Planet Kindergarten by Sue Ganz-Schmitt illustrated by Shane Prigmore

A boy is preparing to venture into "planet' kindergarten.
A fun book to read to a space-loving child who is about to begin his/her adventure of school and kindergarten.

The Hueys in None the Number by Oliver Jeffers

A great way to introduce the concept of zero.  Not many counting books include zero!

Little Red Writing by Joan Holub illustrated by Melissa Sweet

A great book to introduce different ways one must edit writing.
A loosely fractured fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood.
Writing issues addressed:
 *sticking to outline
*interesting words/verbs/adjectives
*adding too many descriptors
*conjunctions
*adverbs
*run-on sentences

One Busy Day A Story for Brothers and Sisters by Lola M. Schaefer illustrated by Jessica Meserve*

A sweet story about an older brother who does not have time for his younger sister.
Instead of pouting, she goes off to play imaginatively, making it irresistible for her brother.
Illustrations help the reader: infer
Strategies: inferring; connections
*Highly recommend.

Rainbows Never End and Other Fun Facts by Laura Lyn DiSiena and Hannah Eliot illustrated by Pete Oswald

Did You Know? series
Fun illustrations make this book seem fictional (for those readers who do not gravitate towards NF).
Tons of fun facts.  Questions posed to the reader heighten the engagement.
One thing that bothered me was they depicted penguins in the Arctic and polar bears and penguins together in Antarctica.
Additionally facts in the back.
Points to discuss: carefully reading NF and evaluating-doubling checking the accuracy; mentions big bang theory in the "more facts section".
More in series- Hippos Can't Swim
                        Chickens Don't Fly

Drop It, Rocket! by Tad Hills *

A Step into Reading book-Step 1 (ready to read-preschool-K)
A sweet book about Rocket reading words on his word tree.  When he refuses to drop the boot, Bird and his friends must think of an object that he likes more than the boot.
Perfect for beginning readers.
*Highly recommend.
Strategy: predicting

Three Bears in a Boat by David Soman*

Three bear siblings break their mother's beautiful blue conch shell while sneaking a lick in the honey jar.  Instead of facing their mother and confessing their wrong, they venture out on the boat to find her a new shell.
A great book to discuss telling the truth, confessing wrongs right away and forgiveness.
Love the end pages of the map of their adventure.
Beautiful illustrations.
*Highly recommend.
Strategy: inferring

Flip and Fin: We Rule the School! by Timothy Gill illustrated by Neil Numberman

Flip, the sand shark, is excited to share jokes with his school on Joke Day.  He practices telling jokes with his twin, Fin.  What happens when he stands on the stage and looks out at all those fish?
The story line was not strong but the jokes are funny and fun.
Interesting facts about sand sharks and other sea creatures in the back.

If You Lived Here Houses of the World by Giles Laroche*

This is such an interesting book!  Two page spreads describe unique house constructions around the world.
It is multi-level/age too.  One can read the main paragraph and learn a lot or can also read the smaller print that shares more details about the house.  For my preschooler I read the main paragraph.  With my seven year old, I read all of the text.
My favorite text feature was the map showing where each of the house types was located.
*Highly recommend.
Text features: map, bold print, chart

Heroes in Training #3 Hades and the Helm of Darkness by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams*

Both my boys love this series.
Zeus, Poseidon and Hades enter the underworld to search for the helm of darkness and rescue Hera and Demeter.
Points to discuss: the concept of hades

The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore

Hazel lives with her parents in small town in Vermont.  She is considered an outcast by her classmates . . . her high intelligence and her parents' occupation -caretakers for the town cemetery-count against her in their eyes.  She is always looking for a mystery and finds several that fall in this seemingly sleepy town.  She also learns the value of friendship and to not to jump to conclusions. I liked how the story takes place during the Cold War and how it reveals how people were reacting to it.  Not many children's books are written about this time in history (as far as I know).

