Kindergarten and Beyond
New Books Provide Fun and Education for the Classroom Round By Joyce SidmanIllustrated by Taeeun YooBest for: Ages 4-7
Follow a young girl and her father through fields of flowers, across the seashore and even around their backyard to discover how wonderful round is. First the little girl points out things your young ones easily will notice as round—oranges, seeds, turtle eggs—but then she begins to stretch how children think of round. She points out how some things become round over time as “all the sharp edges wear off.” Some round things are hidden, like tree rings, and waiting to be discovered. Sidman captures the youthful gift of curiosity and the desire to discover. Yoo uses saturated colors and mixed media to enhance the sense of texture in the scenes and complement the little girl’s fascination with the round things she sees.
What’s good: Children will be eager to talk about all things round in their lives. What’s bad: Not much. First Grade Dropout! By Audrey VernickIllustrated by Matthew CordellBest for: Ages 4-8
Making a mistake can be very embarrassing, especially when everyone sees you do it. When everyone laughs at that mistake (even your best friend), it can be unbearable. This is the premise of First Grade Dropout! When our main character does something embarrassing in class, he feels his only recourse is to drop out of school. His charm and self-awareness, as he explains his dilemma, will push readers of all ages to remember their most embarrassing moments. Vernick clearly shows readers that school, relationships and life can be difficult. But we all make mistakes. Sometimes you just need to laugh at yourself and move on. This is a good book for introducing empathy to young readers.
What’s good: The narrator’s hyperbole adds humor to an embarrassing situation. What’s bad: It’s unlikely you’ll find a first grader as self-aware as the narrator. Horizon By Scott WesterfieldBest for: Ages 9-13
What do you get when you cross The Maze Runner with 39 Clues? A new multiplatform middle grade series filled with action, mystery and suspense. This is a fast-paced story that draws you in as eight kids survive a plane crash and find themselves in a dense jungle with strange predatorial animals. They need to band together to survive, discover what is going on and find a way to get rescued. My young high school son said he couldn’t put the book down until he finished reading it and couldn’t wait for the next installment. He highly recommends this new series to lovers of science fiction and survival thrillers.
What’s good: Fast-paced mystery with intriguing twists and turns.
What’s bad: If you don’t take part in the multi-platform aspect, you will have to wait until fall 2017 for the next installment.