41-42. Two Henry Chapter books

41. Henry's Picture-Perfect Day. Jenn Bailey. Illustrated by Mika Song. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, early chapter book, school, friendship]

First sentence: Classroom Ten was buzzing. Everyone was excited for Picture Day. Almost everyone. Henry tugged at his new shirt. The collar was too close to his ears. The cuffs were too tight on his wrists. The buttons went on forever. And the shirt had stripes.

Premise/plot: Henry is not excited for Picture Day. It is not regular. He is not dressed regular. He has all the thoughts and opinions. But with the help of some friends, Henry may just survive Picture Day.

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, love, love HENRY. He is so very relatable. Because he is so relatable to me, I find so many quotes to love. Like, "Henry had never practiced smiling. Maybe that was why he never looked like he thought he should in pictures."

I definitely recommend all the Henry books!

42. Henry Upside Down. Jenn Bailey. Illustrated by Mika Song. 2026. 52 pages. [Source: Library] [early chapter book, 5 stars, school, friendship]

First sentence: Henry could hardly wait. It was finally Garden Time for Classroom Ten. Each week, someone from their class would take care of the school garden.

Premise/plot: Henry wants to be the one to take care of the garden. He wants his best, best, best friend, Katie, to be his helper. The week will be perfect. Henry has thought everything out--and made a list. But when Katie invites her new friend, Ivy, to help too, well, that is NOT regular. Henry does not like the intrusion of Ivy into his friendship with Katie. Is there room in this garden for three???

My thoughts: Henry has some adjustments to make in this fourth early chapter book in the series. I love, love, love, love Henry. He is a GREAT character. I love and adore him. Not only that I understand him. Highly recommend the whole series.

Quotes: Henry liked lists. Lists meant not guessing. Guesses could be wrong. Lists meant not forgetting. Unless you forgot the list.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Young Readers

76. A Friend for Henry

A Friend for Henry. Jenn Bailey. Illustrated by Mika Song. 2019. 36 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: In Classroom Six, second left down the hall, Henry was looking for a friend.

Premise/plot: Henry struggles a bit making a friend in school. 

My thoughts: This book is simple yet universal. The book isn't clear on the specifics. Is this his first-first day of school? Is this a new school year? Has Henry moved to a new school? But I'm not overly bothered by the lack of specifics. Making (and keeping) friends especially when you're super-young is a universal struggle or problem. (It doesn't have to signal neuro-diversity. Though in this case, it's meant to be. The jacket flap informs readers [let's be honest, adults] that Henry is on the autism spectrum. Little ones for whom this book is read aloud may or may not pick up on that angle of it.

Overall, I liked it. I definitely liked the early chapter book a bit more. But I liked this one just fine. 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

156. Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie Thief

Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie Thief (Cookie Chronicles #4) Matthew Swanson. Illustrated by Robbi Behr. 2022. [September]  304 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Ben Yokoyama scooted glumly down the sidewalk with a thump thump thump. He was mad enough that stubbing his toe would have taken him all the way to furious. But he wasn't quite mad enough to stop and kick an unsuspecting tree.

Premise/plot: Ben Yokoyama is still addicted to cookies, and his favorite may just be the fortune cookies in his daily lunch. (For the fortune, not the cookie). But when a school bully starts stealing his cookies...and his FORTUNES....something must be done. Justice for the playground is much needed...

My thoughts: This one reminded me of an episode of RECESS. Ben and his friends are being bullied into giving over their desserts (not just cookies) to the school bully. And they must team up to see that justice is served. But what is justice? Is it always so black and white? 

I have read all four books and enjoyed them. I would definitely recommend the series as a whole. Each fortune (from a cookie) allows for a different theme to be explored. The fortune in this one is the best things in life are free. 

Quotes:

Ben sighed in a way that was meant to be heard and admired. But no one was close enough
to appreciate it. He sighed louder. But the sidewalk remained empty. Not being able to share his mad feelings made Ben madder.

A lot of money seemed like less when it was gone.

 

His mad had turned to sad. Sad was for sitting down, so he sat on a bench and sighed again, daydreaming that a careless millionaire might wander by and drop a gold nugget at his feet.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

134. Word Travelers and the Taj Mahal Mystery

Word Travelers and the Taj Mahal Mystery. Raj Haldar. Illustrated by Neha Rawat. 2022. 112 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Eddie jumped out of bed as soon as the sun came up. He ran to the bedroom window and grabbed his end of the tin-can telephone, connected by string all the way to his friend Molly-Jean's house next door.