Lots of points to discuss: . . .the author does not elaborate on some items-they are mentioned and may require explanation to younger readers-
*Communism
*Cold War (a brief history overview is included in the "author's note")
*out of wedlock birth
*divorce
*seance (Hazel and her friend Samuel stubble upon one in the cemetery-not much is said about it but it is mentioned)
*a statement that Communists perform satanic rituals/worship the devil.
*Unions  (a bit about them are also included in the "author's note"

Secret Agent Jack Stalwart The Search for the Sunken Treasure #2 by Elizabeth Singer Hunt*

My seven year old loves this series.  In this book Jack and a diver looking for a treasure are kidnapped by Komodo Klan the most deadly group of pirates.  It is a good book for people who like excitement.
(Review provided by son).
*Highly recommend.

Magic Bone Be Careful What You Sniff For #1 by Nancy Krulik

Told from the point of view of Sparky, a puppy, the reader experiences a romp through London.
A magic bone he finds in his backyard transports him to various places around the globe.
About six in the series so far:
http://www.amazon.com/Careful-What-Sniff-Magic-Bone/dp/0448463997

Strategy: inferring (since the story is told from the pup's perspective, readers need to infer what is really happening!)
In the back of the book, the author shares true facts about London and all the points of interest Sparky visited.
Point to discuss/warning: In my opinion the word "stupid" was used often.
Perfect series for reluctant readers and for helping readers build stamina.

Poppy's Babies-Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem*

Dusty and Poppy have three babies.  Living in a noisy mill is  not the most conducive place to put babies down for a nap.
So the mouse community comes together to present Poppy with the ultimate gift.
Sweet!
*Highly recommend.

Sea Story Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem*

Since the mice ran out of salt, they must travel up the river to the sea to purchase salt from the seaside mice.
Dusty, Poppy, Primrose and Wilfred of course have an adventure while sailing and during their stay at the sea.
Wonderful word choice and exquisite illustrations.
*Highly recommend.

Calvin Coconut-Trouble Magnet by Graham Salisbury illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers

Calvin lives with his mom and sister on the island of Kailua, Hawaii.  Since his dad left them to be a famous singer, Calvin is the "man of the house"; a title he sometimes despises.
This book takes place over a two day span but a lot of funny and not so funny events occur.  Calvin loses his bedroom so his mom's friend's daughter can live with them; he laughs at a bully and then by accident stains the bully's t-shirt; he lets a centipede lose in class; and begins a food fight (by accident, of course).
Very realistic coupled with humor.
Very likable character.
Part of a series:
http://grahamsalisbury.com/books/calvin-coconut/

The Greedy Python by Richard Buckley illustrated by Eric Carle*

A python cannot stop itself from devouring bigger and bigger animals.  What will stop him?  A funny ending!

Flora and Tiger 19 Very Short Stories from My Life by Eric Carle

Random stories from his life in the United States and Germany.  All of the stories include an animal.
Very descriptive writing.
Point to discuss/warning: alcohol and drunkenness (bears become drunk after eating fermented animals plus a couple of stories include alcohol)
A great book to use during an author story of Mr. Carle.

Coyote Autumn by Bill Wallace

Mr. Wallace writes a lot of books about animals and pets.
In this book Brad longs for a pet dog.  He rescues a coyote pup after a hunter and his greyhounds kill the mother and father coyotes.
This story relates the journey of a boy caring for a wild animal and letting it back into its natural habitat.
Points to discuss: the siblings are not very kind to each other; lying; keeping things from parents

The Lion Who Stole My Arm by Nicola Davies*

On his way home from fishing, Pedru decides to check his snares for a heartier dinner.  A lion attacks him in the bush and runs off with his arm.
As Pedru contemplates how to kill this lion, he discovers things about lions, Africa and himself that transform him.
In this short novel, one learns a lot about African way of life and its creature.
I like how it shares the struggle of someone suddenly handicapped and how he adjusts.

