This easy reader looks to the success of Disney and Pixar to choose an engaging character, Wall-E. This book is a level one in the Step into Reading program, and fittingly strives to use simple sentence structures to introduce simple grammar structures. Examples like ‘Trash here. Trash there,’ or ‘Smash! Smash trash. Stack trash,’ provide repetition and rhythm that iterate these structures. However, although the writing style was kept simple, having Wall-E as the titular character seemed to give cause to introduce words that seemed out of place for the skill level of the intended reader. At one point, “Wall-E cubes up,” which doesn’t seem to fit the flow of the narrative or the point of the book as a whole; at another point, the story introduces the word ‘treads’. Despite the shortcomings, having Wall-E as a character may act as a bridge between the movie and text to encourage reluctant readers, and provides an opportunity to engage via reading the story in Wall-E’s distinctive voice. Also, Wall-E is a nice gender-neutral character that equally could entertain boys and girls and perhaps even jumpstart an interest in science. Recommended additional purchase. ( )

This is a great book for the early reader who loves the movie Wall-E. The pictures are fun and the words are simple enough to make this a great 1st book.

People are going to think it's crazy, but I loved this book. It was a ton of fun to read aloud (I read it to my boyfriend in the middle of a Barnes and Noble). It had so much repetition and rhyming that I think it would amuse kids. It's for students just learning to read, so the fact that it's fun to read aloud makes it perfect. I also really love the character Wall E because he's so cute. I'd use this definitely in the classroom as a book to help kids read, I'd have them read it to each other since it is, once again, so fun to say the words. ( )