I find watching big-screen action movies quite enjoyable. Here is a book that takes the reader behind the  scenes into the world of big budget action movies. The three or four sentences of information given on a page is very basic, but the photo opposite the text helps the reader interpret the information. One of the special effects includes filming the actor in blue make-up in front of a blue  screen. In this way, the computer later adds the desired detail over the top of the blue areas. Another effect deals with placing small computer markers on an actor to use as reference points for the computer to use in post-production to add features or help in the animation of cartoon characters. Freezing an actor in space is dealt with through the use of filming with multiple cameras on a track. The seven sidebars sprinkled throughout the book labeled “FACT” include one dealing with ‘freeze-action” on page 20, “The 1999 movie The Matrix used more than 100 cameras to make actors freeze in place.”

The FACT sidebars always are bits of trivia about a specific movie which used the special effect being talked about on that page.

Includes: www.facthound.com

TanTan Math Story publishes story books detailing math concepts. This particular book is the best in their series I have read to date. Who Eats First deals with comparing, sorting, and measuring.  The illustrations have soft backgrounds, while the characters are colorfully vibrant and full of action.

The story begins, ” The rain forest animals were hungry. They followed a sweet scent… And there was a BIG round peach! Surely, it was a delicious peach. But who would eat the first bite?”  Giraffe convinces the other animals the first bite should go to ‘the tallest animal’. The animals measure their heights using the lines ( like a ruler) etched into the tree trunks. Just when giraffe is about to take the first bite, rhino wants to sort the animals by weight. They use a seesaw as a weighing balance. “The animal balanced by the most rocks is the heaviest!” When rhino is about to eat the peach, gator wants to sort by ” the animal with the biggest mouth to eat first.” Soon the rabbit wants the sorting to go by who has the longest ears, followed by monkey wanting to sort by who has the longest tail.  Each time the illustrations cutely show the animals process of measuring. Finally the caterpillar asks, “Why should the biggest… or the heaviest… biggest mouth, or longest ears” eat first? “If we measure from the shortest… lightest, shortest ears… smallest mouth” I’m first every time. And caterpillar ate first.

Two adult guidance pages follow the story with suggestions for further use with children, the second page is a game.

Then, there are four more pages for the young child showing items in order by shortest, lightest, smallest mouth, shortest ears, tallest, heaviest, longest nose, and most legs.

Lily loves to draw!  She draws “cats and girls, birds and boats, and houses and hearts.”  When Lily drew a bear, the picture came to life.  The bear loved all of the things that Lily did, like royal tea parties, drawing big pictures, and racing around on tricycles.  Best of all, they loved to sing while the bear played the banjo!  But after a while, the bear decided that he wanted to do bear things so he took Lily by the hand and they picked huckleberries, caught slippery fish, and scratched their backs on knotty pine trees.  But then it was time to sleep and dream of their next adventure.  This book celebrates the power of imagination, love and friendship.  “I love you Bear.”  “And I love you, Lily.”

“I have a dog….an inconvenient dog.”  This story tells the tale of a boy and his dog.  His dog is often inconvenient, making messes and creating obstacles everywhere he goes.  At times, the dog is less inconvenient, like when he takes the blame when the boy accidentally breaks something.  But when it is time for bed, and snuggling, the dog is always convenient!

Larry was a legend, as least for a rooster.  When Larry left Sunrise Farm, Clyde (the new rooster) soon learned that Larry would be a very hard act to follow.  Could Clyde live up to Larry’s legacy?  “Could he put on a show of a crow?”  Every attempt to outshine Larry ended in disaster.  Finally, Roberta (the maternal goose) told Clyde to “Forget about Larry.  Just crow your own crow.”  When he did, the whole barnyard sang with him.  This delightful farmyard tale reinforces the age-old truth about the value of being true to yourself.

I don’t think that there is an ideal “intended” audience for this book.  By appearance, one would think that this is a delightful story about a pet goldfish.  But as the pages turn, we learn that April’s parents “were aquaholics” and that life had no meaning and she “even tried to end things.”  In a children’s book!!!!  I realize that this book was originally published in French and translated; the translation did not work.

