Reviewed by Christine Evans, on August 24th, 2012 Author: Shirin Yim Bridges Illustrator: Albert Nguyen Series: Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses Publisher: Goosebottombooks ISBN: 978-0-9845098-3-6 Year Published: 2010 Price: $18.95 Grade Level: 4-8 Rating: R*
- Author: Shirin Yim Bridges
- Grade Level: 4-8
- Illustrator: Albert Nguyen
- ISBN: 978-0-9845098-3-6
- Price: $18.95
- Publisher: Goosebottombooks
- Rating: R*
- Series: Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses
- Year Published: 2010
This is a good series about strong female leaders throughout history. This book is a biography of Qutlugh Terkan Khatun of Kirman. Other titles in the series include Hatshepsut of Egypt, Artemisia of Caria, Sorghaghtani of Mongolia, Isabella of Castile, and Nur Jahan of India. The illustrations, photographs of actual artifacts, maps, and time lines . . . → Read More: Qutlugh Terkan Khatun of Kirman
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on August 24th, 2012 Author: Shirin Yim Bridges Illustrator: Albert Nguyen Series: Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses Publisher: Goosebottombooks ISBN: 978-0-9845098-5-0 Year Published: 2010 Price: $18.95 Grade Level: 4-8 Rating: R*
- Author: Shirin Yim Bridges
- Grade Level: 4-8
- Illustrator: Albert Nguyen
- ISBN: 978-0-9845098-5-0
- Price: $18.95
- Publisher: Goosebottombooks
- Rating: R*
- Series: Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses
- Year Published: 2010
This is a good series about strong female leaders throughout history. This book is a biography of Nur Jahan of India. Other titles in the series include Hatshepsut of Egypt, Artemisia of Caria, Sorghaghtani of Mongolia, Qutlugh Terkan Khatun of Kirman, and Isabella of Castile. The illustrations, photographs of actual artifacts, maps, and time lines . . . → Read More: Nur Jahan of India
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on August 24th, 2012 Author: Shirin Yim Bridges Illustrator: Albert Nguyen Series: Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses Publisher: Goosebottombooks ISBN: 978-0-9845098-4-3 Year Published: 2010 Price: $18.95 Grade Level: 4-8 Rating: R
- Author: Shirin Yim Bridges
- Grade Level: 4-8
- Illustrator: Albert Nguyen
- ISBN: 978-0-9845098-4-3
- Price: $18.95
- Publisher: Goosebottombooks
- Rating: R
- Series: Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses
- Year Published: 2010
This is a good series about strong female leaders throughout history. This book is a biography of Isabella of Castile. Other titles in the series include Hatshepsut of Egypt, Artemisia of Caria, Sorghaghtani of Mongolia, Qutlugh Terkan Khatun of Kirman, and Nur Jahan of India. The illustrations, photographs of actual artifacts, maps, and time lines . . . → Read More: Isabella of Castile
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on August 24th, 2012 Author: Jeff Savage Illustrator: Paul Daly Series: True Tales of the Wild West Publisher: Enslow Publishers, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-7660-4022-9 Year Published: 2012 Price: $7.95 Grade Level: 5-9 Rating: A
- Author: Jeff Savage
- Grade Level: 5-9
- Illustrator: Paul Daly
- ISBN: 978-0-7660-4022-9
- Price: $7.95
- Publisher: Enslow Publishers, Inc.