The Sasquatch Escape The Imaginary Veterinary Book 1 by Suzanne Selfors illustrated by Dan Santat*

Ben is not too thrilled to be spending the summer with his grandfather in a rundown town consisting mostly of elderly people.  The summer suddenly becomes exciting when he spies a dragon fly through the sky and land on an deserted button factory and meets a local troublemaker-Pearl.  Together they discover the button factory is not what it appears to be.
Well developed plot and will keep the reader engaged and turning pages quickly.
Various creative activities to do in conjunction with the book.
Points to discuss: lying; parents having marriage trouble
*Highly recommend.
Four in the series.
http://www.suzanneselfors.com/imaginary.html

Knights by Kate Riggs

Larger sized book and text.
The text is simple enough for transitional readers.  Full page illustrations and photographs with picture captions.
Text features: glossary, table of contents, bold words, picture captions, text/fact boxes, pronunciation guides, map, index, read more

Summer Story by Jill Barklem*

Experience the festivities of a wedding at Brambly Hedge.
*Highly recommend.

A Brand -New Day with Mouse and Mole by Wong Herbert Yee*

To his dismay, Mole discovers moths have eaten holes in his pants and shirts.  Mouse helps him purchase a new outfit.  Other chapters include fishing and tire swings.
A wonderful series for transitional readers.
*Highly recommend.

Greetings from the 50 States How They Got Their Names by Sheila Keenan illustrated by Selina Alko*

In humorous writing, Ms. Keenan explains the history of the naming of each state.
The date it became a state and history about its nickname are included also.
Great for teachers when they teach about 50 states.
*highly recommend.

Bedtime Math by Laura Overdeck illustrations by Jim Paillot*

"A Fun Excuse to Stay Up Late"
With humorous illustrations and funny number problems, Ms. Overdeck and Mr. Paillot know how to make math fun and appealing!
 Each problem is divided into three categories: wee ones; little kids; and big kids.  So it is wonderful for families with multi-aged kids.
*Highly recommend.
Here is their website for a daily math problem:
http://bedtimemath.org/

Gravity by Jason Chin*

A wonderful, creative introduction to the concept of gravity.
I was hoping for more words with the illustrations (like his Redwood book) but at the end he includes a two page spread with facts/explanations about gravity.
So in the end, I agree with his choice of using few words and then offering more information at the back.  The book is more accessible to a wider audience this way.
*Highly recommend.

My Librarian is a Camel by Margriet Ruurs

"How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World"
Two page spreads reveal how various children have access to books.
Countries include-Australia, Azerbaijan, Canada, England, Finland, Indonesia, Kenya, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Thailand, Zimbabwe.
A text fact includes a map, flag, and a short paragraph about the featured country.
Text features: table of contents, maps, text box, headings, picture captions, photographs.

Alec Flint Super Sleuth The Nina, the Pinta and the Vanishing Treasure by Jill Santopolo*

Fourth grader, Alec Flint, wants to be a detective and has the opportunity as he watches his father (a police officer) solve a Columbus museum case.  Alec needs a sleuthing partner and befriends a new girl Gina.  She proves to be an asset.
Together they figure out who the "perp" is.  Enough clues along the way that the reader can solve the mystery with Alec and Gina.
Points to discuss: lying/half truths; snooping in private property (but they did get in trouble for it)
*Highly recommend.
There is a second book in the series but I could not find any more titles.

Get Well, Good Knight by Shelley Moore Thomas illustrated by Jennifer Plecas*

When the Good Knight visits his dragon friends, he finds them sick in bed.  The faithful knight goes to the wizard for help, who in turn gives him a couple pots of stew.  When these attempts fail, who does the knight turn to?  His mother, of course!
*Highly recommend.

Good Night, Good Knight by Shelley Moore Thomas illustrated by Jennifer Plecas*

The Good Knight stands guard for the king at night.  One night he hears loud roars and then discovers three little dragons in the cave who need someone to tuck them into bed.  What is a good knight to do?
Lovely series!
Perfect for the beginning reader.  Repetition of some phrases will put new readers at ease.
*Highly recommend.

