Peanut, Butter & Crackers - Puppy Problems review

 

A new puppy disrupts life for a dog and cat.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

 

When a puppy arrives at the home of Butter and Crackers, the cat and dog duo must learn how to adjust to the family's new addition.  While the new puppy learns about life in a forever family, Butter and Crackers find it hard to accept this disruptive change to their seemingly normal household. 

 

Young early readers will find this junior graphic novel easy to read with its bright colors, simple sentence structure and a storyboard layout that is easy to follow along.  Butter and Crackers have humorous personalities that dog and cat owners can relate to.  Their hilarious interactions show how dogs and cats have very different brains and lives. But bothered by Peanut's neediness, messes and intrusion, Butter "accidentally" leaves the gate open and Peanut disappears.  When Peanut goes missing at night, Butter and Crackers realize that he is truly family and set out to bring him home.  This is the beginning story in the series and is perfect for readers who want to and are ready to read on their own.  I feel this will be a cute series kids will enjoy following and I think this is a "just right book" for ages 6-8.~

 

Title: Peanut, Butter & Crackers Puppy Problems

Author: Paige Braddock

Pub. date: September 2020,   Viking Books for Young Readers

Genre: jr graphic novel

Paperback, 92 pgs. 

 

 

Poetry Comics review

 

Combining poetry and comics in a whole new way, this fun and imaginative book is perfect for poetry lovers and reluctant readers alike.(goodreads summary)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The front cover was the first thing that I loved about this book.  The tree in seasonal themes and the vibrant colors offers a great introduction to what I will find inside.  The book combines poems and comics in a wonderfully creative way that will inspire kids to read and may even be sparked to write poetry of their own similar to this.  It is divided into the four seasons with poems that convey human feeling and emotions about real life things that are very relatable.  Adding the comic panels gives it a unique element that will visually engage the reader to the words. The poems and illustrations are short and simple but very impactful. They express thoughts, feelings and things that you find in our everyday lives such as; friends, self-confidence, anxiety, fear, growing up and even has advice on how to write a poem.   

 

My favorite was called Inner Life.  It read -  "There are secret dreams that live inside each person. Can you see them? They swim just beneath the surface."   It shows a boy laying on a pier reaching into a pond with lily pads on top and underneath there are orange fish swimming. It made me stop and think about those words and the illustration. There are so many pages like this for me that were touching and thought provoking.  This book would work great for a poetry unit for older grades.  I think kids will connect to many of the writings and may even be inspired to create their own poetry comic. I think this is a "just right book" for ages 9-12.~

 

Title: Poetry Comics

Author: Grant Snider

Pub. date: March 2024, Chronicle Books

Genre: poetry

Hardcover, 96 pgs.