Iris And Walter (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)

Iris and Walter

by Elissa Haden Guest, Christine Davenier (Illustrator)

"Iris and Walter will join Frog and Toad and Henry and Mudge in a prominent place on the easy-reading shelves." — BCCB After a move, Iris is sure that life in the country will be just awful. There's nothing to do and no one to play with. Iris will never be happy there. Then Grandpa suggests a walk. Down the road and around the bend, they discover a huge green tree, a secret hideaway--and a boy named Walter. Maybe life far from the city won't be so lonely after all. In the beloved Iris and Walter books, together Iris and Walter discover that anything—from adjusting to a new home to facing the first day of school—is easier when you have a best friend to help you.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, 1st Grade, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, 2nd Grade, Fiction

44 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Elissa Haden Guest is the author of Baby Builders, illustrated by Hiroe Nakata and the award-winning Iris and Walter series illustrated by Christine Davenier. She holds an MFA in Children’s Literature from Hollins University and teaches classes in writing for children and young adults at College of Marin Community Education and Stanford Continuing Studies. She and her husband have two swell children and a hilarious little grandson. They live in San Francisco where they root for the Golden State Warriors.

Reviews

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I arrived at my current library two years ago, the first question I received that stumped me was a request for the Iris and Walter books. I knew a lot of kids’ books, even then, but somehow none of the libraries I’d worked in prior to my current position had this series, so I had to admit to the nanny who asked for them that I didn’t know what they were. In the intervening two years, I have read a couple of the later books about this pair of best friends, and I have come to love Christine Davenier’s illustration style. Today, I’m spotlighting the very first Iris and Walter book, published in 2000.

Iris has just moved to the country, and she misses everything about her life in the big city. Her parents try to cheer her up by asking her to play all her favorite games, but Iris doesn’t feel like it. Her problem, she complains to her grandfather, is that the country doesn’t have any kids. Grandpa is sure this can’t be true, so he takes Iris on a walk around her neighborhood. Up a ladder, in a tree, behind the door of a little treehouse, Iris finds Walter, and suddenly life in the country is much, much better.

Lots of children’s books deal with moving to a new place and searching for friends, and the plot of this story doesn’t really add anything that previous books haven’t covered. What stands out about Iris and Walter is the way the story is written, and the specific details Guest uses to evoke Iris’s memories of the city, and her feelings about moving and meeting Walter. For example, Iris doesn’t just miss the city, she misses “playing baseball after supper until it was too dark to see the ball.” She’s not just nervous about the country, she thinks it’s “as lonely as Mars.” And when Iris and Walter finally meet and explore the country together, Guest even takes a few moments to reflect on the natural beauty of Iris’s new home, telling us of “red-tailed hawks and starry skies” and “pale roses” and “cool grass.”

The writing is descriptive and yet accessible for newly independent readers. The vocabulary is rich, but not overwhelming, and the story manages to be literature without being obscure or boring. Kids can relate to the happiness of finding a new friend and to the coziness of spending time with that friend day after day. Walter doesn’t have much to say in this book, so it’s not necessarily the most balanced introduction to a series that stars two characters, but as “how they met” stories go, it works nicely, and it sets us up for all the future fun Iris and Walter will have together.

Iris and Walter reminds me of the sweetness of the Frog and Toad books and the humor of Mr. Putter and Tabby or Henry and Mudge. Recommend it to kids who like the Freckleface Strawberry picture books, the Pinky and Rex series, and the George and Martha series.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet story about a little girl who moves from the city to the country and is having a hard time adjusting to her new life. Despite her parents exuberant efforts, she is not happy about the move. But then her Grandfather finds a way to help her. It's a good book to read aloud with children, especially if a family is in the process of moving. And with four short chapters, it's a good book for children who are starting to read chapter books. We will look for more books in this series.

[Dayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book in a series of early chapter books. The story was about a city girl who moves to the country and has trouble adjusting at first...then she meets Walter her neighbor - and his tree house.

The story was easy and sweet. We will be sure to check out the rest of this series.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was so cute. This can be used to help children with moving to different places and how to deal with that transition.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it. I think it was awesome.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good story about change and making new friends...

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six years olds have enough lived experience to appreciate the message of this warm-hearted book: Family and friends really can sweeten our lives.

Iris doesn't like moving to the country, but Grandpa takes her for a cool walk. The tree she meets is pretty spectacular. Even better is her new friend Walter.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Iris’s family moves to the country from the city where she meets Walter.

This easy reader series uses Iris's and Walter's friendship to tackle everyday issues experienced by children, both acknowledging the small struggles that have big impacts and reassuring young readers.

[Heather Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

megan fall reading 2016, children's book, leveled reader, easy reader, kit, audiobook, series, iris and walter, second grade, third grade,

[Allison Turkish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, simple and adorable. Not the best illustrations but the story is lovely.

