By Charles Schulz et al.
This compilation of original and new Peanuts comics would be a nice addition to any library. Comics consist of “The Beagle Has Landed, Charlie Brown!”, “Plane and Simple”, “Food for Thought”, Have Dish Will Travel”, and Charlie Brown’s Star”. All the gang are here. It is a nice introduction to a classic that some students may have never known. This book is recommended as an extra purchase.
By Janee Trasler
This whimsical emerging reader graphic novel is a great starter book to interest children. Figgy and Boone are two very hungry mice who are missing cheese when a large wheel of cheese flies off of a truck right in front of them. The graphic novel has a brief explanation on how to read graphics/comics. It also is a great introduction to chapters as it has 3 short ones. The bright colors and strong lines will appeal to many. I would recommend this book for emerging readers.
by Eric Seltzer, Illustrated by Tom Disbury
This is a well illustrated emerging reader book about bunnies who run a bookstore and the customers they have that request different books. They run from area to area in search of the best book for their clients. Like a library, they have story hour where everyone loves the read aloud.This book contains short sentences on pages for emerging readers. The illustrations are detailed and allow for finding more on the page as it is read again and again. I would recommend this book for preschool to 1st grade.
By Paul Acampora
Three middle school students from differing backgrounds become friends when they are seated together in pottery class. All have recently experienced a traumatic event in their lives: a sister’s death due to Cancer, a drastic move from the big city to a very small town and leaving the homeschool life to be in public school where everything is different and unknown. All are feeling like the broken pottery they have seen/experienced in their class but find solace from each other. Will they come to realize that it is okay when some things stay broken? This wonderful middle level book is appropriate for 5th through 8th grades but could also be recommended for more mature readers at a younger age who may be experiencing trauma and could relate to the characters.
Alicia Z. Klepeis explores the 35,918 square miles Central Europe’s Hungary. Klepeis uses snapshots of Hungary’s location, landscape, wildlife, people, school and work, play, and food. The 32 pages just give a quick overview of what this country has to offer with two or three paragraphs of text per topic accompanied by half a page-spread of color photos.
I continue to find the TIMELINE in this “Country Profiles” series confusing to the eye with its segmented lines stating facts above and below the actual timeline leading to the events’ locations on the timeline. It might be better to print the statements on a slant with a single line segment drawing the eye to the timeline location.
The HUNGARY FACTS on pages 28-29 provide good visual graphics to show the flag, where people live, their work, important cities, main exports, and unit of money.
Factsurfer.com provides more information with safe internet.
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong
Alicia Z. Klepeis explores the 8,867 square miles Central America’s Belize. Klepeis uses snapshots of Belize’s location, landscape, wildlife, people, school and work, play, and food. The 32 pages just give a quick overview of what this country has to offer with two or three paragraphs of text per topic accompanied by half a page-spread of color photos.
There is a problem with text boxes set on top of photos that do not match the picture in the photo, though the photos follow along with the information in the main paragraph on the page. On page 14 the photo is of a thatched house while the box talks about Mennonite communities. On page 17 the photo is of a painted mural, while the box talks about colorful clothing. On page 19 the photo is of a guided tour by horseback, while the box talks about Belizeans working in other countries. And on page 25 the photo is of a dance group on Garifuna Settlement Day, but the box talks about Maya Deer Dance. The photos are labeled correctly. It is the inset text boxes that are problematic and could cause confusion on the part of the reader.
I continue to find the TIMELINE in this “Country Profiles” series confusing to the eye with its segmented lines stating facts above and below the actual timeline leading to the events’ locations on the timeline. It might be better to print the statements on a slant with a single line segment drawing the eye to the timeline location.
The BELIZE FACTS on pages 28-29 provide good visual graphics to show the flag, where people live, their work, important cities, main exports, and unit of money.
Factsurfer.com provides more information with safe internet.
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong
Alicia Z. Klepeis explores the 29,120 square miles Central America’s Panama. Klepeis uses snapshots of Panama’s location, landscape, wildlife, people, school and work, play, and food. The 32 pages just give a quick overview of what this country has to offer with two or three paragraphs of text per topic accompanied by half a page-spread of color photos.
I continue to find the TIMELINE in this “Country Profiles” series confusing to the eye with its segmented lines stating facts above and below the actual timeline leading to the events’ locations on the timeline. It might be better to print the statements on a slant with a single line segment drawing the eye to the timeline location.
The PANAMA FACTS on pages 28-29 provide good visual graphics to show the flag, where people live, their work, important cities, main exports, and unit of money.