Dressed as a dragon, a young boy boasts that he is a big, scary, fire-breathing dragon.  When two dragons visit, he is horribly disappointed when they inform him that he isn’t big, or scary, and that he certainly doesn’t breathe fire.  But he is soon cheered when they tell him about all of the things he CAN do that they can’t, like play hide and seek, turn cartwheels, and eat ice cream.  But the real fun starts when they decide that there are many things that they can do together, like make a silly face, act like Frankenstein, and do the funky monkey dance.  This book, with it’s vibrant illustrations, will prompt the imagination of young readers and spur some imaginative play!

The title just about says it all, Unusual and Awesome Jobs Using Technology: Roller Coaster Designer, Space Robotics Engineer, and More, Here is a book to inspire ‘tweens to use computers for more than just gaming and Googling. The ten jobs, which use technology, are giving brief descriptions of three or four paragraphs after their introductory information of Job Description, Requirements, Technology Used, Salary, and Hours. The jobs compiled are: roller coaster designer, animal psychologist, video game designer, rock band sound engineer, medical illustrator, software developer, pet photographer, space robotics engineer, ROV pilot technician, and wind turbine technician.

“If you’re interested in learning about the latest gadgets, you’ll love reading about the jobs in this book.” ( p. 4) Some jobs never crossed my mind, but what an interesting jumping off point for students to begin thinking about their future and for asking that age old teacher question, “Why do I need to know this?”

Each of the ten jobs comes with a photograph of someone working in that particular field and an added bit of job trivia under the heading “You’d Better Believe It!”

Includes a glossary, index, www.facthound.com website, and two questions under the title – “Critical Thinking Using the Common Core”.

What a wonderfully visual book on lightning, nature’s fireworks!

Thunder and Lightning is divided into four sections: Thunderclouds, Lightning. Thunder, and How Lightning Forms. “Thunderclouds” describes these clouds as being dark, containing hail and / or water droplets and/or ice. Page 8 states, “ The wind moves everything around. The water droplets crash into each other. This makes static electricity. An electric charge builds up.” Then the next section,  “Lightning” goes onto state the static electricity “escapes” as lightning. Lightning moves between clouds, inside of clouds, and/or from clouds to the ground. Lightning travels to earth from negative charges to positive charges. “Thunder” states the heat from the lightning causes “a rumbling or cracking noise. This sound is thunder.” (p.18)  The information ends with two labeled graphics. The first graphic shows the relationship of the speed of lightning in connection with when the thunder will be heard. The second graphic shows “How Lightning Forms” in relation to positive and negative charges within clouds and on the ground.

The young reader will find four large font sentences on the left page opposite of the 9″ X 10.75″  color photo on the right hand page which bleeds over onto the left hand page.

Includes a Glossary, Index, and abdokids.com.

This delightful bedtime story introduces a pup who is reluctant to go to bed.  After checking the house and reminiscing about his day, he finally settles into bed and falls fast asleep.  The lyrical text and endearing pictures will make this a favorite bedtime story.

Enslow Publishers brings to their American REBELS series the unauthorized biography of Andy Warhol. The author does a fine job of consolidating information to produce this biography; it does satisfy basic information requests. The book is a well-organized and readable resource. Color and black-and-white photos enhance the text. The book provides a snapshot chronology of Andy’s life, a glossary, a bibliography and an index.

DC Comics Tiny Titans are grade school aged super heroes: Super Girl, Aqua Lad, Robin and Barbara Gordon, Kid Flash, and Wonder Girl to name a few. Third graders, who watch TV, are very familiar with these characters from their daily television show. In this graphic novel’s first episode, villainous Principal Slade is  handing out the tiny titans’ reports to their guardians/parents one by one and making verbal comments (inside conversation bubbles) describing each tiny titan’s strong suits, such as, ““KID FLASH NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN AND PAY MORE ATTENTION.” ( next bubble) “HE SEEMS TO BREEZE THROUGH HIS HOMEWORK!”

Two of the other four episodes include: ‘Happy Feeling Blue’ about the Blue Beetle being painted pink* and ‘Joke’s on You‘ where Robin confuses a birthday party clown with the Joker.

