Messy Bessey and the Birthday Overnight (a Rookie Reader)

The Messy Bessey series from Rookie Reader is pretty popular in our home. Not only are they good primers for learning to read, but the stories are engaging and they have a good, satisfying message. In this book, the lesson is that friendship is NOT just all the fun stuff. That sometimes being a friend means lending a helping hand. The story is about a birthday sleepover. Bessey is invited to celebrate at a friend's house. She and the other girls dance, sing, eat and tell scary stories -- and generally have a good time. After the party though, the happy birthday girl discovers that her bedroom is an absolute mess. But never fear, Bessey comes in with cleaning equipment and in no time things are back to normal. So Messy Bess got busy. She found a mop and broom. Then side by side, the two good friends cleaned up the messy room. You're a good friend, Bessey. It shows in all you do. Nothing could be better than to be best friends with you. Four Stars. Good Read-aloud. Children will learn somethings about sleepovers, and more importantly, they will be shown that helping to clean up is the right thing to do. The Reading Level (AR) is listed as 2.3 which means that it is suitable for the second grade. More difficult words include: celebrate, couldn't, special, and guests.