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5 Minutes for Books–Meghan Rose Early Readers

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

First came Ramona. Then Junie B. Jones. Now meet Meghan Rose. She’s just as spunky, but not quite as sassy. She’s a first grade girl who finds herself getting into some fixes, in spite of her heart of gold. Lori Z. Scott is a mom and a former first grade teacher who wrote these books in response to the lack of Christian-based chapter books for her seven year old daughter.

In the first book in the series, Meghan Rose On Stage!, Meghan Rose desperately wants to be in the school talent show. The problem is that she has no talent. She asks God to help her figure out what it is. Even when her original plan is thwarted, she comes up with an idea by thinking on her feet, and ends up learning that working as a team with others, instead of competing against meghan-rose.jpgthem, results in good feelings for everyone involved.

The second book in the series, Meghan Rose Has Ants in Her Pants, deals with a common childhood problem. Meghan sees a commercial for the new Kangaroozies shoes. She wants them. Her desire for them increases when her friend gets a pair. She tries to convince her mom she needs them. She tries to earn enough money to buy them herself. She tries to make them herself. Finally, she learns to wait.

There are a few qualities of these books that sets them apart from other offerings. One is that they are faith-based. Meghan mentions God and asks Him for help. In fact, in the second book, she learns a lesson about patience and why God doesn’t always give us what we want right away. These lessons come about naturally and are presented in a non-preachy, age-appropriate way. This is no easy feat, and something that Christian Fiction adult novelists struggle with incorporating naturally into a novel. The other thing that I love is that there are a few discussion questions for parents and kids at the end of the book, along with a couple of ideas for crafts or activities related to the story. The illustrations by Stacy Curtis are fun and whimsical and add to the story, instead of just being a distraction.

My daughter Amanda read both of these books on our vacation. She is about to start fourth grade and is a strong reader, so she thought that these books were a little young for her. However, she did go on to read the second one, and I even heard her laugh out loud while she was reading them, so she did like them. I think that these books would be best for Kindergarten up through third grade, but the way that they are written makes them something that can be appreciated by adults and would probably span quite a few years as a family read-aloud selection. All children deal with friendship concerns and competition, patience and not getting everything you want. Even though the main character is a girl, one of her best friends is a boy. Much like Ramona Quimby, I do think that this book would appeal to boys as well as girls.

For more info, check out the really great website for the series which has jokes, links, and parent/teacher activities, as well as information about the next two books in the series, which are coming soon.

The author has donated three copies of Meghan Rose On Stage! to be sent to winners in the U.S. or Canada; however if there are at least 30 people who comment to win, she will send out five copies, and if there are over 100, she’ll give away seven copies! So, spread the word, and come back next week to see who the winners are.

Congratulations to the winners of last week’s books:

Lean Mommy: 71-Amanda, 11-Oh Amanda, 48-Amy

Hormones, Health and Happiness: 37-Dawn, 81-Mama Zen, 18-Debi

Jane Yolen’s book Baby Bear’s Big Dreams: 27-Katrina

Reader Interactions


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65 Comments

  1. These sound great. My girls loved Junie B Jones books. I love the lesson on Patience. Count me in for the drawing. Thanks for writing great books for kids.

    Reply

  2. I have one avid reader and one not-so-avid reader and a Kindergartner who wants to be read to. We could really use something new for all three of them! Please enter me in the drawing.

    Reply

  3. My daughter is just entering 1st grade and loves to read – I would love to check out this series for her. Thanks for the chance!

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  7. Awesome. My daughter and I have read Ramona the Brave together and just finished Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus.

    I’d love another series to read too!

    Reply

  11. These look so awesome. My daughter just started first grade and is an awesome reader. We’ve read a few Ramona Quimby and Junie B. Jones, and I am thrilled to learn there is an equivalent with a Christian perspective without the “sassiness”. 🙂 I’d sure love to give my daughter these books!

    Reply

  17. I’m so glad you introduced me to these Meghan Rose series! My 5 year old reader will really enjoy them and I love books that have a good message for her. THANKS for a chance to win:)

    Reply

  32. Oh, this is a godsend! I was just at the library this morning asking, “What do we read when we’ve read all of Junie B. Jones?” It would be sooo nice to have a Christian chapter book to start on next!!!!

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  35. Please enter me. These books would be perfect for my 9 year old daughter. She has Down syndrome, and LOVES to read. But she likes most to read about little girls getting into trouble, lol.

    Reply

  36. As a teacher and mother I love these types of books. They help kids to enjoy reading. I loved Ramona as a kid and my students still do. Junie B was great and I hope to enjoy Meghan with my little guy.

    Reply

  42. Please enter me! My daughter is much too old for these,but my nieces are not. I think my mom and I like Junie B more than any of the kids… we have to read them first so as not to bust out laughing when we read to the younger kids 🙂

    Reply

  61. This is a timely recommendation for me! I’m getting tired of Junie B Jones and my 1st grader is an avid reader who needs something new.

    These books sound wonderful.

    Reply