Brambly Hedge-The High Hills by Jill Barklem*

After reading about a long ago explorer mouse who discovered gold in the High Hills beyond Brambly Hedge, Wilfred is excited to help Mr. Apple deliver blankets to the voles in that location.  The journey soon becomes an adventure when they find themselves lost in the hills.
Once again the illustrations are extraordinary.
*Highly recommend.

The Pilot and the Little Prince by Peter Sis

"The Life of Antoine De Saint-Exupery"
This amazing biography shares about the life of the author of the book The Little Prince.
Readers who love planes and the idea of flying will enjoy Mr. De Saint-Exupery's adventures flying.
Mr. Sis' illustrations are out of this world.  Tons of information are in the illustrations above the main text.

R is for Robot A Noisy Alphabet by Adam F. Watkins*

When I first glanced at this book I was not impressed because the only words were noise words but when my boys and I sat down to read it, we loved it.
The robots try to organize an alphabet together.  Each letter has a corresponding noise.  An object is also on the page that begins with that letter.  Letter M is our favorite!  It was a hilarious surprise!!
*Highly recommend.

A Boy and a Jaguar by Allan Rabinowitz illustrated by Catia Chien*

Alan stutters around people but not around animals.  At a young age he vows to a jaguar in the Bronx Zoo to be his voice.  After college he has his opportunity and it changes his life.
*Highly recommend.
Strategies: inferring, asking questions, synthesizing

Go! Go! Go! Stop! by Charise Mericle Harper*

Little Green helps a construction crew build  a bridge but is too eager shouting "go"!
Fortunately Little Stop rolls into town to slow down the pace.
What about little yellow is the question we kept asking and had our answer by the end of the book.
Very cute!
Alliteration is on one page (great opportunity to introduce the concept to younger learners).
*Highly recommend.
Strategy: asking questions

Surprising Sharks by Nicola Davies illustrated by James Croft*

Ms. Davies writes wonderful nonfiction.
This book makes information accessible to younger readers/learners.
Clever layout.
Text features: labels, diagrams, picture captions, close ups, index, font sizes
*Highly recommend.

Adventures with Barefoot Critters by Teagen White

Beginning with January, the reader shares a year with adorable "critters" as they experience the seasons.  The book begins with "A" and proceeds to  the New Year with the letter "Z".
Creativity and unique spin.

The Secret Staircase by Jill Barklem *

I am rereading this series so my four year old can experience this wonderful series.  My seven year commented how much he loves this series.
The stories take place in the trees and bushes of Brambly Hedge where a community of mice experience life together.
The illustrations are intricate and adorable.
In this story Primrose and Wilfred discover a secret staircase and forgotten rooms.
*Highly recommend.
In March 2015 an anthology of all of Ms. Barklem's Brambly Hedge books is being published.  Can't wait to purchase!

Dinosaur Cove #9 Tracking the Diplodocus by Rex Stone*

Sadly the last one from this series published in the U.S.
Tom and Jamie are innocently watching birds when a diplodocus swoops down to eat a branch.  The branch becomes stuck in its mouth.  Tom and Jamie help him out.
(Summary by my seven year old)
*Highly recommend entire series.
For dino lovers, reluctant readers, building stamina.

The Blossoms Meet the Vulture Lady by Betsy Byars*

The Blossom family adventures are full of humor and excitement.
The story takes place over a two day period but the short chapters and well developed plot keep it moving a a great pace.
Junior builds a coyote trap because he wants the reward money.  As he is setting it, he traps himself in it!  Mad Mary, which the town people call her, finds and rescues him.  He spends the night in her cave as his family searches for him and worries over him.
People are not always what they seem.
*Highly recommend.
Strategies/skills: word choice/figurative language; synthesizing; visualizing
Good for reluctant readers because the plot moves quickly and the chapters are short.

