The Glitter Bug: A Branches Book

Gr 1-3–Bo and her unicorn friends can’t stop sneezing glitter! They have caught a glitter bug and are feeling quite miserable, especially when their teacher, Mr. Rumptwinkle, tells them that they might be too sick to earn a special patch. But hope is not lost as Mr. Rumptwinkle summons Dr. Cloudberry, a kitsune (a Japanese mythical fox) to help cure them. Feeling better is as simple as laughing! But it’s going to take a lot of laughter to make the glitter bug go away completely. With an amusing, although not necessarily unique, story line, this entry is a strong read for kids moving from beginning readers to chapter books. The epistolary format keeps the plot moving quickly and the inclusion of ample illustrations with speech bubbles helps balance the trepidation new readers may have. The narrative falls into didacticism, but is not preachy, instead providing an always-needed lesson on perspective. The illustrations are colorful, engaging, and detailed enough to look at many times over.