A basic easy-reader science book for emergent readers, this book describes the nests of several different animals, from eagles and flamingoes to termites and crocodiles.  With a two-page spread dedicated to a full-color photo of a different animal’s nest, the text is broken into two boxes for each: for early emergent readers the first box contains a single sentence in a large font that follows a predictable pattern (either “______ build nests,” or “_______ live in nests.”); for slightly more advanced readers the second box contains 2-3 additional sentences with more information.  These books certainly serve a purpose, but I have a hard time investing very many of my library dollars in books that are so light on information.  Perhaps they are best suited to classroom curriculum materials.

Australia really is such a unique land, full of animals and geographical/cultural features so different from anywhere else.  This book follows the same format as other books in this series to do a pretty thorough job of exploring this exotic land for its readers: from A for Aboriginal people, to K for koalas, kangaroos, and Kookaburras, to V for Vegemite, and all the rest, short rhyming text for each letter of the alphabet give readers a broad and brief overview of the land down under; for readers who want more information, each letter’s page also includes a sidebar with several paragraphs of more in-depth text to further explain that topic.  The cartoon-like illustrations serve to both capture reader interest as well as support the text to describe ideas that may be unfamiliar to many young readers.

This is a great book, perfect for primary science units.  It’s a photo journal chronicling every step along the way as a couple of blue jays find a spot to build a nest (right outside the author’s window), find things to build it with, lay their eggs, and feed the hungry newborns, right through to the first explorations beyond the nest, and setting out to see the world.  The text is very clear and kid-friendly, and full of the author’s own excitement and wonder as he watched the story unfold before him.  A few of the photos are less than clearly focused, but that just speaks to the serendipitous nature of how the book came about.  The reader feels lucky to have gotten to share in this experience of urban wildlife, of which few of us would get to see such a close-up view on our own.

A collection of silly poems with no real specific unifying theme.  Charming illustrations.  Lots of rhyme and alliteration and fun playing with the sounds of words.  Some of the poems have better rhythm than others, but the over-all effect is great tool to draw children into enjoying the delight of poetry and language.

It seems like most of the books I’ve reviewed by this publisher have been odd little stories, and here’s another one.  The illustrations are cute.  That’s the best thing I can say.  It’s a story told in sing-song rhyme about a chicken who spends a day with her chicks in a land of mirrors, which each reflect back different parts of her character.  There are loose references it Alice in Wonderland.

If you’ve got the other Mallory books in your library and you’ve got students who are fans, go ahead and get this one, too, but as a stand-alone book I wouldn’t bother.  It tells the story of ten-year-old Mallory planning a sleepover, trying to balance her best friend’s vision of the party to end all parties and her parents’ instructions to keep things small and quiet.  Not surprisingly, a whole series of things go wrong as the party spirals out of control, and the book ends with Mallory acknowledging where she made bad choices, apologizing to injured parties, and promising to be wiser in the future.  The girls’ problems were believable and predictable.  My biggest gripe with the book was the behavior of the parents: the book focuses on all Mallory should have done to avoid the problems, but to me the failings of the parents were much more obvious — as adults they should have been able to foresee the possible problems and been involved.  The book lays way too much of the blame for what happened at Mallory’s feet, instead of holding the idiotic parents responsible.

Ollhoff chronicles major events and people that were significant in bringing about the end of segregation in the 1950s and 1960s.  Televising the protests, people, and events shared the racism, hatred, and violence with the world.  Pivotal issues including school segregation, the murders of Emmett Till and Medgar Evers, peaceful protests of Martin Luther King, Jr., activist Malcom X, Rosa Parks, and the Montgomery bus boycott are described and explained in a straightforward manner.  The struggle for equal rights required the involvement of people who were willing to take a stand against injustice.  Readers get a basic understanding of these events, the issues, and the involvement of the people associated with this period in U. S. history.  Photographs are well chosen to portray each event or person.  Other books in the series are: The Civil War, Courage and Growth, Pioneers of Equality, The Roots of Humanity, and Years of Slavery.  Excellent introduction to this crucial time.