- Rating: A
- Series: True Tales of the Wild West
- Year Published: 2012
This book in the four volume series about the wild west, is about pioneering women. Chapters include Defending our Home, The First Western Women, Hard Living, Independence, Outlaws, and Change and Reform. The organization of the information felt a bit disjointed at times. I would have liked the writing style to flow a bit more . . . → Read More: Pioneering Women
Reviewed by Kristi Bonds, on August 23rd, 2012 Author: Chris Lynch Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Scholastic Press ISBN: 9780545270267 Year Published: 2012 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: Rating: R
- Author: Chris Lynch
- ISBN: 9780545270267
- Price: 16.99
- Publisher: Scholastic Press
- Rating: R
- Year Published: 2012
Morris, Rudi, Beck, and Ivan have just graduated from high school. They are the best of buds and they make pacts with each other. But the Vietnam War is raging. So when one is drafted, they all join up. This is great news for Ivan, the son of a retired Marine Corp Captain. What begins . . . → Read More: Vietnam Book #2: Sharpshooter
Reviewed by Kristi Bonds, on August 23rd, 2012 Author: Elizabeth Eulberg Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Scholastic Point ISBN: 9780545334747 Year Published: 2012 Price: 17.99 Grade Level: 9-12th Rating: R
- Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
- Grade Level: 9-12th
- ISBN: 9780545334747
- Price: 17.99
- Publisher: Scholastic Point
- Rating: R
- Year Published: 2012
Elizabeth Eulberg takes readers into the lives of four teens trying to rise to the top of an exclusive performing arts high school in New York City. In a world where everyone is in competition with each other, the characters Emme, Sophie, Carter and Ethan have much more in your face lessons to learn on . . . → Read More: Take A Bow
Reviewed by Kristi Bonds, on August 23rd, 2012 Author: Todd Strasser Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Simon and Schuster ISBN: 978141697511 Year Published: 2011 Price: 15.99 Grade Level: 7th and up Rating: Ad
- Author: Todd Strasser
- Grade Level: 7th and up
- ISBN: 978141697511
- Price: 15.99
- Publisher: Simon and Schuster
- Rating: Ad
- Year Published: 2011
Jamie Gordon feels naked without her camera. Viewing the world through a lense is giving her more opportunities in life than just attending high school. Becoming a paparazzo in New York City is fast becoming her only passion, even at the expense of her closest relationships with her boyfriend, her handicapped brother and her best . . . → Read More: Famous
Reviewed by Carol Hahn, on August 23rd, 2012 Author: Durand, Hallie Illustrator: Davenier, Christine Series: Publisher: Atheneum ISBN: 9781416963851 Year Published: 2009 Price: $14.99 Grade Level: 1-4 Rating: Ad
- Author: Durand, Hallie
- Illustrator: Davenier, Christine
- Grade Level: 1-4
- ISBN: 9781416963851
- Length: 151 pgs
- Price: $14.99
- Publisher: Atheneum
- Rating: Ad
- Year Published: 2009
This is a sweet little book, perfect for beginning readers, particularly little girls. The title and book jacket illustration are somewhat misleading. The cover shows a young girl spooning up an ice cream sundae–yum! However, the sundae isn’t the dessert, she is–it’s her name. Dessert is the eldest of four children, whose family owns a . . . → Read More: Dessert First
Reviewed by Janet Enlow, on August 22nd, 2012 Author: Gibbs, Stuart Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Simon & Schuster ISBN: 978-1-4169-8731-4 Year Published: 2010 Price: $15.99 Grade Level: 4th, 5th, 6th Rating: R
- Author: Gibbs, Stuart
- Grade Level: 4th, 5th, 6th
- ISBN: 978-1-4169-8731-4
- Length: 294 p.
- Price: $15.99
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster
- Rating: R
- Reading level: 4th, 5th, 6th
- Year Published: 2010
Teddy, a boy whose parents live and work in the FunJungle theme park, knows FunJungle all too well, and finds out that Henry the Hippo was murdered. Teddy decides to investigate the murder himself which turns out to be life threatening when dangerous animals are set loose in Teddy’s presence. As Teddy’s investigation gets deeper, . . . → Read More: Belly Up
Reviewed by Carol Hahn, on August 21st, 2012 Author: Nielsen, Jennifer A. Illustrator: Series: The Ascendance Trilogy, Book one Publisher: Scholastic Press ISBN: 9780545284134 Year Published: 2012 Price: $17.99 Grade Level: 4th and up Rating: R
- Author: Nielsen, Jennifer A.
