Hide-And-Seek Pup (Ready-To-Read: Level Two)

K-Gr 2--The Junior Monster Scouts from McGee and Long's chapter book series make their early reader debut in this title. The titular character is Franky Stein's mechanical puppy, Sprocket, who learns that she has an appointment with Dr. Frankenstein to "oil your gears and wind your springs and make sure all of your parts are working." When Sprocket hides to avoid her check-up, the Junior Monster Scouts help Franky search the castle for her. Repeated phrases will help emerging readers decode the text, and Long's whimsical cartoon illustrations add additional context clues. Young pet owners may relate to the experience of seeing their furry friends hide from the vet, and there is a bit of humor when Sprocket's hiding place is eventually revealed. Like other early reader spin-offs from popular chapter book series, there is nothing groundbreaking here, but it will likely appeal to a wide audience. VERDICT A serviceable addition to early reader collections, and an obvious choice for libraries where the chapter book series is popular.--Amy Reimann