The Notebook of Doom: Rise of the Balloon Goons by Tony Cummings, Scholastic, 2013, 91 Pages.

Skunked! Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet by Jacqueline Kelly. Henry Holt, 112 pages.

Into the Wild by Doreen Cronin.Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016. 95 pages

Disappointing- formatted as early chapter but the vocabulary and in jokes are not. Surveillance? I had to check the spelling myself. Too bad. the kids love Cronin's Diary of a Worm, but the jury is still out on this one.

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid by Megan McDonald. Candlewick Press, 2005, 102 pages.

Lola Levine Drama Queen by Monica Brown. Little Brown and Company, 2016. 88 pages

Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale. Candlewick Press, 2014, 90 pages

 Well respected authors are trying their hand at Early Chapters- and coming up with winners. Like Mo Willems and Kate DiCamillo, the Hales include quality writing and an appealing storyline with color pictures and a larger format.
-- A perfect princess constraining against the limits of the princess stereotypes by day-- a masked ninja fighting for justice (sort of) by night! Who could resist?

The Story of Diva and Flea by Mo Willems and Tony DiTerlilzzi. Hyperion Books, 2015, 70 pages

Sweet and fun story about 2 unlikely friends-- with a very French feel. High quality all around. end notes detailing the story.

The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale. Candlewick Press, 2014, 90 pages.

Freckle Juice by Judy Blume. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1971. 57 Pages.

Alvin Ho: allergic to girls, school and other scary things by Lenore Look. Schwartz & Wade, 2008. 170 pages

Meet Alvin Ho-lives in Concord Massachusetts, obsessed with Henry David Thoreau and all things local history, middle child in an average Chinese American household, smart and funny and scared of everything- so much so that he is unable to speak in school at all. A great story for early chapter readers- say second through 4th grade--Alvin is funny and clever and full of interesting fact (glossary at the end!) but also serious and thoughtful with the continuing theme of finding your voice running through. Few book at this reading level with boys as main characters-- I love introducing kids to this series.