Esme’s Birthday Conga Line

Gr 1-3–It’s Esme’s birthday, and she is very excited to celebrate. After receiving a beautiful guitar as a gift from her grandparents, Esme excitedly declares that she will play it for everyone at her party. There’s just one problem—her grandparents, who Esme recently moved in with, have not arranged one. Unperturbed, Esme immediately puts together a plan and begins inviting all the residents of her apartment building to her celebration as well as assigning them party-related tasks to complete. The party that concludes this beginner chapter book is humorous and heartwarming. Chapters range in length from approximately six to 10 pages; every spread features a bright, colorful illustration of varying size from Valdez. The use of repetitive phrases makes this an excellent choice for newly independent readers transitioning out of leveled/easy readers. Esme and her grandparents are Latinx, while the other residents of the apartment building are diverse. Fans of series such as “Junie B. Jones,” “Zoey and Sassafras,” and “Ivy + Bean” will enjoy Esme’s strong sense of self, problem-solving skills, comical antics, and commitment to her community.