{Synopsis} – This series is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line called Branches, which is aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!
Eva Wingdale gets in over her head when she offers to organize a spring festival at school. Even with her best friend Lucy’s help, there is NO way she will get everything done in time. Will Eva have to ask Sue (a.k.a. Meanie McMeanerson) for help? Or will the festival have to be cancelled? This book is written as Eva’s diary — with Rebecca Elliott’s owl-dorable full-color illustrations throughout!
{My thoughts} – I have been seeing these books in the scholastic catalogs for quite some time. I have always had an interest in diary like books. I decided to request the most recent through scholastic which at this time is book 7. When I received it I flipped through it to see how it was made.
The things I liked right away were the simple graphics, the bright colors and the child like diary structure. Of course, once I’d decided I liked the book I had to buy the previous six.
Onto my review of book one, Eva is an owl that lives in Treetopolis. She has two siblings and a best friend named Lucy. In this book she is a bored owl and decides to do something to distract her mind. She tells her teacher she wants to plan a festival for the first day of spring. Her teacher agrees to let her, but tells her she should let other students help her plan it too. She however, tries to do it alone and ends up asking for help in the end.
I think this story has a great lesson within its pages. It shows that it’s okay to ask for help when your in over your head. That it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and that in the end things can and will work out, although it may not work out the way that you’d like it too.
I highly recommend this book for beginner readers. It’s an easy to read book, that allows for children to learn a simple lesson within its pages. Also, at the end of the book are some questions that can be used either to quiz the reader or to just discuss the book openly. All and all it was an enjoyable quick read.
Final Conclusion: 5 Star Rating.
