Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 8th, 2013 Author: Nancy Dickmann Illustrator: Series: Healthy Eating with My Plate / Acorn Publisher: Heinemann Library / Capstone ISBN: 978-1-4329-6973-8 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Not Recommended
- Author: Nancy Dickmann
- Grade Level: K-1
- ISBN: 978-1-4329-6973-8
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Heinemann Library / Capstone
- Series: Healthy Eating with My Plate / Acorn
- Year Published: 2012
- Rating: Not Recommended
Even for an early reader, this book is way too simplified and general. It’s only got one sentence per page, and those sentences are so vague as to provide very little information, even bordering on misinformation by way of omission. It answers the question, “What are fruits?” with the statement, “Fruits are parts of plants.” . . . → Read More: Fruits
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 8th, 2013 Author: Rebecca Weber Illustrator: Series: Health and Your Body / Pebble Plus Publisher: Capstone Press ISBN: 978-1-4296-7694-6 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-2 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Rebecca Weber
- Grade Level: K-2
- ISBN: 978-1-4296-7694-6
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Capstone Press
- Reading level: K-1
- Series: Health and Your Body / Pebble Plus
- Year Published: 2012
- Rating: Additional Purchase
I like the size and the sturdy binding and the color photos, and I like that most pages include 2-4 sentences rather than some early readers that only have 1-2 sentences per page, but I think it’s trying to be more than it can be. Given the limitations of the early-reader format, it perhaps needed . . . → Read More: Safety Basics
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 8th, 2013 Author: Megan Borgert-Spaniol Illustrator: Series: Blastoff Readers / Eating Right with My Plate Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-053120656-0 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-2 Rating: Recommended
- Author: Megan Borgert-Spaniol
- Grade Level: K-2
- ISBN: 978-053120656-0
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Reading level: Early
- Series: Blastoff Readers / Eating Right with My Plate
- Year Published: 2012
- Rating: Recommended
Recommended with reservations. It fits a narrow curriculum niche, strictly for young readers for health lessons — not likely to be chosen as recreational reading. But if you need something to fit this niche, it’s a good selection: one to two sentence on each page are accompanied by full-page color illustrations; it explains what kinds . . . → Read More: Dairy Group
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 8th, 2013 Author: Megan Borgert-Spaniol Illustrator: Series: Blastoff Readers / Eating Right with My Plate Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-053120661-4 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-2 Rating: Recommended
- Author: Megan Borgert-Spaniol
- Grade Level: K-2
- ISBN: 978-053120661-4
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Series: Blastoff Readers / Eating Right with My Plate
- Reading level: Early
- Year Published: 2012
- Rating: Recommended
I recommend this book with reservations. It is strictly an early reader book, and it is not likely to be chosen for recreational reading, which means it serves a small niche in a school library collection. I have a hard time recommending such books, due to the limited information one gets for one’s buck, but . . . → Read More: Protein Foods Group
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 7th, 2013 Author: Karl Zimmermann Illustrator: Steven Walker Series: Publisher: Boyds Mills Press ISBN: 978-0-59078-859-2 Year Published: 2012 Price: 16.95 Grade Level: 1-3 Rating: Not Recommended
- Author: Karl Zimmermann
- Grade Level: 1-3
- Illustrator: Steven Walker
- ISBN: 978-0-59078-859-2
- Price: 16.95
- Publisher: Boyds Mills Press
- Rating: Not Recommended
- Year Published: 2012
I love the illustrations: they evoke the time period well and draw the reader in. Unfortunately, the writing doesn’t live up to the illustrations. The story is not told very well, and this reader was left wondering why I’m supposed to care about this particular bit of obscure American history. Questions are left unanswered. After . . . → Read More: The Stourbridge Lion: America’s first locomotive
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 7th, 2013 Author: Kevin Lewis Illustrator: David Ercolini Series: Publisher: Orchard Books / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-439-43981-7 Year Published: 2011 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: K-3 Rating: Recommended
- Author: Kevin Lewis
- Grade Level: K-3
- Illustrator: David Ercolini
- ISBN: 978-0-439-43981-7
- Price: 16.99
- Publisher: Orchard Books / Scholastic
- Rating: Recommended
- Year Published: 2011
In rhyming verse, this tells the story of a boy who likes to explore. When his mother protests his tendency to bring bugs home, he brings a mouse home instead. As mom continues to protest, he continues to escalate, bringing home a pig a moose, an elephant, and a whale. In the end mom decides . . . → Read More: Not Inside This House
