Sam and the Big Kids

Poor Sam! He wants to play with the big kids. "You are too small," they tell him. "Go home." But when the big kids need help, who saves the day? Sam, of course! New readers will relate to being excluded by older kids, and they'll cheer for Sam when he shows that he can help, even though he's not big. Watercolor illustrations with pen-and-ink highlight the subtle emotions in this charming book. An I Like to Read® book. Guided Reading Level E."Young readers will appreciate the large type, repeated words, and relatively simple vocabulary. These qualities, along with the easy-to-read narrative illustrations and emotionally resonant story, make the book equally effective as a read-aloud choice for younger children."—Booklist
 
"Sam will strike home with little brothers and sisters everywhere who always get left out when the 'big kids' are playing."—School Library Journal
 
"Readers will appreciate the impressive geographic features of McCully's (The Helpful Puppy) ink-and-watercolor renderings, and her approach to emotions"—Publishers Weekly
 Emily Arnold McCully has won many prestigious awards, including the Caldecott Medal for Mirette on the High Wire and a Christopher Award for Picnic. She is the illustrator of Ballerina Swan by Allegra Kent and lives in New York City and Chatham, New York.