The more I thought about this one, the more I liked it. It also made me wonder if I have an addiction to I Can Read books! While this is more of an elementary school book, I'm including it here because it might be my nomination for the Cybils' Awards.
May 7, 2024 by Walker Books US
Copy Provided by Young Adult Books Central
Life is pretty perfect in Pocketville for Monti Mole. He has his routine, which includes a visit to Mrs. Sheep's bakery to get a treat, a trip to the library for reading material, and a brief spell of communing with nature by sitting on his favorite rock by a river while enjoys the fruits of his first two outings! One day, there is a buzz in the bakery about someone new in town. This, of course, has to be bad, but it gets worse when Monti finds an interloper sitting on HIS rock. He silently fumes, and thinks of ways he can challenge this outside. The next day, when he finds out that the newcomer has bought the last two cinnamon rolls and checked out the book he needs, he is fully prepared to give the meddling lizard what for. However, Leo introduces himself, offers Monti a cinnamon roll, and promises to finish the book that night so that Monti can read it. Mrs. Sheep makes negative comments about Leo when he suggests that she offer sliced bread, but Monti stands up for his new friend. Not only that, but he introduces Leo to his friends, and the two plan a talent show to try to get into everyone's good graces. Mrs. Sheep is flattered when they ask her to sing, and she uses her influence to entice others to participate. In the end, Pocketville is a little different, but sometimes change makes things better.
This is roughly the size of an I Can Read book, and has a similar level of text complexity. The difference is in how the illustrations are arranged. They aren't quite in a comic book style, but there is some of this style in the way the pictures are arranged. The text is in about a 14 point font, so it's perfect practice for readers who are not quite ready for chapter books, but almost there.
The illustrations have a clean line, and a fresh and modern feel to the pictures. The color palette includes a lot of soft teal, which might just be the color of the 2020s! The animals have the stylized feel of Marc Brown's Arthur characters, with a very human physique but animal snouts.
I can see this book (which has a sequel, A Mystery in Pocketville, out in February of 2025) being compared to Lobel's Frog and Toad or even Marshall's George and Martha, and there are some similarities in the reading level and general themes of friendship. Those classic tales always struck me as being overly philosophical and allegorical, which is something that adults certainly enjoy. I liked the straight forward style of this a bit better, especially where young readers are concerned, and would hand this to fans of other early chapter books like Petrick's One Cool Duck, Sherry's Fish Feud, or Braddock's Peanut, Butter, and Cracker.
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