“PENNY AND HER DOLL,” by Kevin Henkes, Greenwillow Books, February 19, 2013, $3.99 (ages 4 and up)

I have to admit that “I Can Read” books often make me want to hit my head against the wall. And if they’re boring for my daughter, it’s even worse.  he’s more than willing to drag out those irritating pages for as long as possible: “What.” Pause. “Am.” Pause. “I.”  Pause. “Reading?” Long Sigh.

With my eldest child, I skipped all this. She took to reading like breathing, and the “I Can Read” books were left in the dust. But with my second daughter, I find myself scouring those “I Can Read” shelves for something we can both stand. Imagine my excitement when I found “Penny and her Doll.”

Kevin Henkes is a favorite at our home. Our cover for “Chrysanthemum” was long since ripped off with love. His illustrations are full of detail and so colorful. Small jokes for parents are interspersed through-out the books. Meanwhile, Henkes characters are every bit as real as my own children. Happy. Sad. Jealous. Funny. I’m pretty sure they might actually live in my house.

Penny and her books provide more of the same. Lovely illustrations, situations that actually happen to real children, and stories that don’t make we want to scream. (I’m sorry, Dora. I just don’t want to see what’s on the map.) Meanwhile, my daughter loved that the books had “chapters” which made her feel like an even older reader. With two of the books in paperback  — one coming out this month — and another in hardcover, they are a great option for readers who are starting down a road of imagination and fun.

*Also, as far as “I Can Read” books go, my absolute favorite is “Who’s A Pest?” written by Crosby Newell Bonsall in 1962.  While it might be difficult to find — no current edition for sale — this particular book drew my entire family onto the couch with its convoluted kid humor. Definitely worth a search at the library.

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“WORST OF FRIENDS: THOMAS JEFFERSON, JOHN ADAMS, AND THE TRUE STORY OF AN AMERICAN FEUD,” by Suzanne Tripp Jurmain, illustrated by Larry Day, Dutton Juvenile, December 8, 2011, $16.99 (ages 6 and up)

Can I just say I loved this book?  Loved!  History, humor, and lessons about life — all rolled together in a book that I would be more than happy to read over and over to my children.  And that’s saying a lot when you figure in how many times I’ve had to read some of the books around my house!

Jurmain’s text-heavy picture book investigates the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.  Following their tumultous relationship through and around history, the reader not only becomes familiar with the amazing historical events they took part in, but also experiences the path their disagreements and personalities dragged them along.  Accompanied by hilarious illustrations that pinpoint how a child would perceive their reactions to circumstances (Jefferson holding Adams coat-tails to keep him back from an obnoxious King George, Adams drawing nasty pictures of Jefferson, both men sticking their fingers in their ears at different times) the book tells a true tale of how friendships can be tested and how they can survive.

If you’re looking for a book that provides good story, good history, and good fun — this is the book for you.

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“MAGIC TREE HOUSE #46: DOGS IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT,” by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Sal Murdocca, Random House, August 9, 2011, $12.99 (ages 7 and up)

“MAGIC TREE HOUSE FACT TRACKER #24: DOG HEROES,” by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce, illustrated by Sal Murdocca, Random House, August 9, 2011, $5.99 (ages 7 and up)

A staple for clean, easy-reading fun, the Magic Tree House books offer young readers a chance to learn more about history and the world as they practice their reading skills.  “Dogs in the Dead of Night” tells the tale of the St. Bernard dogs of The Great Saint Bernard Pass.  In this particular book, Jack and Annie continue their hunt for four special items needed to help their friends Teddy and Kathleen.  While they are not sure why they’ve been sent to the Swiss Alps, or how their new dog friend — Barry — will help them, they are already sure they will have lots of fun along the way.

For those who love this series, “Dogs in the Dead of Night” will not disappoint.  And for those who have not tried these books before, but love dogs — this is a great starter book.  Not only do Jack and Annie get to meet some really fun dogs while searching for one of the items to complete their friend’s magic spell, they also get to spend some time as dogs themselves.  Who hasn’t wanted to chase their tale before?  And who wouldn’t want to read about it?

Written as a companion to “Dogs in the Dead of Night,” “Dog Heroes” tells many stories of amazing dogs that could not be told in one fiction story.  This particular volume was read and re-read several times by my daughter.  She also had many questions in response to the information it provided.  As far as piquing her interest and encouraging her to research more about what she discovers in fiction — this book did a great job.  I would be more than happy to find her more “Research Guides” of “Fact Trackers” in the future.

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“THE SECRET SPIRAL,” by Gillian Neimark, Aladdin, July 26, 2011, $15.99 (ages 8 and up)

Flor has an ordinary life.  A life she is more than happy to supplement with the excitement of Dr. Pi’s Sky-High Pie Shop.  Not only are his pies good, but Dr. Pi himself can’t help but be interesting.  Still, Flor would never guess that she is connected to Dr. Pi and his fantastic mysteries.  Only when crazy Mr. Bit and Mr. It appear does Flor have the chance to discover more about herself and prove that she can be the ultimate hero in an unbelievable story that grew right under her nose.

