A good early reader appeals to a child’s interests and nurtures their developing reading aptitude. These slim books are invaluable in building key early literacy skills, like phonological awareness, print awareness, and narrative skills. This is much easier said than done! The talented authors and illustrators who create these titles must combine well-curated vocabulary words into fun, punchy stories beautifully decorated with appealing artwork in 32 pages or less. Many of this season’s additions to early reader series accomplish that lofty goal and promote burgeoning passions in science, animal welfare, and more.

Elementary

Greenwald, Tommy & Charlie Greenwald. The Rescues Best Day Ever. illus. by Shiho Pate. 48p. (The Rescues: Bk. 2). Red Comet. Sept. 2024. Tr $14. ISBN 9781636551173.
PreS-Gr 2–Tiger, Moose, and Bear, three rescue animals, return in the second addition to “The Rescues” series. Tiger is an orange cat, Moose is a dog with one eye, and Bear the dog has three legs. Their differences are never focused on or even mentioned, and they refer to themselves as brother and sister, a subtle reminder that adopted families are real families. Their human owner, Cathy, is a Black professional woman with an impeccable sense of style. Throughout the day, they face an unexpected vet visit, settle an argument over a comfy chair, and survive a scary night at home alone. Endpapers are cleverly utilized with adorable sketches of a squirrel enjoying an endless variety of food. Readers are encouraged to play “I Spy” and identify all the snacks. The book is divided into three chapters, the first taking place in the morning, second in the afternoon, third at night. What a day it is! VERDICT A rich and valuable addition to any collection.
 

Minden, Cecilia. Jed and Mel Can Help. illus. by Becky Down. ISBN 9781668947814.
––––. The Lost Pets. illus. by Becky Down. ISBN 9781668947845.
––––. Max and Ann for the Win. illus. by Rachael McLean. ISBN 9781668947807.
––––. Max and Ann’s Field Day. illus. by Rachael McLean. ISBN 9781668947791.
––––. On the Team. illus. by Sharon Sordo. ISBN 9781668947838.
Scully, Elizabeth. A Class Song. illus. by Laura Gomez. ISBN 9781668947777.
––––. Gage Hits the Ball. illus. by Laura Gomez. ISBN 9781668947784.
––––. Jip and Jam Go on a Quest. illus. by Laura Gomez. ISBN 9781668947821.
––––. The Swim Meet. illus. by Laura Gomez. ISBN 9781668947852.
––––. Where Is the Chimp?illus. by Laura Gomez. ISBN 9781668947869.
ea vol: 23p. (In Bloom). Cherry Blossom. Jul. 2024. Tr $30.64.
PreS-K–Most of the stories in this simple series for young readers are about sports or animals, some anthropomorphic and some not. In one title a math teacher cannot control his unruly class so he helps them form a music band, and it remains unclear how this helps them learn math. Each story is comprised of two labeled chapters. In some books the chapters tell two different stories, in others the chapters are two halves of a single story. Pages have one or two simple or compound sentences. Some include questions, exclamations, and dialogue. Illustrations are cute and colorful but lack shading and depth. All of the books are labeled “Level A” and include two helpful pages of back matter. One is a list of key terms and phonemes focused on in the book, the other includes the entirety of the book’s text on one page, including word count. VERDICT The narratives are inconsistent, but the focus on phonological awareness and sight words make this series a nice addition to a classroom or school library.
 

Ruths, Mitali Banerjee. Help the Strong Cheetah. illus. by Francesca Mahaney. 64p. (The Inside Scouts: Bk. 3). Scholastic. Oct. 2024. Tr $23.99. ISBN 9781338895056.
K-Gr 2–In this series installment, Viv and Sanjay travel inside a cheetah’s body, like in the Fantastic Voyage or The Magic School Bus. The book is divided into short chapters complete with a table of contents and factual back matter. Almost all text is dialogue inside of word bubbles, and the artwork is colorful and angular. The plot is clear and the young Indian characters are resourceful and determined. The mix of fact and fantasy is fun, but their intersection is clumsy. To fix the cheetah’s cramp, the adventurous pair drill into the muscle and use a tiny spray can and foam roller to fix it. Back matter includes facts about the muscular system, but doesn’t mention how cramps occur or how to fix them. VERDICT While there is room for improvement, this book can serve as a fun introduction to comics with a few anatomy facts sprinkled in for good measure.
 

