The Solarball Slip-Up by Bryan Patrick Avery

Have any of you heard about or seen the 1960's cartoon The Jetsons? I've seen a few episodes over the years and always have enjoyed their glimpse into the future. When I read the blurb on today's read, it reminded me a bit of this earlier cartoon. Today's read jets into the future and appears to be the first in a new series for beginning readers. It should center around the members of a family, so I'm expecting lots of sibling and friendship goodness. I am a bit surprised to see it holds only 32 pages...and that's by no means a bad thing, especially for reluctant readers. I'm hoping for some imagination, humor, and family heart.

So, let's open it up and see what it's about!

THE SOLARBALL SLIP-UP

by Bryan Patrick Avery

Illustrated by Vincent Batignole

Picture Window Books

Children's Science Fiction

Beginning Reader

32 pages

ages 5 to 8

COMING AUGUST 1st!!!

When his dad forgets his CubeKey at home, Charlie Cosmos sets out to deliver it to him at work. Along the way, Charlie tests out a new solarball with his friends and loses track of his dad’s device. Will Charlie find the CubeKey in time or will his solarball slip-up land him in hot water? Young readers will find out in this fun and funny sci-fi adventure! With easy-to-read text and art that pops off the page, every early chapter book in The Cosmos Family series takes readers on a joyous journey into the future.

GOODREADS     /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Life in the future might hold high-tech gadgets and even some surprises, but family and friendship never change.

Charlie Cosmos' father has forgotten his CubeKey at home but desperately needs it for a big meeting within the next hour. Charlie promises him mother to get it to his father but runs into a friend along the way, who wants him to try out a new solarball. Of course, Charlie doesn't want to let his father down, so he makes sure he plays for only a few minutes. Although Charlie reaches his father's office with a little time to spare, he realizes the CubeKey is no longer in his pocket and must have gotten lost during the short game.

This is a bright and bold book with tons of energy. The illustrations pop on each page and bring this futuristic world to life while letting Charlie, his family, and his friends gain visual personality. This works very well to balance with the text, especially for beginning readers. The text is very fitting for those readers, who are mostly sure of their words but need more practice. The font and spacing are on the larger side for easy reading. There are several, short chapters to help breakdown things and keep it light. Add the short page length, and it's a read even reluctant readers can enjoy.

There's never a boring moment in Charlie's adventure, and readers will have no problem connecting with him, since the problem is a very familiar one that can happen to anyone. His desire to play with his friend is understandable, and the trouble it causes isn't overly surprising yet still grabs. There's enough tension to have readers wondering if he'll get things worked out, and the ending rounds everything off nicely. With such a short page length, the plot flies by very quick, and some readers might find this a bit too fast since the entire world is new. To help buffer this, the author includes a quick description of unfamiliar terms at the beginning of the book. These are brief and leave a lot of room to the imagination.

At the end of the book, there are several questions to open up to discussion and check reading comprehension. Classrooms and homeschoolers will appreciate this aspect as well.

And here he is...

Bryan Patrick Avery discovered his love of reading and writing at an early age when he received his first Bobbsey Twins Mystery. He writes picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and graphic novels. His middle grade story, “The Magic Day Mystery,” was published in 2020 in Super Puzzletastic Mysteries, an anthology from Harpercollins and the Mystery Writers of America. His debut picture book, The Freeman Field Photograph was published in 2020. Bryan lives in northern California with his family.

The Spy in the Library by Bryan Patrick Avery

It's time to let that 'Mission Impossible' song play in your head because today's read heads into a spy adventure. According to the title, there's something fishy going on in a library. I never would suspect that a spy would be in a library...well, maybe for research  or leisurely reading, but what do I know? This book is part of a series, and I'm getting the feeling that it doesn't matter which one you pick-up first, which is great. I'm a little curious to see if it's really for the 9 to 12 age group as advertised, considering it's only 40 pages, but maybe, it is.

Let's open it up and see what this mystery holds!

THE SPY IN THE LIBRARY

Junior Spies

by Bryan Patrick Avery

Illustrated by Ma Pe

Stone Arch Books

40 pages

ages 7 to 8

COMING JANUARY 1st!!!

The Junior Spies are at it again! This time, their mission is to memorize a name written inside a magic book. But Kat and Harry soon discover the name is encrypted with a cipher. Can they crack the code before a R.A.V.E.N. agent steals the book? Young readers will find out in this hi-lo spy adventure! With a high-interest topic and text written below the targeted grade level, every book in the Junior Spies series supports phonics skills and fosters reading success.

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

Evil agents have no chance when the Junior Spies are involved.

Kat and Harry are part of JS, Junior Spies, a group which constantly tries to thwart the evil association of R.A.V.E.N.. Their next mission sends the two spies to a magic academy, where they are to follow clues to reach a major breakthrough on revealing who R.A.V.E.N. is. They go undercover as guests to a magic show but need to figure out a riddle in the academy's library. Unfortunately, one of the teachers isn't going to let them wander around as they wish, since they are there for the show. But Kat and Harry aren't easily stopped.

This is a grabbing spy tale for beginning readers, and it's very well placed for that age group. It begins with a short introduction to the JS, heads into a glossary with the definition of some more difficult terms, shortly explains some spy details, and then, dives into the story. The spy details might need to be read by an assisting, higher-level reader (teacher, parent, librarian, etc), but after that, this tale fits beginning readers nicely. The sentences are kept short, the font is large, the spacing is ample, and the vocabulary works the word skills without growing too heavy. But what I enjoyed most is that the tale is grabbing.

Kat and Harry make a fun duo, and their mission packs tension. The importance of the mission is clear, and the riddles and clues will have readers trying to figure out the answers right along with Kat and Harry. The bright and colorful illustrations add details to set the mood, and especially make magic academy's teacher come across with just the right atmosphere. The entire thing remains exciting and draws in. Plus it accomplishes this while staying completely appropriate for the age group. Add a couple comprehension questions and short writing prompts at the end, and it even works well for classroom or homeschooling settings. 

In other words, this is a book for beginning readers to pick up and enjoy.