Using math and nature to create an alternate reality full of magic and wonder, Gillian Neimark creates a fanciful world within our own — powered by a Secret Spiral.  Readers will enjoy discovering the wonder of spirals in our world, and will be more than happy to take the leap suggested by Neimark in assuming the spirals can be the source of great power.  Flor herself is a likeable character, as are her accomplices: Dr. Pi and Mrs. Plump.  Mr. Bit and Mr. It — while tricky to tell apart — provide an extra outlet for humor.  My daughter loved Mr. Bit’s rhymes, especially since she loves making rhymes just like his.

While I felt the construct of the Spirals and their place in the story could have been created more smoothly, and I would have liked more characters to be children rather than adults, the Secret Spiral was an adventurous mystery that our whole family enjoyed reading together.

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“EVERY-DAY DRESS-UP,” by Selina Alko, Knopf Books for Young Readers, October 11, 2011, $16.99 (ages 5 and up)

Who needs to dress up as an imaginary princess when there are so many real amazing women to dress up as?  That’s the message the little girl in this book wants to share.  Moving through each day of the week, the heroine of “Every-Day Dress-Up” describes her costume and the historical figure she is pretending to be for that day.  Including such important persons as Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, and Julia Child, this book shows how great women accomplish great things in many different fields.

With colorful and bright illustrations created in collage style, the pictures in this book certainly take center stage.  Each spread has many different interesting parts to look at and discover as you read along.  Additionally the cover and end pages are decorated with paper-doll like outfits.  Even I want to take scissors to the book — I am only sad that the actual “doll” to go with the outfits has been placed on the actual cover.  It might not be too great of an example to my 2-year-old if I dismember the book that completely.

Certainly “Every-Day Dress-Up” is a great place to discover more about the real female heroes of the world, and all they have done and discovered.  A short biography of each individual is also included in the back of the book for those who want to learn more.

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“FLUTTER: The Story of Four Sisters and One Incredible Journey,” by Erin E. Moulton, Philomel Books, May 12, 2011, $16.99 (ages 8 and up)

Maple’s Mama is due to have a new baby, which will make four Rittle sisters in all.  But when Mama goes into labor early, and little Lily arrives dangerously small, Maple’s life seems to be falling to pieces.  Armed with her mother’s stories of the local Wise Woman, and her father’s map and compass, Maple and her sister Dawn secretly head off into the wilderness in hopes of finding a miracle for their family.  There they experience danger and adventure while learning that the best miracles are made with the love of our own families.

Moulton’s relatively short debut novel is the perfect adventure story for the middle-aged reader.  While parts of Maple’s adventure are scary and dangerous, nothing too overwhelming takes place.  Meanwhile, Maple’s relationship with her sister Dawn feels very true to life: love and sibling rivalry woven tightly together.  With a slight dip into magic, this book is a fun, enjoyable read for the independent reader.  It would also make a great before-bedtime family read for those wanting to emphasize the importance of family relationships.

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“PIE,” by Sarah Weeks, Scholastic Press, October 1, 2011, $16.99 (ages 8 and up)

Alice’s beloved Aunt Polly has passed away unexpectedly, changing everything in Alice’s world.  Aunt Polly understood Alice better than anyone else — especially better than her mother, who never seems to understand anything at all.  And now that Aunt Polly has left her top-secret — and very famous — pie recipe to a cat, the entire town is in an uproar.  Will the very thing that made Aunt Polly so loved — her wonderful pies, and the love that went in them — be what tears the town apart in the end?  Or can Alice solve the mystery of Aunt Polly’s will in time to bring peace back to the town of Ipswitch?

The beginning of this book is slow-moving, and a lot of time is spent reliving Aunt Polly’s death — a truthful reaction to death, though slightly morbid for an 8-year-old reading about the mystery of a pie crust recipe.  Additionally, Alice’s relationship with her mother seemed slightly disturbing to me as I read the dialogues between mother and daughter with my own little girl before bed.  Her mother’s selfishness and apparent distaste for Alice left me with a very uncomfortable feeling.

Apart from these points, my daughter loved this book.  She loves mysteries, and she enjoyed trying to solve the mystery concerning Lardo the cat along with Alice and her friend Charlie.  She even began to recognize the mannerisms of the characters, and was able to guess who was speaking from the words they used — an important skill when spying with Alice and Charlie.  She has since gone back to read some of her favorite chapters, and is very excited to try some of the pie recipes included in the book.  (If I could just get to the kitchen!)

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Hank Wolowitz’s best friend has moved, and now he feels all alone. He misses their adventures as pretend spies, and wishes he had help dealing with the bully at school who keeps stealing his lunch every day. Then one afternoon — while helping out at his family’s ice cream shop — he runs across what can only be described as an invisible furry creature. At first, Hank is not sure he hasn’t imagined the fuzzy fellow, but when his neighbor’s dog also notices the animal, Hank realizes he has discovered the real invisible deal. And what could be better than an invisible friend? Hank is in for some great fun with his new bandapat companion — Inkling.

