Book review - Big Words Small Stories: The Missing Donut

Title: The Missing Donut
Author: Judith Henderson
Genre: early chapter book
Similar books: Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant
                      Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
Rating:

mediocre plot, but unique format

Summary (provided by publisher): 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.

My opinion:  I never have much in the way of expectations when it comes to easy readers because the focus is more on vocabulary than storytelling. This one is fairly standard for plot, in that there isn't much of one. The stories are very simple. The format is outstanding. Each story has a low level vocabulary with a single multiple syllable word. There is ample notice that the complex word is coming, a pronunciation guide, a simple definition, and a good amount of context to understand it's use. Each story's plot is essentially just prolonged context for the larger word. It's not much of a pleasure read but as an educational tool, it's spot on.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.