My Little Pony: Cutie Mark Mix-Up

K-Gr 3–This early reader is based on an episode of the “My Little Pony” animated Netflix series. Each page has one or two sentences with mostly familiar vocabulary, but some words (e.g., “unique,” “definitely,” “Equestria,” “community,” “sheriff,” “critters”) will require help from a supporting adult. Images on every page come from the television episode; these are colorful, eye-catching, and chosen to match the text. Readers will be most successful if they have watched the episode first, as there are some gaps in the plot due to the sparse text. To understand the story, children need to read between the lines—a challenging ask for emerging readers. While this book has an admirable goal of teaching children about empathy and appreciation for others’ work, it falls short in its execution. There are many other children’s books out there that convey similar messages more effectively and in greater depth.