Dinosaur Cove #8 Swimming With the Plesiosaur by Rex Stone*

Tom and Jamie go snorkeling in dinosaur time and encounter a very hungry plesiosaur.
Very exciting!
My seven year old devours these books!
*Highly recommend.

Seaman's Journal On the Trail with Lewis and Clark by Patricia Reeder Eubank

Beautifully illustrated.
Told from Lewis' Newfoundland dog's, Seaman, point of view of the journey to the Pacific Ocean.

I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo! by Jill Esbaum illustrated by Gus Gordon

In rhyming text, the reader hears about how brave Nadine the cow is and how the rest of the cows view her as very courageous (but the reader knows otherwise!!).
Strategy: inferring

The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli*

Won the Theodore Geisel Seuss Award-2014
An alligator swallows a watermelon seed and worries about what will happen next!!
Funny!
Perfect for beginning and transitional readers.
*Highly recommend.

Jack and the Box by Art Spiegelman*

A Toon book
Perfect for reluctant readers, transitional readers and beginning readers.
Jack's parents give him a box which is really a ZACK  in the box.
Humorous interactions between Jack and Zack will keep readers entertained and laughing.
Points to discuss: I found Zack a bit creepy but my boys were fine with him.

Barry's Best Buddy by Renee French*

A Toon book perfect for reluctant readers, beginning readers and transitional readers.
Barry's best friend, Polarhog, plans a surprise for him.  It is fun to see the ants scurrying over the pages and to discover their destination.
*Highly recommend.

A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse by Frank Viva*

Mouse travels to Antarctica and longs to return home.
Perfect for beginning readers, transitional readers and reluctant readers.
The reader does learn a bit about Antarctica too!
A Toon Book.

More Bears! by Kenn Nesbitt illustrated by Troy Cummings

Mr. Nesbitt involves the reader in his creation of the stories.  He absolutely does not want any bears in his story!
Funny-interactive.

Number One Sam by Greg Pizzoli*

Sam, a racing dog, is always number one.  When he does not win one day, he has to deal with unfamiliar feelings.  Great ending!
*Highly recommend.

Ninja! by Arree Chung*

Amazing layout and illustrations.
A young boy adorns himself with his ninja gear to ambush his family members.
*highly recommend.

Sammy and the Robots by Ian Whybrow illustrated by Adrian Reynolds

Sammy's toy robot is sent away to be fixed.  Meanwhile, his grandmother is sent to the hospital until her cough subsides.  To pass time and to cheer his grandmother, Sammy constructs many robots.

Dinosaur Cove #6 Stampede of the Edmontosaurus*

Tom and Jamie have to save the Edmontosaurses from running into a meteorite crater.
*Highly recommend.

Dinosaur Cove #7 Saving the Stegosaurus by Rex Stone*

Tom and Jamie visit the Jurassic period with a whole new world to explore.
My seven year old son is reading one of these books a day!
*Highly recommend!

Deadly The Truth About the Most Dangerous Creatures on Earth by Nicola Davies illustrated by Neal Layton

A very appealing book for boys-how animals kill to survive and defend themselves.
Illustrations are comic-like.  Humor included.
Organized well-good lead ins from one animal to another.
My boys loved hearing about the animals and their amazing abilities!
Text features:  deadly key; diagrams; headings; close ups; index; glossary
Points to discuss: evolution; animals equal to people

The Magic Trap by Jacqueline Davies*

This book is the fifth and final book in the Lemonade War Series.
When their mom goes to California for a week and the original baby-sitter breaks her arm, Evan and Jessi face a week with their ever absent dad, an upcoming magic show and an approaching hurricane.
Each chapter begins with a magic term definition.  Brief biography of Professor Hoffman in the back.
*Highly recommend this series.
Points to discuss: divorce; a disinterested father

Dinosaur Cove #4 Flight of the Quetzalcoatlus by Rex Stone*

Tom and Jamie return to Dinosaur World and rescue their buddy Wanna from the Quetzalcoatlus.
Perfect series for boys, dino lovers and reluctant readers.
*Highly recommend series.

