Disclosure: I was sent review copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.
Here are just some of the new beginner and middle-grade chapter books recently released by Simon & Schuster. They would make for great stocking stuffers for your kids, or even as a snack under the Christmas tree. With your kids soon to be home on winter break, some new books will keep them busy and entertained. My girls recently read each of the following chapter books, and loved them all...and, I know your kids will love them, too!
(Also available in hardcover and Kindle formats)
About this Book:
"Read all about Princess Mini and her merry mis-adventures at Royal Fairy Academy in the newest Royal Sweets book that’s perfect for fans of Sofia the First.
My Thoughts:
My youngest daughter was turned onto this beginner chapter book series by one of her friends, as they both loved watching Sofia the First the television series, and this book series was recommended to her by the library. Once my daughter read the first book in the series, she was hooked and had to take out books #2 and #3 to read more. So, when I shared this new release, book #4 with her the other day, she was all smiles and retreated to her room to read it. In under an hour she had read this new release cover to cover, before coming down to tell me all about it. I could tell she loved it, as she talked passionately about the different parts and characters. She was quick to call up her friend to see if she had read this book yet, which she hadn't. So, we ended up driving over to her friend's house the next day just so her friend could read it and then they could talk all about it, and compare it to the previous books in this series.
If you are looking for a fun and easy to read beginner chapter book series for your child who loves fairies and royal princesses and princes, then I highly recommend the "Royal Sweets" series by Helen Perleman. My daughter can't wait for the next book to release, so she can read more about her favorite Royal Sweet characters.
(Also available in hardcover and Kindle formats)
About this Book:
"Frankie Sparks uses her inventing skills to build the best sled ever in this third chapter book in the STEM inspired Frankie Sparks, Third-Grade Inventor series.
Frankie Sparks can’t wait to enter the town-wide sled design contest. With the help of a team, she must design and build a sled using only cardboard and duct tape. And there are PRIZES!
Each team in the contest will be judged on:
1. Best looking sled.
2. Fastest sled.
3. Most team spirit.
Even though Frankie might know a lot about building a sled, it turns out she still has a lot to learn about building a team. With lots of twists, turns, and big bumps along the way, can Frankie and her fellow super-sled designers create a dream machine—and a dream team?"
In the Very, Very Far North, past the Cold, Cold Ocean and just below the hill that looks like a baby whale, you’ll find Duane and his friends.
Duane is a sweet and curious young bear who makes friends with everyone he meets—whether they’re bossy, like Major Puff the puffin, or a bit vain, like Handsome the musk ox, or very, very shy, like Boo the caribou. For these arctic friends, every day is a new adventure!"
My Thoughts:
This book may look familiar as I reviewed the previous release in the "Frankie Sparks, Third Grade Inventor" series a few weeks ago. My youngest got into this series with the previous release, "Talent Show Trick," and has been eagerly awaiting this new release, which is perfect winter which is fast approaching. This afternoon we had a few snowflakes fall, and the girls raced out the door to tilt their heads up towards the sky and try to catch a few snowflakes on their tongues. The snow reminded my daughter of this new Frankie Sparks chapter book she read last week, and she came inside to read it again. This beginner chapter book is filled with black and white illustrations throughout the pages, to help readers imagine what is going on in the story, as well as keep reluctant readers engaged and entertained. My daughter zipped right through the book, and then started talking to her sister about having a sledding challenge once we get a snow storm, as they both have new sleds for this winter. She was inspired by this cute book, and I know your kids will, too!
(Also available in Kindle format)
About this Book:
"An inquisitive polar bear named Duane befriends an array of animals as he discovers where he belongs in this charming classic-in-the making that’s reminiscent of Winnie the Pooh.
In the Very, Very Far North, past the Cold, Cold Ocean and just below the hill that looks like a baby whale, you’ll find Duane and his friends.
