Tugg and Teeny
Meet Tugg and Teeny. Best friends since -- well, forever! Tugg (a gorilla) and Teeny (a monkey) live together in their jungle neighborhood, Sidekick Thicket. As opposite as night and day, the two friends work and play together, each helping the other face life's challenges. Lively, impulsive Teeny always wants to try new things. Sure and steady Tugg is always there to lend a hand or give a word of encouragement. In this beginning chapter book series, Book One's trio of stories has Teeny learning to become a musician, developing her talents as an artist, and fine-tuning her skills as a poet. Book Two has her pondering strange and quirky situations in the jungle. All with the help of her best friend Tugg. J. Patrick (Pat) Lewis lives in Westerville, Ohio, and is the author of more than 60 books for children. He writes full-time, visits elementary schools, and speaks at literature conferences. His other books with Sleeping Bear are First Dog and First Dog's White House Christmas. Christopher Denise is an award-winning illustrator whose books have appeared on The New York Times bestsellers list. Known for his work on the Redwall picture book series, he also works as a visual development artist and character designer for feature film animation. Christopher lives in Barrington, Rhode Island.
| Interest Level | Grade 2 - Grade 3 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 2 |
| Copyright | 2011 |
| BISACS | JUV043000, JUV002120, JUV039060 |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher | Cherry Lake Publishing |
| Series | Tugg and Teeny |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 40 |
| Lexile | 560 |
| ISBN | 9781585365142 |
|---|---|
| Title Format | Hardcover |
| Release Date | 2011-03-02 |
| Author | J. Patrick Lewis |
| Illustrator | Christopher Denise |
| Dewey | FIC |
| Graphics | Full-color illustrations |
| Dimensions | 6 x 9 |
| Guided Reading Level | L |
| ATOS Reading Level | 2.9 |
| Accelerated Reader® Quiz | 143958 |
| Accelerated Reader® Points | 0.5 |
- The USA "Best Books" Awards--Finalist in the Children's Book Series Category
Timetoplaymag.com Reviews "Tugg and Teeny"
Tugg and Teeny are the lead characters in this chapter book series for young independent readers. Tugg (a gorilla) and Teeny (a monkey) are proof that opposites attract. While they are as different as night and day, they are inseparable and help one another face life’s challenges. For example, in this inaugural title Teeny is impulsive and always wants to try new things. Some of Teeny’s ambitions include: becoming a musician, creating art and poetry and even playing detective when his friends begin losing things. But Tugg is the voice of reason and supports Teeny but also keeps him grounded so the pair can find good solutions for their friends’ problems. The three “chapters” in each of the books are actually separate mini adventures but should still give beginning readers the satisfaction of reading chapter books. The illustrations are very colorful and help bring the characters to life. The publisher, Sleeping Bear Press, recommends Tugg and Teeny for grades 2 to 3, but once kids reach second grade, their reading skills can develop rapidly, and they tend to look for books with plots that continue from chapter to chapter. First grade, or ages 6 to 7, is our recommendation for the sweet spot for this series. There are a total of three Tugg and Teeny books available in a variety of formats.
A Review of "Tugg and Teeny" in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Tugg and Teeny is a beginning reader for grades 2 through 3 and is the first book in the Tugg and Teeny series. This book is 40 pages long and is broken down into three chapters.
Tugg (a gorilla) and Teeny (a monkey) are very good friends. Teeny is very adventurous and likes to try new things. In this book, she learns to play a music stick, paint, and write poetry. None of these things comes naturally to Teeny, and she has to practice and work hard at them. Her good friend Tugg encourages her along the way.
If you have a beginning reader in your house, I’d recommend that you get a copy of Tugg and Teeny. This book has beautiful, warm illustrations throughout, and the text is the perfect size for a beginning reader. There is also plenty of white space, so new readers won’t be overwhelmed by the amount of words on a page. Add to these things the sweet and encouraging storyline, and your new reader is bound to enjoy Tugg and Teeny.
Author: J. Patrick Lewis
J. Patrick Lewis is the author of 60 books for children, 50 of them in poetry. He is also the coauthor of three terrific children and four delightful grandchildren. He writes full-time, makes 30 elementary school visits a year, and keynotes at literature conferences. First Dog is his first book with his daughter Beth. Pat, or Grandpat, as his grandkids call him, is married and lives in Westerville, Ohio.
Illustrator: Christopher Denise
Christopher Denise is an award-winning illustrator whose books haveappeared on The New York Times best-sellers list. Known for his workon the Redwall picture book series, he also works as a visual developmentartist and character designer for feature film animation. Christopher livesin Barrington, Rhode Island.