Issue XXV

It was a thin summer of reading for me. Instead of my own usual stacks of personal reading, our living room piles were mostly of early chapter books for our soon-to-be-first-grader. Here are a few favorites that we enjoyed this summer.
 
Fabled Stables is a sweet three-book series about a boy who tends magical creatures, often chasing them off into other worlds to solve problems and pursue adventures. Both of my children loved this series by author Jonathan Auxier. Auxier’s other books include Sweep and Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, both worthy pieces of literature for slightly older readers. One caution about Fabled Stables: I am fairly thin-skinned when it comes to potty humor and the second book in this series does use some light potty humor to make its point about the dangers of unkind words. I stand behind the series anyway, but I do wish a different approach had been employed there. Something to keep in mind, if you’d like to pre-read that one before handing it off to your children.
 
Tales from Deckawoo Drive by Kate DiCamillo has been praised on this blog before, but it was delightful to see my six-year-old reader finally diving into these for herself. The volume pictured, Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln?, may be my favorite in the series. But you should read them all.
 
Summer Story by Jill Barklem, along with the rest of the Brambly Hedge series, is perfect for any time of year. There are four seasonal books (aptly named Summer Story, Autumn Story, Winter Story, and Spring Story), as well as assorted other tales to read. With delicate and detailed illustrations, these stories are a made to be savored. Not quite simple enough for a new reader, but ideal for a quick afternoon read-aloud.
 
Good Dog by Cam Higgins is a sweet series of light chapter books written from the dog’s perspective. With farm friends, dog pals, and human companions, Bo faces a new adventure with each new book. Quick reads for our six-year-old.
 
Sophie Mouse by Poppy Green became an immediate favorite and we currently have four more books in the series (books 13, 14, 15, and 16) waiting at the library for us. In each story, Sophie and her friends tackle simple problems in their woodland world, usually involving making new friends or understanding another critter’s perspective. Sophie loves art, so the series might especially appeal to girl readers who also love to paint and draw. Her mom owns a bakery, which means that woodland baked goods find their way into most stories as well. I’m glad it’s an extensive series, because we can’t get enough Sophie Mouse around here!
 
The Once Upon a Time Map Book by B. G. Hennessey is a fun seek-and-find style book with imaginary maps of storybook lands such as Oz, Neverland, or Aladdin’s kingdom. Following clues, readers make their way through the map to find hidden secrets. Perfect for cozying up with on a long summer afternoon or a long drive to the beach. (Or, a chilly fall evening!)