Factsurfer.com provides more information with safe internet.
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong
Nicole E. Rodriguez Mata explores the 352,144 square miles South America’s Venezuela. Rodriguez Mata uses snapshots of Venezuela’s location, landscape, wildlife, people, school and work, play, and food. The 32 pages just give a quick overview of what this country has to offer with two or three paragraphs of text per topic accompanied by half a page-spread of color photos.
I continue to find the TIMELINE in this “Country Profiles” series confusing to the eye with its segmented lines stating facts above and below the actual timeline leading to the events’ locations on the timeline. It might be better to print the statements on a slant with a single line segment drawing the eye to the timeline location.
The VENEZUELA FACTS on pages 28-29 provide good visual graphics to show the flag, where people live, their work, important cities, main exports, and unit of money.
Factsurfer.com provides more information with safe internet.
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong
Nicole E. Rodriguez Mata explores the 278 square mile urban city-state of Singapore. Rodriguez Mata uses snapshots of Singapore’s location, landscape, wildlife, people, school and work, play, and food. The 32 pages just give a quick overview of what this city-state has to offer with two or three paragraphs of text per topic accompanied by half a page-spread of color photos.
I continue to find the TIMELINE in this “County Profiles” series confusing to the eye with its segmented lines stating facts above and below the actual timeline leading to the events’ locations on the timeline. It might be better to print the statements on a slant with a single line segment drawing the eye to the timeline location.
The SINGAPORE FACTS on pages 28-29 provide good visual graphics to show the flag, where people live, their work, main exports, religion, and unit of money.
Factsurfer.com provides more information with safe internet.
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong
In My Fade is Fresh, a young girl heads into the barbershop with a clear vision of what she wants. It seems like everyone has a suggestion for what she should have done – A PERM? A PRESS? A TRIM? A CHOP?. With fun rhyming text and dynamic, engaging illustrations, suggestion after suggestion is put forward and dismissed. The patience of both the barber and the little girl are increasingly strained as no one seems to be listening. Finally, after 3 hours, the young girl gets her fresh fade and proudly leaves the barbershop with a confident smile.
A fun celebration of black hair and creative ways to shine one’s personality through self expression.
Children with parents in the military do face unique challenges. In When Your Daddy’s a Soldier, the feelings and experiences of a young boy with an active duty father are portrayed in an age appropriate way. The strong connection between a soldier and his young son is clearly shown in both the text and illustrations. The additional emotional burdens that fall on all members of a military family are also addressed. This book belongs in collections that serve children of military families.
While about 80% of active duty service members are male, the way this story is told excludes both the female service members as well as the daughters of service members. Female characters (in particular mothers) in the book are portrayed as not coping well.
Christina Leaf takes on an impressive undertaking of providing elementary age readers with the who, what, where, when, and why of the Acadia National Park in 32 pages of color photos and text.
Leaf gives basic facts and visuals on Acadia National Park while not being a vacation travel advertisement. Acadia National Park was the 6th most visited national park in 2021.
Leaf includes: plants and animals (p 12-15), history of peoples in the area (p 16-21), how ice breaks down granite (p 8-9), top sites (p 22-23), and perhaps most importantly protecting the park (p24-27) from too many visitors and climate change.
Leaf also includes graphics of 6 Acadia National Park facts, food web, and a timeline (p28-29).
More information on the Acadia National Park can be gotten safely through Factsurfer.com..
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong
Christina Leaf takes on an impressive undertaking of providing elementary age readers with the who, what, where, when, and why of the Grand Canyon National Park in 32 pages of color photos and text.
Leaf gives interesting basic facts and visuals on Grand Canyon National Park while not being a vacation travel advertisement. Grand Canyon National Park was the 4th most visited national park in 2021.
Leaf includes: plants and animals (p 12-15), history of peoples in the area (p 16-21), how river erosion happens (p 8-9), top sites (p 22-23), and perhaps most importantly protecting the park (p24-27) from too many visitors and climate change.
Leaf also includes graphics of 6 Grand Canyon National Park facts, food web, and a timeline (p28-29).
More information on the Grand Canyon National Park can be gotten safely through Factsurfer.com..
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong
Christina Leaf takes on an impressive undertaking of providing elementary age readers with the who, what, where, when, and why of the Yosemite National Park in 32 pages of color photos and text.
Leaf gives interesting basic facts and visuals on Yosemite National Park while not being a vacation travel advertisement. Yosemite National Park was the 8th most visited national park in 2021.
