Hunter, Linzie. 2021. What If, Pig? HarperCollins. 40 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-298609-2.

Mouse loves his friend Pig who is the nicest pig you ever met. Pig is also “incredibly kind, fabulously fun, and endlessly generous”. Everyone wanted a friend like Pig. Pig decides to throw a party and that’s when Mouse, along with all of the other animals, discovers that Pig is a tremendous worrier. Pig worries that a ferocious lion may eat all the invitations or eat all of his guests! Pig worries that everyone might get stuck in a massive blizzard and may not be able to even come to the party. Finally, Pig worries what if everybody comes and has an absolutely awful time. Mouse takes Pig's mind off his worries and takes Pig for a walk. Pig finds out that everybody worries sometimes. Early readers will be able to relate to the story and enjoy the illustrations that jump off the page with their beautiful colors. The story reminds us all that friends can help you get through anything; especially if you worry about things like Pig. (CWG)

 

Hunter, Linzie. 2021. What If, Pig? HarperCollins. 40 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-298609-2.

This story is about a pig who has a lot of friends including a special one named Mouse. Pig worries that a bunch of things will go wrong in a party he is throwing. His friends need to help him stay calm. The main characters in the story are Pig and Mouse. Most of the action takes place at Pig’s party. I like this book because it teaches you not to worry. It also teaches you to use your best version of yourself. You just have to believe. I would recommend that a friend read this book because it is a book that has a moral claim and it inspires me to be a good person. (B)

 

Raúl the Third III. 2021. Training Day (World of ¡Vamos!). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Versify; Bilingual Edition) 56 pp. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-358-38038-2. Collaborator Elaine Bay.

Here’s another adventure in the series of El Toro the wrestler. In this book, Kooky Dooky, his trainer, attempts to help El Toro prepare for his next fight with “The Wall”, the undefeated champion of the world. The first step in his training will be to get El Toro out of bed. El Toro makes one excuse after another excuse to avoid the training steps, but eventually Kooky Dooky convinces El Toro to begin his training in order to please his adoring fans and defeat “The Wall”. Young readers will enjoy practicing both their English and Spanish words as they read this silly story about the uncommon training ideas Kooky has for El Toro including chasing the chickens, rolling like the tumbleweeds, crushing cars into cubes and swinging at the “spiked pinatas of doom”. Young readers will enjoy the comic format and the unique illustrations enriched with the unique coloring by Elaine Bay.

 

Raúl the Third III. 2021. Tag Team (World of ¡Vamos!). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Versify; Bilingual Edition)
Company. 56 pp. $9.99. ISBN 978-0-358-38039-9. Collaborator Elaine Bay.

This is another adventure in the series of El Toro the wrestler. In this book, El Toro, the undefeated champion of the world, teams up with La Oink Oink and battles Donny Dollars and Bald Aquila for the tag team championship of the world. After winning the tag team match, El Toro’s helpers, Mal Burro and Peeky Pequeno, are busy so El Toro has to recruit La Oink Oink to help him remove the basura (trash), clean the sticky floors, unclog the toilets, and clean the dirty dishes in the stadium. With music playing in the background, the “best tag team ever” cleaned El Coliseo together. Readers will again enjoy practicing both their English and Spanish words as they read another story in the El Toro series. Young readers will enjoy the comic format and the unique illustrations enriched with the unique coloring by Elaine Bay.

 

Pinkfong. 2021. Baby Shark: Time for School. HarperCollins. 24 pp. $10.99. ISBN 978-0-06-304288-9.

Baby Shark Swims out of bed, eats a big breakfast, brushes his teeth and is ready to start his first day at school. This is another book in the series about Baby Sharks who swim onto the underwater bus to go on another adventure. He meets many of his underwater neighbors along the way who share with Little Shark the great things that he is going to experience at school. Mommy Crab loved art class because she could “hold all of the crayons with one claw”. The big blue whale remembered that his teacher “always read the funniest stories”. A little green turtle told Baby Shark that he “made so many friends at school”. Like many children starting school, Baby Shark gets a little nervous as they head into the cave and leave his neighborhood ocean. An electric eel reassures Baby Shark that “it’s okay to be scared” and that he’d find something to be excited about at school. Baby Sharks learn that there is something at school for everyone. The book includes a page of stickers, a fold out poster and a coloring page from the book. Young readers, especially those who are heading to their first week of school in preschool or kindergarten, will relate to Baby Shark’s nervousness about starting school.