Premise/plot: Eddie and Molly-Jean are best, best, best friends (and neighbors). Every weekend, they have sleepovers. On the particular weekend this novel opens, the two are getting ready for (yet another) sleepover. But...this sleepover will be different. A seemingly innocent question...where did the word pajamas come from...will lead to a BIG adventure. And (of course it does) it involves a magical/enchanted book. (Officially it is the Awesome Enchanted Book). Soon these two find themselves in India...helping another kid solve a BIG mystery...and learning about a dozen words (give or take) that the English language inherited from India. (Inherited isn't the right word. I know. But Indian words that have directly influenced English words.) 

My thoughts: This one has a little bit of everything: some action, some mystery, some nerdy word-love, and perhaps a little geography as well. I definitely liked it. It was fun. I enjoyed seeing which words were introduced/highlighted throughout the story. (For example, the word shampoo...which comes from the Hindi word champo, meaning "to press or knead.") I felt like I was learning, but it wasn't so dinky or cheeseful that I hated it for being didactic.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

97. Daisy Dreamer and the Totally True Imaginary Friend

Daisy Dreamer and the Totally True Imaginary Friend. (Daisy Dreamer #1) Holly Anna. Illustrated by Genevieve Santos. 2017. 128 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: "Knock, knock!" "Who's there?" "Mom." "Mom who?" "Mom who's about to come get you out of bed if you don't wake up, Daisy Dreamer!" 

Daisy Dreamer and the Totally True Imaginary Friend is the first in an illustrated chapter book series by Holly Anna. Daisy is a dreamer. The book opens with her reluctantly-oh-so-reluctantly waking up (so she can go to school). Within a few pages, I knew Daisy and I might just have been kindred spirits (as kids anyway). 

Quote: "If I can't stay in bed, then I'll bring my bed with me!" I hide under my blanket and walk slowly down the hall. My blanket is actually a magical robe that makes me invisible. Now I can sleep and no one will see me." 

In this first adventure, Daisy doodles a drawing and that doodle comes to life. Posey is the "totally true imaginary friend" that has sprung to life. The book ends with Posey promising much adventure...

I liked this one. I absolutely loved the beginning. I enjoyed the rest of the novel but perhaps not so much as those first few pages. Still overall, it was a fun and entertaining read.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

80. Anne's Tragical Tea Party

Anne's Tragical Tea Party. Kallie George. Illustrated by Abigail Halpin. 2022. [February] 72 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Anne Shirley danced through the door of Green Gables. Her arms were full of branches covered in colorful leaves. “I found these in the woods where Diana and I have pretend tea parties,” said Anne. “I am going to decorate my room with them. Don’t they look beautiful?” Marilla frowned. “They look messy. Mind you don’t drop leaves everywhere.”

Premise/plot: Anne's Tragical Tea Party is the fourth book that Kallie George has adapted from L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. In this illustrated chapter book, Anne invites Diana over for an 'ordinary' tea party with disastrous results. But all may be ended when Anne saves the life of Diana's younger sister. Life is never dull with Anne and friends!

My thoughts: I love, love, love the Anne books by L.M. Montgomery. And I am loving each and every one of these chapter book adaptations. George does a great job adapting the material. And the illustrations are always so wonderful and charming.

I highly recommend the series.

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

40. The Story of Growl

The Story of Growl. Judy Horacek. 2008. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: This is Growl. Growl is a little monster. She lives in a castle at the end of Eucalyptus Drive.

Premise/plot: The Story of Growl is....you guessed it...the story of Growl. Growl, our delightful monster-heroine, has a great life. She's as happy as can be. As is evidenced by her singing, skipping, hopping, and above all her GROWLING. But her neighbors, well, they don't love living next door to a monster. Especially a monster that growls. Can Growl become friendly with her neighbors?! Or will she be silenced....forever?!

