Pasture Bedtime (Orca Echoes: Charlie's Rules #1)

Gr 1-3--Charlie enjoys living on a farm most of the time. He likes to keep his life organized and quiet, but this is hard when his mother runs a veterinary clinic on the farm. To help keep it organized, he has a rule notebook for every situation he encounters. This time, however, he doesn't have a rule in his book for how to deal with his mom's new bookkeeper's daughter, Amy. She's loud, very disorganized, and Charlie doesn't understand why adults like her. These aren't his only challenges: A beloved dog gets sick, a puppy gets mistreated and left at the shelter by its owner, and a cow gets stuck in a tree. Can Charlie learn to navigate his new friendship and the wacky mishaps at the farm? Charlie and Amy are delightful, engaging, funny characters. The well-written plot is simple and easy to follow for beginning and reluctant readers. The detailed illustrations are eye-catching and work well with the text. VERDICT Fans of humor, animal fiction, and friendship stories will enjoy this book. Recommended for most library collections.--Kira Moody, Salt Lake County Lib. Svcs.