- Grade Level: 4th and up
- ISBN: 9780545284134
- Length: 342 pgs
- Price: $17.99
- Publisher: Scholastic Press
- Year Published: 2012
- Series: The Ascendance Trilogy, Book one
- Rating: R
Sage is an orphan who is quick-witted, agile and clever. Caught stealing meat, a country gentleman bails him out of trouble with the butcher and takes him from the orphanage. Along with Sage, Conner, the country gentleman, procures two other orphans of similar looks and age. The three boys accompany Conner and his companions to . . . → Read More: The False Prince
Reviewed by Carol Hahn, on August 21st, 2012 Author: Daneshvari, Gitty Illustrator: Gifford, Carrie Series: School of Fear Publisher: Little, Brown ISBN: 9780316033282 Year Published: 2010 Price: $16.99 Grade Level: 4th and up Rating: R
- Author: Daneshvari, Gitty
- Illustrator: Gifford, Carrie
- Grade Level: 4th and up
- ISBN: 9780316033282
- Length: 307 pgs
- Price: $16.99
- Publisher: Little, Brown
- Year Published: 2010
- Series: School of Fear
- Rating: R
In this second installment of School of Fear, Garrison, Theo, Madeleine, and Lulu, are all returning to Summerstone and Mrs. Wellington, Macaroni, and Schmidty, for the required follow-up retraining session. All four of the returning alumni believed themselves to be ‘fixed’ of their irrational fears, but we find that not to be true. Shortly after . . . → Read More: School of Fear: Class is NOT Dismissed!
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 13th, 2012 Author: Rachel Lynette Illustrator: Series: Creatures of the Deep Publisher: Raintree ISBN: 978-1-4109-4195-4 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: 3-8 Rating: Recommended
- Author: Rachel Lynette
- Grade Level: 3-8
- ISBN: 978-1-4109-4195-4
- Length: 32 p.
- Publisher: Raintree
- Rating: Recommended
- Reading level: R
- Series: Creatures of the Deep
- Year Published: 2012
Ewe! Ick! I’ve heard of anglerfish before, and I know that down in the depths of the ocean where there is no light creatures have not evolved with physical beauty in mind, but yuck! The color photos that fill this book bring to life in all their ugly detail creatures most of us will never . . . → Read More: Deep-Sea Anglerfish and Other Fearsome Fish
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 13th, 2012 Author: David Schach Illustrator: Series: The Unexplained Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-053125002-0 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: 2-5 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: David Schach
- Grade Level: 2-5
- ISBN: 978-053125002-0
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Series: The Unexplained
- Year Published: 2012
Obviously trying to target reluctant readers with high-interest topics, this series seems to be more about marketing the substance. This is the third one in the series that I have reviewed, and like the others, there’s much attention given to dramatic images and fonts, and just a little, relatively shallow, information (okay, I did learn . . . → Read More: Sea Monsters
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 13th, 2012 Author: Tim Egan Illustrator: Series: Dodsworth Publisher: Houghton Mifflin ISBN: 978-0-547-39006-2 Year Published: 2011 Price: $14.99 Grade Level: 1-3 Rating: Recommended
- Author: Tim Egan
- Grade Level: 1-3
- ISBN: 978-0-547-39006-2
- Price: $14.99
- Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
- Rating: Recommended
- Series: Dodsworth
- Year Published: 2011
Fans of Egan’s picture book, The Pink Refrigerator, will be able to follow the further adventures of Dodsworth in this series as he sets off to explore the world. This is one of those bridging books for young readers that claims to be a chapter book (4 short chapters), but would be just as much . . . → Read More: Dodsworth in Rome
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 13th, 2012 Author: Michael Dahl Illustrator: Dan Schoening Series: DC Super Heroes Publisher: Stone Arch Books / Capstone ISBN: 978-1-4342-1563-5 Year Published: 2010 Price: Grade Level: 1-5 Rating: Highly Recommended
- Author: Michael Dahl
- Grade Level: 1-5
- Illustrator: Dan Schoening
- ISBN: 978-1-4342-1563-5
- Length: 48 p.
