Early Elementary Books

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy

Michelle — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:26:18 +0000

So many kids are obsessed with these books and it’s easy to understand why. Adventure, prophesies, DRAGONS. One aspect of these books that makes them so appealing is that even though the main characters are all dragons, they all have thoughts, emotions, and struggles that are very relatable. It’s been a couple of years since we listened to these, but we made it through at least 10 and none of my kids ever got tired of them.

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy Details

Title: Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy
Author: Tui T. Sutherland
Publication Year: 2013
Website: https://tuibooks.com/wings-of-fire/
Age Group: Early Elementary, Mid Elementary, Late Elementary
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The best part of this book series is that there are so many of them. It may not be the highest quality literature, but sometimes you just want kids to get excited about a good long book series, because it means that they will read for long stretches at a time. I think this series could be it for many kids! The content is appealing to kids of all ages, but the reading level is later elementary. We listened to these books in the car, which made them accessible and enjoyable to my first grader through my middle schooler.

I listened to the first couple as well and enjoyed them too. They are filled with adventure and intriguing fantastical settings. The character development is surprisingly good for a series that seems like it is mass-produced. The relationships between the characters are believable. Eventually, I did start to tune them out as my kids listened in the car, but they went through nearly 10 before they stopped immediately requesting the next in the series.

I should mention that this series also comes in graphic novel versions as well, which is a plus! I’ve checked a couple of them out from the library. I think it helps that my kids already knew the story, but even my dyslexic child in third and fourth grade seemed to enjoy reading these. (I think it may just be me, but I typically find graphic novels confusing! Which panel am I supposed to go to next? ) Despite my lack of comprehension, I think turning these books into graphic novels was a brilliant decision, because it makes these appealing books accessible to even more kids.

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The Lion of Mars

Michelle — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 14:35:52 +0000

It’s not often that I find a book with some sentimentality that my kids actually enjoy. They are a little too silly and sacastic for their own good. However, this one was a winner with my four kids. I am catching up on books we’ve read in the past couple years, so when we read this one, my kids ages were probably 5 through 13. It’s target audience is probably mid elementary, but even my teenager enjoyed it.

The Lion of Mars Details

Title: The Lion of Mars
Author: Jennifer L. Holm
Publication Year: 2021
Website: https://www.jenniferholm.com/
Age Group: Early Elementary, Mid Elementary, Late Elementary, Middle School
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This story takes place on Mars, far in the future when different Earth countries have established their own individual colonies. The main character is an 11 year old boy named Bell who is extremely relatable (as are all the characters in the book). The plot features numerous adventures, twists, and climactic moments including a virus that affects only the adults, leaving the kids to save the day. There is enough excitement in this story that it really does appeal to all ages.

There may have been some parts that went over the head of my little one, but overall the plot was straightforward enough that he still really enjoyed it. There was also enough humor that my teen was not bored. There was enough substance that it did not feel like just fluff to me as the parent. I don’t mind at all when my kids enjoy books just for fun. However, it is always nice when books slip in some real life situations that make my kids think and empathize. The main character is this book has to deal with the death of a loved on and feelings of fear and loneliness. All of this is treated so gracefully that the children listening do not feel like they are being patronized. This book has such wide appeal that I think it is worth putting in the hands of every child.

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Julieta and the Diamond Enigma

Michelle — Sat, 13 May 2023 13:22:07 +0000

This was such a fun book with a lot of cultural references that are fun to explore. Everyone from my 6-year-old up to my 13-year-old and I enjoyed it, which is a rare occurrence nowadays. A mystery, a spunky heroine, excitement, suspense…I have no problem unequivocally recommending this book to families. The target audience is probably 3rd or 4th grade, but the story itself has wide appeal.

Julieta and the Diamond Enigma Details

Title: Julieta and the Diamond Enigma
Author: Luisana Duarte Armendariz
Publication Year: 2020
Website: luisanaduartearmendariz.com
Age Group: Early Elementary, Mid Elementary, Late Elementary
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

We choose this book as one of our family read-alouds for the year because it was on Brave Writer’s 2021-2022 Dart book list for ages 8-10. We have a high success rate with their book choices. Recently it has been getting harder, because I try to use the same book with all my kids from the first grader to the teenager. However, this one was hands-down a winner. All of my kids were entranced and found the narrator, Julieta, to be delightful, relatable, and funny.

There are so many educational aspects of this book that are perfect avenues for deeper exploration, but kids won’t even notice. The author speaks Spanish, so there are several Spanish phrases seamlessly woven into the story as well as some French. The reader gets glimpses of several landmarks in France such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. A fun activity to go along with this book is to use Google Earth to take a virtual visit to these locations. Numerous works of art are mentioned which are fun to explore. There are even several elements of Greek mythology that my Percy Jackson-loving kids particularly enjoyed.

Overall, this is a fun, wholesome adventure mystery with an endearing and appealing main character. I hope your kids will find this story as entertaining as we did!

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The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma

Michelle — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 18:56:10 +0000

This story features a twist on the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood. In this book, the audience gets to witness the humorous exchange between a hilarious and creative dog and the cat who is reading him the story. This book reminds me a little bit of Interrupting Chicken which was one of my oldest’s favorites nearly a decade ago!

The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma Details

Title: The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma
Author: Diane Fox
Illustrator: Christyan Fox
Publication Year: 2014
Age Group: Kindergarten, Early Elementary, Mid Elementary
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Comments

This is probably the most entertaining version of Little Red Riding Hood my kids and I have ever read. The poor cat is trying to read the classic story, but the dog keeps interjecting with his colorful commentary. For example, he asks if Little Red has a kindness ray or exploding eggs in her basket. The imaginative canine throws in his own suggestions for adding excitement to the tale while the cat grows more and more frustrated. He also asks several insightful questions that will get kids giggling and have them wondering why, as kids, we accepted the tale in its original form.

Maybe it’s because my own children love interrupting so much, but they definitely enjoyed the dog’s antics! They can relate to not waiting until the end of the story to share their thoughts and ideas. Not only does the audience get to hear a fun story-within-a-story, but the dialogue between the two characters adds an additional level of entertainment and amusement.

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Z is for Moose

Michelle — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 05:11:25 +0000

We have checked this book out from the library multiple times and it has not lost its appeal. Whether you have a child who is learning their letters or not, your kids are sure to enjoy this alphabet presentation featuring an interrupting moose.

Z is for Moose Details

Title: Z is for Moose
Author: Kelly Bingham
Illustrator: Paul O. Zelinsky
Publication Year: 2012
Age Group: Preschool, Kindergarten, Early Elementary
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Comments

This book starts out like many other alphabet books. However, by the time you get to D is for Moose, you know something is awry. The poor moose wants to be in the story so badly that he can’t wait for the letter M. My kids thought it was hysterical when the book finally gets to the letter M, and find out that M is for mouse. The Zebra organizing the parade of characters basically tells the moose, “we decided to go in a different direction.” What follows is anger, pettiness, grief, and ultimately a satisying conclusion for the poor moose.

My oldest thinks this would be a terrible book to introduce kids to the alphabet. He may be right, but it doesn’t matter. This book is so clever and humorous that the chaos is well worth the confusion. Honestly, if a child is just starting to recognize the alphabet and letter sounds, this would be the perfect book to read. The unexpected and incorrect pairings will keep them on their toes!

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Anansi and the Talking Melon

Michelle — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 02:36:24 +0000

In studying Ancient Africa, we have read so many tales about Anansi the spider and they are all winners. This one was particularly funny to my kids, probably because they like to hear about people being tricked and acting foolishly. Just as a warning, this book does feature the expression, “stupid melon.” It was probably my own kids’ favorite part!

Anansi and the Talking Melon Details

Title: Anansi and the Talking Melon
Author: Eric A. Kimmel
Illustrator: Janet Stevens
Publication Year: 1994
Age Group: Kindergarten, Early Elementary, Mid Elementary
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Comments

My kids love all of the books featuring Anansi. It doesn’t matter who the author is. Sometimes Anansi tricks others and sometimes his plans go all wrong. Either way, my kids think it is hilarious. They found this book particularly comical. We actually read this book as part of our history curriculum while we were studying Africa, but it got my kids giggling so much, I had to include it on our funniest picture book list.

In this tale, Anansi gets stuck inside a melon and tricks several of his animal friends into believing the melon could talk. My kids seem to particularly enjoy characters looking foolish. This is one story in which Anansi gets away with his mischief. His trickery goes better than expected. Not only does no one learn his trick, but they unknowingly help him escape from his predicament. I did not see the last line coming, but it was absolutely fitting and even had me laughing.

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Be Quiet!

Michelle — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 19:41:02 +0000

This clever, unique picture book lets us imagine that we are getting to see behind the scenes of a picture book being made. The main character has a vision that it will be a wordless pictures book, but his friends unintentionally mess up all his plans. I don’t know what it is about my children, but they get a big kick out of plans gone awry.

Be Quiet! Details

Title: Be Quiet!
Author/Illustrator: Ryan T. Higgins
Publication Year: 2017
Age Group: Preschool, Kindergarten, Early Elementary
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Comments

The premise of this amusing book had everyone in our family smiling along. That poor mouse just wants to make an artsy wordless picture book. The book is presented as if it were filming him as he stars in this story walking through beautiful scenery. However, his two friends are completely unable to keep quiet even when they try their best. I’m sure a lot of young readers will be able to relate. The hilarious climax of the book comes when the protagonist finally can’t take it anymore and snaps. He fills his story up with a frustrated eruption of words until they are running off the page.

Adding to the humor is the fact that the two talkative characters in this book have a lot of comical misunderstandings such as interpreting “onomatopoeia” (sound words) as “Imma-gonna-pee-a.” Even my oldest was laughing out loud. This book also features a cute, cuddly, deadly kitten, a cucumber with googly eyes, and the phrase “lettuce sweater.” What more can you ask for?

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Riding a Donkey Backwards

Michelle — Mon, 16 May 2022 23:13:51 +0000

This is a much longer picture book than I usually include in our list of funniest picture books. However, my kids love it so much that my 7-year-old won’t let me return it to the library. It is a series of about 20 short stories, each featuring a wise and foolish man named Mulla Nasruddin. Several of the tales even had my 12-year-old giggling along with the younger kids.

Be Quiet! Details

Title: Riding a Donkey Backwards: Wise and Foolish Tales of Mulla Nasruddin
Author: Sean Taylor and the Khayaal Theatre
Illustrator: Shirin Adl
Publication Year: 2019
Age Group: Kindergarten, Early Elementary, Mid Elementary
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Comments

This book featuring a popular character from Muslim literature was a gem. My kids absolutely adored these hilarious tales. Each one covers a one or two-page spread, so is short enough for even the youngest listeners. There are over 20 tales in all, so lots of laughs are contained within these pages. Each story ends with a punchline that even my older kids appreciated. Occasionally, my 5 year old missed the joke, but often he was laughing right along with his siblings.

These stories reminded us a little of Noodleheads which is another favorite of my kids. One of the stories, featuring a donkey changing into a man is nearly identical. It is interesting how some of these storylines have been adopted and adapted across cultures. Overall, this book was a huge hit with all of my kids. My 7-year-old in particular wants some of the stories read to him nightly. I may end up buying it for him for his birthday he loves it so much!

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Hog Eye

Michelle — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 17:10:56 +0000

I love reading funny picture books to my kids. This is one that I think my 11-year-old actually enjoyed most of all, but all of my kids down to five found it hilarious. Everyone loves rooting for the underdog and in this charming story, a little pig outwits a big bad wolf.

Hog Eye Details

Title: Hog Eye
Author/Illustrator: Susan Meddaugh
Publication Year: 1995
Age Group: Kindergarten, Early Elementary
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Comments

I think kids, in particular, like to see youthful characters outwit the bigger, stronger, more powerful characters. My kids aged 5 to 11 all enjoyed this story about a little girl piggie who gets kidnapped by a wolf on the way home from school. The pig learns that the wolf can’t read and uses this knowledge to her advantage. She pretends to read the cookbook for soup and instead sends the wolf on a variety of painful and hilarious missions to get the correct ingredients. My kids are in particular are fans of unrealistic Wylie Coyote style violence, so the poor wolf’s fate was hysterical in their minds.

In the end, she sends the wolf to collect “Green Threeleaf” which turns out to be poison ivy. Then she pretends to place a Hog Eye spell on him to make him itch. My kids could not get over how funny this was. Ultimately, the story ends with the wolf trying to learn to read, which I thought was a particularly nice touch.

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Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great

Michelle — Sun, 30 Jan 2022 05:45:44 +0000

Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great is a hilarious tale for anyone who has ever felt a little envious. The story is told from the point of view of a goat who is repeatedly outdone by the magical unicorn. In the end, the two learn to appreciate their differences. Hilarity ensues throughout the entire evolution of their developing friendship.

Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great Details

Title: Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great
Author/Illustrator: Bob Shea
Publication Year: 2013
Age Group: Preschool, Kindergarten, Early Elementary
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Comments

One of the things I love most about books is that they reflect back to us emotions that we all feel which helps us to become more aware of what we are feeling. In this story, the main character, a goat, is a school-age child who thinks he has a lot of confidence until a unicorn comes to town. The goat is envious of all of the unicorn’s magical abilities. However, later on, the unicorn smells the goat’s amazing goat cheese pizza and we find out the unicorn has some insecurities as well.

This book would be adorable and sweet if it were just a book about realizing that everyone has their own unique strengths. However, this book has the added advantage that it is hilarious. I was not familiar with the author Bob Shea before this book, but now I think we are going to have to check out more of his books. Any book that includes lines like “Taste my cloven justice!” and “I can only eat glitter and rainbows. Darn my sensitive stomach!” is a winner in my book. Just as a warning, this book does include the phrase, “Stupid regular hooves!” Be prepped to change that word or warn your kids that this book has some language not to be repeated if you choose!

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Early Elementary Books

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy Details

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The Lion of Mars

The Lion of Mars Details

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Julieta and the Diamond Enigma

Julieta and the Diamond Enigma Details

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The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma

The Cat, the Dog, Little Red, the Exploding Eggs, the Wolf, and Grandma Details

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Z is for Moose

Z is for Moose Details

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Anansi and the Talking Melon

Anansi and the Talking Melon Details

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Be Quiet!

Be Quiet! Details

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Riding a Donkey Backwards

Be Quiet! Details

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Hog Eye

Hog Eye Details

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Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great

Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great Details

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