Bradford Street Buddies

November 1, 2015

Gr 1-3-Jada Perkins and her twin brother, Jamal, are excited to be participating in the Bradford Street Fall Block Party, mainly because of the "big surprise" their dad has in store for them. After hearing a thumping sound, the twins look out the window and cannot believe their eyes. The backyard is full of mechanical dinosaurs! When their best friends Josh and Carlita arrive, the four kids work the controls and play with the robots until it's time to go set up for the party. But in the middle of all the preparations, bad news arrives when Mr. Perkins announces that the truck that was going to transport the dinosaurs to the party has broken down. The kids put their heads together and come up with wheeled solutions to getting each dinosaur to the party. The writing is solid and the plotline strong. Combine that with lively drawn ink and watercolor illustrations and multicultural friendships, and this chapter book is a first purchase for most collections. VERDICT An enjoyable read with broad appeal to independent readers.-Jennifer Steib Simmons, Anderson County Library, SC

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2015
Grades 1-4 Twins Jada and Jamal are already excited about the fall block party in their neighborhood, but they're even more thrilled that their dad has a special surprise planned. When they finally peek into the backyard, they see it: four remote-controlled dinosaurs! Jada and Jamal, along with friends Josh and Carlita, work together to solve a big problem: How will they get the robot dinos to the party? Henninger's ink-and-watercolor illustrations provide helpful visual cues while capturing the autumnal atmosphere and the distinct facial expressions of the multicultural cast. Nolen breaks her text into several short chapters with only a few sentences per page. This approachable story will be rewarding for kids just getting into independent reading.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Another friend-filled neighborhood event is in store for folks on Bradford Street in this new early-reader series. It's the annual fall block party, and twins Jada and Jamal Perkins are excited. Their dad has some sort of surprise planned. When they look out the window, they are thrilled to see their parents outside with four large robot dinosaurs! After learning how to work the controls, everyone is ready for the trip to the park, where the dinosaurs will undoubtedly be the hit of the party. But in the fourth and final chapter, the crew has a big problem: the truck carrying the dinosaurs has broken down, and there is no way to get them to the party. The kids put their heads together and come up with a clever idea to create a dinosaur parade. New readers might wonder why Mr. Perkins supplies such an unusual addition to a block party, but they will marvel at the cooperation and creativity of the youngsters and parents on Bradford Street. Full-color, detailed watercolor illustrations show a welcome cast of ethnically diverse characters. This new offering is tailor-made for children who are ready for books they can read independently with confidence. (Early reader. 6-9)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.