The Arabian horse is one of the oldest and most popular of horse breeds.  This book describes their physical features and provides a brief history from the Ancient Egyptians 4500 years ago, to the nomads in the deserts in the Middle East 2000 years ago, to the present.  There are more than 600,000 pure-bred Arabians registered with the Arabian Horse Association.  Today, there are many competitions that test the horse’s stamina as well as the rider’s horsemanship.  This breed is popular because of its intelligence, beauty, temperament,and endurance.  Two individual Arabians, Merango and Cass Ole, are briefly mentioned.  Included in the back is a glossary, index, a factsurfer website, and three other books written at a similar level to read to learn more.

This amazing, yet dangerous, crocodile is one of the largest reptiles in the world.  Their bodies are built to make them one of the most deadly of predators.  One learns about physical characteristics, habitats, and behaviors in this fascinating book about an animal that has changed little since the dinosaur age.  Photos, well-written text, and a map help describe this ferocious animal.  Many pages have additional fact boxes.  Also included are a glossary, a factsurfer website, and three book written at a similar reading level for additional information.  Each page is visually interesting making this a real page-turner.

Liberty Porter is a fourth grader whose father just happens to be President of the United States.  Being the new student in school is tough enough and having one’s own secret service agent can complicate things.  Liberty is up-beat and determined to live a normal life both inside and outside the White House.  The story tells of Liberty fitting in with other students as well as including interesting facts of past presidents and White House trivia.  This is book two in the series.  The text is well-spaced on the page.  Paige Pooler’s black and white drawings highlight particular events in Liberty’s daily life.  Quick and fun to read, many will be drawn to typical family and school situations as well as taking a look inside the White House.  Liberty portrays a strong female image and encourages one to take the high road, be kind, and stay true.

In this first book of the Agent Amelia series, elementary school secret agent Amelia Kidd uses her skills and gadgets to protect the world.  In the first chapter, she is convinced her teacher is a criminal mastermind who intends to steal the Ghost Diamond.  In Chapter 2, cats are disappearing.  She suspects a local fish shop of planning a bank robbery using the cats to infiltrate the bank.  In chapter 3, while at a garden center with her family, she suspects an employee of developing hybrid weeds to spread into every garden and farm.  Amelia uses disguises and devices to foil the attempts of these evil geniuses and to save the world.  Michael Broad’s pencil illustrations and large font make this fast-paced story entertaining.  This series appears to be written for a younger reader, yet the AR level is upper fifth and sixth.

Zander Scott and three friends publish a school newspaper called”The Cruisers” at DaVinci Academy for Gifted and Talented in Harlem.  When Sidney, a chess prodigy, is caught trying to buy drugs, his friends are stunned.  Sidney is not the stereotypical drug user and his friends are determined to get to the bottom of this unexpected problem.  Although the setting and language reflect a predominately poor area in New York City, the characters and situation are common throughout the world.  Walter Dean Myers uses his characters to explore and genuinely deliver an anti-drug message.  This is book two in the series but can be read as a stand-alone.

Second grade Keena Ford loves to write in her favorite journal where she records all her thoughts and feelings about daily happenings of friends and family.  When she accidentally leaves it at Tiffany’s apartment, Tiffany meanly says she will reveal all of Keena’s secrets unless Keena does what she says.  To complicate matters, Keena has to write a speech on friendship to honor a  visiting author.  The story is written in journal style and the reader easily identifies with her issues with a sometimes grumpy older brother, civil but divorced parents, and the delemmas of friendships.  Keena’s spunky personality prevails, she confronts Tiffany, and takes responsibility for her journal entries.  Characters are likeable and both family and friendship situations are realistic.  Frank Morrison’s black and white illustrations are expresswive and well-placed to support the story.  Melissa Thompson has written three Keena Ford stories to date.  Readers of Keena stories may also enjoy Sharon Draper’s “Sassy” books.

Joseph Bruchac, known for his many books on Indigenous peoples of the Americas, has written a lovely book of simple pleasures shared by fathers and sons.  Thirteen varied settings, times of year, and ethnicities show tender, affectionate moments in father-son relationships.  Every double-page spread contains one large and four smaller beautiful illustrations of a day in the lives of each father and son.  A one-line rhyming verse relates the companionship of the pair.  Wendy Anderson Halperin’s crayon and pencil drawings are outstanding.  A perfect match to the obvious joy and comfort sons receive from their dads.

