Book Buddies, The Puppy Place, The Menagerie
MBH no.14
Good morning!
As I write this preamble, it’s my kids' last (half) day of school.
Then I’ll have a 3rd grader…which doesn’t feel so little anymore. I always loved teaching this grade because the kids weren’t too old to be “cool” yet (and they still loved their teacher!) but they weren’t babies anymore.
In 3rd grade, many kids fall in love with books, and with scaffolding, are able to engage in impressively reflective reading and writing. So now that my youngest is a rising 3rd grader, I can’t help but feel like she’s not a baby anymore. (Although she told me this morning- ‘I’ll always be your baby, mama.’ Let’s see if she remembers that when she’s 12😂🙏🏼).
What really blows my mind, though, is that today, my oldest is done with elementary school. I know this is cliche, I really do—but I blinked, and he grew up.
Despite the challenges of the pandemic and the inevitable ups and downs of family life, a few constants held firm, including Connor’s love for books and stories.
As I’ve said before, reading to my children is one of the great joys of my life. And I know I’m lucky my 11-year-old still wants to read with me at night. And I know these days are probably numbered, and I know that one night I’ll finish reading aloud to him and that will be the last time. And I know, probably most of all, that I’ll feel a similar ache to the one I have right now—when I realize another chapter has ended.
But as I told my kids in the car this morning: the end of a really good chapter is sad—and then we turn the page.
Book Buddies (series), by Cynthia Lord, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin (2022- )
“Ivy peeked out of Anne’s tote bag. Everything was very bright after the dark box. There was so much to see! There were books on long shelves, in bins, and on bookcases. Shiny posters were on the walls. There was even a shelf of stuffed animals and toys with a sign: BOOK BUDDIES.”
The first book of this adorable early chapter book series begins with a little girl called Anne and her doll, Ivy. When Anne was little, the two had all sorts of adventures together. But as Anne grew up, she stopped playing with dolls, and poor Ivy went to sleep in the attic for a long time.
When we see Anne again, she’s all grown up and has become a children’s librarian. She brings Ivy to the library to join the “Book Buddies,” toys that children can borrow, along with journals to record their adventures.
At first, Ivy isn’t so sure she wants to be a Book Buddy—she wants to be Anne’s doll again and doesn’t understand why she had to grow up. But then she meets Fern, a little girl struggling to find her place in her newly blended family. Together, Fern and Ivy learn change, while uncomfortable—can be a wonderful thing.
In Marco Polo Brave Explorer, Marco Polo is a tiny mouse who used to be a Christmas Ornament—until Anne made him a Book Buddy. Although children love playing with Marco Polo at the library, he’s the least borrowed because of his tiny size. Then, he meets Seth— a boy nervous to attend his first sleepover without his large stuffed rabbit. Marco Polo is the perfect size to hide in his sleeping bag.
In Dazzle Makes a Wish, Dazzle is a sparkly white unicorn with a tag that says unicorns can grant wishes. Dazzle isn’t sure if he can make a wish on himself, but figures it’s worth a shot— he desperately wants a home and a child of his own. Lonely Maya borrows Dazzle after she reads the tag, and wishes to find a new friend.
Piper and I loved these sweet books, made even more appealing by Stephanie Graegin’s sketch-like illustrations. With several Book Buddies on the shelves, I hope there are more adventures to come.
Recommended for ages 5-9
The Puppy Place (series), by Ellen Miles (2006- )
“We’re just taking care of Bear,” said Cordelia. “He doesn’t belong to us. In fact, he’s looking for a home.”
Lizzie and Charles stared at each other. They had come all the way to Vermont, only to meet a puppy like all the others they had fostered back home-a puppy who needed a forever family.
Charles and Lizzie Peterson love dogs, but their parents aren’t sure they can handle the responsibility of a pet. When their firefighter dad brings home a puppy rescued from a house fire, the kids realize that the best way to show their parents they are ready for a dog of their own is by fostering puppies and helping them find their forever homes. Boisterous Labradors, lonely Beagles, finicky Yorkies–the Peterson siblings love them all.
Oh, we are BIG Puppy Place fans around here. In fact, when my son was in 2nd grade, the series was our nightly read-aloud for close to a year–but my kids remained engaged, and even I wasn’t as tired of the books as you’d think.
The stories are engaging and heartfelt, and while these books (like many chapter books) are more plot-driven than character-driven, Lizzie and Charles are likable, with realistic flaws.
The books are short, running about 86-90 pages with ten chapters each. The plotlines follow a familiar pattern, but aren’t identical—the author does an excellent job of bringing in different challenges, settings, and characters (including the puppies themselves) which keeps the 66 (!) books in this series feeling fresh.
The author says the books can be read in any sequence, but I’d recommend reading the first five in order to get a feel for the series. (Spoiler alert: the fifth book is when Charles and Lizzie get their own puppy!!)
And since there are so many books in this series, animal-loving readers can tuck several into a backpack for camp or summer road trips.
Recommended for ages 6-10
(I’m not one to usually plug television shows, but Apple TV did a great job turning Puppy Place into an adorable, family-friendly show that both my kids liked!)
The Menagerie (trilogy), by Tui T. Sutherland and Kari Sutherland, (2013, 2014, 2016)
In the small town of Xanadu, Wyoming lies the Menagerie, a top-secret facility filled with unicorns, dragons, phoenixes, and other fairy tale creatures. At least, it was a secret—until six griffin cubs escaped.
Logan and his father have recently moved to the small town of Xanadu in search of his mother, who mysteriously disappeared. The only clue they have about her disappearance is a postcard sent from Cheyenne. Logan is struggling to understand his mother’s disappearance and having trouble adapting to his new school. But things really start to get strange when he discovers a griffin hiding under his bed and learns that his classmate Zoe is tasked with protecting it—along with the other magical creatures at her family’s hidden menagerie.
My son devoured these last summer when our local bookstore chose the first book for their kids’ book club. While Tui Sutherland’s Wings of Fire series has a much broader appeal, young readers who love fantasy and mystery will enjoy this trilogy. It’s light, fun, and fast-paced— perfect for summer.
Recommended for ages 9-11
Wishing you hours and hours of reading magic (and plenty of summer sunshine),
Katie
Pretty sure I'm the only grown man bawling my eyes out in Whole Foods right now.... WE are so lucky to have you and I cannot imagine where/who our kids would be without nightly reading time in their lives. Thank you.
Oooh, requesting Book Buddies right now for Claire. I adore Stephanie Graegin's illustrations.