Published by Tiger Tales

Summary:  Rolo starts life with a cruel owner, often tied up in the backyard with a rope and without enough food.  He finally runs away but finds life as a stray to be a precarious existence.  After his friend and mentor Scrap is taken away to the pound, Rolo takes shelter in a shed where he is discovered by a girl named Freya.  Freya lives with her single mother, who is stressed by her many responsibilities and isn’t sure about adding an untrained puppy to the household.  Freya and Rolo’s obvious love for each other finally wins her over, and after a series of mishaps, Rolo finally gets some training.  His presence brings some changes to the household, and Mom finds a career that makes all of them happier.  192 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  I always enjoy a good dog-narrated story, and this one is particularly heartwarming, especially for readers who, like Rolo, may not always succeed at carrying out their good intentions.  This is book 2 in a series whose subject matter and relatively low page count is sure to appeal to a wide range of elementary readers.

Cons:  I wish there had been more illustrations besides the same picture of Rolo at the head of each chapter.  Also, Mom’s overnight career switch from accountant to dogwalker seemed a bit fiscally risky.

Published by Walden Pond Press

Summary:  Harriet gets an upsetting surprise on her last day of third grade: her pregnant mother has been ordered to go on bed rest until the baby arrives, and Harriet will be spending two months at her grandmother’s bed and breakfast on Marble Island.  On the ferry trip, her father, who grew up on the island, makes a few cryptic comments about treasure and a gingerbread house that arouse Harriet’s curiosity.  After she gets to Nanu’s house and her dad leaves, though, Harriet is miserable for the next few days and expresses her misery by being surly and unpleasant to those around her.  Fortunately, Nanu is understanding, and as the days go by, Harriet begins to make some discoveries that help her to get to know her dad as a boy and that lead her to unlocking the mysteries of the treasure and the gingerbread house.  By the end of the book, Harriet has discovered her own strength and feels much more confident about her abilities to get through the summer on her own.  208 pages; grades 2-4.

Pros:  I love how upfront Harriet is about her shortcomings: on the first page she tells the reader that she lies, is plagued by nightmares, and sometimes wets the bed.  She covers up her homesickness with grumpiness and occasional fibs but grows in a way that’s realistic and that will resonate with many readers.  The mystery is a fun part of the story, but somewhat secondary to Harriet’s development. I’m always happy to see a “real” chapter book written for this age group.

Cons:  I liked the somewhat eccentric woman called the Captain and was hoping there would be more revealed about her character.

Published by Anne Schwartz Books

Summary:  Harry is super nervous on his first day of first grade: he worries about his too-short haircut, having a guinea pig in the classroom, strict teachers, and making friends.  As the story unfolds day by day, Harry learns to overcome all of these concerns.  His teacher is strict, but kind, gently guiding Harry to do the right thing.  His older sister introduces him to her class’s guinea pig, and he learns that they aren’t scary after all, but pretty adorable. He meets Mason, who becomes his best friend.  And he learns to stand up to the class bully, who eventually turns out to be a friend as well.  By day 100, Harry considers himself a first grade expert, with these words of wisdom: “Try to make new friends. Keep reading even when the words are hard. Speak up when something’s wrong. And help when someone’s sad.”  240 pages, grades K-3.

Pros:  I zipped through the first half of this book in one evening, then held off on the rest so I could savor it later.  It’s such a realistic look at what first grade is like, and Harry is an imperfectly perfect narrator (he gets in trouble for talking, pukes all over his desk, and isn’t always nice to the other kids at his table).  There’s plenty of classroom diversity, and lessons about Columbus Day and Thanksgiving that are a bit different than what I remember from first grade but well-delivered by his compassionate teacher.  Pete Oswald’s illustrations add plenty of humor.  This would be a perfect first-grade read-aloud, and I hope it captures the attention of the Newbery committee.

Cons:  I would have liked a little more background on Harry’s guinea pig phobia.