Lady Lollipop by Dick King-Smith January 3, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Beginning Chapter Books, Fantasy , add a comment
This book is adorable. Who could resist a story with a spoiled princess, an intelligent pig, and a clever boy? Princess Penelope wants a pet pig, and she wants it to live in the palace. The King and Queen are not happy but agree to let her have a pig who must live outside. Penelope chooses Johnny’s pig, Lollipop. Lollipop and Johnny move into a stall on the palace grounds. Johnny has a lot of work to do. He must train Lollipop to be an inside pig, teach Penelope how to be nice, and convince the Queen that a pig can be a handy pet. Thank goodness he’s a clever boy!
~Mrs. Carlson~
The Case of the Lost Boy by Dori Hillestad September 20, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Beginning Chapter Books, Mystery , 4comments
This is the first book in the Buddy Files. The narrator is a dog named Buddy. Actually his name is King until he winds up in the dog pound after his owners disappear. His new owners, a little boy named Connor and his mom, name him Buddy. When Connor disappears, Buddy must solve the case of the lost boy.
To be honest, I did not like this book. Buddy constantly repeats himself, especially when he talks about his favorite food. At first it’s funny, but then it gets annoying. Buddy likes to make lists. At first they’re interesting, but then they become annoying. If you like reading mysteries, I suggest trying Cam Jansen, the A to Z Mysteries, or Jigsaw Jones.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Harriet the Hamster Fairy by Daisy Meadows March 6, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Beginning Chapter Books, Fantasy , 1 comment so far
Daisy Meadows is shown as the author on the cover of all the books in the Rainbow Magic series, including the one I read, Harriet the Hamster Fairy. Guess what? There is no Daisy Meadows. It is an alias for four female authors who live in the United Kingdom. Isn’t that interesting?
In this paticular book, three of Jack Frost’s goblins arrive and want to steal Harriet the Hamster Fairy’s pet hamster, Twinkle. Kirsty and Rachel help Harriet save Twinkle from being captured by the goblins. If you are just beginning to read chapter books and like fairies, try any of the Rainbow Magic books.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Stink, The Incredible Shrinking Kid by Megan McDonald January 5, 2010
Posted by jcarlson in : Beginning Chapter Books, Humorous Fiction, School Fiction , 2comments
Stink is Judy Moody’s brother. Whether you’ve read any Judy Moody books or not, I think you’ll enjoy this book. It’s very funny. Stink is in second grade, and he’s worried that he’s shrinking. He’s already the shortest kid in the class! So he tries spiking his hair and wearing vertical stripes. Nothing works, though. He’s just plain short. When he has to explain what Presidents’ Day means to him, he writes a report on the fourth president of the United States, a very short man. Do you know who he is? I’m not telling. You can read the book to find out.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Horrible Harry and the Green Slime by Suzy Kline December 6, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Beginning Chapter Books, Humorous Fiction, School Fiction , 1 comment so farHarry is a funny boy who often has horrible ideas. His best friend Doug tells about all the crazy things 
that happen when Harry is around. In this book, Harry leads a secret mission to place cobwebs all over the school, shows the class how to make green slime, and writes a “deadly skit” for some of his classmates to perform. If you’re just starting to read chapter books and want a good laugh, try any of the Horrible Harry books.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Horrible Harry and the Drop of Doom by Suzy Kline November 13, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Beginning Chapter Books, Friendship Fiction , 3comments
I think the book Horrible Harry and the Drop of Doom is a good book. First, Harry’s friend Song Lee gets a couple tickets to an amusement park and asks Harry, Mary, and Dexter. Then she gets her mom to go. All of them are talking about the Drop of Doom. That is a ride with a 13 story drop. Harry is scared to go on it. Will he go on the ride? Read this book to find out!
~Alex, third grader~