This is a very informative book. The pictures and facts are wonderful. A 4th or 5th grader could read this book for a report and have plenty of information.
It is an interesting and complete story about the Titanic; This book covers everything from the building to the salvage operation. All kinds of wonderful facts are included. Very straight forward, easy to read.
This book is about two friends who come from poor homes. The boys are crazy about dogs and really want one. They find rottweiler puppies for sale but they don’t have any money. They decide to start a business of scooping poop to earn money. The business goes well but the boys find that the owner of the puppies has a secret in his garage.
I thought it was a great book about two friends and how they solve their problems. I think it would be a great read-a-loud for a classroom.
This is a cute book about a hermit crab who doesn’t want to be noticed. He finds a new shell that he could call home. He happens to save the life of the flounder but doesn’t want to be a hero and leaves the special shell and hides. The fish take the shell and have a celebration for their hero. Hermit crab goes back to his old shell and goes looking for food.
The pictures in this book are beautiful. The kids loved this book. A great little story.
Sam is a big sheep dog whose owner, Jennie, understands what he is saying and vice versa. Jennie has new neighbors who seem mighty suspicious. They have strange pets and cook strange foods. Jennie, Sam, and Beth (Jennie’s best friend) believe that the new neighbors, three women, are actually witches who use the pets for their brew. The illustrations are in black and white and are simple but depict just the right amount of the story without causing distractions. The story moves along at a great pace and is interesting.
In this graphic version of a Pompeii adventure, Isabel Soto, a time-traveling archaeologist, travels from India during the construction of the Taj Mahal to present day Italy, at a location formerly known as Pompeii. Pompeii was a thriving city with 10,000-20,000 population that was buried under the volcanic blast of Mount Vesuvius about 2,000 years ago. The city was buried under 60 feet of pumice but the remains, except for the ceilings and roofs, were left in tact. Archaeologists have been excavating for centuries and studying the buildings and hieroglyphics. This is an interesting book to read and the time-traveling explorer allows you to hop from time to time. It makes ancient history exciting to learn about.
A young blacksmith’s son, in the time of the Crusades, finds himself suddenly promoted to the level of squire. Andrew’s dream of becoming a Templar approaches with every adventure until he finally is accepted into the Order. The enemies he has made along the way circle closer and closer around him. Will he find a way to overcome his rivals? This exciting novel takes the reader into the life of a teen in the early 11th century. The story demonstrates the parallels between today’s teens and their 11th century counterparts. In this compelling story, readers will cheer for the young boy reaching for his dreams. I highly recommend this book because of its relateable characters and its action-packed adventures.
— Mike S.
This is book 2 in the Nathaniel Fludd Beastologist series. I enjoy this series and read aloud the first one in the series (Flight of the Phoenix) to my second grade library class each year. They LOVE it and clamor to read more in the series. The illustrations are descriptive and add interest. to the story. The mythical creatures in these stories are interesting to the kids with just the right amount of adventure to be exciting but not too scary. The author has a wonderful way of getting the reader to the end of their seat without falling off or hiding under it. The characters are funny at times and the lead female character (Aunt Phil) is strong and confident. The stories are set in interesting places around the world. There are good lessons about being brave and determined and working hard for a goal. This series appeals equally to boys and girls. I highly recommend this book and series. I am happy to add this second copy to my collection.
Our young readers tend to enjoy books like Ivy and Bean with fun characters, descriptive illustrations throughout and relevant topics for kids. My only criticism is the seemingly random scene mid-way through the book when a rather menacing character, Katy, ties up the main characters and threatens to cook them alive if they don’t march. She then proceeds to tie Ivy and Bean to a railing, goes to get more ropes and says she will string them up and that they should “prepare to meet your maker!” On the next page, the girls are back in class and Katy isn’t mentioned again. This scene is bizarre and scary and seems completely unnecessary to the storyline. I will have to test this book out on my elementary audience to make a final judgment.
Pond circle is a fiction picture book written about the ecology and food chain in a freshwater pond. The illustrations are vibrant and colorful, rich and detailed. So much so that the animals sometimes seem to be leaping off the page or staring right at the reader. The text repeats and builds from page to page which would make it a fun read aloud with young children (K-3nd gr.). At the back there are “facts to pond-er” which describes and gives more facts about each creature featured in the book. I would recommend this book for early elementary age children.
This is a well-researched non-fiction picture book about a species of seabird called the marbled murrelet. This little seabird migrates deep into the forest canopy of North America to nest, lay its eggs and raise its chick. The author’s sources as well as relevant web sites are listed at the back of the book. The end pages provide facts about the marbled murrelet’s habitat using a watercolor illustration of old growth trees. The rich illustrations are large, realistic and detailed. The text is interesting and engaging. I wanted to read to the end to learn more about this interesting seabird. I highly recommend this book for an elementary school library.