My thoughts: Oh. How. I. Loved. This. Book. Growl is a monster, a purple monster, a monster who loves, loves, loves to growl. Oh. And she loves, loves, loves to sing about herself and her love of growling. Could a book be more perfect for me? Here is what the jacket flap says,

"What's wrong with a little growling--or a little singing--anyway? Plenty, if you ask Growl's neighbors. But sometimes, you don't know how important something is until you don't have it anymore.
A story of neighbors, compromise, monsters, and singing, that will having them shouting growling, "read it again!"

And this is how the book begins,

"This is Growl. Growl is a little monster. She lives alone in a castle at the end of Eucalyptus Drive. Growl likes to hop...and skip...and jump...and run around her garden. But most of all she likes to...GROWL."

That's just a small glimpse of what this monster is like. I loved this book so much. I could (but I won't) quote *everything* because I loved everything just that much. The text. The illustrations. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.



Definitely recommend this one if you have little monsters of your own.

 

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

A Friend for Dragon

A Friend for Dragon. (Dragon #1) Dav Pilkey. 2019. Scholastic. 64 pages. [Source: Review copy]

 First sentence: There once was a blue dragon who lived in a little house all by himself. Sometimes Dragon got lonely. "I wish I had a friend," said Dragon. So he went out into the world to look for a friend.

Premise/plot: Dragon is a lovable character created by Dav Pilkey. This is his first book; it is an early chapter book. Dragon is LONELY, oh-so-lonely. His first few attempts at making a friend fail. It seems, at first, that he will always be lonely and friendless. Then he meets APPLE...Is Apple the PERFECT friend for a Dragon?
Perhaps.

My thoughts: This one is super, super, super silly. Dragon is foolish and gullible...but he's also LOVABLE and KIND. I don't love, love, love this one as much as Dragon's FAT CAT but I do like it. I think I liked it more the second time than the first time. So maybe it just has to grow on you.


© 2019 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Old Hat

Old Hat. Emily Gravett. 2017/2018. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Harbet had a hat. His Nana had knitted it for him when he was little. It was warm and cozy, and it kept his ears toasty. It was an...OLD HAT!

Premise/plot: Does Harbet need new hats or new friends? That isn't exactly the problem as Harbet sees it, but it's how this adult reader sees it. Harbet is a dog that gets teased for wearing an old hat. The first teasing incident might have some basis of truth. It is an old hat--a beloved old hat upon his head. But all the other incidents, well, that's more bullying in my opinion. Harbet copies the hats of his friends time after time after time after time. He even starts subscribing to the same hat-themed magazines that his friends do. Always the response is the same: OLD HAT. If Harbet is wearing it, it is no longer cool. Will Harbet learn a lesson by the end of the book?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. I personally LOVED the hat his Nana made him. I would have seen nothing wrong with him keeping that old hat. It was a good, practical, traditional hat. Some of these other hats are OVER-THE-TOP ridiculous. This says something about trends in general, trends for kids and adults. And perhaps a little something about our materialistic market-driven culture as well. Nothing is too extreme if you market it just right and have influencers.

His friends. Are they really ever his friends? I like that Harbet really only becomes happy or content when he stops caring what they say...or what they think.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Poppleton in Winter

Poppleton in Winter. Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Mark Teague. 2001. 56 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Poppleton's house grew very long icicles in winter.

Premise/plot: This early chapter book starring Poppleton and friends features three stories: "Icicles," "The Bust," and "The Sleigh Ride." In the first story, Poppleton may love his icicles a little too much. What will happen when they fall?! In the second story, Poppleton decides to make something. Winter is his best time for making. This year, what he decides upon is making a bust of his friend Cherry Sue's head. If only he could remember what she looks like! In the third story, Poppleton's disappointment turns to joy as his friends surprise him on his birthday.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed Poppleton in Winter. I want to read all the Poppleton books now. I enjoy spending time with him and his friends. The stories are delightful and charming. My favorite in this collection was "The Sleigh Ride."

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Poppleton and Friends

Poppleton and Friends. Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Mark Teague. 1997. 56 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Poppleton was tired of being landlocked. He wanted to go to the shore.

Premise/plot: Poppleton and Friends is the second book in the series by Cynthia Rylant. It is an early chapter book series. This one has three stories: "The Shore Day," "Dry Skin," and "Grapefruit." In the first story, Poppleton goes to the beach for the day. In the second story, Poppleton thinks he's suffering from dry skin. His friend, Cherry Sue, has plenty of advice for him. Can she solve the mystery of what is causing Poppleton's problem?! In the third story, Poppleton decides he wants to live a LONG, LONG life. Will eating grapefruit help him out?!

