Finding books that bridge the gap between picture books and chapter books is sometimes a challenge. My own children loved the Cam Jansen books. They are short mysteries that have a black and white drawing every few pages. The books are fast reads and make great bridge books for children as they move from picture books to longer stories. It’s also nice to get children interested in a series.
Cam Jansen’s real name is Jennifer Jansen. She earned the nickname “Camera” when people found out about her amazing photograph memory. “Camera” got shorted to “Cam”. She even says “click” when she takes a mental picture of things. Her best friend is a boy named Eric Shelton. His twin sisters are featured in several of the books. Cam is a very likeable, and strong character.
In Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Television Dog, Cam, Eric, and his sister go to a book signing for a famous dog named Poochie. When dognappers switch Poochie with a look alike dog, Cam is the first one to notice that the dog is different. She has to figure out what happened using her memory skills, and solve the mystery.
Sometimes Cam and the other children do things that disturb me as a mother. In this book they follow the dognapper home and stand at his window and switch the dogs. I do think children find it empowering, it’s just the paranoid mother in me that makes me say to my children “never go to a stranger’s house” and “they should have told a grownup”.
Some of the Cam Jansen books feature an illustrated page for children to look at, then answer questions. This exercise is a great visual memory skills booster.
This really is a marvelous series for first and second graders. The books even stand up well to reading aloud.
Also See:
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
The World According to Humphrey – Betty G. Birney
The Junie B. Jones Books – Barbara Park