The question-and-answer format used in this information books is remarkably thorough, interesting, and concise. The major questions of how, where, when, why, and who are all answered in a direct manner, accompanied by an illustration. The pros and cons of each question are also addressed. Using this book to learn about insects should be a top priority in school libraries.
Wow! The magnification and clarity of the photographs are amazing and is what makes this book a must-have for libraries. The information and spider fact match what the photo is showing. Especially remarkable is the fact/photo of a jumping spider using a dragline, as well as a jump in mid-air to show it pouncing on it’s prey. Fascinating!!
I’m still not sure how this book got the title, A Cheeky Chiller. I had to look up the adjective cheeky to see if I was missing something. Of course, it’s British slang meaning impudent or impertinent. And chiller refers to a spine-tingling mystery. This book is neither. On each even-numbered page is a clue as to what the animal is and on the opposite odd-numbered page is a photograph of a portion of the animal. The last photo is a lovely shot of a chimpanze family. However, the earlier photos are all rather blurry. Includes a glossary and index.
This tender story of twelve-year-old Raine crawls right into your heart and settles there from the very first page. Raine’s mother mysteriously picks up and moves the two of them from Milwaukee to Sparrow Road for the summer, where they join the quirky artists who inhabit an old dilapidated house. Instructed to keep quiet at all times so that the artists can work, Raine envisions a miserable summer ahead. Yet, when Gray James, Raine’s estranged father, comes knocking at the door, wanting to become a part of her life, this quickly becomes a story of acceptance and forgiveness. Although the main character is twelve-years old, the beautifully written, lyrical writing speaks of life lessons for any age. Sheila O’Connor is a talented writer with advice for all readers.
Over eight hundred years have passed since Kubla Khan dominated Asia and the Middle East, and still his legend lives on. Due to his focused concentration of improvement, many positive policies and practices were implemented; such as education for all boys regardless of wealth, help for farmers to farm better with irrigation and proper animals and equipment, a more efficient postal system for better communication over great distances, he was first to implement standardized paper money, blue and white porcelains, more arts and theater. His respect for the sciences greated an academy of medicine, an observatory which led to a more accurate calendar, and his diplomacy with foreigners enabled to learn from the world’s best and brightest. One of these foreigners was a young Marco Polo from Italy, who traveled to China with his father and uncle. He was tremendously impressed over his 17 year visit. Upon his return home to Europe, he wrote about the wonders he had seen in the book The Travels of Marco Polo. The book was a success and remained so for hundreds of years. Because of it, Europeans couldn’t wait to see for themselves the wonders of Asia. This is when the age of East meeting West began.
Nicely printed with color photos, sidebars with deeper explanations, and a fair portrayal of this highly politicized event in history, Tiananmen Square Protests allow students to learn that this was not a one day event. It was not about one man standing in front of the tanks. This book takes the first 46 of 100 pages to set the stage for why Chinese citizens of every age pushed for the protests of 1989. After establishing a history of social protests in China, something most people probably wouldn’t realize existed, author Marcia Amidon Lusted does a seamless job of being non-political in her evaluation of the protests that lasted over two months. Because of the government cover, official toll of the deaths during the crackdown in June are still unclear, ranging up to 3,000. Those of us who have live in democracies will want more of the “What if the protests succeeded?”, but the fact is, as she clearly states, that “the younger, post Tiananmen generation knows very little about the protests of 1989…” and see their future in economic terms, not political. This is an additional selection for libraries that need a more current look at China’s social protest movements.
Jackie Faber just keeps going on the adventures, this time traveling to the Carribean in search of a sunken ship full of gold in Rapture of the Deep by L.A. Meyer. But it was not her first plan. She was to finally to wed the love of her life, Jaime, and of course the two get separated again. This time Jackie is earning her freedom from the British government by leading a ship on a scientific expedition in search of sea sponges that just so happen to be in the near vicinity of the gold filled vessel. Jaime is on a ship that is to follow behind a by a few days and help with the treasure recovery. Spanish ships will cause conflict and Jacky will again be the victor, but will Jackie and Jamie ever be together? Will Jacky follow the rules to gain her own freedom? Now 16, Jackie’s hormones are racing in this story. Constant references to getting into bed, be it Jacky and Jaime or other crew members, are give throughout. All are in the context of being married, but Jacky talks of it over and over again. If you have a Faber fan, they’ll happily enjoy this next installment…and there’s at least one more to come from the likes of this ending.
