Little Wheels

Four trucks, 2 big and 2 small, with headlights for eyes and bumpers for mouths start their day. ” ‘I will help you! ‘ says Blue Truck”, but his offer is turned down twice by the big trucks. Discouraged and giving up Yellow Truck asks Blue Truck for his help. Success follows. The End.

Illustrator . . . → Read More: Little Wheels

Little Lizard’s First Day

Gary Lizard has been marking the days off on his calendar until his first day of school. Mom and Dad Lizard help send him off with (new) clothes, backpack, sack lunch, and by taking his picture before climbing onto the school bus.

Word count – 88. with bright, child-friendly pictures by Andy Rowland

Seabird in the Forest: The Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet

This nonfiction book tells the story of the mystery behind a little seabird, called the marbled murrelet in a picture book format. The murrelet makes its home in the ocean until it is time to lay it’s egg. This bird that is the same size of a robin lays just one egg, that is the size of . . . → Read More: Seabird in the Forest: The Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet

Stanza

Stanza, the dog is a thug and a rotten dog that prowls the streets with his rotten brothers by day. But by night, Stanza writes poetry that would only come out of a sensitive hound. He lives in fear of his brothers finding out about his dark secret. When Stanza sees a poster display about . . . → Read More: Stanza

Shawn Michaels

This nonfiction book is all about the life and career of pro wrestler, Shawn Michaels. The book discusses Shawn winning the World Championship, Shawn proving himself with his small size, his life growing up, Shawn losing his friendship with Marty Jannetty and then getting back on his feet. The book is nicely set up, has . . . → Read More: Shawn Michaels

The World’s Greatest Football Players

This nonfiction book goes over the achievements and career statistics of some of the greatest football stars, such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Randy Moss. Each chapter has facing pages with a photo of the star, their personal information, their regular season rushing stats, achievements, a little paragraph about the player and a fact. . . . → Read More: The World’s Greatest Football Players

Twinkle Star of the Week

In this picture book, all the stars at school will get a turn to be star of the week. All the stars are so excited to be chosen and share something special. Twinkle knows right away she wants to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Poor Twinkle is very upset when another star shares her song. She just . . . → Read More: Twinkle Star of the Week

The World’s Smartest Machines

This nonfiction book is from the Extreme Machines series and is all about smart machines. The book first teaches students about smart machines that are in the ocean. There are underwater vehicles that teach scientists about the ocean and robots that go underwater and take videos. The book then talks about trains that are smart and drive . . . → Read More: The World’s Smartest Machines

Spiky, Slimy, Smooth: What is Texture?

In this nonfiction book, students are presented with the concept of texture. Texture is the way something feels. The entire rest of the book is about different textures in our world. From things that are soft and fluffy (furry slippers) to knobbly and warty (squash). The descriptions are vivid and make great use of adjectives. . . . → Read More: Spiky, Slimy, Smooth: What is Texture?

Other Goose Re-Nurseried!! and Re-Rhymed!! Children’s Classics

In this fun book, J. Otto Seibold has taken the popular Mother Goose nursery rhyme classics and rewritten them to his style. This book is supposedly written by a real goose unlike Mother Goose who is not really a goose. These nursery rhymes are ”more modern, more fresh and more Goosian.”  For example, he writes “It’s raining, it’s . . . → Read More: Other Goose Re-Nurseried!! and Re-Rhymed!! Children’s Classics

Freestyle Motocross

This nonfiction book is all about freestyle motocross, which is a type of dirt bike race held on an outdoor course. The book discusses the basics of the sport, tricks and motocross freestyle stars affiliated with the sport. The book also has a glossary, read more, Internet site pages and index. The book has a pretty . . . → Read More: Freestyle Motocross

Xtreme UFC: Georges St-Pierre

This nonfiction book is all about the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight title holder, Georges St-Pierre. The books discusses this fighter and his stats, his UFC record, early career, fight training and his career highlights. The book is nicely laid out giving his stats and record in nice, easy to read box charts. For reluctant boy . . . → Read More: Xtreme UFC: Georges St-Pierre

How Heavy Is Heavy? Comparing Vehicles

This nonfiction book is all about measuring weight. The books starts out explaining weight and measuring weight. The author then explains about the weight of vehicles and then starts comparing weights of vehicles. The book compares vehicles such as, toy scooters to mountain bikes, mountain bikes to snowmobiles, snowmobiles to cars and so forth each . . . → Read More: How Heavy Is Heavy? Comparing Vehicles