The night my daughter and I began reading “Invisible Inkling,” my husband had fallen on the bed beside us after a long day at work. Soon enough all three of us were drawn in and laughing out loud at Hank’s observations on life and his adventures with his new invisible friend. Inkling himself is a character that our family would like to have more adventures with in the future. His quirky way of dealing with problems and his strange bandapat habits bring lots of giggles and interesting discussions.

As far as Hank’s problems with bullies go — I am assuming that more might be resolved with Bruno in the future since Hank himself seems unhappy with how things stand at this point. I do hope that more closure can be found with this important issue, since bullying is such a difficult problem for many children.

Still, with humorous writing and likeable Hank, this is an easy and entertaining read to enjoy together as a family. I often found myself looking forward to our evening chapter and wondering what would happen next, as much as I looked forward to and wondered about my own “grown-up” book at the time. It is also a book I would feel completely comfortable handing over to my child to be read on her own.

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“ELLRAY JAKES

EllRay Jakes is nothing special.  He’s not tall, his dad’s not rich, and no one cares what he’s been up to over the weekend.  It’s pretty difficult being the ordinary kid at school, so EllRay decides he needs to do something about it.  First, he tries to convince his parents to buy an ATV, but when that doesn’t work out, EllRay decides that borrowing parts of his dad’s rock collection will be the key to his success.  And he’s right!  Everything works out as planned, and the kids at school loves the rocks.  But EllRay doesn’t stop there, soon he’s given away his dad’s rock collection – being cool is just too fun – and that’s when the real trouble begins.  How will EllRay get the rocks back without making school ten times worse than it was before?

Sally Warner’s quick and humorous writing is spot-on for her age market.  Chapters are short enough to encourage independent reading, and EllRay’s character is a friendly, funny person to be around.  Additionally, readers will enjoy figuring out how to get EllRay’s dad’s rock collection back along with him — and laughing at the silly escapades he must live through to make it all happen.  My own daughter was driven to read the last few chapters – and to see how it all came out in the end.

Despite these positives to Warner’s novel, my biggest problem with this book — as a parent — was its subject matter.  Jealousy and comparison of material wealth are problems my daughter has never considered.  It hasn’t occurred to her to care what kind of car her friend’s parents have — and I didn’t like that this book introduced the topic as a serious issue that children should be concerned about.  Meanwhile, statements about teenagers hating their parents, and other allusions to childhood angst cliches similarly bothered me.  I don’t really want books giving my daughter ideas of things to be upset about or unsatisfied with at this young age, and I was glad we were reading the book together so that I could discuss EllRay’s faulty logic with her.  At her age, the idea of an unreliable narrator is way beyond her comprehension.  For books she reads on her own, I would rather she just read about funny, adventurous children and the funny, adventurous things they are doing — rather than reading about how they are trying to keep up with the Joneses.  Of course, if these types of problems are already coming up in family discussions, “EllRay Jakes is a Rock Star!” would be a great book to provide discussion points about what really matters in life, and what doesn’t.

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“HOW DALIA PUT A BIG YELLOW COMFORTER INSIDE A TINY BLUE BOX,” by Linda Heller, illustrated by Stacey Dressen McQueen, Tricycle Press, August 23, 2011, $16.99 (ages 4 and up

Dalia loves the community center.  She loves making things.  She loves learning about things.  So, when her teacher tells the class about tzedakah boxes, Dalia is more than excited to try making one herself.  With her little brother Yossi watching, Dalia creates her own box and sets to filling it with coins by working hard around the house.  At first, she answers Yossi’s questions about the tzedakah box with mysterious answers that don’t quite describe what the box is for, but eventually she explains to both Yossi and the reader what a tzedakah box really is.  At this point, Yossi joins in the excitement at the community center — with all the other children — as they bring the coins they’ve saved together and create a big yellow comforter for a lonely old woman in need of some love.

Illustrating how the small contributions of many, joined together, can bring about great things, “How Dalia Put a Big Yellow Comforter Inside a Tiny Blue Box” provides a great opportunity for discussing service and community awareness with children.  I did find the first half of the book to be slightly confusing as I was not familiar with what a tzedakah box was, and the book did not explain this right away.  I found I couldn’t quite get into Dalia’s quest until I finally learned what the box was for, and what Dalia was trying to accomplish with it.  I wish this explanation had come sooner.  I did enjoy the introduction to a different culture and one of the ways they provide assistance to those in their community.  I also found the loving relationship between Dalia and her little brother heartwarming and a happy change from many picture-books jokes about annoying siblings.  Dalia is a kind and loving character to get to know, and her brother is just as friendly and enjoyable.

Though it is definitely a book to be enjoyed together — where questions can be answered and new ideas explained — Linda Heller’s story of Tzedakah boxes brings a happy feeling into the home, and a realization that even the smallest hands can do great good in the world around them.

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