Flat Stanley Stories Won't Fall Flat for Early Readers

Series: Flat Stanley
Author:  Jeff Brown
Age range: 6 to 10
Overall rating: 4 out of 5 Flat Stanleys

After a bulletin board falls on him, Stanley becomes flat!  But being flat has its advantages, and in each story, Flat Stanley saves the day.

What kids will love:

• imagining what they could do if they were flat like Stanley
• the stories are easy to read
• the amusing illustrations
• making their own Flat Stanley

Personal favourite:  Flat Stanley at Bat (I Can Read Book 2)

It's no Mystery why Young Cam Jansen Series Appeals to Reluctant Readers

Series: Young Cam Jansen
Author: David A. Adler
Ages:  6 - 8

Rating:  5 out of 5 camera clicks

Cam Jansen has a photographic memory that she uses to solve everyday mysteries, such locating a classmate's missing tooth.

What kids will love:

• Trying to see if they can solve the mystery.
• Familiar settings and situations (e.g. classroom, school trip, outing with friends).
• Testing their own memory skills with the quiz in each book.  
• The colourful illustrations featuring Cam and her friends, family and teachers.   

Parents will love:

• The stories appeal to both genders.   
• Trying to solve the mystery too!

Favourite tile: Young Cam Jansen and the Dinosaur Game

Searching high and low for a hi-lo book for a child in grades 1 to 3?

A hi-lo book has a "high interest" subject matter, but a is at "low reading level."

In other words, it is the perfect type of book for a reluctant reader, who doesn't want to read "baby books" but struggles with reading books aimed at their age level.

Hi-low books typically have shorter sentences, a smaller page count, more illustrations and more action than other books aimed at the same age range.

Some hi-lo books my son enjoys:

Fly Guy series 

I admit there are times "Fly Guy" grosses me out a bit, but my son loves Tedd Arnold's books and no doubt wishes he had his own pet fly who knew how to say his name. His favourite is Fly Guy and Frankenfly.



Fox at School (Penguin Young Readers, L3)

There is a whole series of Fox stories by Edward Marshall to enjoy.  Each book has three separate stories in it, which helps your child feel a sense of accomplishment after reading each one.



The Notebook of Doom #1: Rise of the Balloon Goons

This series by Troy Cummings is about a boy and his friends who solve monster mysteries using the Notebook of Doom (top-secret monster info) to help them. 





Please share your hi-lo book recommendations.