Penny and Her Song (I Can Read Book 1)
*Starred Review* Penny, a little mouse girl, has a song in her heart. Well, it’s not just in her heart, because as soon as she comes home from school, she wants to belt it out loud: “One is nice, two is nice.” But Mama and Papa are concerned that Penny’s song will wake up the babies. She tries singing to herself and to her glass animals, but what fun is that? Penny gives her song a go at dinner; her parents insist it will have to wait. Finally, in front of her folks and the twins, Penny gets to sing about one and two being nice (“three is even better”); four and five are also nice (“six in rain is wetter”). Seven and eight: nice as well. Nine? “Almost best. But ten is even bigger, and is better than the rest.” So much praise is heaped on Penny that she sings the song again. And here is where Henkes has his finger on the pulse of families: on the next go-around the whole family joins in, which provokes Mama and Papa to put on costumes and dance. Finally, everyone is exhausted, and the singing has put the babies to sleep. The text, with its frustrations and joys, is perfect for new readers, and Henkes’ familiar artwork has its share of warm moments. This early reader captures the way families make memories at unexpected moments. Welcome Penny to the cast. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Any new book by Caldecott-winning Henkes is cause for anticipation, and this one even more so as it marks the first time he has written for beginning readers. Preschool-Grade 2. --Ilene Cooper--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.