Published by Scholastic Paperbacks

Summary:  Russell has been chosen to take part in “Race the Wild”, a race that takes place through several ecosystems and carries a $1 million prize for the winners.  Much to his disappointment, the friends who were also chosen are all on the same team, and he’s been placed with three strangers.  They quickly bond as they make their way through the Amazon rain forest, solving the clues and photographing animals to move on to the next challenge.  They finish this first leg of this race second to Russell’s friends’ team, but Russell has evidence that his friends have cheated.  Stay tuned for episode two, which takes place in the Great Barrier Reef.  Grades 2-4.

Pros:  Lots of adventures as the kids move through the rain forest.  At the end of each chapter is information on an animal mentioned in the chapter.  The cliffhanger at the end will leave readers looking for the next book in the series.

Cons:  Prepare to suspend your disbelief as you read about these minimally supervised kids racing dodging piranhas and jaguars to split a million dollars

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Henry, Violet, Emma, Wilbur, and Fernando (a mouse, chicken, squirrel, cat, and rabbit) are neighbors in their apartment building.  Each one stars in one of the stories.  Henry’s nap is disturbed by Emma’s acorn storage; Emma is determined to have the best birthday party ever; Fernando learns to express himself by dancing; Violet survives a flood; and Wilbur wants to save a community garden.  Together they learn to solve their problems and be good neighbors to one another.  Recommended for ages 6-9.

Pros:  This is a cozy book, just right for readers who are moving into chapter books.  Each chapter stands alone and has plenty of illustrations.

Cons:  The chapters are a bit long for beginners.

Published by EgmontUSA

Summary:  Poor Hissy!  All he wants is a nap, but Georgie keeps talking to him about her day and school, Dad is into power tools, and three-year-old terror Zeb won’t leave him alone. Is it any wonder Hissy Fitz is cranky and ready to hiss at, spit on, or even scratch anyone who gets too close.  And then when the family’s finally asleep, Hissy’s hunting instinct kicks in, and all he can think of is going outside and slinking around the neighborhood.  Follow a day in the life of this grumpy but loveable cat.

Pros:  Lots of humor, short chapters, and frequent illustrations will make this a good choice for beginning chapter book readers.

Cons:  I remember now why I am a dog owner.

Published by Grosset and Dunlap

Summary:   In this prequel to the Hank Zipzer series, second-grader Hank’s younger sister Emily wants to have a reptile show for her birthday party.  When their parents say they can’t afford the local performer, Hank decides to put together his own show.  Unfortunately, he has trouble learning how to do the magic trick his friend Frankie tries to teach him.  The party looks like it will turn out to be a disaster, but in the end, Hank is able to save the day.

Pros:  This is a funny story with short chapters and lots of illustrations.  It’s written with a font called Dyslexie (www.dyslexiefont.com) which is designed to make reading easier for kids like Hank who have dyslexia.

Cons: If you were born before 1973, the name Henry Winkler will trigger a “jump the shark” flashback to the Fonz.

Published by Little Simon

Summary:  Spring has arrived, and Sophie’s mouse family is ready to leave the house.  She and her little brother Winston are starting school, along with Sophie’s best friend Hattie the frog.  On the first day, the students are startled to learn that their newest classmate is a snake.  Owen seems nice enough, but none of the others have met a snake before.  They’re so unfriendly to him that he decides not to come back to school.  A few days later, Sophie and Hattie are playing in the woods when Sophie falls down a hole. Owen is nearby and his long tail proves just the thing for rescuing Sophie.  Their new friendship is enough to get Owen to give school another try.

Pros:  This is a charmingly illustrated series perfect for beginning chapter book readers.  I felt as though I had landed in a 117-page Marjolein Bastin greeting card.

Cons:  I worry about Owen functioning in a classroom full of bipeds.  Even a simple act like taking off his baseball cap seemed like it would be a challenge.

Published by Scholastic, Inc.

Summary:  Marlo’s mom has just taken a new job as the chef for a circus.  So the two of them get to live on board the circus train, where Marlo meets the Stardust Girls, three 8-year-old girls who perform in the circus as a clown, acrobat, and animal trainer.  Of course, Marlo wants a chance to perform, but it takes her awhile to learn what her own unique talent is to make her a Stardust Girl.

Pros:  This is a new Branches series from Scholastic, aimed at readers transitioning to chapter books.  It’s my favorite so far of the “girl” series.  The girls in the story are hard-working, dedicated performers.  And throwing in a little glamour doesn’t hurt.

Cons:  If a reader doesn’t want to run away and join the circus after finishing this book, you might want to consider checking comprehension skills.