Reviewed by Carol Hahn, on June 25th, 2012 Author: Appelt, Kathi Illustrator: Hall, August Series: Publisher: Atheneum ISBN: 9781416950608 Year Published: 2010 Price: $16.99 Grade Level: 3-7 Rating: R
- Author: Appelt, Kathi
- Illustrator: Hall, August
- Grade Level: 3-7
- ISBN: 9781416950608
- Length: 399 pages
- Price: $16.99
- Publisher: Atheneum
- Year Published: 2010
- Rating: R
If you were born in the sea, and lived your whole life by the sea, surrounded only by those quirky characters who are somewhat broken and can only exist by the sea, then it seems that your whole belief system, what you know to be true, is based on the fractured lives of those around . . . → Read More: keeper
Reviewed by Mary Pong, on June 24th, 2012 Author: Anne Rockwell Illustrator: Lizzy Rockwell Series: Publisher: Aladdin / Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Company ISBN: 978-1-4424-0350-5 Year Published: 2011 / 1989 Price: $14.99 Grade Level: Pre-K, K, and 1st grade Rating: R-
- Author: Anne Rockwell
- Grade Level: Pre-K, K, and 1st grade
- Illustrator: Lizzy Rockwell
- ISBN: 978-1-4424-0350-5
- Length: 22 pages
- Price: $14.99
- Publisher: Aladdin / Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Company
- Rating: R-
- Reading level: AD 550 Lexile
- Year Published: 2011 / 1989
This 1989 picture book story tells of mother, father, and young daughter traveling to a small farm in autumn to pick a bushel basket of apples from the orchard and a pumpkin from the vine for Halloween. As the story ends, mother is giving the apples* away to trick-or-treaters, while on the following page the . . . → Read More: Apples and Pumpkins
Reviewed by Mary Pong, on June 24th, 2012 Author: Kristin Sterling Illustrator: color photos Series: Let's Look at Plants Publisher: Lerner Publications Company ISBN: 978-0-7613-5780-3 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: Pre-K, K, 1st, 2nd grades Rating: AD
- Author: Kristin Sterling
- Grade Level: Pre-K, K, 1st, 2nd grades
- Illustrator: color photos
- ISBN: 978-0-7613-5780-3
- Length: 23 pages
- Publisher: Lerner Publications Company
- Rating: AD
- Reading level: 190 Lexile
- Series: Let's Look at Plants
- Year Published: 2012
The first 16 pages of this small book (7.5″ x 6.5″) for small hands with small vocabularies has a 5.5″ x 5.5″ color photo in combination with one sentence. (Example sentences: “Leaves grow on stems” from p. 6, “Some plants have small leaves.” from page 12, “Pine trees have leaves like sharp needles.” from page . . . → Read More: Exploring Leaves
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on June 23rd, 2012 Author: Shirin Yim Bridges Illustrator: Albert Nguyen Series: Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses Publisher: goosebottombooks ISBN: 978-0-9845098-1-2 Year Published: 2010 Price: $18.95 Grade Level: 3 -8 Rating: R
- Author: Shirin Yim Bridges
- Grade Level: 3 -8
- Illustrator: Albert Nguyen
- ISBN: 978-0-9845098-1-2
- Price: $18.95
- Publisher: goosebottombooks
- Rating: R
- Series: Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses
- Year Published: 2010
This is one of six biographies from the Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Real Princesses, each focusing on a powerful princess from history. The others in the series include: Hatshepsut of Egypt, Isabella of Castile, Nur Jahan of India, Qutlugh Terkan Khatun of Kirman, and Sorghanghtani of Mongolia. This series appeals to our student population due . . . → Read More: Artemisia of Caria
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on June 23rd, 2012 Author: Sunita Apte Illustrator: Series: True Books Publisher: Children's Press ISBN: 978-0-531-25227-7 Year Published: 2010 Price: $7.00 Grade Level: 3-6 Rating: R
- Author: Sunita Apte
- Grade Level: 3-6
- ISBN: 978-0-531-25227-7
- Price: $7.00
- Publisher: Children's Press
- Rating: R
- Series: True Books