Scully, Elizabeth. Do You Remember?illus. by Eduardo Marticorena. ISBN 9781668946268.
––––. Emily Has Lots of Feelings. illus. by Andreana Boatta. ISBN 9781668946275.
––––. Jack Makes a Rocket. illus. by Tika Bobokhidze & Tata Bobokhidze. ISBN 9781668946282.
––––. Jack’s New Video Game. illus. by Tika Bobokhidze & Tata Bobokhidze. ISBN 9781668946299.
––––. Liam and the Sailboat. illus. by Andreana Boatta. ISBN 9781668946305.
––––. Oliver and His Hoverboard. illus. by Eduardo Marticorena. ISBN 9781668946312.
––––. Picking Our Garden. illus. by Eduardo Marticorena. ISBN 9781668946329.
––––. The Robot. illus. by Eduardo Marticorena. ISBN 9781668946336.
––––. The Thirsty Dragon. illus. by Andreana Boatta. ISBN 9781668946343.
––––. Trouble for James. illus. by Eduardo Marticorena. ISBN 9781668946350.
––––. We Need a Vacation!illus. by Eduardo Marticorena. ISBN 9781668946367.
––––. Where Is My Tablet?illus. by Andreana Boatta. ISBN 9781668946374.
ea vol: 16p. (Little Blossom Stories). Cherry Blossom. Jul. 2024. Tr $11.36.
PreS-K–The titles in this series for very young readers feature simple conflicts, if they include a conflict at all. In one story, Joe loses his tablet, and then he finds it. Other stories lack a definitive ending or plot arc. The boys have sporty or STEM interests: a hoverboard, a sailboat, video games, a rocket. Two books focused on girls are about feelings, although a third girl has a robot, which her mother designed. Each page features one simple or compound sentence accompanied by an illustration. Artwork consists of colorful compositions with a digital crayon look. All the child characters have expressive faces, and a variety of skin tones are depicted. All the children are thin. Back matter includes a word lists, such as words that end in -ly and or have the prefix re-, as well as the entirety of the book’s text on one page, with the word count provided. VERDICT This series features weak narratives but may help with phonological awareness and print motivation.
 

Thomas, Kiah. Lone Wolf Gets a Pet. 48p. ISBN 9780823457786.
––––. Lone Wolf Goes to School. 56p. ISBN 9780823457779.
ea vol: illus. by K-Fai Steele, (Lone Wolf). Holiday House/Neal Porter. Oct. 2024. Tr $16.99.
K-Gr 4–Lone Wolf is the zaniest animal protagonist since Grumpy Monkey. Whether being pestered by classmates or trying to win a best pet contest, Wolf, as the title implies, just wants to be left alone. Steele’s illustrations are delirious, deranged, and delightful. Scenes are full of unexpected detail. For instance, in one story, Wolf watches a movie about a hen riding a horse. Some illustrations are spread across two full pages while others punctuate little spots of action. Familiar faces reappear across both books. A particularly clever illustration features a young man whose happy face is distorted by the water as he gazes at a goldfish. The books have a unique theme: Wolf wants to be alone. He never learns a lesson about the joy of being with others. He remains alone and happy in solitude. VERDICT Ironically, these stories are so fresh and funny they must be shared.
 

Vaughan, Pam. Missy Wants a Mammoth. illus. by Ariel Landy. 32p. (Missy and Mason: Bk. 1). Pixil + Ink. Aug. 2024. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781645950844.
PreS-Gr 2–Missy and Mason are two young white kids who go to a museum. When Missy sees a stuffed mammoth, she wants one. Over the next 26 pages, Mason tries to convince Missy that mammoths don’t exist, while Missy either fails to listen to or acknowledge what he says, persistent in her desire to own an extinct creature. Of course, at the end of the book, she gets one. Mason is tall with brown hair and Missy is short with red. Both are thin. Characters of other races are present in the background. This series opener doesn’t make it clear what the relationship is between Missy and Mason, who are not under adult supervision at the museum. The artwork is top-notch—sleek, colorful, and personable. The story is a bit of a clunker. VERDICT A series about the tension between a stoic and a romantic with beautiful artwork has potential, but this book starts on the wrong foot.