My thoughts: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED meeting Poppleton. I now want to read all the books in the series. I also loved meeting his friends. I would definitely recommend this one! 

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

My Toothbrush is Missing

My Toothbrush is Missing. (The Giggle Gang #4) Jan Thomas. 2018. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 48 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: My toothbrush is missing!

Premise/plot: Dog's toothbrush is missing! Will his friends help him find it. First he may have to explain exactly what a toothbrush is to Donkey. Once he does, well, Donkey is SURE he's seen it.

My thoughts: I love, love, love Jan Thomas. I do. I think she's written some crazy-funny-zany books for young readers. Some I love and adore. Some I just "really like." This early reader is in her newest series. If you've ever read a Jan Thomas book and smiled, I recommend this one. And if you're new to her work, well, this is just as good a place to start as any! 

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Is Everyone Ready for Fun?

Is Everyone Ready for Fun by Jan Thomas. 2011. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.

Look! It's Chicken's sofa! PLOP!
It's time to...
Jump!
Up and down,
up and down.
Let's all JUMP
up and down!
On Chicken's sofa!

I love Jan Thomas. I do. I just love, love, love her books. There is just something happy-making about them; they're simple, true, but oh-so-much-fun. There's just something pure and simple and wonderful about them all!

This book stars three cows and a chicken. The three cows are ever so excited about jumping on chicken's little red sofa. (I love how this is illustrated!) But Chicken, well, Chicken has a different perspective on the matter. She wants it to stop. NOW.

They hear her. They do. So they get ready to have fun in a different way...or do they? You be the judge!!!

Is everyone ready for more fun?!
It's time to...
Dance!
Back and forth,
back and forth.
Let's all DANCE
back and forth!
On Chicken's sofa!

Highly recommended if you love funny books!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Call of the Cowboy

The Call of the Cowboy. David Bruins. Illustrated by Hilary Leung. 2011. Kids Can Press.  32 pages.

The cowboy was a good friend to the ninja and the bear. He was kind. He was caring. He was fun. He was funny. But sometimes he could cause a ruckus. One day his noisiness came between him and his friends...

I definitely enjoyed the first two books in this series: The Legend of Ninja Cowboy Bear and The Way of the Ninja. So I was happy to see the release of a third book. All three books are about friendships: how to be a friend, how to keep a friend, etc.

Cowboy can be a fun friend, it's true. But sometimes he can be a little TOO LOUD. Sometimes he doesn't know how to be quiet, OR in other words, sometimes he doesn't know how to respect his friends wish for peace and quiet. Ninja, for example, wanted to read a book. But Cowboy--without exactly meaning to disturb the peace--was making it too hard for him to concentrate and appreciate the book. Bear, for example, wanted to take photographs of birds. But Cowboy didn't know that his noise would keep Bear from getting the photographs he wanted.

Will Cowboy learn his lesson? Can he come to like and appreciate silence?

I liked this one. Yes, it's all about a lesson or moral. But I like the three friends.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 10

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Shoe-La-La

Shoe-La-La. Karen Beaumont. Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. 2011. Scholastic. 40 pages.

Party dresses, party hair...
Need new party shoes to wear.
Emily, Ashley, Kaitlyn, Claire!
Let's go find the perfect pair!
Shoe-la-la!
They're everywhere.
Rows and rows!
These or those?
Up, up on our tippy toes.
Can't wait to choose new shoes.
Here goes!

Could I really be liking a book with SO MUCH glitter on the cover? I'm not a glitter-loving girl after all. But. I was pleasantly surprised by Karen Beaumont's Shoe-la-la! I found this book about four friends to be so much fun! The rhythm-and-rhyme of it worked for me. (I can be a bit picky, I know!) And the illustrations by LeUyen Pham, well, they were fantastic!!! I just love, love, love her work so very much!!! I don't know that I've ever read a book she's illustrated (or written) that I didn't end up loving!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Back to School With Betsy

Back to School with Betsy. Carolyn Haywood. 1943. 176 pages.

It was a warm evening in August. Betsy was sitting on the top of the wall that ran back of the garden.

