This is a simple clear book about an amazing plane. Great for young readers. The pictures are interesting and clear. The facts are easy to understand and supported with a glossary at the back. It also has a table on contents and index, with a page of “To Learn More.”
Great read for young boys.
In this 8th book of the Just Grace adventures, Grace’s favorite neighbor is getting married and Grace is not chosen to be flower girl! At first, Grace is crushed. Then her indomitable personality takes over. She gathers her friends and plans an unusual surprise for the wedding day. Many large headings and fun cartoons are sprinkled on every page. These “Just Grace” books are terrific for readers moving from picture books to chapter books.
Energetic 8 year old Grace has humorous and insightful observations about life at home, in the neighborhood, and at school. Next door, best friend Mimi’s family is in the process of adopting a younger sibling. At the same time, Grace’s parents have finally agreed to get a dog for a pet. For readers venturing into chapter books, Just Grace books are divided into many sections with titles, cartoon drawings, conversation bubbles, and lists. The text is lively as Grace shares her quirky, yet spot-on, views of friendship and the events in her life. This is book 7 of the 11 Just Grace books to date. They can be read in any order as each book has it’s own theme.
“Freedom from fear is a basic human right… Intelligence agents play a key role in securing this freedom for all Americans.” (p.7) Before reading this five chapter book with a skeletal* amount of information I didn’t know much , if anything, about the United States national intelligence system. It is so full of secrets, the general public only knows of its failures.
There are 16 separate agencies, with 200,000 employees spending $75 million / yr. on intelligence each year. Few of these employees are spies.
There are 5 steps in the Intelligence Cycle: 1) planning, 2) collecting information, 3 & 4) processing and analyzing , 5) delivery of intelligence to President. “The IC [Intelligence Cycle] relies on analysts to make sense of the information it gathers.” ( p. 36) Not all the information gathered makes it past the processing and analyzing due to its inaccuracy, being incomplete, or being outdated.
Chapter 5 discusses the controversies associated with some of the methods used in collecting intelligence, such as – waterboarding.
Includes: Map of Events – What Happened Where?, The Story Continues – New Threats, Influential Individuals, Timeline, Living History*, Glossary, and Index.
* more information at www.factsfornow.scholastic.com keywords National Intelligence
The Great Depression of the 1930s is underway when Herbert Hoover’s dream to build a hydroelectric dam on the Colorado River is finally realized. Out of work men from California, Nevada, and Texas are a major part of the 21,000 workers employed for the dam’s construction. They arrive to find NO town, desert heat, and NO water supply.
The unnamed main character is one of the many employed unskilled workers. His facial expressions amplify and personalize the hardships of: dysentery, muddy drinking water, ditch latrines, living in a tent city in desert heat and freezing cold, and the dangers from blasting rock.
Amidst the graphics of the construction work there is an easily understandable diagram of how the water gets to the turbines to generate the power.
Author Maggie Rosier provides insight into the skill of drawing 8 different robots illustrated by Steve Porter.
The beginner should start by drawing from a picture before drawing from their imagination. Basic supplies include drawing pencils with both soft (B) and hard (H) lead, in addition to colored pencils, paper, eraser, and black ink pen.
Drawing each robot is broken down into 5 steps beginning with the rudimentary basic key shapes, secondary shapes / appendages, robot specific appendages/ gadgets, fine detail, and finally shading and coloring.
Each robot is introduced with a mini-bio description of its different skills, abilities, attributes, and how body follows function.
Along the way, insets provide tips: go from light to dark, highlights, break it down to basic shapes, and test color combinations before coloring actual drawing.
Includes: glossary, index, and www.factsurfer.com.
These fairy tales are not too long, not too short, they’re just right! Seven fairy tales are retold and illustrated by London born and Liverpool School of Art trained Tony Ross. Ross’ pencil and paint strokes are simple, if not crude, yet the movement and emotions are well defined!
Of Ross’ seven favourite fairy tales, I was only familiar* with three of them: The Hedley Kow, The Musicians of Bremen*, Sweet Porridge, Rumpelstiltskin*, Prince Hyacinth and the Dear Little Princess, Fairy Gifts, and Beauty and the Beast*. The stories’ length averages 10-14 pages long with the ratio of picture to text often 1:1 or greater.
I particularly enjoyed the characters not retelling their story numerous times by the narrative stating “the girl explained”.