Moldy Mozzarella! Geronimo Stilton has his own graphic novel!  Stories have gone high-tech and include a time machine.  It’s cats vs rats as the Pirate cats and Geronimo’s family go back in time to sail with Columbus.  The Pirate cats want to change history by preventing Columbus from discovering America.  Geronimo and relatives use Professor Volt’s new time machine, Speedrat, to travel back to join Christopher Columbus’s crew in order to foil the cats’ intentions.  Font color and style are still included with the comic book format.  Fact boxes add information about Columbus and his expedition in 1492. End pages introduce this cast of characters and give a taste of the story inside.  There is plenty of action and shenanigans to make this a true page-turner.  A fun combination of historical facts and fantasy to appeal to Geronimo Stilton fans.

In the second graphic novel of Geronimo Stilton and his time-traveling relatives, Geronimo’s family departs Mouse City in the middle of winter to go to Ancient Egypt, around 2484 BC.  Professor Volt has discovered an indication that someone is trying to change history which will affect the present.  Geronimo and family travel by time machine to the Egyptian civilization in the 4th dynasty ruled by Pharaoh Chephren.  Someone is trying to convince him to change the face of the Great Sphinx to that of a cat.  When Geronimo’s group obtain jobs in the palace, they discover the culprits are the Pirate cats.  They learn of the cats’ plan to over-throw the Pharaoh and are able to prevent it at the last moment.  The typical font color and style in other Geronimo books are still present in this graphic novel format.  Fact boxes add information about Ancient Egypt during Pharaoh Chephren’s reign.  If one can ignore a few inconsistencies (Geronimo surviving after being run over by a 2.5 ton block of stone, the dates mentioned for the time period – 2484 BC stated by Professor Volt and 2588-2563 BC referred to in a text box, and hungry crocodiles in the Nile at one moment and not the next – then this adventure has plenty of action!  Geronimo Stilton fans will enjoy reading this book.

An eating disorder means a person is not able to use food in a normal way.  Food consumption and weight are usually not the focus, but symptoms of a deeper, emotional issue.  The Hot Topics series attempts to provide a variety of facts and opinions so young people can think critically and become knowledgeable.  The three main types of eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating) are explained.  There is a brief history of eating disorders and how neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine) can affect appetite behaviors.  Personal stories, some with true names withheld, tell of those dealing with this disorder.  One chapter deals only with diagnosis and treatment and how complicated it can be.  The final chapter focuses on prevention.  This targets those at-risk as well as providing over-all health advice while attempting to change beliefs and attitudes about body image.  Education is the key to protecting oneself and understanding the pull of eating disorders.  In the back are many pages of notes of the resources used, discussion questions for each chapter, other books to read, websites, and an index.  This is a starting place for information about eating disorders.

Simply defining fibromyalgia has proven difficult because there is disagreement of whether it is a symptom or a disease.  There are a variety of treatments but no known cure.  The book has three chapters: Understanding Fibromyalgia, Controversies Concerning Fibromyalgia, and Personal Narratives About Fibromyalgia.  Because not all physicians see this as a disease, treatment differs.  This book presents many points of view and facts associated with fibromyalgia, but no definitive form of  treatment.  The information found in the book about this mysterious illness may help those with, or know someone with, fibromyalgia to understand they are not alone.  Found in the back is a complete glossary, a timeline of major “firsts”, many organizations to contact for more details, an extensive list of books and periodicals to read, and a comprehensive index.  Good resource and starting place for information about this baffling ailment.

In the Patagonia region in Argentina there is an unusual cave called Cueva de las Manos – the Cave of the Hands.  the Tehuelche tribe lived there long before Europeans ever wandered into the area.  Today there is no one left who can explain the sacred cave and why, among the 890 separate hand paintings, there is one foot.  T. A. Barron could not resist creating an explanation.  Auki, “Little Hunter”, begged his father to be taken along on a hunt only to be told he must wait.  Auki practiced his skills and worked on his patience.  When he was refused again, Auki set out on his own.  If he could find and follow the puma back to its cave, Auki could prove he was competent to join a hunt.  Instead, the puma surprised him and he fell down a canyon, injuring his foot.  As he examined his surroundings, he discovered the cave – and a grouchy painter.  Slowly limping after being sent away, he heard a shout.  The puma had returned.  Without thinking, Auki charged, yelling, waving his arms, and kicked the puma in the head.  The story is rich and realistic.  William Low’s exquisite, vibrant illustrations are perfectly suited to the story.  Teachers will find many reasons to keep this book on hand.