- Year Published: 2010
This is non-fiction book about the Aztec Empire from Scholastic’s “True Book” series. The author provides a general background about the Aztec culture, rise to and fall from power, language, diet and way of life. The pictures and illustrations in the book are interesting, colorful, clear and enrich the text. The writing was easy to . . . → Read More: The Aztec Empire
Reviewed by Annette McQueen, on June 14th, 2012 Author: Eva Ibbotson Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Scholastic Press ISBN: 9780545351966 Year Published: 2011 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: Rating:
- Author: Eva Ibbotson
- ISBN: 9780545351966
- Length: 282
- Price: 16.99
- Publisher: Scholastic Press
- Year Published: 2011
This fictional chapter book was written by one of the great child authors of her time, but who didn’t live to see the completion of her work. Eva Ibbotson died at 85 while working on her last book, One Dog and His Boy. Her writing is easy to follow and pulls the reader along through . . . → Read More: One Dog and His Boy
Reviewed by Annette McQueen, on June 14th, 2012 Author: Jill C. Wheeler Illustrator: Series: Checkerboard Animal Library Publisher: ABDO Publishing ISBN: 9781617832420 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: Rating:
- Author: Jill C. Wheeler
- ISBN: 9781617832420
- Year Published: 2012
- Series: Checkerboard Animal Library
- Publisher: ABDO Publishing
As is typical with the newer nonfiction books, this is a 24 page book with pictures and text geared for elementary level students. The text is fourth grade level vocabulary, but with approximately three paragraphs per page. Includes captions with photos, index, glossary and suggested websites.
Reviewed by Annette McQueen, on June 14th, 2012 Author: Carmen Bredeson Illustrator: Series: It's Weird But It's True Publisher: Enslow ISBN: 9780766038622 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: Rating:
- Author: Carmen Bredeson
- ISBN: 9780766038622
- Length: 24
- Publisher: Enslow
- Series: It's Weird But It's True
- Year Published: 2012
This nonfiction book is best suited for primary elementary grades with every other page a full photo of an unusual weather phenomenon. As is typical of most nonfiction books, the reading level is aimed at fourth grade with vocabulary, but even younger with amount of short text per page–approximately one paragraph. This is a high . . . → Read More: Weird But True Weather
Reviewed by Carol Hahn, on June 12th, 2012 Author: Cowing, Sue Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Carolrhoda Books ISBN: 9780761360766 Year Published: 2011 Price: $16.95 Grade Level: Rating: R**
- Author: Cowing, Sue
- ISBN: 9780761360766
- Length: 281 pages
- Price: $16.95
- Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
- Rating: R**
- Year Published: 2011
Yes, I gave this book a R** rating; one star just wasn’t good enough. This is Sue Cowing’s first novel and it is absolutely brilliant! I can’t say enough good things about it. Parker is an 11-year-old boy who lives with his mom. He tries to get along and do what he is supposed to . . . → Read More: You Will Call Me DROG
Reviewed by Gail Blake, on June 11th, 2012 Author: Dodd, Emma Illustrator: Dodd, Emma Series: Publisher: scholastic/ Arthur A Levine Books ISBN: 9780545318617 Year Published: 2009 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: kindergarten-1st Rating: R
- Author: Dodd, Emma
- Grade Level: kindergarten-1st
- Illustrator: Dodd, Emma
- ISBN: 9780545318617
- Price: 16.99
- Publisher: scholastic/ Arthur A Levine Books
- Rating: R
- Reading level: 2nd
- Year Published: 2009
This is a cute rhyming book. The cat is tired of the noisy farm so he changes the voices of the animals. The next morning the rooster says, “squeak, squeak,” the pigs say,” cluck, cluck,” the hens say,”oink, oink.
