Duck for a Day

Author: Meg McKinlay
Lexile measure: not known, probably around 500?
Language:  No swear words, no potty language.  Mild, infrequent name calling "weirdo".
Violence:  Near drowning (accidental, with prompt rescue).  I think most kids who have been in swimming lessons can relate.
Big Kid Mature Topics:  being responsible for a pet, school.
Illustrations:  black and white shaded drawings most pages.
Plot: moderately complex, several multipaged chapters.

DD liked this and so did I.  It deals with the conflict between a girl who wants a pet, and her parents, who think a pet would be messy.  Its gentle, but not slow and not predictable.  I do think it is more edgy than say, Mr. Putter and Tabby or Frog and Toad, but less than Ruby Lu/Alvin Ho/Ivy+Bean and most others at this reading level.  The main character is a girl, but the second main character is a boy--without any romantic overtones.  The grown ups are a little eccentric, but still respectable.  I think this one would be ok for sensitive little ones if they don't have issues with swimming and water.