In 2008, I reviewed Carolyn Haywood's B is for Betsy. At the time, I wasn't all that impressed. I thought the book--originally published in 1939--was dated and old-fashioned. And it is both. But I've since come to appreciate such books, at least more than I used to! (For example, I've discovered Mary Poppins, Henry Huggins, and Five Children and It, etc.) So I was pleased to see two more Betsy books on the library shelf: Back to School with Betsy and Betsy and the Boys.

Back to School with Betsy, like B is for Betsy, is episodic for the most part. It opens with a worried Betsy. She's sad that Miss Grey will no longer be her teacher, and she's worried that she'll never see her. Her mother assures her that even though Miss Grey is getting married (and thereby retiring from teaching) that they'll still be able to see each other. Maybe not as often as they would in the school setting. But Miss Grey will still care about seeing Betsy and her friends. Betsy can't see any reason in the world why her teacher would want to go and do a silly thing like get married. Her friend, Ellen, tries to convince her that this is a good thing. They'll get to go to the wedding! They'll get to eat cake! Billy and Betsy don't really see why weddings are fun outside of the cake-eating opportunity, but that is just enough to cheer them up for the moment. 

Betsy has also been worried about the creepy house next door. A house that hasn't been lived in for quite a while. But within a chapter or two--at most--Betsy learns that the house has been bought! A Mr. Jackson is moving in, and he has a job or two for Betsy. The thought of earning enough nickels to buy Miss Grey a present is motivation enough to overcome her worries.

Any guesses as to who Miss Grey is marrying?! It may surprise Betsy and Billy and Ellen. But this reader saw it coming from the start! 

The first four chapters of Back to School with Betsy deal with the wedding and the new neighbor. The remaining chapters focus on Betsy and her friends at school. In chapter six, for example, "The Tale of the Blackboard Picture" Betsy and her classmates learn about Mexican Indians and create a blackboard picture to illustrate everything they've learned about this exotic culture. 

And in chapter nine, readers learn exactly what Betsy has always wanted, a black baby. Not just a brother OR a sister, a black baby brother or black baby sister. When her mom tries to explain to her that that won't be happening, that they'd have to adopt a baby to get a baby of a different color, Betsy remains determined. She does bring home a black little girl, but her parents won't let her keep her. And she is returned safely to her mom--who was very worried. The illustrations are in black and white, and it is interesting how they try to portray ethnicity solely through hairstyle. (Looking at the illustration, you'd never guess, unless you read the text, that one of the little girls was supposed to be black.)

"But couldn't we get one all ready made? I forget what you call babies that you get all ready made."

"You mean 'adopt' a baby," said Mother.

"Yes," replied Betsy. "Couldn't we 'dopt one?"

"No, dear," said Mother. "We already have a baby."

"I'll bet if a little baby could talk, it would say it would like to be 'dopted by us."
"Well now, we won't talk about it any more," said Mother. "You have a dear little baby sister to play with."

"Yes," said Betsy, "but I want a lot of babies. And I like all different colors." (143)

The book covers Christmas and Easter too.
 

Is this children's book dated? Is it old-fashioned? Yes. But I am glad to have read this one. I have become interested in reading these older books, interested in tracing the history of children's books.

In case you were curious, the book is illustrated by the author, Carolyn Haywood.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Slightly Invisible

Slightly Invisible: Featuring Charlie and Lola. Lauren Child. 2011. Candlewick Press. 40 pages.

I have this little sister, Lola.
She is small and very funny.
She always wants to know what I am up to, and she always wants to do what I am doing. She NEVER wants to be anywhere without me.
Most of the time this is fine. But sometimes I just want to be by myself
ON MY OWN with just Marv.
Marv is my best friend, and usually we like to spend our time looking for strange and tricky creatures.
Lola does not think this is fun.

I love Charlie and Lola, I do. I have loved many of their adventures. I was a fan even before the television show. My first Charlie and Lola adventure was I Am Too Absolutely Small for School. Other early Charlie and Lola titles are I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato and I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go To Bed. So I was quite excited to see Slightly Invisible.

In this Charlie and Lola adventure, Charlie is tired of having Lola intrude on his time with his best friend, Marv. He wants some time away from his little sister. Lola doesn't like it when Charlie wants this. She just loves and adores him and thinks he's great fun to play with! Marv too! But Lola doesn't always LIKE the way these two boys play. Like when Charlie and Marv go out looking for "strange and tricky creatures." Why can't Charlie and Marv realize that playing tea party is so much more fun!

