ShareThisHumor may be the most important ingredient of a book for a beginning reader, as laughter can go a long way toward leavening the challenging process of learning to read.
Here's a look at five beginning readers -- four newly published and one classic -- that will give kids the giggles even as they're sounding out the words:
-- Dodsworth, a peripatetic mouse, and his friend the duck are on the road again! This time, their destination is Rome, where Dodsworth and the duck sample the gelato, drive a scooter in the Eternal City's fabled traffic and win a pizza-dough-throwing contest.
As author/artist Tim Egan shows in "Dodsworth in Rome" (Houghton Mifflin, $14.99), laughs abound when Dodsworth and the duck team up. Much of the comedy comes from the duck's literal-mindedness, which is reminiscent of Amelia Bedelia; for example, when Dodsworth tells the duck they are going to a flea market, the duck thinks they will be purchasing fleas. It's just the type of broad humor that young readers love, and adults also can appreciate.
If your young reader enjoys this book, try the earlier adventures of the well-traveled Dodsworth: "Dodsworth in New York," "Dodsworth in London" and "Dodsworth in Paris," as well as the picture book that started it all, "The Pink Refrigerator." (Ages 6-8; for readers ready for easy chapter books.)
-- Author/illustrator Mo Willems knows how to really tickle the funny bones of both children and adults. He does it again with the latest entry in his "Elephant & Piggie" series. "Should I Share My Ice Cream?" (Hyperion, $8.99) tells how Elephant Gerald gets an ice-cream cone and then agonizes over whether he should share it with his best friend Piggie. Elephant Gerald clearly would rather keep his ice cream to himself and tries to come up with all kinds of rationalizations to do so.
By the time the essentially goodhearted Elephant Gerald resolves to share his ice cream, it has, of course, melted. Fortunately, Piggie saunters by just at that moment and offers to share her ice-cream cone. Both the text and illustrations in this book reflect Willems' mastery of comic timing, and his ability to say so much with so few words and lines. (Ages 4-6; for beginning readers.)
-- Several years ago, Francoise Mouly, The New Yorker's art director, created a new publishing company with her husband, the much-honored graphic novelist Art Spiegelman. Called TOON Books, the company uses the comic-book format for its beginning readers. With this format, young readers can understand the story just by "reading" the pictures, while the words add extra information.
The format is a great way to eliminate much of the frustration young readers feel when they lose the thread of a story as they're trying to sound out words. On its website, www.toon-books.com, the company offers specific information about the reading levels of its books, as well as lots of extras.
Here's a look at two great new TOON books:
Last year, author/artist Geoffrey Hayes won the Geisel Award -- given annually to the best book for beginning readers -- for "Benny and Penny in the Big No-No!," one of the books in his "Benny and Penny" series. Hayes' award marked the first time that the top Geisel honor had been given to a comic-book reader. Now, Hayes begins a new series focused on the adventures of a young teddy bear and his mother with "Patrick in A Teddy Bear's Picnic and Other Stories" (TOON Books, $12.95). In "Patrick," young readers will enjoy Hayes' energetic illustrations as well as Patrick's scrappy personality as he deals with a Big Bear bully, romps naked in the rain and resists a nap. (Ages 5-7; for beginning readers.) Note: This book will be published on April 26.
In France, she's known as Mimi Cracra. Created by author/artist Agnes Rosenstiehl, she's one of the most beloved French comic characters. Now young American readers are getting to know her -- as Silly Lilly -- via comic book readers published by TOON Books.
Silly Lilly made her American debut three years ago in "Silly Lilly and the Four Seasons." In her second, just-published adventure, "Silly Lilly in What Will I Be Today?" ($12.95), Silly Lilly takes young readers through a week of career changes. One day she's an acrobat, another day she's a teacher and so on through the week. Rosenstiehl's simple story is punctuated with silliness, as befits her heroine, while her attractive, stylized artwork extends the humor. (Ages 5-7; for beginning readers.)
-- Fifty years ago, author/illustrator P.D. Eastman took 75 words and created a hugely entertaining and memorable beginning reader, "Go, Dog. Go!" To celebrate the book's half-century in print, Random House has just published a special new "party" edition ($8.99). Featuring a shiny foil cover, the book contains the same canine-fueled madcap caper that has delighted generations of young readers. Even grown-ups will find that it's impossible to read this book without smiling. (Ages 5-7; for beginning readers.) Note: Also check out the "Go, Dog. Go! Party Book" (Random House, $6.99) which has party hats to cut out, a board game and reusable stickers.
(Karen MacPherson, the children's/teen librarian at the Takoma Park, Md., Library, can be reached at Kam.Macpherson(at)gmail.com.)
CHILDREN'S CORNER
