's broadcast programming, educational videos, and multimedia applications.

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid, short as it may be, is filled with many different plot threads. There is humor and name calling, done mostly by Judy, creating a believable sibling relationship and taking up a little less than half the story. Then there are Stink's school experiences, which, while on the whole were much more exciting and entertaining than anything I remember from my lower elementary school experience - or my kids' - nevertheless rang true. McDonald superbly captures the childhood feeling of "everything is wrong and nothing ever goes right for me," when Stink, who hates being the shortest kid in his class believes that he is shrinking. His teacher even reads a book (a real book - click the title for my review) called The Shrinking of Treehorn, about a boy who is getting smaller. The story swings to the elated feeling that everything is going just right when Stink gets to collect the milk for lunch AND is chosen to take home Newton, the class pet.

One part of the book that I must mention, and I feel like a huge alarmist for doing so, but I must, is when Judy accidentally drops Newton the Newt down the drain of the kitchen sink then, in an effort to have enough light to find him by, accidentally grinds him up in the garbage disposal. Maybe I am just a big baby about (accidental) cruelty to animals, maybe it is because I have been accessory to more than one accidental small animal death in my  years of parenting, maybe it is because I, as an adult know how the garbage disposal really works, but this scene REALLY disturbed me. I was merrily reading along and experienced a bit of concern when I saw the illustration of Newton, mid-air as he slipped from Judy's hands. But, I let out an audible gasp when I turned the page and saw the next illustration showing Judy reaching up and flipping a switch next to the sink and I rarely make audible sounds when reading anything, adult, kid or otherwise. Having flipped the wrong switch many a time, I knew what to expect but could not believe that McDonald would take that path. I went back and re-read the pages to make sure that it didn't really happen. But it did. Then I sped-read to the end of the book because, foolishly, I thought that Newton might not really be dead.

However, much, much much to Megan McDonald's credit, she deals with this event wonderfully. Perhaps because of the humorous tone of the books, as well as the age of the intended reader, Judy does not experience too much remorse for being the Hand of Death. She tells Stink it's part of the cycle of life (thank you, Lion King.) Stink does seem to be a little bit sad, but really, in my experience, most kids do not get that wrapped up in the death of a small pet. My son was practically indifferent when I broke the news to him that one of his two hermit crabs cannibalized the other then died two days later for obvious reasons.  Getting back to McDonald's brilliant classroom writing, when Stink tells his teacher what happened on Monday morning, she very wisely suggests that they tell the class simply that Newton escaped. Then she has the class write stories about what they imagine Newton is up to now that he is "free in the world..." The kids in Stink's class are always writing, which as we all know is a crucial component of any education, and I love that McDonald is setting this example and making writing seem like the most natural, obvious thing that we as learners and humans can do. I can only hope that my youngest child has a second grade teacher who asks as much of him.

Another lovely component of McDonald's storytelling are the Moody parents, who play a small but important part in the book. Mrs Dempster, Stink's teacher, has begun teaching the class how to write letters. As part of a President's Day project, Stink chooses James Madison, the shortest President of the United States ever, for obvious reasons. As he learns about Madison, Stink is compelled to write a letter to the governor of Virginia to suggest that James Madison be on the state quarter, not ships. To cheer Stink up, his parents throw a surprise President's Day birthday party on the holiday complete with cupcakes and presents as well as a letter from the governor that includes a very special surprise.

I had no idea I had so much to say about this little book. It has made a very good impression on me and I recommend it highly. It would make a great read out loud but, because it is one of the rare, truly well written books at this reading level, encourage your children - boys or girls - to read the rest of the series on their own!

The Stink Series:

Readers who enjoyed this book might also like: Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon

Sticky Burr by John Lechner

Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One is a second grade level chapter book with characters who first appeared in a picture book, The Pain and the Great One by Judy Blume. The Pain and the Great One was originally written as a poem for the book that accompanied the album and television special that aired in 1974, Free To Be You and Me.