- Publisher: Stone Arch Books / Capstone
- Rating: Highly Recommended
- Series: DC Super Heroes
- Year Published: 2010
- Reading level: 3.4 / Guided Reading M
I’ve read several in this series now, and I really like them. I think they are great tools for creating a bridge for comic book fans to stretch themselves into chapter books. They are beginning chapter books, with large fonts, short chapters, and a few full-page color illustrations that still have a comic book . . . → Read More: The Man Behind the Mask
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 13th, 2012 Author: Michael Dahl Illustrator: Gregg Schigiel Series: DC Super Heroes Publisher: Stone Arch Books / Capstone ISBN: 978-0-4342-1569-7 Year Published: 2010 Price: Grade Level: 1-5 Rating: Highly Recommended
- Author: Michael Dahl
- Grade Level: 1-5
- Illustrator: Gregg Schigiel
- ISBN: 978-0-4342-1569-7
- Length: 49 p.
- Publisher: Stone Arch Books / Capstone
- Rating: Highly Recommended
- Series: DC Super Heroes
- Year Published: 2010
I’ve read several in this series now, and I really like them. I think they are great tools for creating a bridge for comic book fans to stretch themselves into chapter books. They are beginning chapter books, with large fonts, short chapters, and a few full-page color illustrations that still have a comic book feel . . . → Read More: The Shrinking City
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 13th, 2012 Author: Peter Bently Illustrator: Chris Harrison Series: Vampire School Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company ISBN: 978-0-8075-8464-4 Year Published: 2010 Price: $13.99 Grade Level: 1-3 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Peter Bently
- Grade Level: 1-3
- Illustrator: Chris Harrison
- ISBN: 978-0-8075-8464-4
- Length: 91 p.
- Price: $13.99
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
- Series: Vampire School
- Year Published: 2010
It’s kind of a flat little story: the characters are just sort of there, without any real personality to them, and the plot is kind of bland. It’s a beginning chapter book with large font and lots of black and white illustrations, which tells the story of a group of young vampires who go on . . . → Read More: Ghoul Trip
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 9th, 2012 Author: Allen Say Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-545-17686-6 Year Published: 2011 Price: $17.99 Grade Level: 4 and up Rating: Highly Recommended
- Author: Allen Say
- Grade Level: 4 and up
- ISBN: 978-0-545-17686-6
- Length: 62 p.
- Price: $17.99
- Publisher: Scholastic
- Rating: Highly Recommended
- Year Published: 2011
This autobiography of Caldecott winning author/illustrator Allen Say traces his life from a sheltered childhood along seashore of Japan, when his mother introduced him to books and drawing early in order to keep him safely at home, through the disruptions brought upon his family during WWII, his estrangement from his father, his efforts to pursue . . . → Read More: Drawing from Memory
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 9th, 2012 Author: Sara Holbrook Illustrator: Karen Sandstrom Series: Publisher: Wordsong / Boyds Mills Press ISBN: 978-1-59078-820-2 Year Published: 2010 Price: $16.95 Grade Level: 3-8 Rating: Not Recommended
- Author: Sara Holbrook
- Grade Level: 3-8
- Illustrator: Karen Sandstrom
- ISBN: 978-1-59078-820-2
- Length: 56 p.
- Price: $16.95
- Publisher: Wordsong / Boyds Mills Press
- Rating: Not Recommended
- Year Published: 2010
I blame the poor quality of this book on the editors’ failures. There are some good poems in the mix, but the over-all volume is a flop. The author’s running metacognitive commentary on her poems is often arrogant and patronizing, and always distracting. That sort of thing should be saved for and English textbook . . . → Read More: Zombies! Evacuate the School!
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 9th, 2012 Author: Sara Holbrook Illustrator: Karen Sandstrom Series: Publisher: Wordsong / Boyds Mills Press ISBN: 978-1-59078-821-9 Year Published: 2010 Price: $16.95 Grade Level: 3-8 Rating: Not Recommended
- Author: Sara Holbrook
- Grade Level: 3-8
- Illustrator: Karen Sandstrom
- ISBN: 978-1-59078-821-9
- Length: 56 p.