Here is a perfect party planning guide from thinking about when and where to hold a party to the thank-yous, if needed.  This book offers activities for 7 party themes as details are discussed for planning any party.  Theme ideas in the book are: detective, vampire, magic, Hawaiian, backwards, rock star, and medieval.  After deciding what who, what, when, where, hints for making invitations, decorations, menu concerns, and activities are suggested.  A supply page has labeled photos of tools and supplies needed to create the themes mentioned.  A recipe is given for a backward party.  Clear photographs help illustrate instructions.  Many cool ideas and things to consider for successful entertaining.   Other kinds of cool parties in the series are for: Family, Holiday, International, Slumber, and Sports.  Recommended addition for elementary libraries.

Beginning with an introduction to the scientific method, several experiments explain how and why plants grow as they do.  Investigations include how seeds sprout, how plants take in water, the importance of sunlight in growth, both above and below ground, and how pine cones release seeds.  Each experiment starts with a hypothesis, contains a step-by-step procedure, examples of charts to record observations, and an explanation of what happened.  These experiments use items easily found at home.  Instructions are easily read and many large photographs accompany the text.  Books for further reading are written at a similar reading level.  Glossary, index, and websites included.  Other books in the series are experiments with: liquids, magnets and metals, rocks, and soil.

The “gross factor” in this book is sure to attract readers.  This is a head-to-toe look at some of the microscopic organisms that live on or in our bodies.  Most microbes are harmless or help our bodies work properly.  Ways to prevent harmful pests from causing discomfort or illness are given.  Bold words are defined on the page as well as included in the glossary.  “Ewww Facts” provide additional information.  Large bright photographs accompany the text.  Microphotographs of the tiny “bugs” are colorful and labeled.  Books for further reading, internet sites for more details, games and activities, and an index are included.  Other books in the series tell of microscopic creatures living in our food, Food Intruders, living in our homes, Uninvited Guests, and in our backyards, Yard Monsters.

Dan Gutman prepared a real treat for readers with this juvenile fiction book.  The story moved quickly and was exciting and funny at times, keeping me engaged from start to finish.  The reading level (Accelerated Reader level 5.2, 5 points), content, and main characters are all well-suited  for the target population.  The main characters range from 3rd to 6th grade and are well-developed throughout the story.  This book is set a small town called Cape Bluff in Kansas which tends to be hit regularly with tornadoes.   After the latest tornado, the town held a meeting to discuss the damages.  They decided to hold a talent show fund raiser to help with repairs and boost spirits.  As kids discerned their acts and adults prepared for the show, the plot thickens until the breathless ending.  I look forward to book talking this story with my students.

School Bus, Tractor, Train, and Fire Truck all have specific jobs.  When Fire Truck returns from fighting a fire, his friends tell him how brave he was.  Suggestions on how to support young readers in making connections and understanding the text are provided.  Bright and colorful illustrations fill the pages.  Sentences are simple with many words repeated.   A small list of story words is in the back.  Other books in the series are : Lucky School Bus, Busy, Busy Train, and Helpful Tractor.

The extremely broad topics of life, what it is and how it started, and of our own planet’s existence are described and explained.  Clear and easily understood information is presented about how certain conditions must be met for an astounding variety of life to exist.  Scientists propose that not only may life exist in other places in our solar system but in places outside our system (exoplanets) as well.  Stunning photographs, illustrations, and charts are captioned and many side bars provide related information.  One learns how closely seemingly unrelated circumstances are required for other types of life to exist.  This book provides a great, basic understanding of known truths, as of today, which encourages further thinking and research.  In the back are:  a timeline of planet discoveries and how exoplanets are named, a glossary, index, many other books to read, and an extensive list of websites.  Excellent resource for classroom and middle school libraries.

Instead of throwing out old buttons or beads, save them to spruce up an outfit or container.  Use your imagination and create pictures.  Apply thread, pipe cleaners, and glue to construct jewelry or toys.  This book for young readers gives fun craft ideas to make with items commonly found around the house.  Other books in the series target cardboard, jars and pots, old clothes, paper, and plastic.  Reuse that trash and turn it into a treasure.

Beginning with a large, simple shape, the next lines are shown in red.  Details are added, some lines erased, finish with color, and VOILA! a completed picture!  Not only are there steps for several pirates but for all things related to pirates – animals, weapons, ships, treasure, islands.  But the book is not yet finished.  Next is how to write a story in 5 easy steps, from pre-writing to publishing.  A simple story is included.  Some books on how to be a pirate, draw pirates, or learn about pirate legends and lore are suggested.  Two internet sites show where to write a story online or play writing games.  The index completes this fun book.  Other books in the series are on drawing and writing about aliens and space objects, animals, cartoon people, princesses, and superheroes.   Sure to be popular in grade school libraries.