Leaf includes: plants and animals (p 12-15), history of peoples in the area (p 16-21), how geologic intrusions formed (p 8-9), top sites (p 22-23), and perhaps most importantly protecting the park (p24-27) from too many visitors and climate change.
Leaf also includes graphics of 6 Yosemite National Park facts, food web, and a timeline (p28-29).
More information on the Yosemite National Park can be gotten safely through Factsurfer.com..
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong
Christina Leaf takes on an impressive undertaking of providing elementary age readers with the who, what, where, when, and why of the Rocky Mountain National Park in 32 pages of color photos and text.
Leaf gives basic facts and visuals on Rocky Mountain National Park while not being a vacation travel advertisement. Rocky Mountain National Park was the 5th most visited national park in 2021.
Leaf includes: plants and animals (p 12-15), history of peoples in the area (p 16-21), how geologic uplift happens (p 8-9), top sites (p 22-23), and perhaps most importantly protecting the park (p24-27) from too many visitors and climate change.
Leaf also includes graphics of 6 Rocky Mountain National Park facts, food web, and a timeline (p28-29).
More information on the Rocky Mountain National Park can be gotten safely through Factsurfer.com..
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong
Personal rule: a book that starts with a map is going to be great. Trapped in Terror Bay is no exception to that rule, although it takes some skill and attention to navigate, much like the poor sailors on the lost Franklin expedition to the Arctic. Written almost in the style of a choose-your-own-adventure, this non-fiction book puts the reader in the doomed shoes of Captain Francis Crozier, sailing through imagined accounts of events onboard the ship, tracking the voyage across the Atlantic, around Greenland and eventually into the maze of ice and islands between the North American continent and the North Pole. As weather worsens, disease rampages, and nature triumphs over the technology of 1848, the reader explores this tragedy and its mystery in short, engaging chapters.
Within each chapter are subsections that include modern forensic research into the expedition, sidebars about characters, politics, nautical technology, and knowledge from the native peoples who have lived on the Arctic ice since time immemorial.
It took me a while for me to notice subtle changes in fonts, page color or border, or headings to denote these different sections, but once I did I read this like a textbook, skipping around to follow the parts I was interested in, then doubling back to read the sidebars that explained something in the main storyline. With that in mind, this is a great book to teach some textbook reading skills. Readers will love the inevitable doom, perfectly captured by the author, the fascinating facts and insights into life in the mid-1800’s, and the modern quest to understand the events of the past.
A sequel of sorts to Night Shine, this book takes place in a captivating fantasy world with an interesting social structure and engaging magical forces that shape the world and its people. Characters are vibrant and complex, and I was definitely curious with each chapter to learn more about who or what was at work in the lives of the characters.
Names and gender identity play an important part in the story, and this was often distracting. I found myself frequently having to flip back to previous chapters to trace a complex name to figure out who a character was or why they were significant, and while I enjoyed the gender-fluid pronouns and descriptions I had trouble tracking who was sword fighting, wielding magic or even simply speaking, sometimes even within a single paragraph. Readers will enjoy the rich magic of this world, the poetic mythology that shapes its cultures, and the unflinching and comfortable representations of LGBTQIA+ characters – but keep a character list handy!
![The Noh Family by [Grace K. Shim]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51J7fm6na0L.jpg) Family mysteries, clashing cultures, and long… dramatic… pauses… The Noh Family tells the story of 18-year-old Chloe Chang and her sudden discovery of the Korean family she never knew she had. The SUPER RICH Korean family she never knew she had. With all the haunting secrets and plot twists of a K-drama, this book is a fun dive into another culture and the process of becoming an insider while still being an outsider. Chloe’s struggle to define herself as a young adult is honest and engaging, and the exploration of what love and loyalty within a family really mean is surprisingly sweet and genuine. Readers will enjoy the Korean language, customs, and foods (yum!), as well as the high fashion, glamorous lifestyles, and insider scoop on the lives of the rich and famous. |
By Rebecca Sabelko
Russia covers basic information of the country. It has appealing images and maps as well as words in bold that correlate to a Glossary at the end of the book. Readers will be interested in the unique animals of the expansive Russian country as well as some of the exotic items the people eat including: kasha, pirozhki, and borscht. This book is recommended for any library where students at a young age do country research or for English language learners.
The Blastoff! Readers Countries of the World series contains many informational chapters including but not limited to: All about the country, land and animals, life for the people, and facts. These books also include a glossary with terms that are in bold throughout the book as well as an index and a section with links and books to learn more about the country. These books are recommended for grades 1-3. They are at “Level 2 which offers early readers a bit more challenge through varied sentences, increased text load, and test-supportive special features.”