Duane is a sweet and curious young bear who makes friends with everyone he meets—whether they’re bossy, like Major Puff the puffin, or a bit vain, like Handsome the musk ox, or very, very shy, like Boo the caribou. For these arctic friends, every day is a new adventure!"
My Thoughts:
I ended up reading this book to my girls as part of our schooling as they were learning about animals that live up North. So, I thought this middle-grade chapter book was only fitting. It is over 250 pages, so we ended up breaking it up and reading a few chapters a day, over the course of the week. When my girls first saw the book with its small print and 250+ pages, they were hesitant to want to read it, as it would take "forever" per my youngest daughter. But, as we started to read this book, the girls found themselves really getting into it, and not wanting me to stop. The book is about a polar bear and his friends and the fun adventures they have together. It is a great book to read that emphasizes the importance of friendship, and will also kids as the animals that fill the pages of this chapter book are just so darn cute. :-)
We can't wait to read this book again soon, and I know that your kids will love this book, too!
(Also available in paperback, Audiobook, Audio CD and Kindle formats)
About this Book:
"Nikki Maxwell’s summer is packed with drama in this fourteenth installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series!
Nikki and her bandmates are looking forward to an AWESOME summer on tour as the opening act for the world famous Bad Boyz! Nikki is a little worried when her frenemy, MacKenzie Hollister, weasels her way into a social media intern position with the tour. But she has a total MELTDOWN when she learns that MacKenzie is her new roommate!
Will Nikki survive her dream tour as it quickly goes from AWESOME to AWFUL?! The drama continues in Dork Diaries 14: Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever!"
Solo has a fine nose and knows how to use it, but he’s only one of many thousands of scent-detection dogs all over the United States. That’s a group that includes cadaver dogs, tracking, trailing, and apprehension dogs; dogs that can locate unmarked graves of Civil War soldiers; and even dogs that can find drowning victims more than two hundred feet below the surface of a lake.
All these dogs love to use their noses. They think their job is simply the best, most interesting game they’ve ever played! What good working dogs can do may seem magical or mysterious, but What the Dog Knows shows the science, the rigorous training, and the skilled handling that underlie these amazing abilities."
My Thoughts:
When my oldest daughter started to read chapter books on her own, she would always pick up books in the Dork Diaries series to read, as her friends were also reading these books, and loved to talk about them during their Girl Scouts meetups. My daughter wanted to see what the series was all about, and ended up getting hooked. And, now my youngest daughter is playing catch up and reading all her sister's old Dork Diaries books, as well as the recent releases including "Dork Diaries: Tales from a NOT-SO-Best Friend Forever. I asked my girls what they like about this series and they both agreed that they like how the book is written as a journal or diary, and how Nikki is a cool girl and has some great friends. My girls said they could relate to some of the stories, but really loved feeling like they were getting a glimpse into Nikki's life and personal thoughts with these books.
If your child is a huge Dork Diaries series fan like my girls, then you will want to pick up this new release in the series. Or, if you are looking to get your child hooked on a new chapter book series and reading more, I highly recommend Dork Diaries. The pages are full of large print test and lots of pictures, so kids will not feel like this is a super long book to read, or that the writing is so small that it will be tiresome to read. Usually when my girls get their hands on a Dork Diaries book, they can't put it down until they are reading it.
(Also available in Kindle format)
About this Book:
"In this young readers edition of the New York Times bestseller, Cat Warren and her canine companion, Solo, teach readers that the nose knows no bounds when it comes to working together, being persistent, and helping others.
Solo has a fine nose and knows how to use it, but he’s only one of many thousands of scent-detection dogs all over the United States. That’s a group that includes cadaver dogs, tracking, trailing, and apprehension dogs; dogs that can locate unmarked graves of Civil War soldiers; and even dogs that can find drowning victims more than two hundred feet below the surface of a lake.