North and South America were the last continents to be populated by humans.  So, just how did we get here?  Archeologists have studied artifacts for clues and have many theories.  There are those who believe people migrated across a land bridge from Siberia, or eastern Asia, others believe they came by boat from Japan or southeast Asia, and still others have found connections that support the idea that people journeyed by boat from Europe.  David Harrison shares how archeologists, geologists, anthropologists, and other scientists seek evidence of human activities and put together theories to this, as yet unsolved, mystery.  Photographs, maps, and realistic art illustrate the text.  The quest for traces that will help explain our past is fascinating.  The book includes a glossary of helpful terms, an extensive list of references, photo credits, and an index.  This book presents an excellent look into our past.

A great way to eat healthy foods is to grown them. This book addresses many points a young person should consider when planting a garden.  Choosing the right kind of soil and how to tell, is presented first.  Because some foods grow easily from seeds and some from established plants, suggestions are given.  Next, placement of seeds or plants in the garden are suggested as well as how to tell when it is time to water.  This 32 page book has many useful hints on how to be a successful gardener.  “Signs” of additional facts are found on many pages.  The book is well organized, information is accurate, and the reader is encouraged to ask an adult or check with a garden store if further questions arise.  Text is easily read, illustrations are colorful and are well chosen to support text.  The Abdo Book Links site has many books and recipes.  Also included are a glossary and an index.

The title is a bit misleading because this book gives information on tomatoes – what they are, how to grow them, and how to care for the tomato plant. The font is large and photographs are clear and colorful.  Each photo has labels or additional information.  The book concludes with a  recipe for a cheese and tomato sandwich, a glossary, another book to read, three websites on gardens for children, and an index.  Good information about tomatoes for elementary readers.

The association between the name of Hershey and chocolate is so strong, it is hard to understand Milton Hershey’s first candy business was with caramels.  The highlights of Hershey’s life begin with his birth in 1857 and his first businesses making caramels in Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York.  In 1893, he saw chocolate being made and spent years looking for a correct recipe for his chocolate.  As his businesses grew, he added homes and towns for his employees.  He and his wife established a school for orphand boys.  He provided jobs, gave to charities, supported education, and made aailable cultural opportunities.  Since the camera was invented about the same time of Hershey’s life, most of the photographs are  black and white.  They are well chosen to complement the text.  Included is a timeline, chocolate facts, a glossary, an Abdo website with extra information, and an index.  this biography is an ample introduction to Milton Hershey.  Recommended for libraries.

Young readers learn the basic process of how honey is made starting from when a bee first visits a flower.  The book has bright colors, large close-up photographs and simple text.  A brief glossary includes pronunciation cues.  Also included is an index.

General basic information on volcanoes at best. The color photos were the best part of this book.

As a Washingtonian since the mid 1950s, I could not get past the two errors dealing with the 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens. On page 26, it is stated, “Hot ash led to fires.” And on page 27 it states, ” Forests were destroyed by lava, which hardened into rock.” Sorry, but no! The mudflows and the force of the pyroclastic blast / flow leveled and destroyed the forests.  Please check with the U.S. Forest Service.

I , also, take issue with the definition for the word ‘dense’ in the glossary on page 31. The glossary states – “dense heavy compared to other objects of the same size.” The Microsoft Encarta College Dictionary defines dense as, “tightly packed…very thick…”

The old adage – A picture is worth a 1000 words – is certainly true for the spectacular color photos of eight different ‘infamous volcanoes’ erupting, each one distinctly different. Each volcano is accompanied by a paragraph of text dealing with the when, where, and what of each.

The XTREME FACTS factoid/trivia found on each 2-page spread takes this volcano book from plain facts to awesome dramatic facts!

