Shocking Sharks has a cover showing the head of a shark with it’s mouth open and it’s large, sharp teeth. Also on the cover is a blurb stating, Walk on the Wild Side. Altogether, the title, the picture, and the blurb are leading you to think that this will be a scary-in-a-good-way book. But it’s just a ploy to get you to open the book. In it you’ll find a pretty tame information with nice photos about sharks. Nothing shocking or wild about it. Kids all love shark books so this will make a nice addition to a school library.
Author Archives: SSBRC Former Member
Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons
Bone by Bone does a fine job of comparing the human skeletal structure to other animals and seeing the similarities and differences. All vertebrates have a skull, ribs and a spine. The differences come from the length or placement of our bones. In thinking about the addition or removal of bones lets students picture different types of animals. An interesting book with clear illustrations.
Some Magic Cuts Deep…Claws
This chapter books is steeped in fantasy and magic. Our herione, Emma, is on a journey to find her abducted sister. The family is worn from doing everything they possibly can to locate the sister that they are desperate to find. Emma finds herself in a fantastical world of cats, being the chose leader of the pride of cats. As she can’t control her cat-like impulses, she gets expelled from her school and is forced to attend one that has dangerous creatures. Magic, suspense, betrayal await her as she works to locate and rescue her older sister, who under a faeries spell, doesn’t wish to be found and returned to her home. Every chaper has a CragWiki.org fact of the day. This is areal and functioning website, which coordinates with the story.
Chicagoland Detective Agency, The Bark in Space
This is a graphic novel which is quirky, fantasy, humorous, and a touch manga, delivers information to the reader which engages them beyond just the plot of the story. The setting is the city of Chicago and the main characters are really quite innocent, which is refreshingly different than many of of past and current graphic novels. The boy, Raf, is hoping to create an app which deciphers his dog’s language so they can communicate. Space aliens, high-stakes dog show, scientists using animals as specimens, visit to the animal shelter each have something to communicate to the reader. I really liked the contemporary plot, and the illustrations were free from sexualizing the female characters. Appropriate for elementary school aged readers.
Native Americans, Discover the History and Cultures of the First Americans
The Build it Yourself Series has great projects that students can create language, art, miniatures of transportation, etc. The chapters are short, but full of information and laied out in an interesting format. At the end, there is a project based on the culture represented in the chapter. Cultures include: Arctic, PNW, Great Plains, Woodlands, Southwest tribes, etc. The hands-on activities are practical, do-able, and interesting. I recommend this book for elementary level.
You Wouldn’t Want to be Sir Isaac Newton!
This nonfiction book has a sense of humor! Which can be refreshing when reading a biography. Cartoon captions are throughout the book with humorous references to difficulties or obstacles facing Sir Issac Newton. Well done account of his youth and struggles in school and finally into world of science, even at the expense of contradicting his religious faith. Accomplishments, discoveries, and honors are described in this intermediate, elementary level book.
Ultra Violets: Power to the Purple!
As Book One ended, Opaline had finally gained her super powers, but was using them for BAD! As Book Two begins, Opaline’s three former besties are determined to change Opaline back from the dark side. The Ultra Violets (UVs) begin to plan a surprise birthday party to win Opaline back to them – Operation Get-O, not Ghetto. But the UVs plan gets derailed when Opal plans her own 12th birthday party inviting everyone, except the 3 UVs. Opal is planning on shocking the entire 6th grade class, at her birthday party, “INTO HER ELECTRIC ZOMBIE SLAVES!” (pg. 193) The UVs are crashing Opal’s party in a spaceship disguised as a cloud, “like the Greeks rode in on the Trojan Horse!” (pg. 218) ” The Ultra Violets foiled Opaline’s plot to reprogram their Chronic Prep class…”( pg. 307) And now, as Book Two comes to an end, the mayor has asked that an UltraViolets signal be made [much like the Bat Signal] , which is a good thing because Opaline has not given up the idea of taking over the students in her school, but the entire city, too, if her mother has her way. STAY TUNED for BOOK 3!
All printed in purple ink.
Deep, Deep Puddle, The
This is a great counting book. The pictures are great with lots of color. This is the best counting book I have ever seen. It was a lot of fun and the story was interesting.
How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?
I love the “How Do Dinosaurs…” books and this is a good one too. This book is really a lot of fun. It’s very informative. My brain couldn’t understand the title, so I started reading the book. I got pulled through quickly. I was entertained and amused and I now know how to behave for Chanukah. The pictures are wonderful.
Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters
This is a great story most any child could identify with. If you have ever been embarrassed or felt like the world was against you, this story is for you.
The boy in the story is an interesting individual. His family is mostly out of touch with his feelings, as many children feel their families are. There is a happy ending.
This story was a fun, unique story, with amusing pictures.