- Price: $16.95
- Publisher: Wordsong / Boyds Mills Press
- Rating: Not Recommended
- Year Published: 2010
I blame the poor quality of this book on the editors’ failures. There are some good poems in the mix, but the over-all volume is a flop. The author’s running metacognitive commentary on her poems is often arrogant and patronizing, and always distracting. That sort of thing should be saved for and English textbook in . . . → Read More: Weird? (Me, Too!) Let’s Be Friends
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 9th, 2012 Author: Susan K. Mitchell Illustrator: Series: The Secret World of Spies Publisher: Enslow Publishers, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-7660-3712-0 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: 3-8 Rating:
- Author: Susan K. Mitchell
- Grade Level: 3-8
- ISBN: 978-0-7660-3712-0
- Length: 48 p.
- Publisher: Enslow Publishers, Inc.
- Series: The Secret World of Spies
- Year Published: 2012
Bound to be a topic of high interest. This slim volume contains a lot of information about a variety of spying technologies, the purposes for which they were developed, and the historical/political contexts in which they’ve been used. The main critique I have of the book has to do with its organization — the publisher’s . . . → Read More: Spy Tech — Digital Dangers
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 9th, 2012 Author: Rosemary Mastnak Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont ISBN: 9781921288906 Year Published: 2008 Price: $16.99 Grade Level: K-3 Rating: Highly Recommended
- Author: Rosemary Mastnak
- Grade Level: K-3
- ISBN: 9781921288906
- Price: $16.99
- Publisher: Hardie Grant Egmont
- Rating: Highly Recommended
- Year Published: 2008
Not a lot of text. Not a complex story. But ever-so-very relatable, and stunning water-color illustrations that celebrate the impromptu decision of Grandma and Granddaughter to drop everything and go dancing through the house, dressed up in scarves and crowns, with the pets joining in the fun, until they all collapse. Grandma’s got some moves . . . → Read More: Dancing with Grandma
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 9th, 2012 Author: Ann Malaspina Illustrator: Eric Velasquez Series: Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company ISBN: 978-0-8075-8035-6 Year Published: 2012 Price: $16.99 Grade Level: All Ages Rating: Highly Recommended
- Author: Ann Malaspina
- Grade Level: All Ages
- Illustrator: Eric Velasquez
- ISBN: 978-0-8075-8035-6
- Price: $16.99
- Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
- Rating: Highly Recommended
- Year Published: 2012
This is a beautiful and inspiring book. Free verse poetry tells the biography of Alice Coachman, the first African American woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Beginning in Alice’s childhood in the 1930s, it tells of her active nature, the first time she saw a high jumper, her desire to try, and the roadblocks . . . → Read More: Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic high jumper
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 9th, 2012 Author: Cori Doerrfeld Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Little, Brown and Company ISBN: 978-0-316-05458-4 Year Published: 2011 Price: $15.99 Grade Level: K-2 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Cori Doerrfeld
- Grade Level: K-2
- ISBN: 978-0-316-05458-4
- Price: $15.99
- Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Year Published: 2011
Here we have yet another new baby book. Penny spends most of the book listing all the pink things she loves. She is horrified when she is called to come meet her new baby brother because boys are blue, but then when the blue blanket is unwrapped and Penny sees his red hair and rosey . . . → Read More: Penny Loves Pink
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on August 9th, 2012 Author: Kelly Doudna Illustrator: Series: Super Simple Science Publisher: Abdo ISBN: 978-1-61714-672-5 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: 2-5 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Kelly Doudna
- Grade Level: 2-5
- ISBN: 978-1-61714-672-5
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Abdo
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Series: Super Simple Science
- Year Published: 2011
The good things about this book are that it uses supplies that really are easily on hand for most kids, and both the directions and explanation are very clearly given and easy to understand. The problem with this book is that it actually takes all the real opportunities to think away from the child. It . . . → Read More: Super Simple Things to Do with Balloons: fun and easy science for kids
|