The farm animals decided they needed to do something so cat would change them back. They . . . → Read More: Meow said the Cow
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on June 11th, 2012 Author: Kenneth Mallory Illustrator: Brian Skerry Series: Publisher: Boyds Mills Press ISBN: 978-1-59078-607-9 Year Published: 2010 Price: 19.00 Grade Level: 3-8 Rating: R
- Author: Kenneth Mallory
- Grade Level: 3-8
- Illustrator: Brian Skerry
- ISBN: 978-1-59078-607-9
- Price: 19.00
- Publisher: Boyds Mills Press
- Rating: R
- Year Published: 2010
This beautiful and interesting non-fiction book is about the adventures of two men (the Author and Photographer) who spent seven days in an small underwater laboratory to study the sea creatures at Conch Reef. The small capsule these men worked from was described, how they trained before beginning, what they experienced while working underwater, and . . . → Read More: Adventure Beneath the Sea
Reviewed by Gail Blake, on June 11th, 2012 Author: Agee, Jon Illustrator: Agee, Jon Series: Publisher: Michael Di Capua Books Scholastic ISBN: 9780545294416 Year Published: 2011 Price: 16.95 Grade Level: pre-k-1 Rating: A
- Author: Agee, Jon
- Grade Level: pre-k-1
- Illustrator: Agee, Jon
- ISBN: 9780545294416
- Price: 16.95
- Publisher: Michael Di Capua Books Scholastic
- Rating: A
- Reading level: 2
- Year Published: 2011
This is a cute book about a boy who buys a rhinoceros. But the rhinoceros doesn’t do any thing so the boy calls an expert. The expert tells him that the rhinoceros can do two things, pop balloons and poke holes in kites. “How pathetic.”
But when the boy takes his rhinoceros to the park . . . → Read More: My Rhinoceros
Reviewed by Gail Blake, on June 11th, 2012 Author: Wilbur, Helen Illustrator: van Frankenhuyzen, Gijsbert Series: Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press ISBN: 9787585365326 Year Published: 2011 Price: 16.95 Grade Level: 3-5 Rating: R
- Author: Wilbur, Helen
- Grade Level: 3-5
- Illustrator: van Frankenhuyzen, Gijsbert
- ISBN: 9787585365326
- Price: 16.95
- Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
- Rating: R
- Reading level: 3-5
- Year Published: 2011
This is a great book about quilts. It has information about the history of quilts. Quilts have been a social part of the art of quilting, with the quilting bee as a way to help each other with their project and a way to talk with their friends.
Quilts have been essential to the survival . . . → Read More: F is for Friendship A quilt alphabet
Reviewed by Debbie Koss-Warner, on June 11th, 2012 Author: Paul Volponi Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Viking ISBN: 978067001264 Year Published: 2012 Price: $16.99 Grade Level: Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 Rating: R*
- Author: Paul Volponi
- Grade Level: Grades 9, 10, 11, 12
- ISBN: 978067001264
- Price: $16.99
- Publisher: Viking
- Rating: R*
- Reading level: Grade 6
- Year Published: 2012
In this realistic sports novel, the semi-final March Madness basketball game is detailed while the stories of the players are told as well. The game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Trojans of Troy University is the epitome of college basketball with it’s exhilarating and fast-paced action. Meanwhile, the backgrounds to all the important . . . → Read More: Final Four, The
Reviewed by Gail Blake, on June 7th, 2012 Author: Polacco, Patricia Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Philomel Books ISBN: 9780399250781 Year Published: 2010 Price: 17.99 Grade Level: 2-4 Rating: R*
- Author: Polacco, Patricia
- Grade Level: 2-4
- illustrator: Polacco, Patricia
- ISBN: 9780399250781
- Price: 17.99, 17.99
- Publisher: Philomel Books
- Rating: R*
- Reading level: 3
- Year Published: 2010
This book is about a young girl, Trisha, who moves to a new school and finds that she is in a class called “the junkyard.” She didn’t want to be in a special class anymore but her teacher Mrs. Peterson is a wonderful person.