Fantasy super star Charles de Lint will impress his fans and create a new following with The Painted Boy. A tale of shape-shifting clans, gang-banger hoodlums, teen love, angst and rock and roll, the main character, James Li, is on his discovery quest not only to find himself, but to do much more. Set in the Arizona desert, James is a stranger to the land, coming from Chinatown in Chicago. He aquired his birthmark dragon tattoo at the age of 13 and had been learning lessons from his grandmother to prepare his for this journey. He makes new friends, including a love interest in Anna, and he makes enemies too. He soon discovers that his “test” will be to rid the town of the biggest gang leader, who also is a shape-shifter. The writing spirals between 1st and 3rd person, even within chapters, and the variety of personality types, including non-human shape-shifters, keeps the mind interested throughout the story. This is not your typical fantasy story with it’s contemporary setting and themes. R* for sure.
This is another terrific book of loving family relationships by Patricia Polacco. The first of three adopted children tells of the love and special moments in their non-traditional family with two mothers. Every page is filled with expressions of warmth and affection of the exceptional family as the moms plan activities to provide a well-rounded childhood for their brood. The lively, colored pencil and marker illustrations are full of life and tenderness. the families in the neighborhood willingly participate in block parties and activities arranged by the two moms. Only one cranky parent refuses to have anything to do with this unconventional family. This story avoids all the terms often used when describing a family with same-sex parents, and may be used to gently explain differences in some families.
Dave Crawley’s cheerful and lively poems focus on schools, cafeteria food, homework, new kids, rules, class pets, and finally, vacation! They are lighthearted and many have interesting twists. Liz Callen’s ink and watercolor illustrations are bright and a good match for the poems. This is a delightful, up-beat collection of school poems and would make a good addition to an elementary school library.
Sibling rivalry is a universal theme. Rubina is invited to a birthday party and her younger sister, Sana, wants to go, too. Being new to America, her mother does not understand the custom and insists Rubina takes her. Sana is a brat and disrupts the party. both girls were given a treat bag to take home and Rubina saves her big, red lollipop for later. Sana eats everything in her bag – as well as most of Rubina’s lollipop. Mother takes Sana’s side and insists Rubina be nice to her sister. One day, Sana brings home an invitation to a birthday party and the youngest sister, Maryam, wants to go. Although tempted not to, Rubina convinces her mother to let Sana go alone. When Sana returns, she offers Rubina a big, green lollipop as thanks. Artist Sophie Blackall introduces a multicultural air by illustrating mother in traditional Arab clothing and designs. Rukhsana Khan balances Rubina’s emotions and empathy as the family adjusts to combining culture and sisterly relationships. This is an engaging story and could initiate many discussions on traditions, sibling rivalry, or immigrants, to name a few.
As in many of the popular Black Lagoon books, Hubie’s imagination get away from him. A new gym teacher, Mr. Green, is coming from the junior high school and rumors start flying. Coach is big, hairy, and scary. It is not until the first day, that Hubie an his pals discover Mr. Green is a regular guy and gym class is going to be great. Jared Lee’s ink and watercolor illustrations continue to have fun with all of Hubie’s worries. This is a re-issue of the story first published in 1994.
Books in this series have detailed maps on the end-pages – a large country map in the front and the country’s location in Europe in the back. The land that is known as Romania has had a wide and varied history. Several periods of various ruling countries or people are covered in brief paragraphs. The text, in this book of the series, is dry and captions for some photographs need further explanation. Conversation bubbles appear to be a flimsy attempt at humor and seem out of place. The series includes chapters on history, cities and towns, transportation, people and culture, education, cuisine, economy, tourism and nature. This is an additional resource for writing country reports. The quality of each book in the series is inconsistent, however, each provides sufficient information for grade school reports.
Books in this series have detailed maps on the end-pages – large country map in the front and the country’s location in Europe, in the back. The book on Bulgaria begins with an abbreviated history, regions, and physical features. Several cities are highlighted. Because Bulgaria is a transit city (people from other countries travel through it), there are a variety of modes of transportation. The chapter on people and culture include holidays and traditions. The section on education begins with a statement saying public education has decreased in quality since 1989. Some photos have conversation bubbles that appear to make light of the situation , which seems inappropriate. Cuisine is influenced by many surrounding countries. Traditional and common foods are described along with a salad recipe. Economic concerns and a section on tourism concludes the book. Text contains enough information for reports but is not exceptionally well written. Glossary and index are included. Websites provide good additional information.
The front end pages contain a large map of Poland. The back end pages contain a map of Poland and surrounding countries in Europe. The book begins with a brief history and geographical features. Several cities are highlighted. The people and culture chapter includes names of famous Poles. The education system is described. Christmas and Easter are two important holidays. Favorite foods and traditional dishes are mentioned. One recipe for beet soup is included. Although most people travel by car, other methods are by railways, by water, and by air. The book concludes with short chapters on nature and tourism destinations. Glossary, index, and several reliable websites are included. There are many colorful photographs that complement the text. Contains good information for writing country reports. There is no photo or illustration about the country flag, but accurate information can be found on the recommended websites.