 

Pinkfong. 2021. Baby Shark: Time for School. HarperCollins. 24 pp. $10.99. ISBN 978-0-06-304288-9. 

This story is about Baby Shark’s first day of school and the animals he passes on the bus. The main characters are the Baby Shark and his parents. I like this book because it is funny. I would recommend this book because Baby Shark sings as he is doing his morning routine. (Elliott, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School)

 

 

 

Barnaby, Hannah. 2020. There’s Something About Sam. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-1-328-76680-9. Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf.

There’s always new students in school throughout the entire school year. Young readers will enjoy this book about making new friends at school and learning how someone who is “different'' may be the best friend of all. Max’s mother is insisting that all of the boys in his third grade class have to be invited to his birthday party sleepover; even the new boy named Sam. Max always thought there was “something different about Sam”, but made out an invitation to hand out to the boys in his class the next day. All of the boys were excited to come to Max’s birthday party sleepover; except Sam who wasn’t sure if he could come that night because there was a “full moon that night”. As the day for his birthday party sleepover gets closer and closer, Max decides to find more out about the new boy at school. The events at the birthday party sleepover reveals there was indeed “something different about Sam” including liking his hamburgers rare, trying to bite Jeremy during a game of Twister and discovering that his hands that were “covered with hair” with claws that were “long and sharp”. Young readers will want to read over and over this captivating story about Max’s new friend Sam. The whimsical illustrations by Anne Wilsdorf add details that young readers will enjoy. There is indeed “something different about Sam”, which early readers will embrace every time they read the story.

 

Burach, Ross. 2021. The Little Butterfly That Could. Scholastic Inc. (Scholastic Press) 40 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-1-33-861500-5.

There’s a great lesson in the story of The Little Butterfly That Could reaching far beyond a lesson about caterpillars and butterflies. Little Butterfly gets left behind as all of the other butterflies begin their migratory trip to find flowers without him. Little Butterfly is scared to begin the 200 mile journey alone to find his flowers but learns from his friend the Whale that he will “get there! One mile at a time.” Whale reminds Little Butterfly that “we all get scared” and that everyone has “to keep trying”. Little Butterfly, like many young readers, learns to believe in himself. This positive and inspirational book will become a personal favorite and will connect with young readers who have ever struggled with a problem or overcome a fear in their life. Like Little Butterfly says, “if at first you don’t succeed . . . fly, fly again!” The whimsical illustrations perfectly support the story line and will engage the young reader from page to page.

 

Union, Gabrialle & Wade, Dwyane. 2021. Shady Baby. HarperCollins. 32 pp. $18.99. ISBN 978-0-06-305403-5. Illustrated by Tara Nicole Whitaker.

Shady Baby is always the first one to stand up for her friends. When the tables are turned, Shady Baby wonders if her friends will stand up for her. Shady Baby gently leads others, uses her gentle voice, remains calm, and values her friends. Shady Baby’s “shade” comes out as a look, a comment, or a gesture because “shade” is always her super power. Early readers will enjoy a day with Shady Baby as she goes to the pool, plays basketball, and swings at the park. Shady Baby is the one who can help solve problems and remind her friends to “give kindness a try”. This poetic story reminds early readers about some of the ways we can all have friends by taking turns, sharing with each other and playing together. The realistic illustrations bring you into the story and teaches kids to speak their minds and stand up for what they believe in.

 

Union, Gabrialle & Wade, Dwyane. 2021. Shady Baby. HarperCollins. 32
pp. $18.99. ISBN 978-0-06-305403-5. Illustrated by Tara Nicole Whitaker.

This story is about Shady Baby and making friends. The main character is Shady Baby. The story takes place in lots of places like the pool, the basketball court, the playground, swings, and even the sandbox. I like this book because it tells you how to share and how to make friends. I would recommend that a friend read this book because it shows how to be nice and kind and not mean. (Jasmine, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School)

 

 

 

Adamson, Ged. 2021. Scribbly. HarperCollins. 40 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-267082-3.

Maude has moved into a new town. Like anyone moving to a new home, Maude is trying to make friends. Although it was fun and exciting at first, there was something missing from Maude’s new home...someone to play with. Maude starts to scribble and, with a “twinkle of imagination”, the scribble turns into a “scribbnificent new friend” named Scribbly. Scribbly was the best friend that anyone could have except the times when Scribbly was naughty. Maude’s mother tries to understand about her daughter’s imaginary friend, but it was hard for her as an adult to understand how important Scribbly was to Maude. Even though Maude’s mother suggested Scribbly stay home, Maude brought Scribbly to their upstairs neighbor’s birthday party. Maude and Scribbly made many new friends at the party. Read this charming story and see how Maude and her mother help Scribbly, Maude’s “scribbnificent new friend”, find just the right place to live. This is a great story about an imaginary friend that young readers can relate to in their own lives.

