Law and Disorder is part the Beware of Batman series of graphic novels.  The story follows the typical super hero story line with a villain for the good guy to beat.  Batman’s backup is a woman named Katana.  A Visual Questions and Prompts section in the back helps teach readers to effectively engage with the graphic nature of graphic novels.  Also contains a Glossary with pronunciation of key words.

A origami dog and a cartoon rabbit give examples of healthy eating in Kitanai and Hungry Hare Eat Healthfully.  Dialog appears in bubbles and comes across as stilted and awkward.  While the images are kid-friendly, the food options and meals discussed are not particularly kid friendly.  For each meal of the day, specific bad choices and good choices are offered, but there is no information that would help a child develop the concept of eating healthfully.

This book is part of the series “Kitanai’s Healthy Habits.”

This well organized title about the muscular system is part of a six book Capstone series about body systems. Connections and interdependencies with other body systems are naturally integrated into the text. Topics are supported by headings, bold vocab defined on each page, diagrams, and photographs.

Includes Table of Contents, Glossary, Common Core critical thinking questions, additional information, and Index.

This book is a good choice to support the Next Generation Science Standards.

In the form of a third person narrative, this book tells the story of monarch migration from the continental United States to central Mexico.  Engaging text leads the reader through the forces that send the butterfly south, the perils of the journey, arrival at her Mexican destination and culminates with the return to the north to lay the next generation of Monarchs.  The book ends with a quick summary of the Monarch’s life cycle.  Illustrations are full of rich color, perspective, and motion and add to the migration story.

Book includes fun facts, CCSS connections, glossary, additional resources, and index.

Part of the “Did You Know?” series, this is truly a fun book of facts about food.  Most pages begin with question providing an engaging and entertaining communication of food facts.  The book has a stream of consciousness feel as the seemingly random facts about food connect from one page to the next following the whim of the author: invention of the dishwasher to invention of the toaster to sandwich to chips then potatoes.  Colorful images of cartoon animals growing, making or consuming food support the text.  Readers will not walk away with any great increase in knowledge, but the book will entertain and intrigue budding scientists.

An informational text about the theropod, Allosaurus.  Topics included are body features, era, range, hunting, babies, and fossils are all covered.  Contains table of contents, glossary, additional information, and index

All but one of the artist rendered illustrations show the Allosaurus with a layer of fur.  In no place does it provide evidence to support this rendering.  In conclusion, the book’s unsupported illustrations contradict accepted scientific thinking on external dinosaur physiology.

This nonfiction title is divided into chapters covering different features of Northwest Native American plank houses.  The elementary level text is enriched with photographs, illustrations, and a map.  The chapter, Building a Plank House would benefit from a diagram to provide a visual explanation of the multiple steps described only in text.

Contains table of contents, glossary, additional information, and index. Glossary terms are also defined on the page they first appear.  A recommended title to support Washington State mandated Native American curriculum, Since Time Immemorial.

This book follows Oscar Gutierrez’s rise as a professional wrestler while also providing background knowledge of the sport of wrestling.  Simple text and action photos create an engaging read.

Wrestling specific terms are defined on the page they are first used. Contains table of contents, timeline, index, glossary, and a list of both additional print and electronic resources.  Holds definite appeal to young boys and shows an example of a successful Mexican American.

This is a reprint of a 1973 book in which Andy approaches a bored group of older kids pulling a wagon with his name spelled in large letters.  The older kids claim he’s too little to play as they grab his letters and use them to create a series of rhyming words; ran, man, pan, ran and hand, band, sand, stand.  “Can I have my name back,” Andy repeatedly asks and the kids always answer with, “No.” Finally he grabs his name and walks away leaving the kids and the remaining letters in a jumble.  A great book for reinforcing both decoding and rhyming.

Covering a 24 hour period in 3 hour increments, this book shares the diverse plants and animals found in the Sonoran Desert.  A hummingbird whirs it’s wings, peccaries grunt to one another, a rattlesnake slips out from under a rock as the day progresses.  As night arrives, the nocturnal animals begin their nightly adventures. Well paced descriptive text is framed by wonderful cut-paper illustrations.  Pronunciation included in the text for unusual or difficult to pronounce plants and animals.  Each two page spread has factual captions about the portrayed animals to supplement the narrative.  The book wraps up with Fun Facts, glossary, index, and internet link as well as the identification of a desert and a world map.