Richard Torrey

Well, it's no Ally-saurus, and I don't know why the kids are monkeys, but the important thing for the target audience is that it's slapstick funny, and that Moe learns that being best at trying is the most important.

Bob the dog does amazing human things, but when the narrator wants to show him off to a friend, Bob won't bark, sit, or fetch like her dog can. But that's okay, Bob makes the family pizza to make up for it that evening. :) Silly illustrations, witty re-imaginings of dogs' usual behaviors, and tongue-in-cheek twists make this a winner.

My son discovered the second book when he was shelving it at his library (while I was out of town). I requested it, and this too. We both love the art style in both, with the kinda shadows of the child's imagination showing the reader what they're currently focused on.

I like that all the kids, even the princesses, know that there are lots of different roles to play-act. I'm sure even Walter will come around. He's my favorite character; he's exactly like me; low on creative imagination, high show more on appreciation for the simple things in life.

Now I'll actually read the second... I hope it's at least as good but I admit that I'm leery. show less

A little boy is on vacation and is excited to go to Grandma’s house. He tries to decide what to take, but doesn’t know what the weather will be like. As he imagines each possibility, he thinks of something new to pack, ending up with six suitcases . . . and Grandma lives right next door!

Part of the Vocabulary Tales series, this book introduces eight key weather words that are important for young readers to know. The key words are highlighted in the story, then reviewed in a trio of show more activities that follow the story. Young readers can complete a Meaning Match, Vocabulary Fill-Ins, and Vocabulary Questions, all focused on the various types of weather shown in the story.

Brightly colored illustrations show the boy imagining having fun doing a variety of weather-related activities with his grandmother. The rhyming, easy-to-read text highlights the key words and separates them into a box where a simple definition and a sample sentence are also included.

The target audience for this vocabulary builder story is the young reader, ages five through seven, in the lower primary grades. Designed as a foundation vocabulary builder, this fun tale helps young readers enrich and expand their vocabularies as it introduces and reinforces must-know words. [The must-know weather words in “Going to Grandma’s” are blizzard, breezy, chilly, drizzle, forecast, freeze, humid, and hurricane.]

Highly recommended for young readers. show less