53. Fox Catches a Wave

53. Fox Catches a Wave. Corey R. Tabor. 2026. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, I Can Read Book, early readers]

First sentence: Fox is going on a trip. Is Fox going to catch a bus? No. Is Fox going to catch a train? Nope. Is Fox going to catch a plan? No.

Premise/plot: Fox has returned for another misadventure/adventure in Corey R. Tabor's Fox Catches a Wave. What will Fox "catch" in this one?

My thoughts: I have absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED some of Fox's past books. I still really enjoy the character. I do think for an I Can Read book it is entertaining and fun. BUT I've enjoyed other books in the series more than this one. I do think if your little one LOVES the character Fox and wants to binge read the entire series, it is definitely WORTH it.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Young Readers

104. Sketty and Meatball

Sketty and Meatball. Sarah Weeks. Illustrated by Alex Willmore. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [I Can Read Level 1] [5/5 Stars]

First sentence: Sketty and Meatball do everything together. They play together. They bark together. 

Premise/plot: Sketty and Meatball are the super cute, adorable stars of this I Can Read Level 1 early reader. These two dogs love to do everything together. They are always asking one another, Are you thinking the same thing I'm thinking??? The answer is almost always yes. In this adventure, these two are looking for something "new" to do. They end up at a DOG SHOW. 

My thoughts: This one was SUPER fun and enjoyable. It was a great early reader. I liked the repetitiveness of the catch phrases, the predictability of the plot, the fun characters. There is a balancing that must be done in early readers--the balance between being simple, basic, structured, written with the intent to be read by a certain age and skill level WHILE being entertaining and appealing enough that young readers WANT to keep turning the pages. 

I read the digital library book of this one that came with audio. I did read it on my own without turning the audio on. I did reread the story with the audio on so I could listen to it as well. The audio added some nice touches in regards to special effects.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

159. Otter: Best Cake Ever

Otter: Best Cake Ever. Sam Garton. 2021. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Today is Teddy's birthday. We are baking a cake. Shh! Don't tell Teddy. What kind of cake would Teddy like?

Premise/plot: Otter wants to celebrate--really CELEBRATE--Teddy's birthday right. And that, of course, means CAKE. Can Otter (and friends) make Teddy a cake??? Will their party be a success???

My thoughts: I don't remember reading other Otter books in the past. But if this book is any indication, I've been missing out. The book is super playful and a bit ambiguous. There's Otter and Otter Keeper, but then there's Otter's friends too....they appear to be toys....just toys, only toys. But not to Otter. To Otter his friends are just as involved in making and baking (and eating) the cake as he is. It's a fun, playful, imaginative book. I liked it.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Julius

Julius. Syd Hoff. (An I Can Read Book) 1959. 64 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Davy went to Africa. His father was going to catch an animal for the circus.

Premise/plot: Mr. Smith is looking to bring back an animal for the circus. His son, Davy, is there to help. In fact, it is Davy who finds Julius, a gorilla, who is super-excited about belonging to the circus. But is circus life really for Julius?

My thoughts: This book is dated. I'd even say incredibly super-dated--for better or worse. It is exactly what you'd expect a book written in the 1950s to be like in terms of depicting Africans, wild animals, and those who hunt them. In this case, the hunt is about finding a new circus animal. (It could just as easily been about finding a new zoo animal.)

The animals depicted look cartoon-ish whether than realistic. This isn't a bad thing, in my opinion, since Hoff has the rejected animals muttering, "Some animals have all the luck." Realism isn't to be found in Julius.

What you get is an over-the-top silly story. A gorilla who is civilized, who probably has better table manners than most children. This gorilla isn't taken from Africa against his will. He volunteers and is excited. "The men carried Julius through the woods. Sometimes Julius gave the men a rest." On one page, he's in the cage. In the next, he's carrying the men in a cage.

Still, silly or not, realistic or not, Davy spends half the book carrying a gun. This book also features a clown or two.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Young Readers