Barkus: The Most Fun by Patricia MacLachlan and Marc Boutavant, Chronicle Books, Sept. 21, 2021, Hardcover, $14.99 (ages 6-9)
From the Newbery Medal-winning author of Sarah, Plain and Tall, comes a book about a dog and his owner in Barkus: The Most Fun.
A young girl and her dog, Barkus, never know exactly how their adventures will turn out, but they know they’ll have fun along the way. From camping and visiting the family farm to a parade of ambling claves and winter at the cabin, the two are never far apart.
Barkus: The Most Fun is actually the third book in this early chapter series, but the books can be read out of order. My daughter actually read the second book (Barkus: Dog Dreams) first, and then requested the first (Barkus).
These full-color reads feature short chapters and simple — but entertaining — text perfect for emerging readers. And they’re fun enough that even kids who’ve advanced past them will still want to read them. As is the case with my now-7-year-old, who had this to say about Barkus: The Most Fun:
“Barkus is easy to read, and it is fun to imagine what the characters do in the next chapter and find out. What I like about Barkus is about the illustrations because they are so real. Also, like in the title: Barkus: The Most Fun, because he is also the most fun. My favorite part is Chapter 2, The Crazy Cows of Spring, when one of the cows has a calf.”
