Though the topic is not one likely to be chosen for recreational reading, it’s a solid choice to support the health curriculum:  it covers all the basics of good dental health, in both English and Spanish.  The illustrations are both appealing and supportive of the text.  Each two page spread includes a couple sentences about what needs to be done to take good care of one’s teeth, and then an insert with another couple sentences telling why this is important.  One of the things I look for in bilingual books is that both languages be represented equally:  this one uses both Spanish and English, in equal-sized fonts for cover information, the main body of the text, and the NF text features in the back such as index and further information.  Publication & copyright information is offered only in English.

For what it is, I guess it’s fine:  it’s got some beautiful color photos, and it counts to 10, and it names things in the photos.  It’s got a nice binding.  But with such little information, it serves a very limited audience.  I’d rather spend my limited budget on counting books that also offered other information, so that it would serve multiple purposes.

It’s got some really good features, but it’s got some problems, too.  Among the good stuff are simple text, a sturdy binding, color photos.  I also like the way it makes a very deliberate connection between arial photos and drawn maps, in order to illustrate the way maps depict areas from above.  It does a fairly good job of describing different purposes for different types of maps, but I wish it explained the purpose of colors on maps to represent different things (sometimes political boundaries, sometimes elevations, etc.).  Also, the picture of the floor plan they use doesn’t look like any floor plan for any house ever constructed, which again falls into the trap of over-simplification of information for young children.

It’s got all the basics of fire safety covered in clear, concise, easily understood sentences: 2-3 sentences per page, in large font, opposite full-sized color photos that support the text on each page.  The size is appropriate for small hands, and the binding is sturdily constructed.  It could have been stronger if it offered children more “why”s to go with the dos & don’ts.

My biggest pet peeve with books for young children is when they try to simplify the information so much that they over-simplify it to the point of misinformation.  This book is all about how the scale on a map sets the distance represented on that map.  Then they draw the maps with giant sized icons that don’t fit the scale — one map makes it look like a road is half a mile across, and one makes it look like a bird cage is 20 feet tall.

Top quality photography in this non-fictional book with information about the smallest bats and the biggest bats.  Sandra Markle’s narration of information is also top quality.  This information book may be read successfully by students on about a 4th grade reading level.

This book come with additional captions, a map of where the species live (thank you, this is crucial to global awareness), vocabulary terms, additional information, and websites in the back.  Recommended.

Apparently mermaids are just like fairies, except they live in the sea.  Jasmine and her four friends hear the story of a lovestruck mermaid named Aroona who fell in love with a human.  Aroona made the decision to leave her mermaid life behind and become human in order to be with her true love.  On her way to meet him, she stopped to get her treasure chest full of jewels, and was caught in a terrible storm.  She was never seen again and her true love left with a broken heart.  The legend goes that there is a scale trail which leads to where Aroona left the chest.  The mermaid friends think it would be fun to try to find the treasure, and so off they go exploring.  They find a shiny scale trail which leads to a mermaid holding a chest.  However, it’s just Jasmine playing a trick on them.  They didn’t think it was funny and left.  However, Jasmine discovers some old scales and follows them and finds the real treasure chest.  Before she can get back home, a storm comes up and traps her.  Meanwhile her friends feel bad that they left her alone with a storm brewing, so they go to find her.  They do and everyone is safe and the jewels end up in the Underwater Garden.  Oriented towards young girls, they will enjoy reading about the mermaids.  Simple story, simple dialogue, simple pictures, but enjoyable.

I cannot figure out if I like this book because it is so well written or because of a parental point-of-view.  Like most typical third-graders, Zeke and his friends and classmates are addicted to monitors, be it TV or video games.    Much of their conversations and sayings stem from TV show characters or video game characters; not too many original thoughts swirling around.  Their teachers challenge the students to not watch TV nor play video games for one week–the most cruel punishment ever!  And what delighted me was that the parents supported it!  (I really think that’s the most unrealistic part of the story.)  Kids found that they actually enjoyed playing with friends, family interactions, and learning how to entertain themselves.  Behavior improved as well as grades, all because of no TV.  I’ve often tried this at my home with my three sons, but it was my husband who couldn’t tear himself away from ESPN.  And there it went–poof!  If he could do it, so could they.  This story is humorous as well as the illustrations.  I’m interested to see if kids read and like this book and actually take this message to heart.