Astronauts Working in Space

This nonfiction book is all about astronauts working in space. The book discusses blasting off into space, what it is like going into space, floating and gravity, eating, taking a bath, sleeping, walking and communicating with Earth all while in space, and then coming back to Earth. Each chapter is on facing pages with important words bolded, . . . → Read More: Astronauts Working in Space

Wildfires: The Science Behind Raging Infernos

This nonfiction book is all about wildfires. It starts out telling about a devastating fire in California that was started by a boy playing with matches. The book then teaches students the science behind fires, including what causes them, the potential devastating effects and staying safe. The book has a lot of text and information. . . . → Read More: Wildfires: The Science Behind Raging Infernos

Robert Pattinson

This nonfiction biography is all about the Twilight star, Robert Pattinson. The book discusses this rising star, his family ties, growing up, starting out, his big break, the actor as a  singer and songwriter and what it is like to be an actor. The book is nicely organized and is easy to read for students. It . . . → Read More: Robert Pattinson

Emperor Penguins: Animals of the Snow and Ice

This nonfiction b00k is all about emperor penguins. The book starts with a table of contents and then a words to know page. I liked that the words to know is at the beginning of the book so students can be looking for those words and already have seen them. It then discusses the habitats, characteristics, eating . . . → Read More: Emperor Penguins: Animals of the Snow and Ice

The Highest Places on Earth

Well the cover says The Highest Places on Earth but it is clearly the book, The Driest Places on Earth inside in the same series. The book has the wrong cover. This is a bummer. I was excited about this book, but I just can’t put it in my library.

Buzz Beaker and the Outer Space Trip

Adventure should be Buzz Beaker’s middle name! Young Buzz keeps a notebook handy for recording his inventions.   “So far, none of his inventions worked” (p. 11)  but he continues to dream of making a space ship.

Illustrator, Bill McGuire gives Buzz a  big head and a winning smile which works very well with Cari Meister’s . . . → Read More: Buzz Beaker and the Outer Space Trip

Opossums

Emergent readers will enjoy straight forward facts with strong visual support about opossums. Written in large font with two sentences per page opposite a color photo. If it weren’t for the cover photo and the one opposite, “It shows its 50 teeth to scare the predator away” on page 16, the young reader might have . . . → Read More: Opossums

Chaucer’s First Winter

Chaucer is a bear cub who is friends with a fox and a squirrel. When his parents begin to hibernate,  friendly and inquisitive Chaucer decides to stay awake with his non-hibernating friends and experiences  the beauty of snow, the fun of snowball fights, and the slipperiness of ice. Chaucer’s illustrator has his parents sneaking peeks . . . → Read More: Chaucer’s First Winter

Desert Days, Desert Nights

Roxie Munro’s panoramic 9″ X 20″  pen-and- ink and watercolor illustrated vistas of  North America’s Chihuahuan, Death Valley, Great Basin, Mojave, Painted , and Sonoran Deserts once by day and once again by night take the reader on a search and discover mission. There are 12 to 18 different animals per vista.

“Find, name, and . . . → Read More: Desert Days, Desert Nights

Tucker Took It!

In this picture book, Tucker is naughty goat that will eat anything. But what Tucker really loves is corn and he is tired of waiting and waiting. It is almost ready, but he just can’t take it so he runs amuck through the farm taking the horses sun hat, the pigs watermelon, the cows hay, . . . → Read More: Tucker Took It!

Prudence & Moxie A Tale of Mismatched Friends

This is a cute, little story about two friends that are opposites. Despite their differences, they are the best of friends. Prudence is quiet, timid and scared of many things. Moxie is loud and not scared of anything. Moxie is dared and double dogged dared to do just about anything and everything their friends can . . . → Read More: Prudence & Moxie A Tale of Mismatched Friends

The U.S. Air Force/La Fuerza Aerea Dr EE.UU.

This is a nonfiction book from the Pebble Plus series. I love these over sized books. In this particular book, the readers will learn all about the Air Force. The Air Force’s purpose, jobs, tools and machines are all explained in English and Spanish. On each facing set of pages, there is an over sized . . . → Read More: The U.S. Air Force/La Fuerza Aerea Dr EE.UU.