George Beard & Harold Hutchins have written yet another book much to the displeasure of their school principal. As a teacher-librarian, I don’t particularly mind the use of bathroom humor (pee, doo-doo, toilet paper, & poop), if it gets the usual non-readers, especially boys, to read, but their principal. George and Harold’s third epic novel has plenty of it,too. It, also, has quite a few phonetically spelled words: unforchenetly, invenchon, rearanging,  and new clear power plant. But George and Harold did write it themselves and without the use of computers either, from the look of the of the hand-written text. Thanks to  George and Harold, I won’t be able to look at cases of disposable diapers again in Costco without (giggling and) recalling the towns people using them when all of the toilets were stolen, THENCE the title of the book.

Includes 10 flip-o-rama animated cartoons.

Mike Thaler, once again, has Hubie all in a tither because ” I have to take a computer class this year.” Hubie’s imagination runs wild over over all the computer terms he’s heard: cursor, bites, lock & keypad, boots, monitors, pixels, ram, search engines, computer crashes, The Hacker & The BLOG,  and virus to name a few. “It all sounds very dangerous to me.”  Reality sets in on the last five pages as Hubie begins his computer class with his wonderfully friendly/helpful teacher Miss Pluggins.

I especially loved Jared Lee’s illustration of Hubie in a STAR WARS scene to accompany Thaler’s text “… or fly into hyperlink and hang out at a space bar.”

This short book gives the quintessential dates and mandates behind the battles the reader usually thinks about  dealing with World War II. Four chapters follow the Setting the Scene: The Last War? : Ch. 1 – The Beginning, Ch. 2 – The European Theater, Ch. 3 –  The Home Front,  Ch. 4 – War in the Pacific, followed by Map of the Events – What Happened Where? , The Story Continues: New World Powers, and Influential Individuals, Timeline*, Living History, Resources, Glossary, Index.

The concise timeline* helped but events in order from Europe to Japan to Pearl Harbor to Europe and back to Japan. This book filled in some missing pieces for me. Example: In 1941, Roosevelt and Churchill agreed to “Europe first… defeating Germany first. They would then move on to Italy and Japan.”  And how many days between  dropping the first atomic bomb, the second atomic bomb, and the Japanese surrender.

Professor Von Skalpel lives in Monster Manor with some unique and interesting creatures. Professor Von Skalpel tries out his new monster glue and creates a new monster that ends up losing its body parts all over the place because the glue is not affective. Add in a grumpy and selfish wolf man and the manor creatures start to complain! However, Professor Von Skalpel invents a new glue and creates a nice, new monster named Momo who straightens out the wolf man. Although the plot is simplistic, it is a fun read with the doctor’s Transylvanian accent, a skeleton with a lisp, and quick, silly humor. This series is a great option for reluctant readers.

When four 12 year old kids accept the challenge to individually join the candy making contest to create the best candy of all time, they are in for a big surprise as they become friends and learn how their lives have intertwined in the past. They also learn of secrets that each one has been holding on to. Logan, the candy maker’s son has severe scars covering his face and arms. Miles, who has unique “allergies” to row boats and the color pink, has been dealing with a death of a young girl. Daisy has been a child spy her entire life and has been hired to steal the candy maker’s secret ingredient. Phillip, the snobby, rude kid (who is ultimately responsible for Logan’s scars)must deal with his business-oriented father who is preparing a hostile take-over of the entire candy factory. If only it were that simple…  Although the story has a fun plot, I believe it could have been condensed, leaving out many insignificant details.

Is Amelia a secret agent, like she says she is, or does she just fall into all of these situations involving ‘evil geniuses and criminal masterminds‘? Whichever the case, she saves the day, A LOT! Did I forget to mention she is still in grade school?  In Book #2, she solves three cases: The Case of the Zombie Cows, The Case of the Perilous Pipe, and The Case of the Creepy Cakes. The ‘zombie cows’ are part of a plot to take over the horse racing world. The ‘perilous pipe’ is a plot to use THE PIPED PIPER’S pipe to hold the school children for ransom. And the ‘creepy cakes’ is a plot to make the general public all over-weight so two twin sister, former super models, will be able to get back into modeling.

English author and illustrator- Michael Broad successfully pulls off Amelia’s secret agent ploy with illustrations on every page.