My second-grader is really taking off on her reading! I love finding beginning chapter books for her to enjoy. Carole P. Roman has a couple that were a great fit from the Carole P. Roman books and collections, and I was eager to review them.
(Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.)
What Books Did I Review?
I received three paperback books to review. I selected the three books in the Oh Susannah collection.
Here’s a bit more information about each.
Oh Susannah: It’s in the Bag
Oh Susannah: It’s in the Bag
Ellie read this book almost completely on her own. She read a couple of chapters a day, and finished it within our four-day school week. I helped her with a couple of words throughout it.
I asked her what the book was about. She said:
Susannah is having trouble. She stuffs her unfinished homework in her backpack. Then she stuffs other things in there throughout the day. It’s a bad day for her.
Before she comes home, her backpack zipper breaks because it’s too full. She hides it under her bed when she gets home, but it gives her a bad dream. She talks to her parents about it and they help her and get her a new backpack.
Ellie said she liked the book, and liked being able to read a chapter book by herself.
One big theme in this book is not stuffing your problems away inside. It’s easy to keep stuffing and thinking you’re taking care of it, but eventually they bubble over and need addressed. Susannah feels like her parents were too busy to care about her problems, but she realizes they do care and want to help.
Oh Susannah: Things That Go Bump
Oh Susannah: Things That Go Bump
But, there’s a problem. Susannah thinks Lola’s house is haunted. Lola’s brother Kai doesn’t help matters any, encouraging Susannah’s imagination with tales about Grandpa Jackson haunting the place.
Thankfully Susannah learns to face her fear of the unknown and realizes that she can have fun even if she’s still a little scared.
Ellie said about this book:
I didn’t like the ghost stuff and Halloween stuff. I liked learning more about Susannah and her friends.
Oh Susannah Color with Me
Oh Susannah: Color With Me
It’s a coloring book. There are pictures from each of the main events of both of the other two books. There’s also a few questions about each book to help with reading comprehension.
Ellie like coloring the pictures. Here’s one she did recently:
How We Used the Books
I had Ellie read the first book independently. We read the second one together. I let her color pictures on her own, without requiring her to do any certain number. She used it just for fun.
What We Thought of These Books
These were cute stories and the levels were appropriate for early chapter book readers. There were a couple of words in each that Ellie struggled with, but she read the vast majority independently.
I preferred the first book and the coloring one, because we don’t typically celebrate Halloween around here. Ghosts are not something my kids are super familiar with. But, the end of the book turns out alright and there definitely wasn’t anything super scary. It was a better one to read together though.
I do hope that the author releases more books in the Oh Susannah series, because they really were well written. The end of the second one left off in a way that makes it seem like a possibility, so we’ll have to wait and see. Ellie enjoyed these books, and I’m sure she would enjoy reading more of them.
To see what other families thought of other titles in the Carole P. Roman Books and Collections, please click on the banner below.
