by Heather Altena and Eleanor Tiemens
Ah, newly independent readers. First through third graders are an intoxicating mix of excitement and intransigence in their reading habits. They get hooked on one genre or topic and will. not. let. go. That’s one of the reasons they love book series so much. Unfortunately, it takes time for authors to write new books, and patience is not something these readers have in abundance. So librarians and teachers have to gently guide them to other materials while they wait for the next [fill in blank with latest obsession here] book to come out.
I teamed up with my library intern, Eleanor Tiemens, to share some possibilities for diverting the minds of younger readers. They are not all great literature, but each has some redeeming factor that will make it appeal to students. In general, books in each genre will begin with younger readers and move to older readers.
For students needing diversion from LEGO Ninjago books:
The Dragon Masters series by Tracey West. Illustrated by Graham Howells and Damien Jones
I have second grade boys who asked me every single week since the beginning of the year when the next Dragon Masters books would be out. (It was in February. That’s a long time. Another will be out this summer. Also a long time.) I see why they are eager. These short, simple adventures are a great introduction to the fantasy genre. In the first book, eight-year-old Drake is taken from his home to the palace because the Dragon Stone has chosen him as a Dragon Master. The king is building a dragon army for mysterious reasons, and only children can connect with the beasts. Drake meets Rori, Bo, and Ana who are training impressive-looking Fire, Water, and Sun dragons. Drake is matched with an Earth dragon, Worm, who is dull brown and doesn’t even have wings. True to the fantasy (and biblical) theme of the “weak things overcoming the strong,” Worm turns out to be the most powerful of the dragons, despite his humble appearance. Each book in the series explores the mistakes and triumphs of the young Dragon Masters as they try to connect with the dragons, while unresolved questions at the end of each book make readers eager for the next installment.
Heroes in Training: Zeus and the Thunderbolt of Doom by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
Ten-year-old Zeus has been stuck on the Greek island of Crete with nothing to do for his whole life. He doesn’t know who his parents are and spends his days bored out of his mind and longing for an adventure. One day, however, Zeus is captured by half-giants who work for King Cronus. So Zeus finally gets to go on his adventure as he escapes the grasp of King Cronus’s army, flees flying bird-women, and ends up in a temple where he is greeted by an Oracle. The Oracle tells him that he is King of the Olympians and must go on a quest. Using his newly found lightning bolt, Zeus sets out to fulfill his quest and ends up saving the other Olympians who are trapped in the belly of King Cronus. This advanced chapter book relays an interesting take on Greek mythology, revealing the early years of the Greek god Zeus and his rescue of the other Olympians. A younger version of Rick Riordan’s well-loved Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the Heroes in Training series is an educational yet humorous series for lovers of adventure and mythology.
For graphic novel lovers:
The Narwhal and Jelly series by Ben Clanton
If you have not read Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea and Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt, go get them right now. Book three, Peanut Butter and Jelly, has just been released. For any children who tell you that they could never draw a graphic novel because they don’t draw very well, point out the utter simplicity of Clanton’s charming pictures. Stories of imagination and friendship make even the simplest drawings come to life.
The Cici: A Fairy’s Tale series by Cori Doerrfeld and Tyler Page
In the first book, Believe Your Eyes, Cici is devastated when she finds out that her parents are getting a divorce and that her dad is moving out of their house. And if that isn’t enough change, her abuela has also just told Cici that she has inherited fairy powers and will have to decide one day if she wants to keep them. Scared of being looked at differently because of her parents’ divorce or her new fairy powers, Cici pretends to be someone she is not and ends up hurt and without a friend. Part of Cici’s fairy sight is to see people differently—her mother has multiple octopus arms; girls at school look like chickens. Astute readers will ask what truths are conveyed in the fairy-sight images. In the sequel, Truth in Sight, Cici’s abuela teaches her to use her powers and to adjust to change. Cici discovers that she cannot change how other people act and learns not to judge people on first impressions. Abuela tells Cici, “Even a fairy cannot control who people are. But you can always change how you see them” (12).
Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible by Ursula Vernon
Harriet Hamsterbone is no ordinary princess and not just because she is a hamster. While her mother, Queen Hamsterbone, is determined to make Harriet into a proper princess who marries a prince and can walk with a book on her head, Harriet has other plans: to slay dragons and go on adventures. But in a “Sleeping Beauty” twist, Harriet is cursed to fall into an eternal sleep when she cuts herself on a hamster wheel on her twelfth birthday. After this, she is only be able to be woken by a kiss from a prince. Clever Harriet discovers a loophole though. Until the day she turns twelve, she is invincible to death and injury. Harriet takes advantage of her invincibility and travels around the kingdom slaying monsters and saving damsels in distress. The humorous dialogue, interspersed with simple drawings and speech bubbles, tells a heroic tale of a princess who defies all norms and expectations to pursue what she loves, finding in herself bravery and courage.
