Space Adventure

Gr 1-4–These titles guide readers as they choose—and make up—their own adventure. The books open with instructions for use: Readers note the question at the top of a page, choose something from the illustrations to include in their tale, then fill in their own imagined details to create a story. Each spread offers a colorful array of choices for a particular story element, from the identities and accoutrements of the characters to the setting, goal, and conflict. Questions for readers are couched in second person, giving the whole adventure the engaging feel of a role-playing game. In Fairy Tale Adventure, readers will find standard fairy tale characters, props, and settings on offer alongside choices recognizable from popular children’s books and classic stories. Kids will enjoy pointing out why certain items—for example, the beanstalk skateboard for transportation—are familiar. Illustrations in both titles are vivid, outline-less cartoons that include a variety of skin tones and hairstyles and abilities. For example, in the fairy tale book, the prince character uses a wheelchair. Silly humor will keep kids moving along: Readers of Space Adventure will find among their apparel options a pair of astronaut underwear and a giant space-themed onesie. These books are obvious choices for a writing center, but they can also be helpful in providing practice with those often-sidelined speaking and listening benchmarks.