Trisha learns that she and the other misfit students have great . . . → Read More: Junkyard Wonders
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on June 7th, 2012 Author: Illustrator: Series: A True Book Publisher: Children's Press ISBN: 978-0-531-20763-5 Year Published: 2011 Price: 6.95 Grade Level: 3-8 Rating: R*
- Authors: Kevin Cunningham and Peter Benoit
- Grade Level: 3-8
- ISBN: 978-0-531-20763-5
- Price: 6.95
- Publisher: Children's Press
- Rating: R*
- Series: A True Book
- Year Published: 2011
These True books are a real deal for a school library, only $6.95 for a hard cover volume. The text is engaging and clearly written and the pictures are good quality, relevant, and interesting. This book is about the Pueblo people. From the earliest known communities to the present, the history, traditions, and Pueblo ways . . . → Read More: The Pueblo
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on June 7th, 2012 Author: Kristin Petrie, MS, RD Illustrator: Series: Mission: Nutrition Publisher: ABDO Publishing Company ISBN: 978-1-61783-080-8 Year Published: 2012 Price: 17.95 Grade Level: 3 - 6 Rating: R*
- ISBN: 978-1-61783-080-8
- Author: Kristin Petrie, MS, RD
- Grade Level: 3 - 6
- Price: 17.95
- Publisher: ABDO Publishing Company
- Rating: R*
- Series: Mission: Nutrition
- Year Published: 2012
This is one in a series of six books about food. The other titles include: Food as Fuel: Nutrition for Athletes; Food Buzz: Nutrition in the News; Food Culture: Celebrating Diverse Traditions; Food Options: Following Special Diets; and Food Safety: Avoiding Hidden Dangers. This book is written by a Registered Dietitian (RD) and is current . . . → Read More: Food and Energy: Striking a Healthy Balance
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on June 7th, 2012 Author: Jeff C. Young Illustrator: Series: Adrenaline Adventure Publisher: ABDO Publishing Company ISBN: 978-1-61613-550-8 Year Published: 2011 Price: 17.95 Grade Level: 3-6 Rating: R
- Author: Jeff C. Young
- Grade Level: 3-6
- ISBN: 978-1-61613-550-8
- Price: 17.95
- Publisher: ABDO Publishing Company
- Rating: R
- Series: Adrenaline Adventure
- Year Published: 2011
This is one in a series of six books about adrenaline adventures. The other books in the series include: Mountain, Rock, and Ice Climbing; Auto Racing; Dogsled Racing; White-water Rafting, Canoeing, and Kayaking; and Surfing. This book is library bound and is of very high quality construction. The photographs are full-page, sharp and clear, bright, . . . → Read More: Pulling the Rip Cord: Skydiving
Reviewed by Kristi Bonds, on June 6th, 2012 Author: Lisa J. Cohen, PhD Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Visible Ink Press ISBN: 978-1-57859-223-4 Year Published: 2011 Price: $21.95 Grade Level: 9-12 Rating: Highly Recommended
- Author: Lisa J. Cohen, PhD
- Grade Level: 9-12
- ISBN: 978-1-57859-223-4
- Length: 502 pgs
- Price: $21.95
- Publisher: Visible Ink Press
- Rating: Highly Recommended
- Year Published: 2011
The Handy Psychology Answer Book may be the the most approachable, fun to read text book one will ever find. While divided into sections by topic, it’s hard to not just read cover to cover because the guide book is so interesting.
Dr. Cohen, a licensed clinical psychologist and associate professor of clinical psychology has . . . → Read More: The Handy Psychology Answer Book
Reviewed by Kristi Bonds, on June 6th, 2012 Author: Kathryn J. Atwood Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Chicago Review Press ISBN: 978-1-55652-961-0 Year Published: 2011 Price: $19.95 Grade Level: 9-12 Rating: Highly Recommend
- Author: Kathryn J. Atwood
- Grade Level: 9-12
- ISBN: 978-1-55652-961-0
- Length: 266 pages
- Price: $19.95
- Publisher: Chicago Review Press
- Rating: Highly Recommend
- Year Published: 2011
This book consists of 26 stories of heroines whose volunteerism and humanitarianism had critical effects on the war against the Nazis during WWII. The stories of espionage, sabotage, resistance and rescue are set in Germany, Poland, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Great Britain, and the United States.
