Recommended Early Chapter Books from our 2021 Winter Newsletter

Flubby—of Flubby Is Not a Good Pet! fame—is back and once again hilariously unwilling to participate in our cat-ish expectations of him. Author-illustrator J. E. Morris seamlessly combines simple text with engaging illustrations, providing beginning readers with plenty of hints for new vocabulary. Each of these installments serves up a slew of laugh-out-loud images: watch for Flubby and Kami eye-to-eye in a bedtime showdown, or Flubby’s clever strategy for avoiding the bathwater. Can’t wait for the next exciting adventure!—Michelle

Newly independent readers will find Penny and Her Sled a great next step. Full of beautiful illustrations for context clues—with plenty of repeating words—young readers will feel successful and delighted by this book. Told in five short chapters, this is a story about patience, imagination, and how to share feelings when things don't go quite as expected. A beautiful addition to any child's bookshelf.—Jenny

The cat is back—this time standing in for the dog, who's sick. Goofiness ensues as "the book" tries to direct the cat to do dog-like tasks, tasks the cat finds revolting! Not so easy for a cat to be a dog, after all. Early readers will appreciate the simple sentence structure and fun illustrations. Adults reading along with kids will surely enjoy the shared humor-filled experience, too.—Jenny

Chitra Soundar and Jen Khatun have created a perfect book for any soon-to-be big sibling. Sona’s jealous uncertainty and her ultimate love and determination to care for her little sister all ring true, while Soundar also demonstrates the care and empathy adults can take to make the transition easier. With beautiful details of family and traditions in India (brought to joyful life with Khatun’s illustrations), Sona’s story will be familiar to anyone who’s ever welcomed a new member of the family.—Jocelyn

Wilson is the “friendliest, woolliest, smartest sheep” in Abigail Atwood’s herd. But that doesn’t mean he always makes the right choices. One fateful day, a piano delivery ominously coincides with a Wilson disappearance. Luckily for Abigail, her border collie’s keen sense of smell coupled with Wilson’s finely tuned sense of hearing saves the day. Inviting watercolors exquisitely portray the expressive sheep eyes and their soft spiraling wool. A delightful chapter book for independent readers or an equally cozy read-aloud for the chilly evenings to come.—Michelle

Portico Reeves has a secret. A super secret. Don’t tell anyone, but he’s really a superhero named Stuntboy! His superpower is to protect other supers so they can save the day. But no stunt can stop his parents from fighting or from Herbert the Worst from teasing him. Interspersed with Raúl the Third’s expressive artwork, Jason Reynolds’ story perfectly captures all the trials and anxieties of a young kid living in a turbulent situation. This is a great book for kids going through big changes.—Ivy