Can an intrepid toy mouse help a child venture out of his comfort zone? Book Two of an endearing illustrated series about friendly library toys and the children who borrow them.
Marco Polo is a retired Christmas ornament, but in his mind he is a great mouse explorer. Because he's tiny and likely to be lost, he is the least-borrowed of the Book Buddies—toys that children can check out of the library just like a book—and he almost never leaves the library. But the little mouse finally meets the right match in Seth, a boy who is about to attend his first sleepover. If Seth were to bring the stuffed bunny he usually sleeps with, he'd risk being teased, but Marco Polo is the perfect size to hide away in his sleeping bag. Are both boy and mouse in for an unexpected adventure? Charmingly illustrated and offering a window into the secret life of toys (including a suspenseful glimpse at where all the household's lost toys go), Marco Polo Brave Explorer explores common fears and quiet bravery and will leave readers eager for the next episode in the Book Buddies series.
Marco Polo, Brave Explorer
Marco Polo, Brave Explorer
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
March 8, 2022 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9781536224467
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9781536224467
- File size: 104125 KB
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 3.3
- Lexile® Measure: 550
- Interest Level: K-3(LG)
- Text Difficulty: 0-2
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Reviews
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March 1, 2022
Grades 1-4 Originally a soft, mouse-shaped Christmas ornament, Marco Polo becomes a Book Buddy (a doll or stuffed toy to check out from the library). A brave explorer, he's thrilled when a boy named Seth chooses him to take to Ben's house to bolster his courage for his first sleepover. All goes well until a cat picks up Marco Polo during the night and stashes him away. Undeterred, the intrepid mouse finds his way back to Seth along with Ben's long-lost monster stuffie. Lord's engaging narrative is well-attuned to the concerns of readers who find comfort in stuffed animals, though they may be reluctant to admit it. The book's reader-friendly design includes wide-spaced lines of type and grayscale illustrations on most double-page spreads. An appealing addition to the Book Buddies series.COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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April 15, 2022
A mouse Christmas-tree ornament with wanderlust is thrilled when Anne, the librarian, decides that he will be a Book Buddy. When they see the tiny toy at the library, parents coax their kids into checking out bigger, sturdier stuffed animals instead, like Banjo the bear or Homer the owl. "It's hard to be a brave explorer when you can't go anywhere," Marco Polo thinks. So when Seth talks his dad into checking out Marco Polo, the little mouse is thrilled. Seth's excited, too, though nervous about his first sleepover at his friend Ben's house. Seth sleeps with his well-loved toy bunny at home but fears being teased if he brings her. Instead, Seth brings the more easily concealed Marco Polo. When Ben's older brother, Peter, mocks them at bedtime and Seth feels homesick, snuggling with Marco Polo helps him fall asleep. Soon Tulip the cat steals Marco Polo, bringing him to her garage hideout, where she's collected purloined items, from socks and bottle caps to Peter's old action figure and Ben's stuffed monster. To rescue them all, Marco Polo proves as ingenious as he is brave. The series' second title gently explores children's fears and sensitivities. The message of empathy is reinforced by Graegin's soothingly retro art. Seth's family includes his dad and brother, all of whom appear to be White; Ben's family presents Black. A charming balm for anxious small fry. (Early reader. 5-8)COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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