By Monika Davies
Mexico covers basic information of the country. It has appealing images and maps as well as words in bold that correlate to a Glossary at the end of the book. Readers will be interested in the unique animals of Mexico as well as some of the exotic items the people eat including: pozole, chilaquiles, and dulce de leche. This book is recommended for any library where students at a young age do country research or for English language learners.
The Blastoff! Readers Countries of the World series contains many informational chapters including but not limited to: All about the country, land and animals, life for the people, and facts. These books also include a glossary with terms that are in bold throughout the book as well as an index and a section with links and books to learn more about the country. These books are recommended for grades 1-3. They are at “Level 2 which offers early readers a bit more challenge through varied sentences, increased text load, and test-supportive special features.”
By Rebecca Sabelko
Japan covers basic information of the country. It has appealing images and maps as well as words in bold that correlate to a Glossary at the end of the book. Readers will be interested in the unique animals of the Japanese Islands as well as some of the exotic items the people eat including: miso soup, sushi and sashimi. This book is recommended for any library where students at a young age do country research or for English language learners.
The Blastoff! Readers Countries of the World series contains many informational chapters including but not limited to: All about the country, land and animals, life for the people, and facts. These books also include a glossary with terms that are in bold throughout the book as well as an index and a section with links and books to learn more about the country. These books are recommended for grades 1-3. They are at “Level 2 which offers early readers a bit more challenge through varied sentences, increased text load, and test-supportive special features.”
By Rebecca Sabelko
Italy covers basic information of the country. It has appealing images and maps as well as words in bold that correlate to a Glossary at the end of the book. Readers will be interested in the unique weather of the Italian peninsula as well as some of the exotic items the people eat including: risotto, salsa al pomodoro and delicious gelato. This book is recommended for any library where students at a young age do country research or for English language learners.
The Blastoff! Readers Countries of the World series contains many informational chapters including but not limited to: All about the country, land and animals, life for the people, and facts. These books also include a glossary with terms that are in bold throughout the book as well as an index and a section with links and books to learn more about the country. These books are recommended for grades 1-3. They are at “Level 2 which offers early readers a bit more challenge through varied sentences, increased text load, and test-supportive special features.”
By Rebecca Sabelko
Iraq covers basic information of the country. It has appealing images and maps as well as words in bold that correlate to a Glossary at the end of the book. Readers will be interested in the unique animals of Iraq such as: the Arabian horned viper and the sand cat as well as some of the exotic foods the people eat including: quzi, khubz and dates. This book is recommended for any library where students at a young age do country research or for English language learners.
The Blastoff! Readers Countries of the World series contains many informational chapters including but not limited to: All about the country, land and animals, life for the people, and facts. These books also include a glossary with terms that are in bold throughout the book as well as an index and a section with links and books to learn more about the country. These books are recommended for grades 1-3. They are at “Level 2 which offers early readers a bit more challenge through varied sentences, increased text load, and test-supportive special features.”
By Monika Davies
India covers basic information of the country. It has appealing images and maps as well as words in bold that correlate to a Glossary at the end of the book. Readers will be interested in the unique animals of the Indian sub-continent as well as some of the exotic items the people eat including: chapati, dal and biryani. This book is recommended for any library where students at a young age do country research or for English language learners.
The Blastoff! Readers Countries of the World series contains many informational chapters including but not limited to: All about the country, land and animals, life for the people, and facts. These books also include a glossary with terms that are in bold throughout the book as well as an index and a section with links and books to learn more about the country. These books are recommended for grades 1-3. They are at “Level 2 which offers early readers a bit more challenge through varied sentences, increased text load, and test-supportive special features.”
By Rebecca Sabelko
France covers basic information of the country. It has appealing images and maps as well as words in bold that correlate to a Glossary at the end of the book. Readers will be interested in the unique animals of France including: the Genet and the Egyptian Vulture as well as some of the exotic items the people eat including: croissants, crepes and bouillabaisse. This book is recommended for any library where students at a young age do country research or for English language learners.
The Blastoff! Readers Countries of the World series contains many informational chapters including but not limited to: All about the country, land and animals, life for the people, and facts. These books also include a glossary with terms that are in bold throughout the book as well as an index and a section with links and books to learn more about the country. These books are recommended for grades 1-3. They are at “Level 2 which offers early readers a bit more challenge through varied sentences, increased text load, and test-supportive special features.”