The book includes what they call a “BONUS PIN-UP!” which consists of a two-page spread of tiny titan head shots plus mini bios of 17 of the tiny titans.

There is a  half-page  glossary and half-page of tiny titan ‘action accessories’. These are followed by a two-page spread of “Visual Questions & Prompts“. Here the reader is given a chance to look deeper into four of the graphics in this book. For example, “1. WHAT DO YOU THINK BLUE BEETLE’S BACKPACK SAID TO HIM IN THE PANEL BELOW? WHAT CLUES DOES THE ILLUSTRATION OFFER*?”

Hades is the narrator of this book who takes the reader on a tour of the many levels of the Underworld that is filled with monsters, furies, giants, and vampire demons. He also tells very intense stories of the Gods and heroes associated with the many different locations of his underworld. Greek myth lovers will find this book quite intriguing!

This book is a collection of riddle style of puzzles. The puzzles are presented in the conversation of Watson and Holmes. Illustrations from the world of Sherlock Holmes accompany most puzzles.  These puzzles will test the readers’ intellect as well as their patience. Over 50 puzzles are included. Solutions to each puzzle are in the back of the book. Many puzzles are very challenging!

This Titanic book is a great book for most for readers of most ages. Although the content does not cover much of the ship’s construction, the passengers, or the tragedy, it does cover the facts around locating the Titanic and the recovery of artifacts. It is displayed in a simple context that covers the most basic information. The simple but informative text is accompanied with amazing photos, charts, illustrations and maps on each page.  This is a very intriguing read that is the third in a set of four books.

Ten-year-old Max Monroe discovers the house behind his grandpa’s home used to be the office of the Monroe Detective Agency. Max finds out that his grandfather had a brother, Larry, that ran the agency, but Larry died years earlier. However, Larry’s ghost still exists in the agency house, yet he is sad because he never solved a case. When a magician calls with a problem, Larry gets another opportunity to solve a crime. Because Larry is a ghost, he relies on Max to help him finally crack a case.

This is book one of “The Ghost and Max Monroe” series. With occasional black and white illustrations, this is a good early chapter book.

If your youngest readers are into Mexican wrestling, Lucha Libre, this easy reader might be the book for them.

“HOLA AMIGOS! WELCOME TO LUCHAVILLE, THE TINY TOWN OF WRESTLING LIZARDS!“(p. 4) the announcer says into his microphone as this graphic novel for young readers begins. The wrestlers are wearing their colorful masks has they ‘rumble’. After the first matches there’s an argument about ” ‘SALAMANDERS AREN’T LIZARDS!’… ‘NO… YOU’RE NEWT!  ‘  ” (p. 6). This is followed by a cartoon diagram explaining the difference between ‘lizard vs amphibian‘(p. 7). Little Leon chameleon is afraid of wrestling, but he can change colors when around danger. Soon King Komodo comes to Luchaville and states there will not be anymore wrestling. “WHATEVER WILL THE LUCHA LIZARDS DO?!” (P. 17) Slowly, slowly, one by one, first Flying Dragon, then Gila Monster, and finally Thorny Devil each try to defeat King Komodo to restore wrestling, but they each fail. Then, seven other lizards come forward, in separate wordless cartoon frames, to try their luck. They, also, fail. Little Leon comes forward to wrestle. Leon tricks Komodo by disappearing at key times to successfully win the match and restore wrestling to Luchaville.  “ADIOS.”

With the story over, wrestling lizard trading card information is given on the next few pages. The factual  information includes: real name (scientific name), weight, length, habitat followed by a silly bio and special moves. “Blue-tongued skinks

Real name: tiliqua scincoides

Weight: 15 ounces

Length: 23 inches

Habitat: grassland, rainforest, desert

Bio: These awesome Aussies are friends, not fighters. But they’re not afraid to give competitors a good (blue) tongue lashing.

Special move: the tongue twister!” (p. 39)  [ The first four lines are factual, before the silliness begins.]