Summary: Here’s a story that seems almost impossible to believe, but yet it is a true story about an American family. The Acerra family had 16 children. Twelve were boys, just enough to field a baseball team! This was the 1930s, and times were tough, but they stuck together as a family. They had one passion: baseball! It brought them a lot of joy and a lot of fun! And they were really good players! In 1938, the brothers ranged in age from seven to thirty-two. The oldest nine brothers formed a semi-pro team! They played around on the East Coast and the always drew a crowd! In the 1940s six of the brothers went to war, but they all came back and played in a baseball league another six years. They played their last game in 1952.
What I liked about it: It’s a positive story about a family working together. Salerno’s illustrations have a retro feel from the period from the 40s and 50s that match the time period perfectly. Author and Illustrator add historical detail on the last page.
Who would like it: The picture book format would suggest a younger audience: K-3rd grade, but anyone would enjoy this all-American story. Highly recommended.
Summary: As part of the series, “The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Dastardly Dames,” Njinga, the Warrior Queen tells the story of a young girl growing up in West Africa. Njinga was born into a royal African family in 1583. When she was born, the soothsayers predicted she would not be an easy person. Njinga was a clever girl and her father noticed and taught her how to be a ruler. After her father died, Njinga’s loyalty was always to her people. She strived for sovereignty against other raiding tribes, the encroaching Portuguese and the slave trade. To do this she had to be ruthless. How dastardly was she? Read on.
What I liked about it: Drawings and paintings interspersed through the text make this period come alive. The details of Njinga’s life add interest to the story, such as what she ate or wore. (For example, she would dress like a man when she went into battle.) . Author Janie Havemeyer is a former elementary teacher and museum educator. Illustrator Peter Malone has illustrated the entire series about “Dastardly dames.”
(Includes a bibliography for further reading.)
Who I would recommend it to: Recommend this series to girls in grade 4-8. Recommended for schools and public libraries.
Summary: Two boys playing “pirate” on a steamship off the coast of New Jersey in 1882 find themselves in real danger when their ship runs aground. Hope is almost lost when waves are too high to lower the life boats. Someone spots something on the horizon. Is it pirates? No, there are rescuers in the surf! Local people have prepared for ships running aground and are on their way to help!
What I liked about it: Introduces the history of the Coast Guard through a fictionalized story, but based on a actual event. Illustrator Nancy Carpenter’s drawings vividly capture life on a steamship and the movement of the waves.
Who I would recommend it to: Grade 2-4. This would be a great classroom read-aloud.
Summary: In an attractive “picture book” format, author Pierre Babin tells the story of musician Claude Debussy. Claude was born in 1862 near Paris. His early life wasn’t easy. His parents owned a shop, but were not very good at business and they moved a lot. Then Claude’s father is sent to prison for taking part in the revolution. His mother sends him to live with his Godmother in Cannes. Claude sees the ocean for the first time and wants to become a sailor. But something else also interests him at his Godmother’s house – a piano. Claude is captivated by sound. His Godmother decides to give him piano lessons. When Claude returns to Paris he continues lessons with Madame Maute, who learned from the great Chopin. By age 10 he has won a place at the Paris Conservatoire. As a piano student, Claude is rebellious and fights with his teachers. In spite of this, he goes on to win prizes and to compose many great compositions, including the beautiful “Claire de Lune.”
What I like about it: This is an excellent addition to the “First Discovery –Music series”, that includes biographies of Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven and others. The information is beautifully presented interspersed with vintage photos and illustrations by Charlotte Voake (Ginger). The volume includes a CD with examples of Debussy’s compositions interspersed with narration by Michael Cantwell.
Who I would recommend it to: Music teachers, student musicians age seven and up. Highly Recommended.
Summary: Bridges and Tunnels: Investigate feats of Engineering with 25 projects by Donna Latham, is the latest edition of the excellent (Build it yourself series), which includes such titles as Backyard Biology: Investigate habitats outside your door with 25 projects and Robotics: discover the science and technology of the future with 20 projects by Kathy Ceceri. “Bridges and Tunnels” explains in simple terms the social, scientific, natural and artistic forces behind the creation of bridges and tunnels. Words that may be unfamiliar to young readers are highlighted and defined in boxes on the page they are discussed. Several chapters cover the science (physics) of building bridges and tunnels and several cover well-known bridge and tunnel disasters and why they happened. Each chapter offers clear instructions for experiments to demonstrate principles discussed in the chapter and instructions for a “build it yourself” project. The volume is completed with a glossary, index and list of resources. The author, Donna Latham has great credentials. She is an award-winning author and playwright and the author of Amazing Biome Projects You Can Build Yourself, Deciduous Forests, Deserts, Garbage, Norah Jones, Oceans, Respiration and Photosynthesis, and Tundra. She is also a librarian at the Schulz Graphic Novel Library, a muralist at Dartmouth College, and a staff writer for the comics journalism website The Beat (www.comicsbeat.com).
