Dan Elliott

This book is a great way to get kids laughing while reading or being read to. Everyone knows that Oscar is a grouch. He hates his birthday and is very annoyed when he finds out his friends are throwing him a surprise party. The funny twist is that his friends show up singing "Rotten Birthday to You" and with mud cakes, old socks, smelly weeds, broken toys, etc. because they know Oscar loves trash. This book did a great job mixing humor with friendship. The illustrations helped the story and show more added laughs putting pictures to the crazy gifts and mood swings from Oscar. show less

I love this book for young children. Grover struggles not only with reading, but his fear that once he learns to read then his mother will not read to him anymore! It also teaches the value of sharing as well. Great read for young readers!

This easy reader is a perfect Sesame Street story. Ernie wants to win the paint set Mr. Hooper’s store is giving away. His picture of a rubber ducky is good, but his cousins picture of a tiger is better. Maybe he could tell everyone he painted the tiger? Will Ernie tell the truth? It’s Sesame Street, what do you think?

Grover Goes to school is a book meant for beginners from a series called Sesame Street. This series is something I grew up with as a kid and I always found to be interested in. It is a beginners reading book because the wording is easy to read and understand, it incorporates humor that is satisfying to readers who are just starting to read, which will help them become interested in reading. The story is based off of the typical first day of school. It incorporates topics of nervousness for show more school, meeting your teacher, sharing, being nice to others, and friendship. The main character—Grover—goes to school and learns that making friends and sharing is not always easy. He ends up getting frustrated with his classmates because he feels like he is being taken advantage of. He gives his nice crayons to a child in exchange for a broken toy truck, cleans up his classmates arts and crafts, does not get snack because of that, misses out on jumping rope at recess, and trades his lunch with someone else for something he does not like. Grover then ends up having a break down because he did not have a good day. Because of his break down, one of his friends cheers him up and Grover realizes he has made great new friends. The LEA aspects of this book include first day of school jitters, stresses of school, learning that one can make friends, and that one should always be nice, but they can learn how to say no. Students can learn from all of this. The illustrations in this book are fun, vibrant, and entertaining. The illustrator did a fantastic job at showing the characters emotions and drawing pictures that corresponded with the dialogue. show less