Two of the coldest places on the planet are the north and south poles.  Polar bears have lived in the Arctic since the ice age.  Penguins have lived in the land that is now Antarctica for even longer.  This book is packed with fascinating information about these two animals living in extreme conditions.  Almost every sentence is a intriguing fact.  There is an activity for understanding the effectiveness of blubber, or a layer of fat, for conserving heat.  A list of resources used for writing the three chapters precedes the glossary, index, other books to read, and internet addresses.  Well researched resource for upper elementary and middle school libraries.

The Animal Safari series are written for emergent (level 1) readers.  Each page has one or two sentences describing what rhinoceroses look like, where they live, what they eat, and how they behave.  Large, colorful photos are well chosen to illustrate the text.  The layout is attractive.  Words to know are in bold font and defined in the glossary.  Other recommended books are written at a similar reading and interest level.  A young reader will likely need assistance using the factsurfer website.  An index ends the book.  This series is a good initial resource for those beginning research on animals.

In this series, mountains are the topic as one of the endangered biomes.  “A biome is a large natural area with a distinctive climate and geology”.  Plants and animals that live in mountains have adapted to their habitat.  The delicate balance within the ecosystems can be, and are, easily disrupted by nature and people.  Without people becoming more aware of conservation and preserving our biomes, the future of our mountain biomes is threatened.  Today, some plants and animals are rarely found and in danger of extinction.  The message of the book gives one pause to consider how to effectively safeguard our planet’s biomes.  Words to know are written in bold text and defined in a box on the page.  The glossary contains the same words.  Clear, colorful photographs are well-chosen and labeled.  Other books in the series are: Deciduous Forests, Coniferous Forests, Deserts, Grasslands and Savannas, Oceans, Tundra, and Rain Forests.  An index and extensive resource list are in the back.

Diana Cooper, known for her spiritual books, has written three books about Tara and her talking kitten, Ash-ting.  With the help of her kitten, Tara has made friends with angels and fairies.  In this book she meets a unicorn, who shows her another view of people she knows from school.  Sad Kevin, who is worried about his ill mother, is a victim of the school bully.  Rocky, the school bully, has problems of his own at home.  Her teacher, Mrs. Bright, is trying to figure out a way to raise money to have a community swimming pool built.  With the help of the unicorn and Ash-ting, Tara finds ways to bring about solutions to everyone’s problems.  She, in turn, learns about the importance of building friendships and how to curb her own temper.  On the last page are suggestions for discussions and activities.  Pen and ink illustrations complement the text.

Ten treatments for diseases throughout history are described. Initial procedures were far from perfect.  Lack of consistent success led to further study and new learning.  Illustrations and photographs are captioned.  Many pages include a box with additional information.  A timeline from 2000 BCE to present targets health concerns or people involved with medical advancements.  Includes a glossary, index, suggested books to read and websites to encourage further study.  One page suggests related topics and ideas for investigation.  This is an interesting book from start to finish.  Other books in the series discuss: Buildings and Structures, the Environment, Gadgets and Inventions, Military and Government Technology, and Transportation.  Recommended for junior and high school libraries.

Fourth grader, Daphne, is not especially interested in vampires but everyone else at school is.  When a costume day is announced, Daphne decides to go as a vampire so she will be one of the “cool” kids.  Of course it backfires, but with the help of her best friend, Kaylee, and her twin kindergarten brothers, Daphne is able to get the focus shifted away from herself.  This book is written in diary style on pink pages.  Readers will associate with the family and school dynamics.  Black ink illustrations go well with the hand-lettered text.  The final pages are filled with Daphne’s disaster doodles, complete with labels.  This book is a good transition for those readers moving from picture to chapter books.

If you are looking for an encyclopedia of little-known yet mostly true facts, Stink-o-Pedia is for you.  Only Stink Moody could have collected enough details on the wide variety of weird subjects from A to Z.  Side bars include even more “Did You Know?” facts.  Many entries were inspired by other Judy Moody and Stink books.  An extensive list of books and websites for more fun and information is included.  Megan McDonald intentionally misspelled 20 words within the book.  Answers to those and other codes, puzzles, and questions are also in the back of the book.  A must-read for all lovers of incidental facts and Stink books.