Review Round-Up: Books for Beginning Readers, February 2016

Cybils Winners Announced! 

The 2015 Cybils Awards were announced on Valentine's Day. In the easy reader category, the winner was Ling and Ting: Twice as Silly by Grace Lin. The chapter book winner was Dory and the Real True Friend by Abby Hanlon. Winning titles in all categories can be seen here.

Easy Readers

Kicking off the list of easy reader reviews this month is Round 2 Cybils Judge Amy Johnson, who weighed in on her experience as a first-time judge and provided quick reviews of each of the finalists at Sunlit Pages.

Katie Salo at Step Up Readers focused on award winners this month as well, with a post reviewing the 2016 Geisel winner, Don't Throw It To Mo!, and all of the 2016 Geisel honor books. Step Up Readers also featured reviews of Ling and Ting: Together in All Weather, Berkley, the Terrible Sleeper, Digger and Daisy Star in a Play, and I Really Like Slop.

Jennifer Wharton from Jean Little Library reviewed two non-fiction titles for beginning readers: Countries We Come From: El Salvador and See It Grow: Sunflowers. Jennifer also reviewed a few other titles this month at Flying Off My Bookshelf: Hot Rod Hamster and the Haunted Halloween Party, Ping Wants to Play, and Ed and Kip.

The Books for Kids Blog reviewed two easy readers from popular series: Splat the Cat: Blow, Snow, Blow! and Pete the Cat's Train Trip. 

Other easy readers reviewed this month are:

• Lily's New Home and Want to Play? at Story Time Secrets and at Ms. Yingling Reads
• Living in... Brazil at Pages and Margins
• Dance, Dance, Underpants at Provo Library Children's Book Reviews 
• What This Story Needs is a Hush and a Shush at Literary Hoots 

Chapter Books

There is a lot of buzz surrounding this month's release of the third Princess in Black book, The Princess in Black and the Hungry Bunny Horde. There were reviews on five blogs: Good Reads with Ronna, Books 4 Your Kids, Becky's Book Reviews, Children's Book and Media Review and Everead.

Becky's Book Reviews had quite a few chapter book reviews, including three titles in the Zigzag Kids series: Number One Kid,  Flying Feet, and Big Whopper. Becky also reviewed Posy the Puppy and McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm.

Other chapter book reviews from February are below:

• Appleblossom the Possum, reviewed by What to Read To Your Kids
• Change is in the Air, Mallory, reviewed by Story Time Secrets
• Cody and the Fountain of Happiness, reviewed by Jean Little Library
• Lola Levine is NOT Mean and Princess Posey and the Crazy, Lazy Vacation, reviewed by Ms. Yingling Reads
• Lost in NYC, reviewed by Sal's Fiction Addiction
• Magic Tree House: Balto of the Blue Dawn, reviewed by Books for Kids Blog and Ms. Yingling Reads 
• Olga da Polga, reviewed by Kid Lit Reviews
• Shelter Pet Squad: Merlin, reviewed by Jean Little Library
• Stanley and Me: Misty, reviewed by Jean Little Library
• Starring Jules: Third Grade Debut, reviewed by Story Time Secrets
• The Story of Diva and Flea, reviewed by Provo Library Children's Book Reviews
• Weekends with Max and his Dad, reviewed by Chapter Book Explorer