Nelson Mandela presents an accessible biography of one our current history’s important figures. Information is presented in one to two sentences per page with large, crisp photos to accompany them. ‘Key Dates’ and ‘Quick Stats’ pull together a great deal of information in just two pages near the end. And the glossary tackles tough words like ‘activist’ and ‘apartheid’ quite well. The content is quite suitable for younger readers, yet does tell of his long jail time and introduce the words noted above in a way that children will understand.
Recommended

This biography is a great place to start for young readers interested in history. With a few sentences per page and bright, appealing illustrations, the life of Benjamin Franklin is succinctly described. “Quick Stats” and “Key Dates” give the information necessary for beginning reports. The glossary, index and table of contents reinforce good non-fiction elements. Recommended

Four girls dream up a wonderful surprise for their moms, but first they have to prepare…and hats are a big part of the plan! Emily, Ashley, Kaitlyn and Claire visit the local street fair to see the hats at Chez Chapeaux and have the most wonderful time trying on hats, hats and more hats. They finally choose rather plain ones to take with them and we wonder why…The end of the story shows their wonderful creations that they have made to present to their mothers at their mother-daughter tea. Fans of Fancy Nancy will love this book. And, it may just encourage some creative play along the way.
Recommended.

Who doesn’t love duct tape? And, who doesn’t long to make a duct tape top hat or a knight’s shield with it? Well, look no further for the directions. They are right here in this book! It begins with an introduction and history of this versatile material and gives directions for nine different costume pieces. Pictures are clear and numbered to correspond to the steps of the directions. There are also additional books and websites listed for more fun. The activities are age appropriate and may encourage some great creativity along the way. Recommended.

Readers will love the information in this book, because the ‘gross-out factor’ is extremely high. Read about the various uses for poop and pee (animal and human) in the attempted cure of many ailments in history. The beauty of this book, though, is that the reader learns some really relevant and interesting medical stuff along the way. Medicines in different cultures used over hundreds of years have a great impact today to scientists and doctors in their study. Great stuff mixed in with the gross tidbits.

Simple introduction to the lives and work of Lewis and Clark with a few sentences per page and associated illustrations. Bright, clean mixture of text, artwork and photos present the points necessary to give the reader a foundation of information. “Quick Stats” and “Key Dates” are great for report writing. A good starting point for young readers.

A basic introduction to temperature with a sentence or two on each page with accompanying photos arranged between two bright lines that travel through the pages. Boys and girls of different ethnicities illustrate the concepts presented. the book begins and ends with a question and gives the reader some history about temperature measurement. This is a solid, basic book that will introduce temperature to the younger crowd.

Car enthusiasts will enjoy the information in this book, part of a series about fourteen high powered autos. the history of the car, explanation of its name, design and cool technology. An information box with Shelby GT350 specifications is a nice addition. Nonfiction features include a table of contents, index and glossary. Add this to your collection if you want to update your transportation section.

One book in a series of six about important women and their contributions. Jane Goodall details her life in simple text with accompanying photos, many in color. There are two pages of “Quick Stats” and “Key Dates” as well as a link to a publisher’s webpage with more details. This is a very nice beginning biography about a female leader in science, which might lead to further study. Recommended.

This book starts with a high energy anecdote about the player’s prowess on the court. It then goes back to the beginning of his life and career, moving through the years. A timeline and ‘Fast Facts’ throughout the book add to the information presented in just 32 pages. Nonfiction elements such as table of contents, index and glossary are included.
This will be a hit with the avid sports fans in your library.