Early chapter books represent a significant transition for your child from an early reader. They can now follow longer story lines and they are faster at decoding words.
These books are a step up in their reading experience as they learn how to predict what will happen next in a story and follow the logic of the story line when more details and descriptors are presented in the narrative.
A great early chapter book can give them a glimpse of what is to come, and inspire their love of books. So get cracking and get some good stories in front of them. I promise you won't regret it!
To see all my early chapter book choices this week, visit my website at www.onegreatbook.com
Title: The Adventures of Arnie the Doughnut: Bowling Alley Bandit
Author: Laurie Keller
Target: Grades 1-3
Series: This is the first book in a planned series
What this book is about:
One of my favorite picture book characters has returned for an early reader adventure. After not getting eaten by Mr. Bing and becoming his doughnut dog, Arnie finds himself accompanying Mr. Bing on all his activities, including bowling. At the big bowling tournament, Arnie knows something is up when Mr. Bing throws an unheard of gutter ball. Is there foul play involved?
Why I love this book:
Keller has kept so many of the elements that made her picture book, Arnie the Doughnut, so charming - the funny asides and the knee slapping humor. As Arnie says on the cover, “I beat out two muffins and an onion bagel for the starring role in this chapter book!”
This is the type of book that gets read more than once as kids discover new jokes, funny comments and interesting details in the illustrations. There is so much to find and appreciate that parents won’t even mind reading it with their kids, and I don’t say that often about an early chapter book!
Who this book is for:
There are plenty of illustrations on every page of this book and usually one or two paragraphs per page. The bigger issue is vocabulary and humor. The word choices are a little more difficult and some of the jokes are more sophisticated.
Final thoughts:
I love the invention of the seventh-frame stretch for bowling, replete with song!