What I like about it: Purchase this for the simple, explanatory writing style and the many project ideas it offers your students. It was written for 4th through 6th grade students, but would work well in a middle school library. As a basic text for understanding the physics and engineering behind building structures, this is an excellent introduction. I loved the “build it yourself “ activities which extend the science in the book. Students can enjoy building “Newton’s Rocket mobile,” or a “Craft stick beam bridge.”
Who I recommend it for: Public libraries, school libraries, students in upper elementary and lower middle school, science teachers, science clubs for youth, boy scouts and girl scouts. Excellent!
Summary: The night Balin is born in Norththumberland, the old woman of the mountain arrives and predicts greatness for the newborn! “But wait,” the old woman exclaims! “There’s a cloud over this!” “His greatness will bring calamity to all his companions and he will strike the dolorous stroke!” Thus begins the life and knighthood of Sir Balin, the ill-fated, alternately trying to avoid and fulfill his fate.
What I like about it: This is another installment in “The Knights’ Tales,” a fun series for reluctant readers. Readers will enjoy the twists and turns in the story, the wordplay, and humor, matched with clever illustrations by Aaron Renier. Gerald Morris is clever writer, who will win many fans with this series.
Who I would recommend it to: Hook reluctant readers to this series in grades 3 to 5. Recommended for school and public libraries!
Summary: This is the story of Harold Knishke, a Chicago teenager growing up in the 60s. He loves “Bushman,” the famed recently departed gorilla of the Lincoln Park Zoo. “Bushman lives” is a common greeting among his friends! After his flute teacher convinces Harold that he has no musical talent, he sells his flute for art supplies and embarks on a journey into the strange “beatnik” world of Chicago art.
What I like about it: I usually enjoy Pinkwater’s YA novels filled with the quirkiest of characters, literary illusions and philosophical discussions. I loved that 1960s Chicago is his own personal wonderland filled with the oddest of characters, from the artist who only paints one color, calling this style “mimimonoism,” to the wise woman and somewhat bossy lady named Molly and her “non” dog “Wolluf.” This time, the sheer volume of quirky characters and odd plot diversions crashed the whole story.
Who I would recommend it to: I would only recommend this to a true fan of Pinkwater’s books. Instead, I would recommend one of his older YA novels: The Neddiad : how Neddie took the train, went to Hollywood, and saved civilization, 2007.
A collection of 13 poems about bugs. “Tiny living beings [with] a beauty and mystery all their own” is Yolen’s apt description of the insects featured in this
book. Jason Stemple uses macro photography to capture fascinating and interesting detail. From the facets on a fly’s eye, to the divisions of a dragonfly’s wing, the details are intriguing. Each insect is highlighted on a two page spread – one side for the full color photograph, the other side for a witty poem from Jane Yolen accompanied by a non-fiction paragraph that gives the scientific order of each insect and an interesting factoid. For example: Did you know that ants are found everywhere in the world except Antarctica and that not all ladybugs have spots?
“An Army of Ants” has a nice cadence to it, “POP Goes the Tick ” has the gross factor and “The No-Spot Ladybug in Court” is a trial case that is fun to read.
The opening poem on the inside front flap – Let’s Play Ball! begins the inspired collection of poems all about baseball. Florian takes the reader from opening season warm ups to end of season reminiscing. There is a poem for every player position – pitcher, catcher, first, second and third baseman, short stop, right fielder, umpire and base stealer among others. He even includes a poem about the fans (on the back cover) and one about the baseball itself. Baseball lovers will envision that the poems were written about them. After all, what pitcher wouldn’t want to be known as the “scourge of all hitters / the starter of slumps” and how many hitters would be happy to consider themselves as “strong…mean..with eyesight quite keen”? This book would be great to use as an example for students to model their own themed book of poetry.
Florian creates the artwork in “gouache watercolors, oil pastels, colored pencils, and pine tar on primed paper bags”. This mixed media combination gives a wonderful organic feel and texture to the illustrations. My favorite is the illustration for “A Baseball”. Here Florian depicts a baseball unraveling at the seams. The red lacing forms words to help explain why it’s falling apart. The words “hit, smash, crash, pound and drive” say it all.