 

Adamson, Ged. 2021. Scribbly. HarperCollins. 40 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-267082-3.

This story is about a dog that someone drew and thinks it is real. She thinks it grew out of the paper. The main characters are Scibbly, the dog, and the girl who thinks the dog is real. The settings are places all around town. I like this book because it is a real story about someone having an imaginary friend. I would recommend this book to a friend because it shows that if you have no one to play with, you can think of something. (Ella, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School)

 

 

 

Wade, Stef. 2021. Q & U Call It Quits. HarperCollins (Quill Tree Books). 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-297968-8. Illustrated by Jorge Martin.

Q & U were great friends. Just like the two letters of the alphabet that need each other. They quilt together, go on quests together because they are a true squad! U decides that Q needs her more than she needs him. All of a sudden Q felt useless when U decided to venture off and help other letters like N and S. Q tried to make other friends too, but he just didn’t seem to be able to pair up with other friends. Q went back to U and asked if she wanted to have a barbeque, but U was “too tired”. Q asked U to quiz each other on movie quotes , but U was “not in the mood”. It seems like U desire to be alone became popular with all of the alphabet letters who also wanted to be alone. Eventually U realizes that this “peaceful break wasn’t so peaceful anymore”. U really missed Q and decided that she can’t quit Q and Q comes in for a squeeze. Q & U decided to request all of their alphabet friends make up and “after that day, all letters stuck together because they knew life wasn’t the same if they didn’t.” Early readers, learning the alphabet or learning how to write, will enjoy this reminder that Q and U are always found side by side and will be friends forever.

 

Wade, Stef. 2021. Q & U Call It Quits. HarperCollins (Quill Tree Books). 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-297968-8. Illustrated by Jorge Martin.

Q & U were friends, but U got tired of Q playing with him. The main characters are Q and U. I like this book because it is creative. I would recommend that a friend read this book because we all need friends. (Anders, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School)

 

 

 

Misslin, Sylvie & Piu Amandine. 2020. Princess Adventures: This Way or That Way. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. 44 pp. $14.99. ISBN 978-0-358-05186-2.

Princesses Rose and Josephine are always ready for an adventure and are trying to find a castle to explore. Young readers will enjoy the rebus pictures and the tabbed pages that provide various “paths through woods” as they go through this magical story about adventure, castles, friends, dragons, treats and even a happy ending. On one path the princesses end up in the woods eating raspberries and finding an abandoned cottage, but not finding a single castle. On another path the princesses discover a mysterious cave and a family of bats, but not a single castle. On a third path the princesses come upon a castle, a sleeping prince and some yummy treats prepared for the prince’s afternoon tea. Only two of the paths lead to happy endings and new friends. Choose a different path every time you read this story and enjoy it over and over again. The charming and interactive-book will be a favorite in any classroom.

 

Sarah Kurpiel. 2021. Original Cat, Copy Cat. HarperCollins 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-294383-5.

Every classroom has kids who are “copy cats”. This story, Original Cat, Copy Cat, is about two cats who end up both being copy cats. Pineapple was a cat who lived alone, had a routine and enjoyed his life, but then one day “he wasn’t the only cat anymore”. Kiwi was the new cat in the house. Kiwi was fast, loud and quite exhausting. Kiwi was a real “copy cat” and everything that Pineapple did,Kiwi did too. It was too much for Pineapple and he decided to have a cat-to-cat face off with Kiwi and Kiwi zooms out of sight. Unfortunately for Pineapple, the routine he used to like seems boring and the house he loved to be in grew quieter and quieter. Pineapple decides to search for his friend Kiwi and discovers that Kiwi wasn’t lost at all. From then on Pineapple “copied” Kiwi or was Kiwi still “copying” Pineapple. Young readers, who have a cat or have ever wanted a cat, will enjoy this
story. Teachers can use this story to talk about being a friend, but remembering to be your own self and not “copying” everything a friend does just to have a best friend.

 

Sarah Kurpiel. 2021. Original Cat, Copy Cat. HarperCollins 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-294383-5.

