Bruno for Real.

Stacey L. Penney is a librarian in the Queen Elizabeth II Library at
Memorial University of Newfoundland.

I, Bruno and its sequel, Bruno for Real, by Caroline Adderson, are two wonderfully humorous tales about a little boy in primary school. He has a brilliant imagination, and each chapter of both books is an independent story about Bruno and his adventures, both real and imaginary. These stories are a great introduction to chapter books and would work well for ages five to eight. The chapters are short and easy to read. The text is broken up with illustrations by Helen Flook that capture the feeling of each story.

In I, Bruno we are introduced to Bruno and his family. We follow Bruno as he eats his way through the colours of the rainbow, becomes queen, slays dragons (aka fire hydrants), and talks to cars. He is a fearless little boy who has new adventures every day.

In the sequel, Bruno for Real, we revisit Bruno for a new set of adventures. This time he is in grade 2 and celebrating his seventh birthday. We get to see how Bruno deals with hiccups, bedtimes, being bad, and passing his swimming lessons. While the sequel includes a new set of adventures, Bruno remains the lovable humorous character established in the first Bruno tale.

Each book is easy to read aloud, and Adderson’s writing style is consistent and simple, making it very age appropriate. The black and white illustrations compliment each story thus aiding the early reader with the concepts. Each chapter can be read individually, making these books great first readers for young children. Caroline Adderson’s writing style is refreshing and enjoyable for children and adults alike. We see the world through the eyes of a child who is unaffected by what people may think. I look forward reading about the future endeavours of Bruno!

Highly recommended.