Toddlers to Tiaras
Mission: New Baby By Susan Hood Illustrated by Mary Lundquist Best for: Ages 3-8
It’s Mission Impossible for soon-to-be siblings. Accepting a new baby into the family can be a very emotional and difficult thing for many children. Hood alleviates the concerns with redirection. She offers a mission: “Train the new kid on the team.” It’s a big job but someone has to do it. Hood breaks it down into 16 assignments. One of my favorites is Number 8, “Set Up Communication Systems,” which shows agents informing parents what their new agent needs, from food to diapers. That’s right, there is age-appropriate potty humor in this one. Number 11, “Blend In,” adds a little humor as well, when the two agents practice camouflage techniques around the house. This is a fun approach to the subject of expanding families.
What’s good: Bright and lively illustrations match the upbeat and positive approach to this new baby story. What’s bad: Thin on emotional substance to actually help children cope with an expanding family. Glamourpuss By Sarah WeeksIllustrated by David Small Best for: Girls, ages 3-8
If you accept that there’s more to a person (or pet) than what’s on the surface, you’ll get the basic gist of this tale. Glamourpuss is a much pampered kitty. She belongs to the Highhorsens, a couple of gazillionaires with no children. Glamourpuss knows that she’s special and has no problems showing everyone around her. Her world is turned upside down when Bluebelle, a nouveau Chihuahua, comes to visit. Bluebelle steals all the attention in the room with her classic-movie-referencing antics. Battling through their repertoire of emotions, both pets eventually accept each other as friends.
What’s good: Fantastic illustrations and humor. What’s bad: No recognizable lesson for children to learn. Two for middle-grade readers… The Zero Degree Zombie Zone By Patrick Henry BassIllustrations by Jerry Craft Best for: Ages 8-12
Fourth-grader Bakari Katari Johnson probably thought the biggest problem he would face at school was running for hall monitor against his classmate Tariq. But then he finds a magical ring and gets sucked through a portal to the “Zero Degree Zombie Zone.” Now Bakari has to figure out how to save the world from an evil zombie ruler before the end of the school day. He may even have to work with his class rivals to succeed.
What’s good: Bakari’s first-person narration is witty and fast-paced. What’s bad: The plot is pretty typical of this style of story, but the character diversity is nice to see. The Case of the Vanishing Emerald: The Mysteries of Maisie Hitchins By Holly WebbIllustrated by Marion Lindsay Best for: Ages 9-12
Maisie Hitchins is a pint-sized amateur sleuth that middle-grade readers may just grow to adore. She has the needed mettle to see a case through, no matter where it leads. Her newest case leads to the theater, where Maisie takes a job backstage as a dresser to discover who stole a priceless–and cursed–emerald necklace. Before long, things get very strange, but with help from her ever-loyal dog, Eddie, Maisie manages to put all the pieces together.
What’s good: Fun, theatrical setting and intriguing characters. What’s bad: Experienced middle-grade mystery readers may feel let down by the formulaic plot.