For fans of realistic fiction:
I have to admit that I am not a fan of super-smart, wisecracking characters for young readers. I prefer stories that stay honest to and respect children’s perspectives and experiences.
Beatrice Zinker: Upside Down Thinker by Shelley Johannes
Beatrice does not fit in with her right-side-up family, but she finds a friend, Lenny, who understands her, and together they develop a secret plan to set in motion during the upcoming school year. I won’t give too much away, but the plan involves ninja costumes, a secret fort, and lots of spying. But when Lenny comes back from summer vacation, she is not wearing her ninja costume and has made a new friend. What could be a fairly typical story of an eccentric child dealing with changes in friendship is made unique by Beatrice’s great kindness and ingenuity. Even the girls’ secret plan is not what it seems. Our school is focusing on the Beatitudes and “Upside Down Living” this year, and this book perfectly exemplifies the frustrations and joys of living differently.
My Heart Is Laughing by Rose Lagercrantz, illustrated by Eva Eriksson
This sequel to the equally charming My Happy Life follows young Dani, “who’s always happy. She’s unhappy too, now and then, but she doesn’t count those times” (1). Dani’s best friend has moved away, and as she grieves this, she also deals with two bullies in her class. Everything about this story feels honest. Dani is a believable and likable girl whose emotions are told through beautiful prose and simple but effective black and white drawings that perfectly capture the facial expressions and body language of children.
Sam the Man and the Chicken Plan by Frances O’Roark Dowell, illustrated by Amy June Bates
When his older sister starts making money, eight-year-old Sam wants to get a job too. He ends up with a two-fold job helping one neighbor take care of her chickens and another neighbor get out of the house. Sam’s subjective economic understanding is perfectly age appropriate. He wants to make money but has little understanding of its value. When he finally reaches a twenty-dollar profit, his sister convinces him to spend it all on one of her “most special” boxes. As adults, we realize he has been scammed, but Sam feels quite content with the exchange. Once he gets a chicken of his own, he is far less interested in the economic possibilities than the opportunity to share a special experience with his friends. He does end up making money, but in his own unorthodox way.
The Zoey and Sassafras series by Asia Citro, illustrated by Marion Lindsay
Zoey is a very curious girl. Along with her cat, Sassafras, she explores the outdoors and does experiments using her thinking goggles. One day, Zoey discovers that her mom has been secretly helping injured animals in their barn. But not just ordinary animals—magical animals. In Dragons and Marshmallows, while her mom is gone at work, Zoey has to help a sick baby dragon. So she creates an experiment to discover what is wrong with the magical creature, and she figures out how to make it feel better. Subsequent books have her saving mer-creatures from a polluted stream and a monster from moldy fur. OK, so technically they aren’t realistic fiction, but they are an innovative mix of fun, fantasy, and education. Readers will leave with a smile on their faces and a new knowledge of scientific terms to use in their own experiments.
For sports lovers:
Students this age may be starting to join sports teams and learn rules and skills. For those who only want to read nonfiction books about sports and sports figures, these books provide a nice bridge to fiction books while exploring the challenges young athletes face.
The Victory School Superstars series by Sports Illustrated Kids
While not the finest literature, the simple text relates important messages, such as trying new things, sportsmanship, and teamwork. Each book ends with a history page that includes facts and statistics as well as a glossary of terms. In There’s No Crying in Baseball by Anita Yasuda, Tyler overcomes an injury and supports his team from the sidelines. In You Can’t Spike Your Serves by Julie Gassman, Anita learns to do her best in a sport, even when it doesn’t come easily. The characters each have special abilities, but they use them in several sports. Because the characters appear in multiple books, students are eager to read about new sports and can get out of a single-topic rut.
The Jake Maddox Sports series books
These books are the next logical step in terms of reading levels. They also cover multiple sports but add more sophisticated life problems. The vocabulary also becomes more complex in terms of describing sports strategy, plays, and equipment. The lack of overlap in characters through different books means students often choose only the sports they are most interested in, but similar themes are continued throughout.
The MVP series by David A. Kelly, illustrated by Scott Brundage
Kelly also is the author of the Ballpark Mysteries series, but with his MVP series, he moves away from professional baseball and into kids sports. The MVP club is a group of elementary students who reward teamwork, effort, and thinking rather than just skill. While keeping the same group of characters in the club, each book focuses on a different sport and a different mystery, encouraging readers to learn something new. Die-hard fans will enjoy the play-by-play of games and skills, while newcomers will learn some basic vocabulary and gain a clearer understanding of rules.
Works Cited
Doerrfeld, Cori, and Tyler Page. Truth in Sight. Graphic Universe, 2016.
Lagercrantz, Rose. My Heart Is Laughing. Gecko Press, 2014.
Heather Altena is the librarian at the Oak Lawn Campus of Southwest Chicago Christian Schools as well as Chicago Christian High School.
Eleanor Tiemens is a senior at Chicago Christian High School. She writes online reviews for TeenReads.com and Barnes & Noble and hopes to study something reading-related in college.