What does a reader do when they want something to read, but the brain has decided anything too taxing might overload the system (and by too taxing I mean something with over 100 pages…)? That is when I turn to my collection of early-chapter book readers. Ages first to young third grade can get their reading-on with something like Layla and the Bots V01: Happy Paws by Vicky Fang.
Due in May 2020, this is a cute story about trying and not getting it right and then trying again. And it is about how one kid inventor and a couple of rock-n-roll robots can get things done when they just keep trying!
Layla is not only a kid, but an inventor and along with her buddy Bots, form a rock band. When the are booked to play the local theme park, they get some bad news: the owner must cancel their show as he is closing the park. Nobody is coming; therefore, he cannot afford to keep it open. But Layla will not hear of it! She uses detective work, brain power and the talents of her friends to find out why business is slow and how to fix it.
Being my copy was a reader copy, I cannot say a lot about the illustrations of Christine Nishiyama. They seem to be quirky, simple and will show the humor as well as the thought process of our characters. This book is an easy-to-read text for the early-to mid-reader, with fun content for everyone. August 2020 will see book two, Built for Speed.
