Soldiers and Sweets at the Ballet

Description: "Katie Woo and JoJo wear their best dresses when they attend a performance of JoJo's favorite ballet, the Nutcracker"--

Brief description: Fran Manushkin is the author of many popular picture books, including How Mama Brought the Spring; Baby, Come Out!; Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story; and The Tushy Book. There is a real Katie Woo -- she's Fran's great-niece -- but she never gets in half the trouble of the Katie Woo in the books. Fran writes on her beloved MacBook in New York City.

Review Quotes: This new beginning reader series featuring fan favorite character Katie Woo follows her and friend JoJo as they go on one adventurous outing after another. In these first four stories, the girls pick apples at an apple orchard, visit a water park, explore a butterfly house, and see a performance of The Nutcracker ballet. Bright, cheerful, full-color illustrations are featured throughout each story, which consists of three chapters made up of short, accessible sentences. Each page features three to five lines of text, making it perfect for newly independent readers. A glossary, more information about the book's topic, discussion questions, and writing prompts are appended at the end of each title. VERDICT Purchase where ­Katie Woo books and/or early chapter books ­circulate well.-- "School Library Journal"