Larger than life close-up photos ( 9 X 11in. ) of guinea pigs are on every right hand page throughout this Early Intervention reading non fiction book. The book is presented in nine parts: Purr-fect Piggies, Eyes, Nose, Whiskers, Ears, Teeth, Legs, Feet , and Fur. Text on the left hand hand page is factually presented in three or four sentences. “Cavies’ big eyes see in color, but they don’t see very well. ” ( p. 6) Guinea pigs or cavies ( “another name for a guinea pig” (p. 22 [glossary] ) possess a good sense of smell, hearing and touch- through their whiskers.

Nice addition to a library’s 636 pet section.

208 word count.

Includes:www. facthound

This is a math concept book for addition and subtraction.

Nora is counting down the days to her dog, Ruffer’s birthday. “Nora is planning a birthday party for him– an awesome, unforgettable birthday party.” Nora decides which people and their pet friends to invite, then begins adding up the number of invitations to send.  (3 + 6 + 2 = 11 ) Nora and Ruffer cross out the four days until the party day on the calendar page, one day at a time. When Nora goes to bake “the most delicious puppy cake” there are not enough eggs. They need 10 eggs, they have 4 eggs, they need 6 more eggs. “Oh no! Ruffer accidentally stepped on the egg carton and broke too* eggs! … Nora needs eight more eggs. She decides to buy one carton, which has ten** eggs.” At the store there is a sale happening, so subtraction is shown on the various signs:  

“Eggs

$3 per carton

Today only:

You save $1

Only $2“

Then, they add the prices on the receipt using partial sums. ( $4 + $5 = $9 + $2 = $ 11) Cake baked just in time, the guests arrive for the party. Ruffer graphs the number of bones, stuffed animals, and balls received  and adds the columns. They play ring toss before the party ends.

The illustrations are cute, fun, and animated.

Includes 2 adult help pages and 2 pages of “Addition and Subtraction Game with Ruffer”.

*“too” should be two

** Perhaps eggs are sold in cartons of 10 in South Korea ( where this book originated) , but  seldom, if ever, in the USA.

At first glance Sweetest Kulu looks like an adorable children’s book, but this is not the case. Alexandria Neonakis’ soft muted illustrations of wild Arctic animals cuddling an infant are adorably heart-warming, but these images would never occur with wild animals in real life. The text is what makes this book for upper elementary,  middle, and high school readers. Each of the wild animals bestows an ideal, a trait, the “shared thoughts, feelings, and best wishes with you darling Kulu.”   Animals include: snow bunting, Arctic hare, fox, Arctic char, seal, narwhal and beluga, muskox, caribou, and polar bear.

“Polar Bear, with powerful instinct,

taught you to always treat animals with respect and to never scold them.

Polar Bear made an offering of gentleness, making you a modest

and kind Kulu.”

Author Celina Kalluk “is the Inuktitut Language Specialist and Cultural Arts teacher for grades seven through twelve at Qarmartalik School in Resolute Bay.”

An old carpenter enjoys the singing birds while walking through the park. He decides to build some bird houses. At first, the bird houses each have one hole in them which a pair of birds use. “2 birds times 2 houses… 2×2 = 4     2×2= 2+2 ”  The carpenter continues making bird houses, the some of the birds lay 2 eggs while others lay 3 eggs.  “2×3=6    2×3=2+2+2  …  3×2=6    3×2=3+3” 2 eggs in 3 house and 3 eggs in 2 houses  Soon the carpenter is building bird houses with two holes, then three holes and the multiplication and addition goes on and on in an entertaining fashion. The old carpenter has unwittingly created his own aviary.

The art work is very appealing and the story line is realistic. Illustrator Ju-kyoung Kim has made each bird house unique with many different species of birds coming to inhabit the houses. The facial expressions on the old carpenter convey pride and happiness in what he has accomplished.

The math concept is well represented within the story without being overpowering.  There are six pages following the story with additional practice, two of which are especially geared for adults to use while working with a child learning multiplication/addition.

