By Kelly Starling Lyons

Illustrated by Nneka Myers

This is one in a series of Jada Jones early readers. The print is quite large and the illustrations are fun! This series is a great way to bridge the gap between easy readers to confident readers. The stories are engaging and relatable. This book is about Jada planning her first sleepover party with her friends. She planned what she thought would be so much fun for everyone – lots of science experiments because Jada loves science! Unfortunately, not all of her friends feel the same way and the party was almost a bust! In the end the girls decided on a fun game that they all liked, built a fort for all of them to sleep in, and had a dad-made pancake breakfast in the morning. All went well and they had a blast! I would definitely recommend this series for Lower Elementary age children.

 

 

Jack Goes to Montessori School By Allyson Collins Illustrated by Lindsey R. Smith This book is written by a Montessori mom who wanted other families to know how terrific Montessori school is. I think it would be a good way to help prepare three- and four-year-old children for the three-to-six (or primary) classroom. It’s about a boy who loves his classroom, his friends, and his lessons. In the story, the author has pointed out quite a few of the basic materials, which are illustrated well.  There are many, many more in activities and lessons in an actual Montessori classroom. Reading this book to children who have never been in a Montessori classroom before will give them a sense of how the day goes and some of what’s in store for them. It could be a real help with the transition from home to school or from the toddler level to primary.