Zoey Lyndon’s Big Move to the Lou

Zoey Lyndon’s new adventures goes from Philadelphia to St. Louis. This is a book for young readers. The author, Micheal Anderson sent this to me for my youngest who is in the second grade. This blog is sponsored by Micheal Anderson but all view expressed are all of my own.

As an avid reader it’s important for me to share that love of reading with my children. They naturally love it too. They see me read and they have their own series that they keep up with as well. I love that for most major holidays and birthday they always include a book in their listing of wants. Recently I attended a Black Author Expo and in my 40s it was the time I have seen that many Black authors in one room.

Representation Matters

I hear people give big excuses as to why representation is merely a buzz word but it’s not. As a Black woman I don’t remember seeing black girls or boys being on covers of books. The characters were always shed either in a negative light or as an antagonist. It’s a beautiful thing when my own children can get books that are diverse in nature. Seeing yourself in books is important and helps you connect to the character more. So we do our best to find books that showcase things like loving yourself, accepting your hair, loving the skin you are in and more. At my daughter’s age of 8 is around the time they notice themselves in a different light.

With Zoey Lyndon my youngest immediately gravitated to her.  Zoey has made a big move from Philadelphia to Saint Louis. She is struggling with the thoughts of being the new kid. Will she make new friends? Will the other kids like her? All of these are things that students my daughters age struggle with. It also happens when you try new things too like a sport or dance.  My daughter really loved the fact that Zoey was from Philadelphia according to her she felt like, “it was one of her friends.”

Easy Read for Older Kids but a Challenge for my Youngest

I will preface that an older girl around 9 or 10 may be able to finish this book in one sitting. Although it is a chapter book, it’s not long at all. In my opinion it’s just enough book to keep a child’s attention. With my second grader we are challenging her with comprehension and fluency. It took her a little longer as we are having her read to us more to help along with her fluency more. Although we have been reading books with them from birth, when a child is learning fluency allow them to read to you. It will give them an audience and make the transition to reading in class a little easier.

FYI I belief in challenging my children to not just read at their grade level but to excel. Michael Anderson’s book is helping my youngest get comfortable in reading more chapter book as we get her away from picture and short stories.

Zoey Lyndon’s Key Themes

I love how it talked about girls in science. In my girls’ schools they deal with stem. A lot of women are interested and thriving in stem but there’s a definite need for more. There’s an even more need for Black women and girls. Zoey being in love with science was something that I really loved being introduced. Also Zoey comes from a loving family. There are a lot of Black families that are this way. Sometimes people hold onto stereotypes that aren’t indicative to where a lot of us are.

Body Positivity

When Girl Scouts came up my youngest laughed at the same time she was reading. People think that Girl Scouts are only for cookies. My daughter wanted to know why people didn’t know that too. Also I personally loved that Michael Anderson talked about periods in the book too. We have had the talk with my youngest about periods and how her body will change. Tommi talks openly about it and I love that. Having girls informed instead of making it seem as if it is a bad thing. If you haven’t had the talk with your daughter and this comes up, it may be a great Segway to bring it up and talk openly about it. In our home my son and my daughter’s have had the talk. It’s a normal process of life.

Zoey Lyndon’s Big Move to the Lou is a great book to add to your child’s library collection. If you think Zoey’s adventures stop there, be prepared there is another book, Zoey Lyndon and the Sticky Finger Bandit that I will review this weekend. Be on the look out for that.

I love how Micheal Anderson puts a lot of thought on the mind of girls this age. The conversations that they are having, their curiosity, the nervousness of trying things, as they matriculate during this confusing time of their lives.

Get your copy of Zoey Lyndon’s Big Move to the Lou on Amazon.