The picture book version of The Pain and The Great One, still in print, is the story in verse of two siblings, a girl, The Great One, a third grader, and her brother, The Pain, a first grader. Although short on text, the words and illustrations combine to depict sibling rivalry and the different perspectives kids have on their siblings and how their parents treat them. In 1974 the bare expressions of jealousy and hatred this brother and sister have for each other was probably pretty revolutionary. After all, Judy Blume was the spearhead of the movement that presented real experiences and emotions felt by children and preadolescents in children's literature. Today, in the world of Junie B Jones and other outspoken sassy characters in books, television and movies, this book might seem like old hat. Nevertheless, I think that there is plenty of room for The Pain and The Great One in the world of second grade level chapter books.

Abigail, the Pain and Jake, the Great One, are introduced in alternating chapters in the first few pages of the book. The characters are sometimes a bit too precious and precocious, like when the Pain wears earmuffs to his visit with Mr Soupy, the barber, and won't let him get near his ears. However, most of the book is made up of stories and qualities that ring true. There is a great chapter titled "Soccer Doc," starring Jake, that addresses the problem of playing a team sport with a coach (and Dad of a friend) who makes playing less fun. This dilemma is resolved nicely and there is a good balance of adult presence and kid autonomy in the stories. My favorite chapter in the book is titled, "Party Girl" and stars Abigail. Because her real birthday is on July 4th and always celebrated with family rather than with her friends, Abigail yearns for a real party with pink (not red, white and blue) cake, a sleep over with friends and the absence of her brother. Her parents allow her to celebrate her half-birthday and have the party of her dreams. Falling in January, the day is a snowy one one. Jake wakes up sick and can't go to grandma's as planned. Sasha's mom won't let her come because she gets asthma from every little cold. Kaylee is sick, too. That leaves Emily, who has never slept at a friend's house before and doesn't like pink. However, she agrees to give it a try and the party goes well until bedtime. Abigail copes admirably and manages to enjoy her pink cake as well.

Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbucke by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, pictures by Abby Carter, is such a perfect book for a new reader who has just begun to be a fluent reader. At fifty-six pages with great illustrations throughout, it is just the right length. There are four chapters in each book, with a story arc that progresses from beginning to end, unlike a Frog and Toad book where each chapter is an individual story. Like the chapter books for more advanced readers, this book gives new readers the chance to try their skills on something a little longer with a slightly more complex story line than the average early reader book.

The plot of the book is very timely for emerging readers - school and socialization. Andy Shane, who lives with Granny Webb, gets along in this world just fine, unless Dolores Starbuckle is around to tell him what he is doing wrong. Andy Shane is a shy, observant boy who doesn't like being the center of attention, especially for the negative reasons Dolores keeps pointing out. Wonderful descriptions of the class room, Morning Meeting, math center and interactions with the teacher, Ms Janice, are simply but well written. When Dolores' attitude becomes too much, Andy Shane asks to stay home, but Granny Webb puts him on the bus anyway. When he walks into his classroom, Granny Webb is there helping out in the classroom. Dolores tries to boss Granny Webb, who is a bug expert and knows their Latin names, around as well. Granny Webb finds a way to get around Dolores and teach her a thing or two by having Andy Shane teach her something about bug names.

One of my favorite passages describes the relationship Granny Webb and Andy Shane have. "Andy Shane had lived with Granny Webb all his life. When he came into the world, he needed someone who could take good care of him. Granny Webb needed someone to share the fun of the hilly woods, salamanders, and stories with. So the two of them became a family. Just like that." This is a great representation of the Jaconson's straightforward writing and focus on connections between people, which is a lot from a book this short written at this reading level.

Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick, Andy Shane is Not in Love, Andy Shane and the Barn Sale Mystery and Andy Shane and the Queen of Egypt are available in paperback as well as the above book. Andy Shane, Hero at Last is available only in hardcover only right now.