Puppy Place Beginning Reader (Transitional) Chapter Book Series

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

 

Puppy Place by Ellen Miles

It is hard to find just the right book for children transitioning from early readers to beginning chapter books. Not only is the text more challenging, but also many times there are fewer pictures than the reader has grown accustomed to. However, the tradeoff is great! Your reader will now enjoy more detailed plots and really get to stretch their imagination. Many transitional chapter books are series and if you can find a series they enjoy, they will have many books to choose from. 

The Puppy Place series by Ellen Miles is a wonderful option for animal lovers, and especially dog lovers. Brother and sister Charles and Lizzie Peterson foster puppies in their home. The plot is similar in each of these realistic fiction books as Charles or Lizzie somehow stumble across a puppy in need of a home. Each book in the series features a different type of dog and has facts about the breed sprinkled into the story while the Petersons try to find a perfectly matched family for each of the pups. Charles and Lizzies’ parents, friends, little brother, Bean, and their own dog Buddy make up this charming cast of characters. 

This is not a series that you must read in order since a new puppy with its original story is introduced in each book. If you find that you enjoy the series, do not worry about saying goodbye to Charles and Lizzie anytime soon. There are currently fifty-eight books in the series, with books fifty-nine, Miki, and sixty, Biggie, being published within the next year! Each of the books is just under 100 pages and suggested for readers 7-10 years old. Books 1-5 are also available through Overdrive: Puppy Place

-Stacy


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Fun with Board Books!

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

 

My son just turned one at the end of last month and he loves being read to. I’ve noticed that the board books that really grab his attention are the ones that have actual photographs of people, places and things. I think he likes seeing images of other little people. These are some of our favorites right now. And when I say favorites, I mean we sit down to read them over, and over, and over (and sometimes even over) again.



Baby Up, Baby Down: A First Book of Opposites by Abrams Appleseed 

This simple and fun board book introduces baby to the concept of opposites: near/far, up/down, quiet/noisy. But what makes it so much fun are the photographs of toddlers performing each action. My son will laugh as I bring the picture of the toddler close to him for “near”, and then laugh again when I take the toddler away for “far”.


Baby Loves: A First Book of Favorites by Abrams Appleseed 

What does baby love? Eating a banana! Can you find the picture of the banana? Just like Baby Up, Baby Down this sweet and simple board book displays photographs of actual toddlers with activities they are engaged in. My son loves trying to find the banana, the sweater the toddler is wearing when it gets chilly and the puppy the toddler is cuddling.


Making Faces, A First Book of Emotions by Abrams Appleseed

In the photograph is the baby happy, sad, angry, confused, crying, laughing? My son and I go through making all the faces together. (Well, I make the faces and he looks at me and laughs). This is a fun book of emotions to share with your little one. The concepts are simple but the message is sweet: we all have these feelings and it’s ok to express them.


What books do you like to read with your one year old? We'd love to know!


-Kat


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