Here's a collection of short stories with a twist. The five stories all
feature the misadventures of a boy named Cris, who "likes things all in
a row," and his cat, Crat, who "likes to mix things up." Running within
each of these lighthearted stories is another story, this one about the
Sprinkle Fairy, owner of a word factory in Sicily, "where the best words
in the world come from." The Sprinkle Fairy has a team of helpers,
called the Sprinklers, who have slipped one of her big words (like,
discombobulated) into each of the small stories. Luckily, the Sprinklers
provide warnings right before the big words appear ("Big word coming!")
and include their pronunciations and meanings afterward. Then, a bonus
story at the end --- "A Small Play on Big Words" --- uses all the big
words together.
Judith Henderson has created an innovative approach to an early reader
that involves children in simple, fun-to-read stories, while using a
clever, playful device to enrich their vocabularies at the same time.
The quirky stories are funny, with storylines that build on each other.
The appealing blend of deadpan and slapstick humor in the text is paired
with multiple spot illustrations by T. L. McBeth on every page. The tone
and accessibility are pitch-perfect for emerging readers. This title is
part of a three-book series --- each book with its own character duo,
but all starring the Sprinkle Fairy and her Sprinklers.
