Pearl and Wagner: One Funny Day by Kate McMullan

No matter what day it is, waking up late because you don’t hear your alarm clock is a lousy way for a day to begin. When that day is April Fools’ Day, however, as happens to Wagner in One Funny Day, he is immediately thrown off guard. So when good friend Pearl informs Wagner that their teacher, Ms. Star, is roller-skating around the classroom, he says, “She is?” Everyone starts laughing, and Pearl informs him, “Today is April Fools’ Day. And I fooled you.”

“Oh,” says Wagner, but he’s certainly not laughing.

Wagner panics when Ms. Star tells the class to turn in their homework. He freaks when the librarian, Mr. Fox, notifies him his library book is overdue and he must pay a fine. He loses his appetite when the lunch menu lists fisheye stew, french fried flies, applecore pie, and bug juice.

“April Fools!” everyone cries – even the responsible adults!

After a gym class of dancing and a glass of real bug juice from his froggy friend, Henry, Wagner is definitely having a day, but it’s not a funny day as the title implies.

Readers will be thinking, “Poor Wagner!” when he suddenly becomes ill in chapter three. What’s worse than being sent to the school nurse during silent reading time?!? When he returns to class covered in green spots, he announces his diagnosis from the school nurse: bug pox, and a bad case of it at that. It’s only contagious if he … ah-ah-ah-CHOO! … sneezes.

For as bad as Wagner’s day begins, he ends the day laughing harder than anyone else, and no, uncontrolled delirium is not a symptom of bug pox.

I was not familiar with the Pearl and Wagner series until Kate McMullan was awarded a 2010 Geisel Honor. After reading One Funny Day, beginning readers (and you) will be looking for Two Good Friends and Three Secrets and more adventures from these two good friends.

I Spy Fly Guy! by Tedd Arnold

Tedd Arnold adds to his excellent Fly Guy series with I Spy Fly Guy!, winner of a 2010 Geisel Honor for beginning readers. This time Buzz and his gifted pet, Fly Guy, a pet who can say his owner’s name, are back for a game of hide-and-seek.

Buzz is it first. Fly Guy hides in the garbage can. That’s where he always hides. After all, he enjoys a delicious snack while he waits for Buzz to find him. Later, when Buzz shuts himself in the garden shed, Fly Guy finds a way inside. “BUZZ!” he calls.

When Buzz is it a second time, Fly Guy heads to the garbage can. Before Buzz can find him, the garbage man comes! He empties the can into the back of the truck and takes the garbage – and Fly Guy – to the town dump. Buzz catches his dad before he leaves for work, and they race to follow the garbage man.

“Fly Guy, where are you? Fly Guy, answer me!” calls Buzz in the town dump. A zillion flies all answer at the same time.

“BUZZZZZZZZZ!”

How will Buzz find Fly Guy when there are a zillion flies, and all of them are able to say his name? Twice he thinks he finds Fly Guy, but instead of getting back his pet, Buzz gets boinked on the nose and bit on the hand! Only when Buzz remembers that the game of hide-and-seek is still going does he come up with a solution to finding Fly Guy.

Beginning readers will love I Spy Fly Guy! and all the books in the Fly Guy series. Familiar characters, simple text, and satisfying stories are found in them all, and Tedd Arnold’s second Geisel Honor is well deserved.

I wish I had a pet who could say my name.

Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! by Geoffrey Hayes

Mom said a new kid moved in next door, so Benny does what any normal boy would do. Spy through a knothole in the backyard fence. And since Penny is a normal little sister, she wants to look too. Penny hopes the new kid is a girl because girls are nicer. Benny disagrees. “Girls are cry-babies. I hope it’s a boy!” he says.

The debate ends, however, when Benny realizes his sandbox pail is missing. Again Benny does what any normal boy would do. Jump to conclusions. “Maybe the new kid took it. Do you think the new kid climbed over the fence and came into our yard?”

Trying to get a closer look, Benny ends up falling into the neighbor’s yard. Penny follows. They discover big and scary footprints – monster footprints, they’re sure – and Benny’s missing pail. When Benny takes back his pail, there’s an encounter with the new kid. Mud is thrown, tears are shed, names are called, and a mistake is discovered.

Once again Toon-Books have published a winner – literally. Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! is the winner of the 2010 Geisel Medal for beginning readers. This is the second book in author Geoffrey Hayes’ Benny and Penny series. This simple graphic novel leads readers through a series of choices Benny and Penny make. Should they cross the fence into someone else’s yard? Should they take back what is rightfully theirs, even if it means facing a monster? Most importantly, can they admit a mistake?

But it’s not all choices and lessons. There’s laughs a-plenty. Penny sticks out her tongue at Benny and gives him razzberries. Benny SPLOPs in the mud, a board WHAPPs him in the face, and he is sprayed by a hose. “YEOW!”

Beginning readers will enjoy Benny and Penny in all their adventures including the first book in the series, Benny and Penny in Just Pretend, and the upcoming Benny and Penny in the Toy Breaker.

Little Mouse Gets Ready by Jeff Smith

Most people know Jeff Smith from his masterful Bone graphic novels, but add him to the list of acclaimed authors for beginning readers. Little Mouse Gets Ready, a 2010 Geisel Honor Book, tells the simple story of Little Mouse getting ready for a trip to the barn with Mama and his siblings. Of course, as it usually is with little ones, telling the story is much easier than the act of getting ready.

“Oh boy, I love going to the barn!” says Little Mouse. “Yes sir! There are LOTS of places to run and hide in the barn!"

Little Mouse lays out everything he needs to get ready: underpants, socks, pants, shoes, and shirt. Starting with the underpants, Little Mouse explains to readers that some items are easy (underpants) and some items are hard (the second arm in a shirt) and some items are downright tricky (buttons). His narration of the process is sprinkled with the great stuff he’ll get to do at the barn like eat the seeds dropped by the chickens and the oats spilled by the horses and swim in the cow’s water.

Finally – finally! – Little Mouse is ready. “One… more… button… Mm! THERE! I did it! I’m READY!"

From Little Mouse Gets Ready, © 2008 Jeff Smith & Raw Junior. Used by permission

Fully dressed and ready to head to the barn, Little Mouse gets a surprise. “Well…” says Mama, “mice don’t wear clothes!”

I wonder when a graphic novel will be recognized by the Caldecott committee. I’m not an expert on Caldecott criteria, and someone fill me in if graphic novels would be ineligible, but one item stands out: “Delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood or information through the pictures.” Little Mouse’s response to Mama’s no-clothes declaration is wordless, but it says plenty.

From Little Mouse Gets Ready, © 2008 Jeff Smith & Raw Junior. Used by permission

Young readers will successfully read the text of Little Mouse Gets Ready. More importantly, they will enjoy the book repeatedly as more details of the seemingly simple illustrations are discovered upon subsequent readings.

Toon-Books have found a flawless formula and the scientists – er…authors – to masterfully mix the ingredients into beginning reader perfection. The proof lies not only in award recognition, but more so in the enjoyment and laughter of countless young readers.