Mountain Rescue

“Hikers, mountaineers, rock climbers, skiers, and forest workers all play and work in the mountains. They need to be rescued if they get lost in weather, trapped on a cliff, injured in a fall, or become sick.” (page6) 13 factual 2 page spreads briefly describe the why, who, and how of mountain rescues. Mention is . . . → Read More: Mountain Rescue

National Intelliegence

“Freedom from fear is a basic human right… Intelligence agents play a key role in securing this freedom for all Americans.”  (p.7) Before reading this five chapter book with a skeletal* amount of information I didn’t know much , if anything, about the United States national intelligence system. It is so full of secrets, the . . . → Read More: National Intelliegence

You Wouldn’t Want to Work on the Hoover Dam! An Explosive Job You’d Rather Not Do

The Great Depression of the 1930s is underway when Herbert Hoover’s dream to build a hydroelectric dam on the Colorado River is finally realized. Out of work men from California, Nevada, and Texas are a major part of the 21,000 workers employed for the dam’s construction. They arrive to find NO town, desert heat, and . . . → Read More: You Wouldn’t Want to Work on the Hoover Dam! An Explosive Job You’d Rather Not Do

Robots

Author Maggie Rosier provides insight into the skill of drawing 8 different robots illustrated by Steve Porter.

The beginner should start by drawing from a picture before drawing from their imagination. Basic supplies include drawing pencils with both soft (B) and hard (H) lead, in addition to colored pencils, paper, eraser, and black ink pen.

. . . → Read More: Robots

My Favourite Fairy Tales

These fairy tales are not too long, not too short, they’re just right! Seven fairy tales are retold and illustrated by London born and Liverpool School of Art trained Tony Ross. Ross’ pencil and paint strokes are simple, if not crude, yet the movement and emotions are well defined!

Of Ross’  seven favourite  fairy tales, . . . → Read More: My Favourite Fairy Tales

Time to Recycle

The eight topics in the table of contents: Recycling, Collection, Glass, Metal, Plastic, Paper, At the Store, and Make Paper are accompanied by a well photographed landfill, garbage truck, recycle bins, recycling center with stacks of crushed cubes of squashed cans, a store shelf full of food products packaged in containers made from recycled paper, . . . → Read More: Time to Recycle

Recycling is Fun

Eight little couplets for young learners to recite and enjoy about dividing used packaging for curbside pickup, donating goods to second hand stores, and using old odds and ends to make toys and crafts.

Cheery vibrantly colorful pictures of young children placing plastic bottles, cans, and paper into recycling containers create the idea that children . . . → Read More: Recycling is Fun

Surge, The

The mood is instantly set once the book is opened by the smokey grey end paper,  followed by darker grey with fine white rain blowing from right to left across the page, followed by even darker grey with white rain blowing across the page from left to right amidst the multi- tined lightening bolt. So . . . → Read More: Surge, The

Animals Underground

Underground habitats of rabbits, moles, earthworms, beaver, cockchafers, and kingfishers  are explored on  6 different dark transparent acrylic pages using a ‘magic [paper] torch’ which the young reader punches out from the back of the book. This paper torch (flashlight) may be a reason to exclude this book from a library collection, but the same . . . → Read More: Animals Underground

Birds

Basic bird information including beak and feet shapes and purposes, feathers, shape and size of nests, feeding their babies, but that’s what you’d expect from  a series entitled – “My First Discoveries“. Young children and adults will be fascinated with the use of 7é transparent acrylic pages that when turned reveal a different side of . . . → Read More: Birds

Dinosaurs

Basic dinosaur information including size, fossils, egg laying, and dying out before the dawn of man. Young children and adults will be fascinated with the use of 6 transparent acrylic pages that when turned reveal a different side of the dinosaur being discussed.

This is a new and improved version of the books Gallimard Jeunesse . . . → Read More: Dinosaurs

Butterfly, The

Basic butterfly information including body parts and life cycle, but that’s what you’d expect from  a series entitled – “My First Discoveries“. Young children and adults will be fascinated with the use of 5 transparent acrylic pages that when turned reveal a different side of the butterfly being discussed. There is a craft project on . . . → Read More: Butterfly, The

Brainless Birthday Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone

Do you remember telling knock-knock jokes in grade school and how you told them over an over again? If so, this might be the book your school library patrons have been longing to check-out. Forty-four pages of assorted knock-knock jokes, limericks, tongue twisters, fun facts, did you know, and jokes await the reader. They all . . . → Read More: Brainless Birthday Jokes to Tickle Your Funny Bone

Hulk versus the World

A quick mini-bio of the Hulk appears on the back cover for those who are not familiar with the Hulk.

