Today's read suddenly popped up in my mailbox, and luckily, I just happened to have a day suddenly open up for a review. This is part of a series of books about Penelope Positano, a little girl with a big heart...and as far as I can tell, it's the first in a new series. Aimed at beginning readers, I'm hoping to see a little fun, situations readers can connect with, and some animal cuteness...tons of animal cuteness.
Let's see if this one hold all of that or something else!
PENELOPE POSITANO
SEES IT ALL
by Katie Cotugno
Illustrated by Amy Jindra Hodgson
Amulet Books
Children's Fiction
80 pages
ages 6 to 9
COMING APRIL 14th!!!
From bestselling author Katie Cotugno and illustrator Amy Jindra Hodgson comes a charming new chapter-book series about a plucky seven-year-old who can see things other people miss, perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean
For two hours every day, seven-year-old Penelope Positano wears an eye patch. Her eye muscles don’t quite match, and wearing the patch on her strong eye helps her less-strong eye catch up. And whenever she wears her eye patch, Penelope notices things that other people overlook.
The Positanos are getting a dog, and it’s Penelope’s job to find the perfect pup for her family. Her mom thinks they should pick the most obedient dog, and her dad wants the dog that likes his music the best, but Penelope’s not sure. Her best friend Gus said she would know which dog was meant to be hers, but the more Penelope looks, the more she worries that her dog isn’t out there.
It’s only with the encouragement of her grandma—and the help of her trusty eye patch—that Penelope realizes the perfect dog might be closer than she thinks.
For two hours every day, seven-year-old Penelope Positano wears an eye patch. Her eye muscles don’t quite match, and wearing the patch on her strong eye helps her less-strong eye catch up. And whenever she wears her eye patch, Penelope notices things that other people overlook.
The Positanos are getting a dog, and it’s Penelope’s job to find the perfect pup for her family. Her mom thinks they should pick the most obedient dog, and her dad wants the dog that likes his music the best, but Penelope’s not sure. Her best friend Gus said she would know which dog was meant to be hers, but the more Penelope looks, the more she worries that her dog isn’t out there.
It’s only with the encouragement of her grandma—and the help of her trusty eye patch—that Penelope realizes the perfect dog might be closer than she thinks.
MY TIDBITS
The search for a pet brings unexpected difficulties, which this little girl is sure to overcome with style.
Penelope's parents inform her that she's allowed to have a pet dog, and she's to choose one from the shelter. Not sure how she'll ever know which dog is perfect, she asks her best friend, who already has a perfect pup. He tells her that she'll know when she meets the dog meant for her...which isn't extremely helpful. Each trip to the shelter is proving to be unsuccessful, too, as her mother wants a dog to meet everything on some checklist, and her father wants the dog to enjoy his music. Only grandma seems to be truly willing to let Penelope decide, and even then, it's not simple.
Penelope has tons of personality, and yet, is hesitant enough to make her very approachable and sympathetic. Her family offers a wholesome foundation, and while she doesn't always agree with each member, the family goodness and care flows. Especially the grandma offers quirky fun with her independent attitude and will have readers wishing they could meet her, too. The author keeps the dog-finding realistic as Penelope doesn't find the right one immediately, and there's a big twist at the end on that end (when she finally finds her dog). The author also weaves in a little tolerance for others as Penelope wears an eye-patch a few hours each day to help strengthen her one eye. This weaves lightly into the plot but doesn't overtake it, either.
The text slides nicely in with those readers, who are sure of their words, and just want more practice with shorter reads. The vocabulary does promote a little word-building on the skills end. The chapters are kept short and the illustrations help show the scenes and add some fun.
It's an enjoyable read with a character to enjoy and opens up to many more adventures to come.
And here they are..
Katie Cotugno is the author of more than a dozen books for readers of all ages. She is also the co-author, with Candace Bushnell, of Rules for Being a Girl. Her books have been honored by the Junior Library Guild, the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee, and the Kentucky Association of School Librarians, among others, and translated into more than fifteen languages. Katie is a Pushcart Prize nominee whose work has appeared in The Iowa Review, the Mississippi Review, and Argestes, as well as many other literary magazines. She studied Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College and received her MFA in fiction at Lesley University. She lives in Boston with her family.
Amy Jindra Hodgson is an illustrator from Cleveland, Ohio. Growing up, her parents read to her every night, and she fell in love with the art of storytelling and creativity. She knew at a young age that her imagination and love for the arts would lead her to the world of children's book illustration. Amy's creative inspiration is driven by her wonderful family, friends, and good sushi,
No comments:
Post a Comment