Some children just aren’t fans of reading. They might struggle with reading for various reasons and therefore do not find it pleasurable. Other children who don’t like to read may not have been exposed yet to a really good book.

The books reviewed today are about reading and the miraculous things that happen as a result.

BOOKS TO BORROW

“Wolf!” by Becky Bloom, illustrated by Pascal Biet, Orchard Books, 28 pages

Read aloud: age 3, 4 and older

Read yourself: age 7, 8 and older

A hungry, tired and almost penniless wolf decides that the best place to find some food is at a farm just outside of town. Howling his most fierce sounds, the wolf leaps at a pig, a duck and a cow. Much to the wolf’s surprise, nobody stirs.

The wolf isn’t accustomed to being ignored. “What’s wrong with you?” growled the wolf. “Can’t you see I’m a big and dangerous wolf?”

“I’m sure you are,” replied the pig. “But couldn’t you be big and dangerous somewhere else? We’re trying to read. This is a farm for educated animals.”

Stunned by the pig’s reply, the wolf decides the only logical thing for him to do is to go to school. There, the wolf studies very hard and learns to read. Then he spends endless hours at the library, studying, reading lots of books, and practicing. From the library, he makes his way to the bookstore and purchases his very first book. Well prepared to offer something more than brawn, the wolf returns to the farm, hoping to impress the animals at long last. 

LIBRARIAN’S CHOICE

Library: Westerly Public Library, 44 Broad St., Westerly

Executive Director: Brigitte Hopkins

Children’s Librarian: Helen Mochetti

Choices this week: “Roxaboxen” by Alice McLerran; “Rescues!” by Sandra Markle; “Daughter of Venice” by Donna Jo Napoli 

BOOKS TO BUY

“The Treasure of Barracuda” by Llanos Campos, illustrated by Julia Sardà, translated into English by Lawrence Schimel, Little Pickle Stories, 2016, 148 pages

Read aloud: age 8 to 12

Read yourself: age 10 to 12

Eleven-year-old Sparks is part of the crew aboard Southern Cross, a pirate ship led by Captain Barracuda. Barracuda, a merciless and fearsome pirate, is intent on finding the treasure of the infamous, deceased pirate Phineas Krane. After years of searching, they finally reach the island of Kopra where the treasure is supposedly buried. When the crew finds an enormous black chest, it contains one item: a book. To discover the real treasure of Phineas Krane, they first will have to learn to read.

Hot off the press on Oct. 11, “The Treasure of Barracuda” mustn’t be missed. 

“Madeline Finn and the Library Dog” by Lisa Papp, Peachtree, 2016, 32 pages, $16.95 hardcover

Read aloud: age 5 to 8

Read yourself: age 7 and 8

Madeline Finn DOES NOT like to read, period! She especially does not like to read aloud in class; her words get jumbled or stuck in her mouth “like peanut butter.” When that happens sometimes people giggle. Good readers get gold stars from their teacher, and Madeline Finn really wants a gold star.

One day when Madeline Finn and her mom go to the library, the librarian asks Madeline Finn if she would like to read to Bonnie, a big white dog. As Madeline Finn discovers, reading to Bonnie isn’t as hard as she thought. Bonnie is patient and doesn’t mind waiting for Madeline Finn when she gets stuck on a word or a sentence. With Bonnie’s help, Madeline Finn discovers that reading is fun when you’re not afraid of making mistakes.

kendal@sunlink.net