This book is absolutely amazing. As a reading tutor I have a really hard time finding books that are entertaining for the kids and not boring. The language in this book is not extremely difficult but some of the passages are quite long. The deal I made with my student was I would read anything over three lines since those seem to be the more difficult passages, not to mention just long for a struggling reader. It's an AWESOME read aloud book though.
Written by Carolyn Crimi and illustrated by Gris Grimly, Boris and Bella
encompasses everything that I love. It is the story of messy Bella Legrossi and tidy Boris Kleanitoff; neighbors who despise each other. Each of them decide they want to have a Halloween party, only to find out that no one they invited is coming to either of their parties. Instead everyone wants to go to a completly different person's party because he is doesn't freak out about scratches on his floors and doesn't have a messy house. Boris and Bella both become angry that no one came to their party and decide to bust in on the preferred one. They angrily watch everyone else having fun and dancing. Even though they despise each other and are complete opposites, they are brought together by a longing to dance. I am sure you can guess the end for these two monsters.
I know this seems like a Halloween book, and it is I suppose, but I'm a huge Tim Burton fan and I will dig this stuff year round. The illustrations and story are equally spectacular, which is not often the case. Kids love it too, the child I used it for hates reading and he actually wanted to read this book.
Pub. Date: September 2004
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Format: Hardcover, 32pp
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