My Thoughts:
This young readers version of the NY Times Bestseller, is perfect for kids who love dogs, like my daughter. She loves all things dogs and will read a book if it has a dog on it, no matter the subject matter or story line. So, when she saw this book arrive in the mail a couple weeks ago, she snatched up and started to read it. This book is all about the science behind a dog's sniffer and how they perceive the world. From cadaver dogs tracking and trailing to dogs whose job it is to locate unmarked graves of Civil War Soldiers, and even dogs who retrieve drown victims, this truly is a fascinating book to read about man's best friend, who is truly more than just a companion. I ended up reading this book after my daughter, and found it a great read. Who knew that a dog's nose is so powerful and that that with proper training dogs can do amazing things.
About this Book:
"A beautifully refreshed and expanded special edition of the Sibert Honor–winning graphic memoir about the dreams and realities of becoming a ballerina.
Ballerinas are young when they first dream of dance. Siena was six—and her dreams kept skipping and leaping, circling and spinning, from airy runs along a beach near her home in Puerto Rico, to dance classes at the School of American Ballet, to her debut performance on stage with the New York City Ballet while working with ballet legend George Balanchine.
Part family history, part backstage drama, this beautifully updated graphic memoir—which features a refreshed design and a brand-new scrapbook of Siena’s mementoes—is an original, firsthand look a young dancer’s beginnings."
My Thoughts:
This was an instant hit with my youngest daughter, as it had two things that she loves -- ballet and graphic novel books. I don't think she had read another graphic novel like this that is all about a young dancer's beginnings told through a graphic novel format. Not only was the story fun to read, but the illustrations on each page really brought this memoir by Siena Cherson Siegel to life. If you child loves ballet and/or graphic novels, I highly recommend this book. This is one book your child will read time and time again. We have only had this book for a couple of weeks, and my youngest has already read it a few times, and can't wait to read it again soon.
(Also available in hardcover and Kindle formats)
About this Book:
"From the New York Times bestselling author of I Dissent comes a biographical graphic novel about celebrated Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a modern feminist icon—a leader in the fight for equal treatment of girls and women in society and the workplace. She blazed trails to the peaks of the male-centric worlds of education and law, where women had rarely risen before."
Ruth Bader Ginsburg has often said that true and lasting change in society and law is accomplished slowly, one step at a time. This is how she has evolved, too. Step by step, the shy little girl became a child who questioned unfairness, who became a student who persisted despite obstacles, who became an advocate who resisted injustice, who became a judge who revered the rule of law, who became…RBG."
My Thoughts:
This was another "winner" of a book for my youngest as it was a graphic novel all about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. My youngest daughter is a huge history buff and loves to read biographies about famous people living and deceased, and learning how they have impacted the world either through a position they had held, an invention they made, discovery they made, etc. She loves RBG...and if she wasn't Lilo from Lilo and Stitch this past Halloween, her next idea for a costume was to dress as her favorite Supreme Court Justice judge and feminist icon.
When my daughter saw this book, she had no idea it was a graphic novel. As she saw was RPG on the cover, and she was all smiles. But, the real twinkle in her eyes came when she opened the book to check it out, and saw that it was a graphic novel. She yelled, "score!" and ran off to her bedroom to read this book cover to cover. Now, I thought I knew a lot about RPG from other books my daughter has read, but she schooled me on this amazing woman and her journey to justice, thanks to all she read about in this wonderfully written and illustrated graphic novel.
Fans of female activists/icons will want to get their hands on this new graphic novel all about RPG. It really is an enjoyable read.
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These are just some of the new chapter books available from Simon & Schuster for beginner and middle-grade chapter book readers. There are so many more books available and coming soon - so, be sure to head on over to https://www.simonandschuster.com/ to check out their chapter book offerings for your kids today. With the holidays fast approach, why not pick up a few new books for your kids to read during the upcoming winter school break. Yes, toys are fun...but, books can transport your children on a fun adventure through intriguing stories that will get their imaginations going, in a way that toys can't do.
Stay tuned as I will be sharing some new picture books from Simon & Schuster in my next post for those with younger children. :-)
Disclosure: I was sent review copies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.
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