But Lola is Lola is Lola. And if you're familiar with her at all, you can guess she may just have the last word! This time it's with the help of her good friend, her invisible friend Soren Lorensen.

This one is funny and cute and charming. In other words just what you'd expect from a Charlie and Lola book! My favorite thing? Looking for the *invisible* Soren Lorensen throughout the book--you'll find him on many of the pages!!!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

A Ball for Daisy

A Ball for Daisy. Chris Raschka. 2011. Random House. 32 pages.

What do you need to know about A Ball for Daisy? Well, it's a wordless picture book. I'll be honest, I find wordless picture books difficult--at best--to review. It's not that I dislike them all. There are good wordless picture books--and I feel A Ball for Daisy is a good wordless picture book--but still I'm at a loss for words. What is this wordless picture book about? It's about a dog, of course. A dog that LOVES her red ball. Readers see in frame after frame, page after page, all the ways this dog LOVES her ball. But. One day something HORRIBLE happens. The dog--presumably named Daisy--loses her ball when another dog--a brown dog--plays too rough with it. We see Daisy go from exuberant to sad because of this loss. But there is hope--for Daisy finds a couple of friends and gets a new ball--a blue ball. That being said, I'm not sure I can make a story for every illustration, that I can trace the story through every single picture. I feel I got the basics, but I'm not sure I got everything that there was.

I liked this one. I didn't quite love it. But it was good.

Illustrations: 3 out of 5


© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Have You Seen Duck?

Have You Seen Duck? Janet A. Holmes. Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley. 2011. Scholastic. 24 pages.


This is Duck.
Duck lives at my house.
Duck thinks I'm the greatest.
I'm Duck's hero.
Wherever I go, Duck goes too.
Duck's not frightened of anything when he's with me.
Duck won't start his dinner until I've started mine.
Duck can't go to sleep unless I'm in bed too.

I loved this one. I did. I just loved it. I thought it sweet and simple. I loved the devotion between a little boy and his favorite stuffed animal, Duck. The book shares the good times--when they're together--and the bad times--when they're apart.

For the worst does happen, one day Duck goes missing. And the little boy begins his quest to find his friend. He asks everyone if they've seen his duck. With each person he asks, he gives a different description of his best friend. He tells one, "He's yellow and raggedy." Another, "he smells like a blanket." Yet another, "He feels soft and woolly." Which leads to my favorite scene in the entire book:

"Have you seen Duck?" I asked the dog next door.
"He sounds like..."
But I don't know what Duck sounds like.
Duck doesn't make any sound at all.

But this search won't be easy, it won't be quick. The boy has to learn how to cope with life--a little--on his own. When the two are finally reunited it is sweet and wonderful.

I just loved it! I would definitely recommend this one!

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Bink & Gollie

Bink & Gollie. Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee. Illustrated by Tony Fucile. 2010. [September 2010] Candlewick Press. 96 pages.

Bink and Gollie star in three delightful short stories in Kate DiCamillo's newest book. The stories are: "Don't You Need A New Pair of Socks?", "P.S. I'll Be Back Soon," and "Give a Fish a Home." My favorite of the three is "Don't You Need A Pair of Socks." It's a delightful story about the value of compromise in friendship! Here's how it begins:

"Hello, Gollie," said Bink.
"What should we do today?"
"Greetings, Bink," said Gollie.
"I long for speed."
"Let's roller-skate!"

When these two friends are out rollerskating together, Bink notices that a store is having a "bargain bonanza" of bright socks. Not just bright socks--OUTRAGEOUSLY bright socks. (Gollie is less than impressed. But Bink has to have a pair now.) Bink picks out a pair of socks that "pains" Gollie, perhaps what pains Gollie most is hearing Bink gush on and on about how wonderful her new socks are, how much she just loves, loves, loves her new socks. When Bink begs asks Gollie to make her some pancakes, Gollie has her revenge. She'll make pancakes for her friend only if the Bink will take off her new socks...

 Who will win in this battle of wills? Can a compromise be reached?

The other two stories are fun as well. But not quite as fun--for me.

I enjoyed this collection of stories. I thought they were fun and playful. I liked both Bink and Gollie.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers