Friday, August 14, 2015

Sparky and Tidbit by Kathryn O. Galbraith -- OPTIONAL

Galbraith, Kathryn O. Sparky and Tidbit, illustrated by Gerald Kelley. EARLY READER. Simon Spotlight (Simon & Schuster), 2015. $3.99. Content: G.

Sparky wants nothing more than to be a hero, but he can't find any bone robbers, hissing cats, or buried treasure. Then he hears a distressed puppy. Aha! Finally a chance to help. Only, the puppy isn't in danger; he's having trouble reading. Although Sparky is impatient to do something more active, he discovers that mentoring a young pup by helping him read is surprisingly rewarding.

While I love that Sparky learns that helping others read is a truly heroic thing to do, the message seems much more geared toward adults than children -- especially with Sparky himself being an adult. Also, the text itself is a bit dry and wordy, making it feel like a bit of a slog at times.

EL (K-3) -- OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Caryn

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