2022 Geisel Roundup: Fox at Night, Nothing Fits a Dinosaur, I Hop, and Beak and Ally

The 2022 Geisel Award: One Winner and Three Honors

The results for the 2022 Geisel Award are IN! The Geisel Award is given to books for beginning readers in honor of Dr. Seuss. This year, the Geisel Award committee selected three honors in addition to the winner.

Fox at Night by Corey R. Tabor. Balzer & Bray, 2021. 32 pages.

Fox is camping. Alone. And there are monsters in the night. What kind of monsters? One with yellow eyes, one that makes noise, one that is stinky, and and one with pointy teeth. Gradually Fox meets each creature and finds out that there is nothing to be scared of. Still…are there any monsters in the night?

In a very simple story about fear of the dark, Tabor uses simple language, natural fear, and a twist at the end. Beginning readers can relate to the risk of assumptions, the relief of making new friends, and the satisfaction of reading a good story.

Awards: 2022 Theodore Seuss Geisel Award.

Nothing Fits a Dinosaur by Jonathan Fenske. Simon Spotlight, 2021, 32 pages.

This was a winner among the beta testers on my couch who happen to be beginning readers ages 8 and 5.

A boy/dinosaur gets carried away when his clothes don’t fit after his bath and in spite of his mother’s warning, he has to put on roomier garments that will accommodate his bulk. And his underwear has to hang on the end of his tail–my boys loved that, of course.

Eventually he decides that wearing NOTHING is better than the silly attire he is wearing…until “Mommasaurus” catches up with him.

The illustrations are not sophisticated, but the book is fun. The rhymes are smooth, the story appealing, and the hints of dinosaur in the bathroom “swamp” foreshadow the action that follows. The reading level is a bit higher than Fox at Night, but not too challenging. This is one to look for.

Awards: 2022 Geisel Honor.

I Hop by Joe Cepeda. Holiday House, 2021, 32 pages.

When a young boy gets a pogo stick, what does he do? Hop, of course! Just how far can you hop on a pogo stick? How about across town to Grandma’s house? And, if you’re going to Grandma’s house, it’s best to bring along some goodies: apples and bread, for instance.

Text is very simple in this bright, colorful early reader. Large, picture book format and large font also make this book suitable for reading aloud to a classroom (and inviting new readers to “help” read).

Awards: 2022 Geisel Honor.

Beak & Ally: Unlikely Friends by Norm Feuti, HarperAlly, 2021, 64 pages.

Do you have a best friend? Beak is on the hunt for a best friend, and when she meets Ally, she just knows they will be the best of friends because why wouldn’t they be since she’s going to build her nest right above him after all, even though Ally kind of likes his alone time, but then he must be so lonely and now Beak is sad for him….

Classic early readers and chapter books often feature unlikely friends (such as Elephant & Piggie, Rabbit and Robot, or Skunk and Badger). Beak and Ally are excellent additions to the canon. Where Beak is small, voluble, exuberant, and passionate, Ally is large, steady, quiet, and deliberate. The two balance each other nicely, and they learn to be friends despite their differences. The story is told through panels (like a graphic novel) alternating with full page illustrations; like the Elephant & Piggie books, the story unfolds entirely through speech bubbles. Text is longer and more sophisticated than the other books in this roundup; keep this in mind for your first and second graders! Highly recommended.

Awards: 2022 Geisel Honor.

Readers: have you read any of these? Do you agree with the 2022 Geisel committee? Let us know in the comments!

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