While most war histories focus on men, Women . . . → Read More: Women Heros of World War II: 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue
Reviewed by Kristi Bonds, on June 5th, 2012 Author: Nel Yomtov Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Scholastic ISBN: 9780531253137 Year Published: 2012 Price: 39.00 Grade Level: Rating:
- Author: Nel Yomtov
- ISBN: 9780531253137
- Price: 39.00
- Publisher: Scholastic
- Year Published: 2012
Israel, from the Enchantment of the World series, is a comprehensive look at the state of Israel today through 2012. Color photos throughout enhance this typical country report book. With about a 70% text to 30% picture rate over a two page spread, the author, Nel Yomtov, is still able to give a very balanced . . . → Read More: Israel
Reviewed by Sally Phillips, on June 5th, 2012 Author: Elizabeth Cody Kimmel Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers ISBN: 9780803731912 Year Published: 2008 Price: $16.99 Grade Level: 5-8 Rating: R
- Author: Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
- Grade Level: 5-8
- ISBN: 9780803731912
- Length: 239p.
- Price: $16.99
- Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
- Rating: R
- Reading level: 6.4
- Year Published: 2008
Although the story in Spin the Bottle centered around the Monroe Middle School Drama Club, there was little drama in the book. This is refreshing to me. The narrator, Phoebe, has been looking forward to middle school and joining the drama club. She did not plan to have her first crush though, and thankfully, . . . → Read More: Spin the Bottle
Reviewed by Mary Mathis, on June 5th, 2012 Author: Uschan, Michael V. Illustrator: Series: People in the News Publisher: Lucent Books ISBN: 9781420503098;
142050309X Year Published: 2010 Price: $33.45 Grade Level: 7-9 Rating: A
- Author: Uschan, Michael V.
- Grade Level: 7-9
- ISBN: 9781420503098;
142050309X
- Length: 96 p.
- Price: $33.45
- Publisher: Lucent Books
- Rating: A
- Series: People in the News
- Year Published: 2010
In the “rags to riches” biography, we read about Tyler Perry who raised himself up from an abusive childhood to a playwright/actor/ movie producer who helps others cope with life struggles. So strongly did his faith nudge him to help others who were abused, that Tyler Perry wrote his first play, I Know I’ve Been . . . → Read More: Tyler Perry
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on June 4th, 2012 Author: Mary Fisk Pack Illustrator: Peter Malone Series: The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Dastardly Dames Publisher: Goosebottombooks ISBN: 978-0-9834256-0-1 Year Published: 2011 Price: $18.95 Grade Level: 4-8 Rating: R*
- Author: Mary Fisk Pack
- Grade Level: 4-8
- Illustrator: Peter Malone
- ISBN: 978-0-9834256-0-1
- Price: $18.95
- Publisher: Goosebottombooks
- Rating: R*
- Series: The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Dastardly Dames
- Year Published: 2011
Each book in this series of six focuses on the life of a legendary and powerful female leader from history. This Dastardly Dames biography about Cleopatra is full of engaging and fascinating pictures, illustrations and text. The full color picture book format is very readable with text boxes inset throughout featuring side notes that compliment . . . → Read More: Cleopatra “Serpent of the Nile”
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on June 4th, 2012 Author: Janie Havemeyer Illustrator: Peter Malone Series: The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Dastardly Dames Publisher: Goosebottombooks ISBN: 978-0-9834256-3-2 Year Published: 2011 Price: $18.95 Grade Level: 4 - 8 Rating: R*
- Author: Janie Havemeyer
- Grade Level: 4 - 8
- Illustrator: Peter Malone
- ISBN: 978-0-9834256-3-2
- Price: $18.95
- Publisher: Goosebottombooks
- Rating: R*
- Series: The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Dastardly Dames
- Year Published: 2011
This biography about Catherine De’Medici is one of six in the Dastardly Dames series which also includes: Cleopatra, Agrippina, Mary Tudor, Marie Antoinette and Cixi. These biographies are in picture book format with engaging illustrations and photographs including paintings and artifacts of the period. The text is full of interesting facts as well as rumors . . . → Read More: Catherine De’Medici “The Black Queen”
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