If I had looked closer at what I was getting I wouldn’t have even taken these for free — they’re completely not suited to library use.  I know the kids like the transparent pages, and though not sturdy the regular ones are fine.  But these transparent pages are in front of black pages, so that the only way the reader can view what’s on them is by sliding a punch-out “torchlight” behind them (a piece of paper with a white “spotlight” to illuminate small portions of the illustrations at a time).  It’s gimmicky, and there’s no way the punch-out torch will last more than a month before getting lost.

Kids love the transparent pages, but they’re a bit fragile for library use.  I won’t expect these to last long.  Also, because the topic is so broad, the depth of information is rather shallow.

The subtitle says it’s poems and prayers, which it partly is, but also quotes from scripture and other people.  It does have an over-arching theme of peace, but it seems a bit unorganized/random.  The illustrations fine.  I just think there are better choices available.

One very short, direct sentence on each two-page spread states very briefly what that type of machine does.  Though the topic will be of interest to small boys, and the limited text is useful for emergent readers, there’s hardly enough content here to judge.  I would be reluctant to spend my library budget on something of such minimal substance, but it might be a series to consider in paperbacks for classroom use.

The topic supports the science curriculum both in terms of seasons and in terms of animal adaptations.  The full-page color photos are large and vibrant and eye-catching, and help support the text.  The text is simple and straightforward, presented in both English and Spanish, so the book is also useful as a tool for language learners.  An all-around solid choice.

Though this series is targeting young readers, the topic of this particular one, slaver, seemed at first to be a little age-inappropriate, but the author managed to hit the right note, without being either too gruesome for its young audience, nor white-washing things too much.  I only found one place where over-simplification resulted in inaccurate information (when explaining why Harriet Tubman’s exact birthday is unknown, it says, “Slave owners did not keep track of when their slaves were born.” — some didn’t, but some kept very detailed records).  And I’m willing to forgive what is usually one of my pet peeves, because they got one of my other pet peeves right:  the timeline in the back, listing different events in Harriet’s life, uses distance along the line to represent different lengths of time, as timelines should.  It’s illustrated with a combination of photos and drawings. Great binding.

It could be a great addition to a school whose music or drama department was planning on using this musical in their curriculum.  The illustrations are fun and cartoonish.  The text is the lyrics to the broadway musical, and would be helpful for students who wouldn’t catch all the words if they were just listening to the music.  But, as a stand-alone book, it’s a bit difficult to read without knowing the tune that should be accompanying the words.  It would have been stronger if it included a CD in the back with the music, or a link suggested as to where readers could listen to the music online.

First problem: the graphics are too over-the-top splashy, so that they become a distraction from the information, rather than an enhancement.  Second problem:  though the title of the book is, “Ice Dancing,” and the first page defines ice dancing, explaining what distinguishes it from other styles of figure skating, much of the content is actually dedicated to other types of figure skating.  Third problem: for a $20.00 book, it’s not going to have a long shelf-life, as the celebrities described inside are names not likely to be ones kids recognize in a few years (if they know them now).  It was nice to finally get some descriptions of the different jumps.

A couple of sentences of clear text on each page are accompanied by color, full-page photos that support the text.  The topic is one that is not only useful for community units, but will also appeal to some for recreational reading.  I appreciate that the photos show women as well as men in firefighter roles, and that the text makes clear that there is more to the firefighters’ jobs than only putting out fires.  Some fire-safety tips for children are also included.  The binding looks durable, and the size is appropriate for small hands.

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.