This story is about a cat named Pineapple who was very lonely. Then there was a cat named Kiwi. Kiwi copied Pineapple, but Pineapple didn’t like it. Pineapple got worried when Kiwi disappeared. The characters are Pineapple and Kiwi and the setting is Pineapple’s house. I like this book because it has good meaning. I would recommend that a friend read this book because it teaches you to love the things that are important. (Izzy, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School)

 

 

 

Blue, Beatrice. 2020. Once Upon A Unicorn’s Horn. Houghton Mifflin Harcout (Clarion Books). 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-358-22926-1.

Did you ever wonder why unicorns have horns? It all started in a magic forest when a little girl named June discovered the greatest treasure of all; “tiny magic horses learning to fly”. Young readers will enjoy this story about helping the little horse fly and making his fur shake his tail flutter. June discovers that helping a little horse to fly is harder than she thought it would be. They tried rolling, jumping, running really fast and still nothing happened and the little horse still couldn't fly. June thought her powerful magic wand must be broken. June and her parents work together to figure out a way to help the little horse learn to fly and discover an important lesson about magic. June rushes to her new friend with something sweet, something happy and something to share which she is sure will help the tiny horse learn to fly, but falls on the way and the cone ends up on the tiny horse’s head like a horn. The near disaster turns into a magical day as it makes June and her new friend smile and laugh. The little horse enjoyed his new horn so much that he “shook his soft fur and fluttered his sparkly tail” and learned to fly. The forest was indeed magical and from that day on flying horses have been called unicorns. The real lesson of the story isn’t about magic, but rather that “magic is deep inside” each of us and we don’t need a magic wand to learn to fly.

 

Green, Simon James. 2021. Llama Glamarama. Scholastic Inc. (Orchard Books) 32 pp. $14.99. ISBN 978-1-338-73618-2. Illustrated by Garry Parsons.

Larry the Llama’s big secret is that late at night, when no one is watching, he loves to dance. All the other llamas in the barn followed the rules and did what they were told. Then, one day Larry stumbles upon the Llama Glamorama! Parsons' vivid and raucous illustrations catch Larry toe-tappin, hand-clappin’, dazzlin’ and dancin’. Larry’s llama friends almost catch him dancing in the middle of the night and see that there are ballet shoes on his bedposts, but Larry tells his friends that he uses them for drinking tea. The close call convinces Larry that he should sneak away at night because none of his friends like to shimmy and flit like he did. As Larry is gloomily running away he sees a poster in the middle of the forest which advertises music, dancing and even free apples at the fairgrounds. Much to his surprise, Larry found llamas enjoying all kinds of dancing including the tango, the salsa, hip-hop and even the fandango. Larry returns to the barn and confesses to his llama friends that he loves to dance. Young readers will want to read the story of Llama Glamarama to find out why friends will like you, especially if you “love to dance”.

 

MacLachlan, Patricia & MacLachlan Charest, Emily. 2018. Little Robot Alone. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Clarion Books). 40 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-54-444280-1. Illustrated by Matt Phelan.

This is a great story about a little robot who lived alone. Little Robot “lived in a white house on a green hill by a blue pond”. He had a wonderful life, but he often felt lonely. Little Robot had a dream which gave him a new idea about how to cure his loneliness. He decided to build his own robot dog so he would have a friend. This is a totally engaging story about Little Robot who found his life a little bit too peaceful. Little Robot discovers that with a little hard work, perseverance and inventive thinking, he could find a cure for his loneliness. Matt Phelan’s heart-warming illustrations bring this book to life. Follow this adventure as Little Robot goes to work building his own dog who woofs, wags his broom tail and becomes his best friend. Young readers will love this story about Little Robot and Little Dog. The charming story provides a great venue to discuss the importance of pets in our lives as companions and friends when we all get lonely. Cover up under your own “moonlit quilt” and read Little Robot Alone.

 

Gripp, Parry. 2021. It’s Raining Tacos. HarperCollins. 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN
978-0-06-300647-8. Illustrated by Peter Emmerich.

This is a remarkable book that will get you singing, clapping and maybe even dancing. Parry Gripp creates an absolutely irresistible crunchy song and story about raining tacos. It’s a birthday party and one of the guests brings a “biggest, fluffiest pooch” as a birthday gift. The birthday boy makes a wish as he blows out the candles on his cake and his wish comes true. It starts to rain tacos. The illustrations by Peter Emmerich create a vibrant birthday celebration with taco shells, lettuce, cheese and meat and a dog running in and out of the pages. Early readers will love this book about tacos and birthday cake, but have some tacos ready to eat. Check out the myriad of kid-created YouTube videos that bring the book and the song to life. Get crunching!