Florian has hit a home run with this delightful book!
2013 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner
A group of funny, colorful birds will amuse children as they learn the concepts of up, down, tall, small and high. Readers are introduced to the comic antics of the birds in three separate
chapters. Children will delight in the simple text and the colorful drawings. Long’s use of few words and repetition will allow the beginning reader to feel confident in their emerging skills. With less than thirty words used throughout the book, it is the illustrations that carry the story lines and in a way that will make the reader smile and want to reread the stories. The book is an interactive, lift-the flap style, printed on heavy weight pages (similar to board books). School and public libraries may still want to reinforce the three lift-the-flap pages though, as this book will get a lot of circulation.
Primary, nonfiction book which explains the importance of Memorial Day, as celebrated by the people of the United States, to honor the people who served in the armed forces. Honored are the ones who gave their lives, and also those who currently serve. There is a suggestion to write a thank you note to people who currently serve. Great photos in this book. Recommended.
Very informative book about the Mars mission of the Exploration Rover Mission. Eleven full chapters with photos, captions, and lots of text, probably best fit at the Middle School level, but all will find this an enticing and informative piece. We get a peek into the emotions of the scientists as they wax and wane with elation and defeat with the progress of their amazing robotic devices. History, science, and human drama all in one beautiful coffee table worthy book!
In the latest Third Edition of the America the Beautiful series, the design and layout has been updated to appeal to readers who like gorgeous photographs, or illustrations, sidebars with FAQs, “Who knew?” facts to keep you thinking, travel guide tips, and incredible ideas for school assignments and research projects. Of course the usual information is found in the body of the content, such as Land, First People, Exploration and Settlement, Growth and Change, More Modern Times, People, Government, and Economy. There is a guide to primary sources, what they are and how to cite them. A fun Biographical Dictionary is included in the Back Matter along with the Timeline, Fast Facts, Glossary, Resources and Index. A delightful read, whether for recreation or research.
Designed for kid appeal, this well researched, latest third addition to the American the Beautiful state books series, will give students detailed and interesting information about what started out as William Penn’s 1682 colony. The contents covers Land, First People, Exploration and Settlement, Growth and Change, More Modern Times, People, Government, Economy, and Travel Guide. Special features, such as sidebars, charts, graphs, original maps, FAQs, WOW Factors, and Project Room (fun ideas for assignments and projects) keep the reader engaged. The author provides source notes explaining which print and web resources were most used in her research. She also gives tips on the best internet sites for primary sources.
Well researched and well designed layout with gorgeous photographs, as well as helpful special features, make this a top consideration for a print choice in state studies. Content covers Land, First People, Exploration and Settlement, Growth and Change, Modern Times, People, Government, and Travel Guide. Special features provide sidebars, charts, graphs, original maps, FAQs, WOW Factors, and a Poject Room with fun ideas for school projects. Included is a guide to primary sources…what they are and how to cite them. Back Matter covers resources such as fiction and nonfiction books, DVDs, Web Sites and Organizations, and an extensive Index.
In 48 pages, this book provides a nice overview of the Viking society during the 250 years that they were famous and feared raiders of Europe. Detailing the art, technology, religions, class structure, leadership, weapons, tools, daily life as well as the military exploits of the Vikings, the reader learns a great deal. The multitude of graphics, photographs, and maps engage the reader and enhance the text. This is a good series particularly for reluctant readers.
The eight topics in the table of contents: Recycling, Collection, Glass, Metal, Plastic, Paper, At the Store, and Make Paper are accompanied by a well photographed landfill, garbage truck, recycle bins, recycling center with stacks of crushed cubes of squashed cans, a store shelf full of food products packaged in containers made from recycled paper, plastic, and glass .
This book shows the steps in the process of changing the collected glass, cans, plastic, and paper into new items to complete the recycle cycle.
Includes a do-able craft activity for making paper from used paper and a food blender.
Eight little couplets for young learners to recite and enjoy about dividing used packaging for curbside pickup, donating goods to second hand stores, and using old odds and ends to make toys and crafts.
Cheery vibrantly colorful pictures of young children placing plastic bottles, cans, and paper into recycling containers create the idea that children can take an active part in this grown up activity.
Includes a Creative Tot Time craft project for making a ‘Recycled Snake’ stuffed toy.
End papers include printed flowers on unbleached brown paper.