[Aryana Ahmad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a girl named Iris and her family moving to the country and leaving the loud suburbs. She doesn't like it in the country at all and everyone in her family tries to tell her to have fun. But, the only person that can make her feel better about anything was her grandpa. When they were walking and she ran into a treehouse. Going inside the treehouse was a boy named Walter. After that incident they became best friends and did everything together. She kind of forgot about her past living in the suburbs.
Personal Reaction - I like this book because it has a good meaning behind it. Although the illustration I think could have been better to make the story look a lot better. But, this is a good book for children to understand the concept of moving on.
Purposes:
Read aloud to K-3 children for several potential purposes: enjoyment and understanding about the story (Moving On). Iris moves from the busy and a loud city to the country, Iris is bored and feels alone. Her grandpa walks with Iris and she ends up finding a treehouse. Little did she know that the person inside the treehouse (Walter) would become her best friend. Then she hangs out with him all the time and actually finds stuff to do in the country. The illustration was accurate, used watercolors, and it helped tell the emotion of the story. The use of simile was used in the story to help show the things Iris did with Walter.
Curriculum: read aloud
- discussion of reality
- narrative structure: Great to use and demonstrate letting go and starting new.
-introduction or reinforcement of character Iris is a round character, she goes from not wanting to do anything and not liking the country to becoming best friends with Walter and doing everything with him in the country.

[Kyra Calnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iris and Walter is a story about a girl named Iris who is used to her big city life full of noises and people. When her and her parents move to the country, she feels lonely and bored and feels as though nothing will make her as happy as the city, until she meets Walter. Walter shows her the wonderful ways of the country, and even though she still compares the two, she finds a new love for the country through her new friend.This book has a great theme of seeing things in a different light, thanks to a different pair of eyes. The descriptions of both city and country show unexpected insights on the landscapes that you don’t immediately associate usually. The words are unique and creative, but readable for young readers. The story follows an easy plotline between compare and contrast that is great for young readers, but also gives any reader and interesting positive comparison on the two places that they may not have seen before. It’s a very realistic and relatable story to most readers and makes for an interesting story!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Iris is one sad little girl. Her family has moved to the country and away from everything Iris loves. What could the country possibly offer her to make up for everything she's lost? One by one her family tries to cheer her up, but, it takes a walk with her Grandpa to get the job done. For starters, he does not tell her to "cheer up." He sympathizes with her, and doesn't try to tell her how she should be feeling. He listens, just listens, and that is everything. The two go on a walk, and, on this walk her Grandpa introduces her to a little boy named Walter. In the final chapters, readers see Iris happy at last with her new best friend, Walter.

[Jack Cheng · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pleasant series of chapter books (4 chapters) that has some nice characters. I like that stuff actually happens. For instance, in a later book, Walter's cousin Howie comes to visit. Iris is disappointed that he's not nicer to her. Her grandpa's advice? You don't have to like Howie. Walter will still be your best friend. My 6 year old likes to read these, and the 4 year old likes having them read to her. We've read ten books in the series and they are all nice. The pictures are a bit sloppy looking for my taste, but they grew on me.

[Taylor Renfroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very cute book and I enjoyed reading it because it reminded me of that Field mouse and City mouse books. It shows that even though you come from a different place you can still make friends and enjoy the company that you have. I think that this will be a great book to using a children's classroom because you can hold discussions with the class about what it feels like to be a new kid in a new town and finding friends.

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books! Both my 5 year old daughter and my 7 year old son like to listen to them. The friendship in this book is strong yet gentle, between a boy and girl, and covers many timely childhood topics like lonliness, new schools, new siblings, bullying, etc. They are early chapter books and easy to finish in one bedtime or savored longer.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Iris moves from the city to the country and is super lonely because she doesn't see any other kids around. Then she finds Walter up in a treehouse. It's a sweet story about feelings, (boy/girl) friendships, and moving. The only thing I'm not sold on is the illustrations, mostly because Iris randomly has blue hair, but there isn't anything bad about them.

[Hannah Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this was a very sweet story that is at a level younger kids just starting chapter books will really enjoy. The story is about moving from the big city to the country and what Iris found there after missing the city. A great story to introduce the idea of how it can be hard to move, but there are always things that are wonderful and beautiful in the new place.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Tell me about the big city," said Walter
"Well," said Iris, "In the big city, there are lots and lots and lots of people."
"Ah," said Walter. "But in the country there are lots and lots and lots of stars."

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice and easy chapter book for new readers. About a girl who moves to the country from the city.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun level 3 chapter book for younger readers. Iris misses her city home but a walk with Grandpa helps her discover fun things about the country.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

We thought it was a cute story about a girl from the big city moving to the country. She's not happy but then she meets a boy and they become the best of friends.

[margothere · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sweet story. Moving from the city to the country is a big change - I have felt the same way Iris has. Iris finds a friend in Walter and finds out how the country can also be pretty cool.

[Elanor]

All by herself!

[Laura H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read many times this week with second graders. Cute story about friendship

[PEN Center USA · Rating 5 out of 5]

2001 PEN Center USA Award Winner for Children's Literature

[Mckinley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful series. Good, interesting storylines with lovely illustrations.

[Kathy Garner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book to talk about changes, moving, and city vs country living.