Lyle, Lyle Crocodile

Author: Bernard Waber
Lexile measure: 760
Bottom line:   The civilized crocodile.
Language: No issues.
Violence:  None.
Big Kid Mature Topics:   The friendly crocodile ends up being put in the zoo, where he is rejected by the other crocodiles.  He is let out of the zoo by a friend in disguise.  There is a house fire.
Illustrations:  This is a picture book.
Plot:  complex.

Both of my children enjoyed this book.  I did as well, which makes this our first 3 thumbs up book on the blog!  It is about 45 pages, so it is good for a bedtime story.  The main character is very sweet, for a crocodile.  This was a good one for teaching vocabulary related to emotions.  It is also a member of a series of books on Lyle, though the reading level on the others is a little lower, with Lexiles in the mid-500s.

An apology

For a variety of reasons, I have decided to scale back on my blog for a short while.  I have returned to work and want to concentrate on finishing my novel (a children's novel, but probably not for very young readers).  Dear daughter has really graduated to more mature fiction.  But, I will probably still write a review occasionally.  Dear son is 2 1/2 and starting to show interest in reading, though, so I predict there will be more soon!

The Newbery Medal

And the Medalist for 2013 is The One and Only Ivan, by Kathleen Applegate!

Now, what is the Newbery Medal?  The Newbery Medal is the oldest and most prestigious award in children's literature and is given to the author/book with the "most distinguished contribution to children's literature".  As my children's librarian explained it, the Newbery is for writing, the Caldecott is for illustration.   The Newbery Honor is given to noteworthy runners up to the Medal.

Newbery Medal/Honor books are usually pretty interesting and always well written, but not always guaranteed to be appropriate for young children nor necessarily enjoyable reading for everyone.   And sometimes the books (like all books) get dated after a while, using vocabulary and expressing viewpoints that you may not want your child to repeat in an undiscriminating fashion.  If you're looking for a little light reading to relax the brain or you're trying to catch the interest of a reluctant reader, it might not be the best place to start.  If you're looking for a challenge or a new author, the Newbery list is a worthwhile place to check. 

Newbery Medal/Honor Books Featured in the Young Precocious Reader
Abel's Island

Doctor Doolittle

Multiple books in the Little House series

Mr. Popper's Penguins

The Twenty One Balloons

My Father's Dragon

Charlotte's Web

The Cricket in Times Square

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankwiler

The Tale of Despereaux

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Abel's Island

Author: William Steig
Lexile measure: 920
Bottom line:   Mouse Robinson Crusoe.
Language: One incident of pseudoswearing "Gosh Almighty" by a supporting character.
Violence:  None.
Big Kid Mature Topics:   The main character is marooned on an island by a bad storm.  There is a lot about how he loves his wife and misses her that might be lost on a younger child.  One character is a very old frog with a sleepy memory/dementia.
Illustrations: frequent blank and white drawings every 2-3 pages.  William Steig has also won the Caldecott Medal.
Plot: moderately complex.

DD and I enjoyed this one.   It reminds me of Stuart Little, but with a more coherent plot focused on how Abel, the mouse, uses his wits and survives while marooned on an island.