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Gary Soto Illustrator: Rhode Montijo Series: Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons / Penguin Young Readers ISBN: 978-0-399-24504-6 Year Published: 2012 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: K-3 Rating: Recommended
- Author: Gary Soto
- Grade Level: K-3
- Illustrator: Rhode Montijo
- ISBN: 978-0-399-24504-6
- Price: 16.99
- Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons / Penguin Young Readers
- Rating: Recommended
- Year Published: 2012
A young rabbit who’s nervous about his upcoming baseball tryouts listens to his dad’s stories about what he and his friends did for luck when he was a boy. On the way to tryouts, young Luis stops at the market and enjoys a free sample on offer, and does really well. The stops at the . . . → Read More: Lucky Luis
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Erika L. Shores Illustrator: Series: Joke Books Publisher: Capstone Press ISBN: 978-1-4296-7563-5 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: 2-5 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Erika L. Shores
- Grade Level: 2-5
- ISBN: 978-1-4296-7563-5
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Capstone Press
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Series: Joke Books
- Year Published: 2012, 2012
I very nearly gave this a “recommended.” The riddles are generally quite clever (all school themed, as the title indicates), and these types of play on words are good for developing children’s vocabulary. The reason I hesitate is based on bang for one’s library buck — given the cost of reinforced library binding, I’d like . . . → Read More: Silly Classroom Jokes
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Charles Ghigna Illustrator: Ag Jatkowska Series: Publisher: Picture Window Books / Capstone ISBN: 978-1-4048-6589-1 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-2 Rating: Recommended
- Author: Charles Ghigna
- Illustrator: Ag Jatkowska
- Grade Level: K-2
- ISBN: 978-1-4048-6589-1
- Publisher: Picture Window Books / Capstone
- Rating: Recommended
- Reading level: Emergent
- Year Published: 2012
It’s charming. The text is simple — one sentence per page, arranged in rhyming pairs, all starting with “I see…” It lists all the things one might see around them to indicate the season is fall (both in nature and in society), a good tool for young classes studying the seasons. The color palette reflects . . . → Read More: I See Fall
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Patricia Reilly Giff Illustrator: Diane Palmisciano Series: Fiercely & Friends Publisher: Orchard Books / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-545-43369-3 Year Published: 2012 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: K-2 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Patricia Reilly Giff
- Grade Level: K-2
- Illustrator: Diane Palmisciano
- ISBN: 978-0-545-43369-3
- Length: 40
- Price: 16.99
- Publisher: Orchard Books / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Series: Fiercely & Friends
- Year Published: 2012
I’m afraid I didn’t like it as much as I hoped to, given that it was by Patricia Reilly Giff. It’s one of those early reader books that tries to build a bridge between picture books and chapter books, about a girl and her friend who notice something new happening next door, and jump to . . . → Read More: The Big Something
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Fran Manushkin Illustrator: Kirsten Richards Series: Publisher: Picture Window Books / Capstone ISBN: 978-1-4048-7137-3 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: PreK-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Fran Manushkin
- Grade Level: PreK-1
- Illustrator: Kirsten Richards
- ISBN: 978-1-4048-7137-3
- Publisher: Picture Window Books / Capstone
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Year Published: 2012
Every library needs to have some books in the new-baby-joining-the-family line, for parents to help prepare big brothers and sisters. If you’re looking for something to fill this niche, this one is adequate, though the very simple, short sentences limit the target audience to the very young.
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Christina Goodings Illustrator: Claudine Gevry Series: Publisher: Lion Children's ISBN: 9780745969275 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: K-3 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Christina Goodings
- Grade Level: K-3
- Illustrator: Claudine Gevry
- ISBN: 9780745969275
- Length: 29 p.
- Publisher: Lion Children's
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Year Published: 2011
I’ve started noticing most Bible stories have a similar look to the illustrations, and this one shares that same typical artistic style. I found the text of the story a little stilted, lacking story-telling fluency. It’s fine, but I think there are better options available in this line if you look harder.