 Bold purple text begin each new twist in the story line.

As usual, Bruce Banner wants to be left alone.

As usual, General Ross wants to capture the Hulk – AKA-  Bruce Banner.

As usual, . . . → Read More: Hulk versus the World

Happy Easter

A cheery bright orange cover with a happy hatching chick greets the young reader of this seasonal book.

The story begins with Spring arriving outside, at home, and at school, “but who exactly is the Easter Bunny?” Then, we see the Easter Bunny collect eggs, paint the eggs, and hide the eggs for the children . . . → Read More: Happy Easter

F-16 Fighting Falcons

“The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole fighter jet. It Is flown by the United States Air Force and Air National Guard.”(page 5) So begins this 32 page, 13 chapter book by John Hamilton. The photography will amaze the reader with every turn of the page. Photos taken of the F-16 flying in formation and . . . → Read More: F-16 Fighting Falcons

Apache Helicopters

Boys will want to look through this book of action packed close-up photographs of military helicopters set in front of graphic navigation/ targeting  backgrounds. The three short chapters include: Apache Helicopters; Crew, Parts, and Weapons; and Apache Missions. Each page turn has from 3 – 5 sentences.  The jest being “Apaches are mainly used to . . . → Read More: Apache Helicopters

Dear Flyary

In this cross between a Dr. Seuss and George Jetson world where numerous diversified multiple body part (eyes, ears, mouths, arms, noses) beings live and work together, a young boy(?) receives his first flyary (diary) from his oldpop (grandfather) for his dropday (birthday). He is to use his flyary to scrib (write) about his first . . . → Read More: Dear Flyary

Invincible Iron Man: an origin story

Based on the Marvel comic book series THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, Tony Stark is a rich man who likes to have fun, but he is also a brilliant inventor.  When an enemy army captures him, it leads to the invention of the first Iron Man. Now, both Iron Monger and Titanium Man ” use Tony’s . . . → Read More: Invincible Iron Man: an origin story

Stegosaurus: Armored Defender

This non-fiction book illustrates that large dinosaurs, in this case – stegosaurus, SHOULD NOT be shrunk down to ‘graphic’ size!

The illustrations are too repetitive and lackluster.

Book consists of 57 sentences total. Page 18 states, ” four sharp spikes…” but the illustration on page 13 definitely shows more than four.

Joker on the High Seas

When is a graphic novel, not a graphic novel, nor a comic book? When it is written in short chapter book form with full page single picture illustrations.

Joker, the Crown Prince of Crime, takes over one of Wayne Enterprises ships. In the ship’s hold, Joker unpacks professional grade fireworks which he intends to use . . . → Read More: Joker on the High Seas

The Missing Coin

The characters from DISNEY”S movie Aladdin are off on an adventure.

Jasmine wants to purchase the only missing coin from Aladdin’s rare desert coin collection and give it to him for his birthday. To do this, Jasmine and Rajah fly off over the desert to Zagrabah on Magic Carpet only have it crash leaving them . . . → Read More: The Missing Coin

RRRALPH

Ralph is a dog who can answer questions, such as, “How’s the path feel on your paws…” and ” What’s on that tree?”

Ralph’s responses are 1.5 inches tall, in this 12″ X 8.25″ book where large creatively adorable multimedia creatures inhabit the pages. Ralph has two buttons for eyes, a pop top nose, a . . . → Read More: RRRALPH

Mouse and Mole, A Perfect Halloween

Young independent readers will enjoy this four chapter book about friends, Mouse and Mole,  preparing for Halloween. Yee’s illustrations are scattered throughout the text often three per page just like the falling leaves of autumn.

As Mouse hangs up a plastic skeleton, Mole is having a nightmare about being chased by a skeleton. Then Mouse . . . → Read More: Mouse and Mole, A Perfect Halloween

A Brand-New DAy with Mouse and Mole

This beginning chapter book of four chapters is a fast moving, realistic story of friendship with illustrations interspersed  throughout the text, sometimes three per page.

After moths made holes in Moles clothes Mouse tries something “new” at the diner for lunch. Followed by Mole buying a “new” style of shirt. Then the friends go fishing . . . → Read More: A Brand-New DAy with Mouse and Mole