Paperback | $5.99 | 64 pages | 6 x 9 inches | 9781944020149 | September 26, 2017
Lexile 480L | Fountas & Pinnell L

“An entertaining story of friendship and sharing” —Story Monsters

The Nocturnals 8-book Early Reader Collection encourages kids at all reading levels who like adventurous stories featuring unusual animals.

In this adventure-filled Level 2 Early Reader, Bismark the wacky sugar glider thinks Tobin the sweet pangolin stole a pomelo fruit from his tree! Dawn the serious fox meets both animals as they are deciding what to do. She convinces them to share the snack, and they all become friends!

GREAT FOR BEGINNING READERS AGES 6–8
Teaches Life Skills: Friendship and Sharing
Perfect for kids who like unusual animals and science!

Bonus Book Content: Nocturnals Fun Facts and Animal Glossary
Download complimentary printable activities on our website: Sight Word Games, Bingo, Common Core Language Arts Educator Guide, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Activities, and More!

Read All 8 of the Nocturnals Grow & Read Adventures, including Level 2 Early Readers The Peculiar Possum and The Slithery Shakedown. These Beginning Readers introduce Life Skills such as Accepting Differences, Empathy, and Kindness.

NEW! Get The Nocturnals companion Grow & Read Animal Activity Book to extend the story with animal facts, coloring, drawing games, mazes, puzzles, and more! (Sold separately)

Illustrator: Waymond Singleton 
Color illustrations throughout

Fountas & Pinnell: Guided Reading Level: L  
Lexile Ranking: 480L  •  Grade Level Equivalent: 1-2
Interest Level by Grade: Pre-K to 3rd



 

What People Are Saying

“This banter-filled early reader describes the initial meeting between shy Tobin the pangolin, brash Bismark the sugar glider, and kindhearted Dawn the fox…the pared-down narration and dialogue quickly establish their personalities, as does Singleton’s cartoon artwork, which shows the characters striking expressive poses midconflict….Hecht and Dowling successfully set the stage for more adventurous outings down the road...”
—Publishers Weekly

“It is an entertaining story of friendship and sharing, and educates us about those who are different from us.  Tobin, a sweet pangolin; Bismark, a loud-mouthed sugar glider; and Dawn, a serious fox, introduce their nighttime world to early readers.  Children will love to learn about new creatures and their habits.  This level 2 reader is aimed for grades 1-2, and encourages reading aloud with longer sentences, problem-solving skills, and a growing vocabulary.  I’m eager to experience more readers in all three levels of this great program!”
—Story Monsters

“The theme of friendship was recurring in this story, so we talked a lot about friends at school, what it means to have a close group of friends, and to always be willing to lend a helping hand...We also broached the subjects of fairness, social justice, kindness, and bullying. Amazing what kids pick up on at this age, just by reading a story.” 
—Mommy’s Block Party

“In this fun book, children will follow the adventures of several creatures ...It's whimsical and funny, and kids will laugh at the animals' bickering — while also learning important lessons about friendship, teamwork and problem-solving.” 
—Sheknows.com

“Physical characteristics, personality quirks, and the beginnings of their mutual trust and friendship are aptly portrayed through both words and pictures. A few “Nocturnals Fun Facts” at the end should help with any factual queries. Whether listening, reading along, or launching individual attempts, satisfied readers will be ready and waiting for the next installment.” ​
—Booklist

“The Moonlight Meeting is cute and the whimsical illustrations by Waymond Singleton should help budding readers follow along and be encouraged to learn new words as they turn pages.  Fun facts at the end should satisfy the interest of kids who are drawn to nonfiction.  I highly recommend The Moonlight Meeting for readers aged 6 to 8 and their parents.” 
—Mother Daughter Book Club

“Told simply using a beginning reader format, sentences are short and structured and action is limited. Liberal use of artwork by Waymond Singleton supplants description and allows Hecht and Dowling to move the story ahead using dialog. Artwork is dark and at times muddy looking reminding the reader that the story is set at night. Singleton's efforts at linking the "look" for the three friends with the artwork in the fictional series is good. The first in the Grow & Read Series, this one is a strong blend of reading sight words and decoding using phonics -- very useful as a beginning reader.” 
—Stephanie Bange, Educational Resource Center Director, Wright State University