Mae and June and the Wonder Wheel

I liked it because of all the mysteries in the book

This book had my attention at the talking dog and Sammy that is the name of my Granddog. Mae is a normal little girl who is shy around new people and just likes to have fun. When Grandma Penny sends her the Wonder Wheel its like it came at the right time when it was needed. June is the new girl in the neighborhood and at school. Mae wants her to be her friend but she must have the 3 Fs fun, friendly and full of adventure. June becomes friends with another girl in class and Mae is thinking she will not want to be her friend now. Wonder Wheel to the rescue and not only is her problem solved but it also brings her and her teenage sister Isabella closer I really think that any young girl will relate to this book. The illustrations were on point also and fun especially the ones with Mae and Sammy. I really hope this author continues with these characters.

The premise here is that June receives a surprise present - it's a homemade "Wonder Wheel". Every day you spin it, and then pick an "action" card depending on the category it stops at. Maybe you write a poem, maybe you dress up funny, maybe you do a good deed. It's a swell idea, and actually something you could do at home yourself. Anyway, this wheel gets June busy and active. Soon she has her classmates pumped up. Then her new across-the-street neighbor. Even her family. Everyone is up and bubbling and cheerful and engaged. I wasn't sure about this as a book. It is so high energy and June is so over the top that it became a little wearing at first. But then I got into the spirit of the thing, really took to June and Mae, and appreciated how the story drew the very best out of all of the characters. It was just so gosh darn upbeat and peppy. June's dog can talk to her, (or is he just an "imaginary" talking dog), and even that had a certain charm. No one in this book is mean or nasty or sneaky. It's as bright and chirpy and just happy as you could want. But it's not sappy, and it doesn't manipulate you. It's just contagiously cheerful. I'm good with that. The illustrator is Ashley Spires. You might recognize her from her big hit, "The Most Magnificent Thing". Her drawings add spunk and brightness and a bit of clarity to what's going on and help a good deal in guiding a little reader through the book. All in all this seems like a nice choice for a newly independent reader who'd like a sunny diversion. A nice find. (Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Mae and June and the Wonder Wheel Simply a most wonderful fun read. This is so perfect for those who are just starting out with chapter books. They will not get frustrated with this one because it has nice short easy to read and understand chapters. Along with some fun artwork that will hold their interest. Another group of kids this would be perfect for if you are a 1st-3rd grade teacher and have a new student. So much of this book the young student can relate to with things that go on in the classroom. It is a nice story without any bad / scary things that happen to any of the characters. The main character June receives an interesting gift from her Grandma Penny. Seems her Grandma is always doing fun and interesting things. As she follows the directions that come with this present she has fun adventures in just simple everyday activities. She meets Mae who moves in across the street and they become friends who work together along the way. She has a dog that only she can talk to just like we all did when we were her age. Such imagination mixed in with everyday realism with these characters. This author does a wonderful job of telling the story as if truly from the eyes of a young child. Really is a must have for any teacher of younger grades to keep on her shelf. Might even have a classroom that wants to make their own Wonder Wheel and see where it takes them in the way of learning about each other and how to be helpful and kind along the way. I am so hoping that this is a the start of a new series with these fun characters in this classroom.

I got this book for my six-year-old daughter, who proceeded to read it from cover to cover. She enjoyed it a lot, and it's easy to see why. The book begins with June "losing" her older sister, Isabella, who is growing up and doesn't want to play with June anymore. That leaves June and her sidekick, the talking dog Sammy. Sammy doesn't really talk, it's all in June's head -- I like to imagine June speaks for Sammy out loud like Kristoff and Sven in Frozen -- but in any case Sammy and Isabella are not cutting it in the friends department. It's time for June to find a new friend, something little kids can definitely relate to. June lives by three rules for new friends: they must be fun, friendly, and full of adventure. Mae gets a wheel from her grandmother that is filled with activities, and using it tests both June and Mae's friendship. There's also an arch-nemesis in April, who wants Mae to be her friend, creating some tension. In retrospect the book sounds a little bit like Hunger Games with friends instead of food, in which a capricious wheel tests the friendship of a new recruit. But I'm pretty sure that's just my dystopian spin on a very sweet book. My daughter read it in one sitting.

Synopsis: In this chapter book for young readers, June is thrilled to get a new neighbor: Mae! Soon the two of them are best friends and are having adventures determined by the Wonder Wheel that they spin each morning. Whether it’s pretending to be a dog for a day or collecting things that are blue, the girls never know what each day will bring. Also, June has a secret: her dog Sammy can talk, but only she can hear him. Will her new best friend believe her if she tells her? (Goodreads) Review: This is a cute chapter book for young readers. It stressed family, friendship and pets (that may be magical). I thought that it was well written and the illustrations that were included were bright and well drawn and added a lot to the story. I enjoyed the fact that Sam, June’s dog, can talk. At least in June’s mind he can. I thought this added a little extra to the story. I thought this book was upbeat and positive and would make a great addition to a family library or a school library. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a young reader in their life. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and HMH Books For Young Readers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

May and June and the Wonder Wheel is a charming starter book for young readers. June has a dog Sammy (who talks to her) and the two of them are great friends. June puts great importance in the three “F’s” when looking for a friend: Fun, Friendly, Full of Adventure. One day June gets a package from her Grandma Penny who is what June’s mom calls a “Free Spirit”. In the box is a carnival style wheel with instructions on how to divide up the sections. Each day June spins the wheel and follows the instructions. Sometimes she has to ask questions of her friends, other times she lends them a hand. In using this wheel June learns more about the other children in her class and makes a friend of the new girl, May, who has moved in across the street. Even though this book is mostly about girls, you can bet that the young boys in your family will enjoy this story too.

I'm always trying to find good, high interest books for my daughter, who is a struggling reader. My daughter is in mid-second grade and reads at a late first grade/early second grade level, and trails far behind most of her peers at her school. My daughter has been interested in chapter books, but we often can't find any easy enough for her where she can read it without being frustrated. Mae and June and the Wonder Wheel says it is for grades 1-3, and I think that is very accurate for most children. My daughter reads at an "I" level, and this book was too difficult for her. However, the interest level was certainly there, and the concepts and tone will definitely appeal to the early elementary school set. The graphics in the book were good, but the content was a little frenetic for me. June seemed a bit underdeveloped and the plot jumped around a bit, but I thought it was a promising start to a new series. I wasn't sure about the hook of the talking dog that only the MC can hear, but I'm hoping that is explored more throughout the series. I also liked the fact that the author made June's new best friend a POC, giving the book some diversity, which my daughter liked too because it accurately reflects her own friend-group. I think this book will appeal to many early chapter book readers who are eager for some new stories with fun graphics. *ARC provided by the publisher*