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Judy A. Winter Illustrator: Series: Pebble / Joke Books Publisher: Capstone Press ISBN: 978-1-4296-4998-8 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: 2-5 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Judy A. Winter
- Grade Level: 2-5
- ISBN: 978-1-4296-4998-8
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Capstone Press
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Series: Pebble / Joke Books
- Year Published: 2011
If there were more jokes for your money, it would probably have gotten a “recommended” rating, but hard-back books aren’t cheap, and there’s only 20 jokes in the whole books (though I believe technically they’re actually riddles). Most of them are really quite clever, but there are a few duds that fall flat, so you’re . . . → Read More: Jokes about Monsters
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Illustrator: Eduardo Garcia Series: Jake Maddox Sports Stories Publisher: Stone Arch Books / Capstone ISBN: 978-1-4342-3288-5 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: 2-4 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Authors: Jake Maddox / Thomas Kingsley Troupe
- Grade Level: 2-4
- Illustrator: Eduardo Garcia
- ISBN: 978-1-4342-3288-5
- Length: 65 p.
- Publisher: Stone Arch Books / Capstone
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: 2.4
- Series: Jake Maddox Sports Stories
- Year Published: 2012
It’s a rather flat little story that feels like something you read as an assignment, rather than because you’ve been drawn in to care about the characters. In the last week of the swim season, shortly before the final meet, a foreign exchange students joins the team. As soon as the announcement is made, one . . . → Read More: Gold Medal Swim
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Laurie Calkhoven Illustrator: Series: Boys of Wartime Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers / Penguin Group ISBN: 978-0-8037-3724-2 Year Published: 2012 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: 3-8 Rating: Highly Recommended
- Author: Laurie Calkhoven
- Grade Level: 3-8
- ISBN: 978-0-8037-3724-2
- Length: 230 p.
- Price: 16.99
- Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers / Penguin Group
- Rating: Highly Recommended
- Series: Boys of Wartime
- Year Published: 2012
The chapters are short so as to not be too intimidating for young readers. The characters are believable, and well-developed, so the reader becomes emotionally entanged The plot is gripping enough to keep the reader always wanting to read one more chapter. The historical setting allows teaches while story-telling. As an adult I was drawn . . . → Read More: Michael at the Invasion of France 1943
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Charnan Simon Illustrator: Benrei Huang Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-26414-0 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Not Recommended
- Author: Charnan Simon
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: Benrei Huang
- ISBN: 978-0-531-26414-0
- Length: 40 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Not Recommended
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2011
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Luna the Wake-up Cat
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Lisa Trumauer Illustrator: Steve Gray Series: Rookie Ready to Learn en espanol Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-26117-0 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Lisa Trumauer
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: Steve Gray
- ISBN: 978-0-531-26117-0
- Length: 32 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn en espanol
- Year Published: 2012
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Un diente esta flojo
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Illustrator: Series: Publisher: ISBN: Year Published: Price: Grade Level: Rating: To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Just Like Always
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Kathy Schulz Illustrator: Sanja Rescek Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-26525-3 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Kathy Schulz
- Illustrator: Sanja Rescek
- Grade Level: K-1
- Length: 40 p.
- ISBN: 978-0-531-26525-3
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2011
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: I Do Not Want To
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Zachary Wilson Illustrator: JoAnn Adinolfi Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-26123-1 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Zachary Wilson
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: JoAnn Adinolfi
- ISBN: 978-0-531-26123-1
- Length: 40 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2012
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Un circulo en el cielo
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Zachary Wilson Illustrator: JoAnn Adinolfi Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-26446-1 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Zachary Wilson
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: JoAnn Adinolfi
- ISBN: 978-0-531-26446-1
- Length: 40 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2011
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: A Circle in the Sky
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Catherine Matthias Illustrator: Eileen Mueller Neill Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-25642-8 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Catherine Matthias
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: Eileen Mueller Neill
- ISBN: 978-0-531-25642-8
- Length: 40 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2012
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Out the Door
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Charnan Simon Illustrator: Jan Bryan-Hunt Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-25643-5 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Charnan Simon
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: Jan Bryan-Hunt
- ISBN: 978-0-531-25643-5
- Length: 40 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2012
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Pumpkin Fever
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Sydnie Meltzer Kleinhenz Illustrator: Mick Reasor Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-27179-7 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Sydnie Meltzer Kleinhenz
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: Mick Reasor
- ISBN: 978-0-531-27179-7
- Length: 30 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2012
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Work and Play
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Melanie Davis Jones Illustrator: Linda Bronson Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-26445-4 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Melanie Davis Jones
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: Linda Bronson
- ISBN: 978-0-531-26445-4
- Length: 32 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2011
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Balls
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