A Pie for Us! (Best Buddies #1)

PreS-Gr 1--In this early reader, a dog named Sniff and a cat named Scratch explore their world with laugh-out-loud results. Their first adventure involves a pie in the kitchen, the second features a cardboard box, and the third centers on a new addition to the house that confuses the two pets. Beginning readers will confidently read the high frequency words and learn new vocabulary, including yummy, stuck, and scratches. The text is simple and follows a pattern, with most sentences having six words or fewer. Leal's full-page cartoon illustrations vibrantly showcase Sniff and Scratch's story. Speech bubbles add to the reading appeal, similar to Mo Willems's "Elephant and Piggy" series. VERDICT It is not easy to find engaging stories at very beginning reading levels, and this one stands out for all the right reasons. Highly recommended.--Heidi Dechief

Praise for Happy Paws (Layla and the Bots #1) by Vicky Fang:

This easy-to-predict story, told in a mix of text and speech balloons, will give new readers confidence while imparting solid STEM lessons of research and implementation, and it's great to see a young girl of color portrayed as a confident inventor (and rock star). A solid introduction for an appealing new chapter-book character. — Kirkus Reviews

This transitional chapter book is ideal for emergent or early fluency readers. It includes charming illustrations to assist with decoding, and interesting STEM themes... this bright, inventive title would make a nice addition to a library's early chapter book collection. — School Library Journal