The Sherlock Files The 100 Year Old Secret by Tracy Barrett*

Xena and Xander have just moved from Florida to London, England.  While there they receive a mysterious note and discover they are related to Sherlock Holmes.  They are given his old unsolved cases journal and set off to solve an art mystery.
Well paced and a great mystery!  The clues allow the reader to figure out the mystery him/herself.
*Highly recommend.

Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen*

Sammy lives with her grandmother in a government subsidized apartments for the elderly.  Her mother abandons her there when she goes to pursue a career in acting.
To pass time, she uses binoculars  to watch the scenes below.  One day she sees a robbery occur in the seedy hotel across the street.
A very exciting mystery.  Mixed in the mystery are the pangs of adjusting to junior high and combating bullies.
Points to discuss: abandonment; lying; bullies
*highly recommend

Invasion of the Dognappers by Patrick Jennings

Logan notices that dogs are disappearing, leaving behind just collars.  His conclusion?  Aliens.
It was not until page 112 (out of 197 pages total) that the reader encounters the alien which makes the book unnecessarily drawn out.  I became annoyed with the many false leads and the two characters who were constantly arguing and tussling.  A little over the top in my opinion.

Heroes in Training Poseidon and the Sea of Fury by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams #2 *

In this second book in the Heroes in Training Series, Hera, Poseidon and Zeus set out to find the trident.  They encounter Oceanus, the Titan ruler of the sea, and an army of Creatures of Chaos.
In this book Poseidon discovers his gifts.
Very exciting and some funny parts.
Great for reluctant readers and for building stamina.
*Highly recommend.

I've Got You Under My Skin by Mary Higgins Clark

Mary Higgins Clark suspense novels are one of the only adult fiction books I bother to read anymore!
Her stories are well developed yet light reading without lots of foul language and intimacy scenes.
This story alluded that one main character was sexually abused by her stepfather when she was a teen and her own mother was okay with it.  I found it very disturbing but Ms. Clark did not give details about it -just enough to know that it had happened.

The Bald Eagle by Norman Pearl illustrated by Matthew Skeens*

Lots of information but presented in a fun, engaging manner.
Part of the American Symbols series.
*Highly recommend.
Text features: table of contents, headings, fact boxes, learn more, index

Lines that Wiggle by Candace Whitman illustrated by Steve Wilson*

Sparkly textured lines make up the illustrations and show how simple lines make a bigger picture.
Very fun to read.
Some of the main words are made from the sparkly, textured line are in cursive so this book would difficult for a younger reader to read to him/herself.
*Highly recommend.
This book inspired a homeschooling mom to create a great writing activity.  Check it out on her blog:
http://thisreadingmama.com/creative-writing-wiggle-writing/

Fourth of July Sparkly Sky by Joan Holub illustrated by Amanda Haley*

Full of sparkles and textured pages!  Very fun to read.  Rhyming text explores the way we celebrate the Fourth of July.
*Highly recommend.

Pop's Bridge by Eve Bunting illustrated by C.F. Payne*

This book shares a boy's perspective of his dad and his friend's dad building the Golden Gate Bridge.  A scare while watching their father's build it, changes the main character's perspective.
*Highly recommend.

Military Robots by Barbara Alpert*

A Pebble Plus book (love this publishing division-creates wonderful nonfiction books for the younger reader)
Part of a Military Machines set/series
Big photographs- perfect for story time.
This book shows the different types of robots the military uses.
Text features: table of contents, headings, labels, glossary, read more section, and index
*Highly recommend.

Cool Robots by Sean Kenney*

This book shares how to construct robot legos and their community.
Not enough details how to build each creation but wonderful for inspiration.
*Highly recommend.

