It’s a book you only want to buy if you already have, or intend to purchase, the first two books, as this is the last part of a trilogy, and it doesn’t really work as a stand-alone story. It does offer a blurb on the back of the book directing readers who are unfamiliar with the previous books to a website where they can get filled in, as well as to additional extension activities and games. While I appreciate the bonus of offering the book/tech connection, I would rather the story didn’t depend on readers having access to the tech piece in order to make sense of the book. Not all students have easy access to technology, and some who do might not read the back to know about it. It would have been nice if the book did a better job of providing the necessary background bits within its covers, either with a prologue, or extra explanations/reminders woven into the main body of the text. Students aren’t always careful about making sure to read series books in order, and this one really needs to be. It picks up after some sort of previous disaster has left a high-tech town full suspicion toward their many robots, and has left a young boy so desperate to bring his parents back from some sort of digital trap that he’s willing to break the diabolical bad guy out of prison and work with him because he’s the only one who has the power to bring his parents back. You can imagine how that works out. Never trust the villain when he says he’s changed.

It’s a sequel the The 14 Fibs of Gregory K., but it works well as a stand-alone story. I haven’t read the first book, and there were just some hints in this one that made me suspect there was more that had gone before, but no holes that left me confused. It tells a story that will be dear to many students’ hearts: a seventh-grade boy who is feeling overwhelmed by the amount of time he must spend on homework, and the personal pursuits he’s missing out on, decides to take on the system in protest. I really liked that the characters all seemed believable, and his journey was not entirely smooth. The ending was satisfying without being unbelievable.

I am using one blurb to share about three ABDO Kids books, as they all come from the same publisher and author, and they share several characteristics.  They have a large format with full color photos that dominate each two-page spread so that they are visually appealing.  The text to accompany each photo is limited to a few sentences in a large font, so as to not be overwhelming for young readers, yet the information is not weak.  The text is simple and straightforward.  The topics are ones of interest to small children.  The binding is sturdy.

I am using one blurb to share about three ABDO Kids books, as they all come from the same publisher and author, and they share several characteristics.  They have a large format with full color photos that dominate each two-page spread so that they are visually appealing.  The text to accompany each photo is limited to a few sentences in a large font, so as to not be overwhelming for young readers, yet the information is not weak.  The text is simple and straightforward.  The topics are ones of interest to small children.  The binding is sturdy.

I am using one blurb to share about three ABDO Kids books, as they all come from the same publisher and author, and they share several characteristics.  They have a large format with full color photos that dominate each two-page spread so that they are visually appealing.  The text to accompany each photo is limited to a few sentences in a large font, so as to not be overwhelming for young readers, yet the information is not weak.  The text is simple and straightforward.  The topics are ones of interest to small children.  The binding is sturdy.

Not too bad as a craft idea/instruction book.  The space rover looks pretty cute.  But pretty limited on actual science.  Mostly it’s a product placement advertisement to encourage kids to by art supplies.

Accessible text, but not weak on information, this book provides solid information on four animals known for their migration patterns (Wildebeests, Monarch Butterflies, Leatherback Sea Turtles, and Arctic Terns).  Each chapter also offers a “Compare It” page, sharing information about lesser-known migrators.   Color photographs and highlighted captions are used throughout to support the text and add visual appeal.  It’s got all your basic non-fiction text features, and packs in solid information without being overwhelming or dry.  Did you know that Arctic Terns migrate all the way from one pole to the other and back again every year?!

It’s a bit weak on substance, but then it would be, given that there’s no real scientific understanding of dreams, other than knowing that everyone has them and they seem to be important to brain functioning.  The book shares some of the ancient beliefs different cultures held about dreams, dream theories developed by famous psychologists 100 years ago or more, and some common themes that seem to pop up in many people’s dreams with theories about what they may signify.  It offers an idea for creating a dream journal to help readers remember and ponder their dreams.  The basic take-away from the book is that it’s fun to think about and everyone can decide for themselves what they think their own dreams might mean to them.

Well, any kid who got really excited by the snot in the title may end up being a bit disappointed, as the text is not quite as slimy as it claims to be.  But the science is there, and well-explained to cover a wide range of things related to breathing, from snoring, to asthma, to assorted diseases.  The cartoonish illustrations are engaging, and the diagrams help explain the text, and the information is broken up into small enough blurbs to keep it from being too dry and overwhelming, even if it’s not quite as slimy as one might have hoped.  And it’s got a good sturdy binding, too.

I like this book.  I think it encourages kids to be careful observers who look closely at the world around them.  There is actually very limited explanatory text in this book.  Most of the information is conveyed through simple, yet detailed diagrams.  The topics covered are everyday objects with which students are already familiar, and of which most would have opportunities to examine close up in person as they study the book.  Obviously the information is not in-depth, but basic scientific principles are illustrated through the workings of these everyday objects such as flashlights and toasters and paper airplanes and toilets, etc. It’s a book that invites careful study as one really looks at the pictures, and perhaps then really looks at the things around us.