MMGM: Beyond the Picture Book: Nurturing the "I’m Reading Now" Stage

 

 

When I was teaching, it was often challenging to find books for my reluctant readers. Some of my students were already in high school. Many of them weren’t yet convinced that reading could be something they would choose for themselves.

What kind of books might help them discover that?

One year, I built a few units around some of my favorites: Nate the Great, Commander Toad, and Flat Stanley. And then one day, a parent sent me a photo of her son holding those very books at the library. She wrote that he had never picked out books just for fun—until now.

But this experience doesn’t stay in the classroom; it happens at home. There’s that in-between stage where a child can sound out the words, but hasn’t yet grabbed a book to read under the covers.

Today I’m sharing a few old and new favorites for that beautiful “I’m reading now, what next?” stage. These also make lovely read-alouds for children who have just grown out of picture books, but aren’t quite ready for longer middle-grade. 

For readers who love quiet, whimsical stories—especially with cats (and mice!):

 

 

Heartwood Hotel: A True Home by Kallie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

Mona the mouse has never had a true home. After a storm floods her latest one, she goes searching and discovers the remarkable Heartwood Hotel—a treehouse hotel just for animals. Mr. Heartwood allows Mona to stay if she is willing to work as a maid, though it means learning alongside Tilly the squirrel, who is a bit prickly at first. There are mistakes to make, guests to tend (including a bear and wolves), and much to learn about courage and belonging. At its heart, this story gently reminds us that even the prickliest among us can become friends.

This is the first in a series of six books. 

 

 

The Adventures of Miss Petitfour by Anne Michaels, illustrated by Emma Block*

This delightfully whimsical story reminded me of Mary Poppins, with its episodic structure and playful tone. The joy here is in the language. I especially loved how the author explains “digression”:

“A digression is just like what happens when you’re walking to school: you stop to tie your shoelaces and notice the neighbor’s dog looking at you, and so you stop to give it a pat… That’s a digression.” (p. 14)

For parents or teachers who enjoy lingering over words, the richer vocabulary is even highlighted in color. The illustrations are lovely, and the cats who accompany Miss Petitfour each have their own distinct personalities.

 

 

When Kittens Go Viral by Darci Pattison, illustrated by Nicole Standard

This is a gentle, imaginative story for children who love cats—and perhaps are a little curious about YouTube culture. Angel, a fluffy white kitten with two different colored eyes, grows up in “Kittywood,” a world that mirrors our own. While her siblings quickly find their place, Angel struggles to discover what kind of cat she wants to be. Along the way, the story quietly asks whether “likes” and attention are what matter most.

"...every day, they [human families] watch one cat video together. It's the only way they can say, 'I love you.' I don't understand. What's so hard about saying, 'I love you'?" (p. 34) 

This is the first in a series of three books.

 

Catwings by Ursula Le Guin, illustrated by S.D. Schindler

In this short and memorable story, a litter of kittens is born with wings. Their mother isn’t quite sure why, though she wonders if it has something to do with her own dreams of flying. She is grateful for those wings, though—they allow her kittens to escape a hard life. What follows is both tender and quietly adventurous, as the winged cats meet others who don’t quite know what to make of them. The ending is deeply satisfying.

This is the first in a series of four books.

For adventure-loving readers who enjoy dogs, amphibians, and a bit of silliness:

 

Commander Toad series by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Bruce Degen

My sons loved these as early readers, especially during their Star Wars phase. There are playful nods throughout—characters like Jake Skyjumper and Deep Wader, and a ship called the Star Warts. The humor and puns make this a light, engaging entry point for children who might still be finding their footing as readers.

This is a series of seven books.

 

Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, illustrated by Marc Simont

Nate is a boy detective, with his dog Sludge faithfully by his side. In the first book, his friend Annie asks him to find a lost picture—but, of course, there’s a bit more to the mystery. Across the series, Nate solves small, satisfying cases—lost lists, missing stickers, and other everyday puzzles. There are over twenty-seven titles, and the early ones have a particular charm. You can’t go wrong with a boy detective and his dog—especially when there are cats along the way, too.

 

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, illustrated by Tomi Ungerer

Stanley becomes famously flat after a bulletin board falls on him—but instead of minding, he discovers all the possibilities that come with it. He can travel in envelopes, slip under doors, and see the world in new ways. His brother George, rather amusingly, is a bit jealous. This story grew into a full series, and even inspired the long-running Flat Stanley Project, where children send their own paper Stanleys around the world.

A note for the journey: While 2nd and 3rd graders might be able to navigate these books alone, younger children will find much to love if you read it aloud to them. 

*Miss Petitfour has a rich vocabulary (6th-grade independent reading level), so this might work better as a read-aloud for younger readers or for advanced readers who want a gentle, whimsical story.

Max’s take (out of a 5 bone scale)

Max, the Reading Dog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴for Nate the Great!

I loved Sludge! I'd make a great detective just like him. But why so many books about cats this week? Of course, if I could jump into Commander Toad, I might just have him for a snack. Yum!

Notes from the Front Porch:

There is something special about the moment a child realizes reading can be its own adventure.

What book first sparked that for your child—or for you? Do you have a favorite you return to for those early readers?

Check out other fabulous middle grades at Always in the Middle!  

 

 

If you love Anne and tender, heart-filled stories, you’re always welcome here. Never miss out on future posts by following this blog.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It is no cost to you. Thank you for your support!

MMGM: School Ship Tobermory

If you’ve been reading this blog awhile, you may have heard me mention Alexander McCall Smith. I love his mystery series for adults, THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY. It’s one of a few series that  I faithfully read Why? It’s got quirky characters, lovely prose, and a rich African setting.

When I saw that he had a new series out for kids, I was excited. Not only did it have a mystery element, but it was set on the isle of Mull in Scotland (!), and just happened to take place on a school that’s a ship. What’s not to like?