U.S, Military Robots by Barbara Alpert*

"Blazers" from Capstone Press
part of a series - "U.S. Military Technology"
Specifically shares information about robots in the military.
*Highly recommend.
Text features: table of contents, fact boxes photographs, bold words, word definitions on each page, glossary, index, find out more, picture captions, headings, labels

Robots in Risky Jobs on the Battlefield and Beyond by Kathryn Clay*

"Blazers" from Capstone Press
Part of a robot series- "The World of Robots"
A short book with loads of information
Text features:  table of contents, bold words, word definition boxes, robot fact boxes, headings, photographs, labels, picture captions, glossary, read more section, index
*Highly recommend.

David Kirk's Nova the Robot Builds a Friend by David Kirk*

This is a great interactive book.  The reader has to select the correct shape on each page to build Nova's new friend.
A perfect book to use on a flannel board for story time-just make the corresponding shapes from felt.
A good one to share when reinforcing shapes and color.
Wish the library had a big book version.
*Highly recommend.

Baby Brains and Robomom by Simon James

Part of the series "The Smartest Baby in the Whole World"
When Baby Brains sees how exhausted his parents are as they take care of him and the household chores, he constructs a robot to ease the burden.  But some tasks are best left to humans.

The Robobots by Matt Novak

The Robobots family move to a new town and are not warmly welcomed or accepted.
Good book to read and discuss about accepting others even if they are different from you.

Tiny on the Farm by Cari Meister illustrated by Rich Davis

Tiny (a huge dog!) helps the main character find a new batch of kittens on the farm.
Strategy: Read along with Clifford books and make T-T connections.

If I Had a Robot Dog by Harriet Ziefert illustrations by Andrea Baruffi

In rhyming text a boy shares what his robot dog would do.
"I'm Going to Read!" company-this one is up to 200 words recommend for Grade 2, 7-8 years old.

Zoe and Robot Let's Pretend by Ryan Sias

"Balloon Toons"
Zoe's Robot has a difficult time pretending and Zoe tries to figure out ways to help him pretend.
Great for reluctant readers and for transitional readers.
All words are in speech bubbles.  I like how the Robot's speech bubbles differ from Zoe in shape and the font is also different.

Dinosaur Cove #3 March of the Ankylosaurus by Rex Stone *

My seven year old is really enjoying this series.  He also read #2-Charge of the Triceratops.
In this story Tom and Jamie rescue a baby Ankylosaurus from the mud.  The mother became defensive by trying to whack them with her tail.
I highly recommend this series for dinosaur lovers, transitional readers, reluctant readers and for building stamina.  Each book is only 65 pages long.

Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen*

Loved this incredible true story!
The people of Holland are experiencing the after affects of World War II.  When a box from America containing a chocolate bar, soap and socks, hope springs up in the village.  One box leads to another-bigger one- and then another one . . .
Inspiring!
*Highly recommend.
Strategy: predicting

George Ferris What a Wheel by Barbara Lowell illustrated by Jerry Hoare with photographs*

This short biography reveals the perseverance George Ferris had while developing and sharing his idea of the wheel people could ride at the World's Fair in Chicago.
The book also includes a tiny bit about his childhood.
Liked the photographs . . .the illustrations could have been a bit more engaging.
*Highly recommend.
"Core Concepts series-imagination and problem solving.

The Trolls by Polly Horvath

While their parents tour Paris for a week, Melissa, Amanda, and Frank (aka Pee Wee) finally meet their Aunt Sally who watches them.  She fills their time together sharing stories about their extended family . . .stories that their father (Aunt Sally's youngest brother) has never shared.
Each chapter is dedicated to a different story with the ongoing urge for her tell the story about the trolls on Vancouver Island.
The word choice is well selected and the book is well written.  I skipped some paragraphs while reading this aloud to my seven year old because I thought some of the stories were not appropriate or a bit horrifying.
Warning: one swear word; talks about Wiccas; some descriptions how people died
*Won "National book Award Finalist".