A gust of wind blows Frog’s hat onto the ground where Elephant sits on it. When asked to move Elephant says, ” ‘ I can’t because I’m too hungry to move.’ ” Elephant asks Frog for something round to eat. Frog brings him an orange. Then Frog is asked for something triangular ( a sandwich), then rectangular ( chocolate bar), then a circle within a circle ( a bagel), then round inside of something triangular ( an ice cream cone), and finally “ ‘…something with a …special shape.’  The frog came back empty-handed…I hung it over there!… Then Elephant str-e-e-tched his long trunk to reach the thing with the special shape – and sucked the sweet honeycomb.” You probably have guessed what happened next, Elephant runs away from the attacking bees in their hexagonal honeycomb and frog finally gets her hat back.

There are six pages following the story, two of which are especially geared for adults to use while working with a child learning geometric shapes

The math concept (figures, shapes, space) is well represented and the story line is fine, too bad the art work isn’t more appealing. Frog and Elephant are torn paper tempera painted figures on a flat dull landscaped background. The most interesting aspect is Elephant’s trunk made of a single piece of torn corrugated cardboard.

Here is a great mini-biography, a part of the Ordinary People Change the World series. It grabs the attention of the reader with its full color comic illustrations including the conversation bubbles. It is written in first person narrative.

Helen was a “normal” child, until sickness at 19 months left her deaf and blind. She lived in a world of quiet and darkness, but then when she was 6 years old, Anne Sullivan, her private teacher, came to live with her family. “I got angry a lot back then. It was so hard for me. I was frustrated.” Anne Sullivan began the slow process of spelling words into Helen’s hand. Once Helen understood the process (no easy job) there was no stopping her. “Close your eyes.” Author Brad Meltzer builds in empathy. Later, Helen learned to read Braille. Because of this book’s thick pages, a raised dot Braille alphabet is included within the book itself. At nine years of age, Miss Sullivan took Helen to teacher Sarah Fuller, who began teaching Helen to talk. Miss Fuller let Helen “put my hands to her face and let me feel her tongue and lips as she made each sound. In an hour, I learned the letters M, P, A, S, T, and I.” Helen went on to graduate college from Radcliffe at Harvard University. Helen became a public speaker. “I started fighting for social change: to help women vote, to help the poor survive, and to help people who needed it most. “

The book ends with a timeline of Helen’s life and 4 black and white photos of her.

Here is a great mini-biography, a part of the Ordinary People Change the World series. It grabs the attention of the reader with its full color comic illustrations including the conversation bubbles. It is written in first person narrative.

Little Jackie Roosevelt Robinson was often scared as a child, but sports, of any kind, made him happy. “Those childhood games were some of the only times I wasn’t judged by the color of my skin.” In the 1920s and 1930s Jackie experienced not being able to go swimming in the all white pool until people complained. Then, “Every Wednesday, from 2 to 5 P.M., they’d open the pool to anybody black, Mexican, or Asian.” Later, Jackie was the first UCLA student to letter in four sports: baseball, football, basketball, and track. His white teammates would sometimes try to injure him, perhaps out of jealousy. Prior to World War II all white and all black sports teams played in separate leagues.  Due to the war, sports teams were short on players. Branch Rickey, president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, needed baseball players. After scouting out black players, Rickey approached Robinson with a job offer. On April 18, 1946, Jackie Robinson played his first baseball game for Branch Rickey’s farm team, at the age of 27 yrs.

During his time with the Brooklyn Dodgers players purposely hit him in the head with baseballs, cleated him, spat on him, and threatened his family. “Was I mad? Yes. Was I scared? Yes. But I never let it stop me… for real change to come, you need to lead by example… When others see your example, they’ll stand with you. It’s the only way the world ever gets changed: Together.”

The “Dodgers won 6 penants in his 10 seasons“.

Following this powerful message there is a timeline of Jackie’s life through April 15, 2004 and 5 black and white photos of him.

Katie’s London Christmas is a beautiful, artistic rendering of famous landmarks in London, England.  The story takes place on Christmas Eve when Katie and her brother, Jack, hear Santa sneeze and go to investigate.  He invites them to come along which they do and they help him deliver presents in London.  It’s every kid’s fantasy come true.  However, the landmarks of London don’t mean much to the average American child who hasn’t been there nor even heard of the places.  Nice book but not a good purchase for our school library.