Here’s the synopsis (from Amazon):

The author of the beloved No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency draws from his own sailing experience to deliver this rip-roaring adventure on the high seas. The first volume in a middle-grade adventure-mystery series perfect for boys and girls!

Ben and Fee MacTavish are twins who’ve been homeschooled on a submarine. Now they’re heading to the School Ship Tobermory. This is no ordinary school—it’s a sailing ship where kids from around the world train to be sailors and learn about all things nautical. Come aboard as the kids set sail for their first adventure.

Ben and Fee make friends as they adjust to life aboard the Tobermory. When a film crew arrives on a nearby ship, the Albatross, Ben is one of the lucky kids chosen as a movie extra. But after a day’s filming, his suspicions are aroused. Are the director and crew really shooting a film? Or are they protecting a secret on the lower decks of the Albatross? Ben, Fee, and their friends set out to investigate. Are they prepared for what they might find?

What to like:

1. The author, as always, draws from his own experience: This is what I love about the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. McCall Smith’s books are always set in places he knows well, like Africa or Scotland. He’s also a sailor. So, it goes to show that “writing what you know” really pays off—especially in the depth of your story.

2. A close-knit family: Although Ben and Fee’s folks only appear in the very beginning, I thought it was endearing that Ben and Fee are constantly thinking of writing their parents. I also loved how these twins share secrets and clearly like each other. While Fee and Ben drive the narrative, the author didn’t make the parents awful or kill them off in order for that to happen.

3. An interesting setting: Much of the first part of the book is establishing this school on a ship, and wow, that was a fun idea. I loved how all the students are from all over the world, each with different stories about why they’re at this boarding school.

4. A mystery that’s engaging (and not too scary) for kids: I loved how the two mysteries in the book entwined together.  I loved the emphasis on animals, which was also a hit with my 12-year-old son. This is a gentle mystery, like the No. 1 books, which will appeal to kids who normally don’t like the dark stuff.

5. Kids solve the problems, but adults play a part too. Recently my kids and I were talking about how it seems that all kids in kidlit are smarter than the adults. That doesn’t happen in Tobermory. The teachers are warm and caring, though not without flaws. I liked how the kids decided to tell their teachers what was going on—even if that didn’t work out so well at first—rather than sneaking off by themselves. (I suppose my teacher/mom side is showing.)

What else? Well, there’s an antagonist aptly named Shark (with hair to match), comic-style drawings throughout, cool parents, and the possibility of a sequel in the Caribbean.

This is MG approved, at least at my house. It’s interesting to watch what happens when I bring books home to read for MMGM. The more literary books, especially if they’re perceived to be “sad,” never get stolen from me. But humorous adventures and books about ordinary kids in interesting circumstances (like a Scottish sailing school) almost always disappear. 

Have you read any good nautical yarns lately?


To check out more Marvelous Middle Grade suggestions, check out Shannon Messenger's blog. 

MMGM: A Whole Nother Story Series

I’m continuing with my theme from last week of highlighting books that appeal to kids (not just grownups). Today I’m going to share another favorite at my house. It’s not a book that I’ve heard a lot of buzz online about, but I enjoyed it as well as my 12-year-old, who read the third book in two days.

If you enjoy omniscient narrators, families on the run, books about scientists, and time machines, this one’s for you.

The synopsis for the first book:

Mr. Cheeseman, his three relatively odor-free children, a psychic hairless dog, and a sock puppet named Steve are on the run. Why? Because Mr. Cheeseman invented a time machine, of course. Now they're being chased by international super spies, top secret government agents, and a genius monkey. Dr. Cuthbert Soup, the head of the Center of Unsolicited Advice, narrates this wild adventure that will lead readers straight into next season's sequel: Another Whole Nother Story.

What I found interesting about this series is that it broke a couple writing rules.

• The kid characters names kept changing. Usually it’s best to keep character names simple, so as not to confuse readers. But in A Whole Nother Story, the kid characters pick their own new names whenever they are on the run. I admit it could be hard to adjust to as a reader, but I loved how this added whimsy to the narrative. What kid doesn’t fantasize about choosing a new name?
• The main character is an adult. Parents usually need to get out of the way in kidlit. But the dad, Ethan Cheeseman, is a major character in this series.  Although the kids solve many of the problems, the story wouldn’t happen without their dad.  It’s his story—of building the time machine and losing his wife—that drives the narrative.
  A couple of other things I enjoyed:

• The omniscient narrator. I love Cuthbert Soup’s unsolicited advice sprinkled throughout the book, his plays on words, and general fun. My son particularly enjoyed  his interesting takes on history.

• An interesting premise: Who wouldn’t want to read about a family on the run? Throw in some government agents, a mother dying under mysterious circumstances, and a time machine (that may or may not be used for nefarious purposes) and I was hooked.  I also liked how the question of finding out what happened to the mother was carried through all three books to completion in book 3.
• Interesting side characters: Whether it’s circus performers without a circus or pirates, Soup never takes his characters too seriously.
• Oh, and did I mention there’s a sock puppet named Steve?
  If you are a fan of omniscient narrators who have their own story like in Lemony Snicket’s SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS or Maryrose Wood’s THE INCORRIGIBLE CHILDREN OF ASHTON PLACE, you will love this book. It is not as dark as Snicket nor as cerebral as INCORRIBLE CHILDREN, but a lot of fun.
  *It’s interesting to me that many of the books that children love and are huge commercial successes are omniscient narrators. To me, this is breaking another rule, because writers are often advised to avoid omniscient.  
  What do you think is the appeal of omniscient narrators?
  
  

  
  
  If you're looking for Marvelous Middle Grade suggestions, check out Shannon Messenger's blog.