Chatting About Books:
Recommendations for Young Readers

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Episode 8—Guys Read

Book Chat

• Smash! Crash! written by Jon Scieszka; illustrated by David Shannon, Loren Long, and David Gordon (Simon & Schuster, 2008)

Introducing…the Trucktown gang! Smash! Crash! is the first book in the Trucktown series. In this book, Jack Truck and Dump Truck Dan are looking for someone to smash and crash with. Unfortunately, all of their friends are busy and don’t have time to smash and crash. Jack and Dan are also on the run from the large shadow following them. Who is it? Are Jack and Dan in trouble? I won’t spoil the ending, but it does involve plenty of smashing and crashing. This book is sure to be a SMASH with young readers.
Best for ages 2–8.

Cookies and Milk
Emily enjoys cookies and milk with brothers Kosi and Kenyan and their mom Jenequa. These two guys definitely enjoy reading. They share their thoughts on a few of Jon Scieszka’s books along with other authors and topics that get them excited about reading. Jenequa offers insights into reading with her boys and how she motivates and encourages their reading.

About the Host

Emily Manning started teaching first grade in 1999 and is now a reading intervention teacher for third- through fifth-graders. Emily’s passion is reading; she enjoys the challenge each year of finding books that will spark the love of reading in her students. Emily’s favorite books are the ones kids ask to read over and over — the ones that are worn out from so many readings, complete with wrinkled pages and loose bindings.

These include

• Bubba the Cowboy Prince by Helen Ketteman (Scholastic, 1997)
• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (Yearling, 2001)
• The Jazz Fly by Matthew Gollub (Tortuga, 2000)
• The Magical, Marvelous, Mystical Coat by Catherine Ann Cullen (Little, Brown, 2001)
• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (Puffin, 2004)