 

Gripp, Parry. 2021. It’s Raining Tacos. HarperCollins. 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN
978-0-06-300647-8. Illustrated by Peter Emmerich. 

This story is about a boy who gets a dog for his birthday. The dog ruins the birthday party, but then it started raining tacos. The characters are a dog, three boys and two girls. The setting is a birthday party in a boy’s house. I like this book because it is funny and I like the song. I would recommend that a friend read this book because they will laugh and sing. (Niklas, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School)

 

 

 

Loren, John. 2021. Hugo Sprouts and the Strange Case of the Beans. HarperCollins. 48 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-294116-9.

Hugo Sprouts was an amazing kid inventor. He was always creating astonishing contraptions like the self-timing toast-bot or the flapjack-o-matic or the bubble gum jetpack and even a canine translation device. There was one invention that Hugo's Sprout could not make. He wanted to make himself bigger; bigger than all of his other brothers and sisters. It was the invention that Hugo struggled with day after day. His dad told him to “eat lima beans, liver and even garbanzo beans”, but it didn’t work. With help of his sidekick and faithful dog, Ulysses, Hugo goes up to his lab and gets to work to create a potion that would make him the biggest kid of all . . . and it worked! Hugo “sprouts” up and becomes the biggest monster the city has ever seen. Luckily, Ulysses convinces Hugo Sprout to stop growing and reminds Hugo what it was like when he was the smallest kid in his family. Hugo Sprout becomes a local hero and fixes everything he broke or damaged and gets rid of almost every drop of his potion. If you can find Ulysses, he might be able to tell you what happened to the last drop of potion. Early readers will love the adventures of Hugo Sprouts and learn a wonderful lesson about the importance of being yourself; even if you are the smallest kid in your class or family. Review by Owen, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School This story is about beans that are turned into a growing potion. The main characters are Hugo Sprouts and his dad and his dog. I like this book because it's about science experiments. I would recommend that a friend read this book because it's about having fun with experiments.

 

Hall, Michael 2021. House Mouse. HarperCollins Children’s Books. 36 pp. $17.99. ISBN 976-0-06-286629-6.

House Mouse is a clever mouse who finds a new place to call home over a hill, across a river and ends up on the edge of a wild asparagus patch. She builds her new home of the best materials - warmth, safety, shelter, sustenance and love. She heads to her home to escape a hungry fox who stops in his tracks because he sees House Mouse has a place that is warm and safe. House Mouse adds a floor, a roof and even a door to welcome tired travelers who need a safe place out of the cold. House Mouse learns an important lesson that home is wherever you make it. House Mouse models for young readers those qualities that are important like being brave and adventurous along with being kind, resourceful and creative. The art work consisting of combined collages of painted and cut paper makes House Mouse’s world come off the pages and into your heart.

 

Hall, Michael 2021. House Mouse. HarperCollins Children’s Books. 36 pp. $17.99. ISBN 976-0-06-286629-6.

This story is about a mouse that is trying to find a home. The main character is the mouse. The setting is over a hill, across a river and in and out of the valley. I like this book because the mouse builds a house with the materials she has and works very, very hard to get the house built. I would recommend this story because it is a nice book and at the end of the story the mouse gets new friends. (Kendra, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School)

 

 

 

Cardillo, Margaret. 2020. Dogs at Work. Good Dogs. Real Jobs. HarperCollins. 40 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-290631-1. Illustrated by Zachariah Ohora.

What do you think dogs do when their owners leave each day? This charming book reveals the true story about all the real jobs that dogs do. Dogs, like people, work and play hard. They play, eat, go on walks, cuddle and eat again. Cardillo’s story sends us on adventures in a fire truck, on a ski slope, on a mail route, at a dog show or even at home in the living room. Dogs do more than work and play, they also give kisses before bed and are our best friends. The end pages share some of the various occupations that real dogs have in our world as therapy dogs, lobster-diving dogs, guide dogs, dog soldiers, herding dogs and rescue dogs. Young readers will love hearing about the many ways that dogs help us all out. Have a “dog day” at school and remember to bring your favorite dog for “show and tell'' that day. After all, many dogs go to work every day and have real jobs just like people do.

 

Cardillo, Margaret. 2020. Dogs at Work. Good Dogs. Real Jobs. HarperCollins. 40 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-290631-1. Illustrated by Zachariah Ohora.

This story is about dogs at work. The setting is at work. I like this book because it has real jobs. I would recommend that a friend read this book because it gives you an idea for what you want to be when you grow up. (Kaylee, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School)

 

 

 

Sidman, Joyce. 2020. Dear Treefrog. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-358-06476-3. Illustrated by Diana Sudyka.

A treefrog becomes a new friend for a girl who moves into the neighborhood. These day to day adventures between the girl and the treefog remind us that sometimes all it takes to connect with the world is a little patience, a curious mind and a willingness to see the world through different eyes. The little girl learns many things about gray tree frogs who spend most of their lives on land, quietly blending into their surroundings. As you open the pages of this wonderful story, you’ll read both the ongoing story on one page and facts about treefrogs on the other page. Young readers will love the details about treefrogs that are shared throughout the book. This book would be a great choice to open up a study of insects, amphibians or spring in a primary classroom or to learn about the habitats that treefrogs share with planthoppers, ladybugs, grasshoppers, green beetles, or a dragonfly. Get out your magnifying glass, your bug catcher and science notebook and take this book outside and search for your own treefrog. It’s a great cure for being shy or lonely and a great way to meet new friends; even friends who flutter, fly or hop.

 

Lazar, Tara. 2021. Bloop. HarperCollins. 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-287160-2.

Bloop is really a want-to be-emperor disguised as a dog when he is sent to Earth from Planet XYZ. This comical story, with vibrant illustrations by Mike Boldt, will be a classroom favorite. Bloop is sent to Earth to conquer the planet, but soon discovers the planet is run by dogs. Named for all of the bloopers he made on Planet XYZ, Bloop begins his adventure on Earth. With the advice from his Emperor, Bloop tucks in his floofers or antenna and starts to blend in like all of the other dogs on Earth. Bloop ends up in the dog pound until “a small sticky one”, otherwise known as a kid eating a sucker, chooses him and convinces her mom to bring Bloop home. Unfortunately, Bloop thinks that when the “loyal subjects' ', otherwise known as people, bowed down to Bloop they were actually just leaning down to pet him because he was a dog. Bloop believes he has finally conquered Earth and tells the Emperor of Planet XYZ that the mission is accomplished; Bloop has conquered Earth. Bloop ends up falling in love with Earth and decides to stay and defend his new home from alien invaders, otherwise known as cats! Young readers will love this story and be captivated by the remarkable illustration that make you want to turn every page to see the next adventure of Bloop from Planet
XYZ.

 

Lazar, Tara. 2021. Bloop. HarperCollins 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-287160-2.

This story is about a dog named Bloop that was training to be the next emperor of Planet XYZ. The Emperor was disappointed in his work so he went to Earth and found a human family that loved him so much. The main characters in the story are Bloop, the Emperor, dogs and his human family. I like this book because it is about a dog who believed that he was a ruler. I would recommend this book because it’s funny and it teaches people that they should love animals and care about them. (Sophia, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School)

 

Analdo, Monica. 2021. Are You A Cheeseburger? HarperCollins. 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-300394-1.

Grub, a raccoon, discovers a seed in the garbage can, but thinks if he plants the seed it may turn into a cheeseburger plant. Seed, the seed's new name, has no idea if he will grow up to be a cheeseburger and suggests that they both just “wait and see'' what happens. Grub decides to plant the seed right away. Grub wonders when how long they will have to wait, but again Seed reminds Grub that they will have to “wait and see”. These two new friends spend every evening together from moonrise to moonset sharing stories. Grub shared stories about the top three cheeseburgers he had even eaten while Seed tells Grub about all of the interesting things he has seen down in the dirt. Suddenly Seed begins to grow and grow and and pops out of the ground. Seed keeps growing and growing. All of this time while Grub is dreaming about his new cheeseburger plant, Seed grows up into a flower. Grub decides that flowers are good and special too; even more special than a cheeseburger. Early readers will enjoy this wonderfully illustrated story about making new friends and enjoying the special talents that each friend brings into their shared friendship. The characters, Grub and Seed, will soon become favorite story book characters for the entire class.

 

Analdo, Monica. 2021. Are You A Cheeseburger? HarperCollins. 32 pp. $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-300394-1.

This story is about a raccoon who thinks a seed is a cheeseburger. The main characters are Grub and a seed. Grub wants a seed to grow up to be a cheeseburger because he likes them. I like this book because Grub thinks that the seed will be a cheeseburger. I would recommend that a friend read this book because it is funny; after all, the seed was not a cheeseburger! (Eiker, 3rd Grade, St. Teresa of Calcutta School)