This is such a cute book about Ernest B. Spinosaurus who writes to Santasaurus all year long to let Santasaurus know That he should be on the “good” list for Christmas.  Ernest lets Santasaurus know of all the good things he has done and lets him know that the bad things aren’t his fault or weren’t so bad.  Oh, and what he wants for Christmas, which changes with the newer models that come out and depending what he got for his birthday.  Very entertaining.

A singing, dancing, crime-fighting girl superhero TV show is filming in Milo and Jazz’s ‘ordinary’ town. “Milo and Jazz were sleuths in training. They got lessons in the mail from world-famous private eye Dash Marlowe and worked together to solve mysteries that popped up in their town.” (page 9) Shortly after spoiled little girl – Ursula- throws a fit when no one will sell a prized ‘power pick’ in the crowd of towns people out to watch the filming of the TV show episode, the ‘power picks’ begin to disappear. At first, Milo and Jazz think Ursula is behind the disappearances. Then, it is revealed someone is sending letters to the “power pick” owners saying they will get to be in the TV episode if they secretly drop off their “power pick” after that day’s filming. Milo receives his monthly letter from Dash Marlowe advising the use of Venn Diagrams for helping to sort out clues. Through the use of Venn diagram and Milo’s observation the mystery is solved.

Two or three black and white illustrations per chapter.

Includes five pages entitled: Super Sleuthing  Strategies of brain teasers for the readers to solve on their own. Answers are supplied.

In the summer between 5th and 6th grades, Leo and Chad are about to attend Camp Smellerd where 12 Guppy Scouts disappeared in 1981, never to be heard from again. Meanwhile, Leo has a half-zombie friend, Roger, who lives in a lab behind a sliding panel in the back of his bedroom closet. Chad’s older sister, Anita, is excited to be a counselor at Camp Smellerd this summer and plans to clean up the algal bloom on Lake Moan. She thinks it is caused by the “radioactive blast at Brainland’s nuclear power plant ” back in 1981. Anita’s plan is to take ” the group of ragtag kids in mismatched socks and stained T-shirts…[now] In their sparkling white suits, they looked like algae-fighting superheroes.”  In the exact middle of the book, while Anita is running the pond/water skimmer a “noise grew louder and louder until— ‘AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH’ from the lake’s shore came a long, low moan.”  Fish zombies dressed in old guppy scout uniforms surround Anita, Chad, and Leo in the boat. Dun, dun, dah! The zombies are attacking the boat, when Roger arrives at the lake on a bicycle, only to find out ‘these’ zombies are toothless algae eaters. The police arrive to shut down the lake, but Anita convinces the police the zombies do not exist, because the zombies are helping the lake’s ecosystem, not harming people.

My one complaint about this book is its cover. My students want to read scary zombie stories, ie. GOOSEBUMPS, not ones with comic BART SIMPSON covers.  My school library patrons won’t be checking out this book. CHANGE the cover, not the story, and this will be a hit.

Delaware is one in the completely revised America the Beautiful series. This book is divided into 9 chapters before the projects, timeline, glossary, fast facts, biographical dictionary, and resources found at the vary back of the text.The nine chapters include: 1- Land, 2- First People, 3- Exploration and Settlement, 4- Growth and Change, 5- More Modern Times, 6-People, 7- Government, 8- Economy, and 9- Travel Guide.

DuPont, “one of the largest chemical companies in the world” is headquartered in Delaware.

Delaware has its share of museums. There are museums for shipwrecks, Native Americans, Hispanics, Swedish, African Americans, explorers,  and colonial life. There are museums were children “can dress up in old-time clothing… and [others where] costumed guides… demonstrate life in the 1800s.”

Banking and Financial activities are the leading service industry in Delaware. It is the National Center for the credit card industry.

This book is filled with charts, graphs, maps, and photos which will aid students in attaining the Common Core Standards .

If you have ever been to summer camp, this book will ring true for you in many ways. This book is told in graphic novel format, perhaps this will be the next BIGGEST science series since ‘Magic School Bus’.

While at summer camp, six of the campers learn about gravity, as it relates to their camping experiences, from their camp counselors. Gravity first comes into play, when the cuckoo clock in the dining hall is ‘wound’ by pulling the chains so gravity can pull on the weights which move its gears. Later, center of gravity and friction are experienced on the beach and in the lake, then explained by the counselor in the dining hall.

A pendulum’s speed and an objects weight with regards to gravity are also explained.

Includes: 2 experiments with explanation, Mysterious Words (glossary), and 5 stated facts about gravity under the heading- “Could You Have Solved the Mystery of the Cuckoo Clock?”

“Go Beyond the printed book. Download FREE educational resources at www.lerneresource.com”

Here is the mini-bio of a Native American chief who just wanted his people to be left alone. Please have the wagon trains go away with their ” horses and cattle …[that] ate the grass needed by Sioux ponies.  The loud wagon trains scared away the game. And the whites brought deadly diseases, such as smallpox, measles, and the flu.” (page 16) Some of the Sioux decided to live near the trading post, Red Cloud and others decided to isolate themselves from the whites. Later, when gold was discovered, Red Cloud first talked with Bozeman, then the U.S. government peace commissioner to keep Sioux land away from the gold hunters.

“Red Cloud was unlike most war chiefs. He made long-range plans. No war chief had power to command his men.Red Cloud had to rely on his reputation and oratory to lead his band. Thus he persuaded the warriors to do things his way.” (page 23) … Red Cloud “would not talk of peace until all the soldiers left his hunting grounds.” (page 24)  Meanwhile, other Native American groups further south were giving the whites trouble because of the railroad being built. ” President Andrew Johnson (post-civil war) did not want further fighting.” Army forts were abandoned and Red Cloud had them burnt to the ground.

Author, William R. Sanford makes this an easy read in nine short chapters. Black and white photographs and sketches from the time period are used for illustration, but this book could use some color. The headers for each chapter the two maps, and the purposeful smudge marks on the bottom of most pages could easily be in color! I fear the lack of color will decrease the number of readers choosing to read this book.

This reference presents essays that discuss not only the historical background of Kosovo, but also the ethnic cleansing there and the events leading to the trial of Slobodan Milosevic. The first chapter provides the background information and uses primary sources, such as articles from periodicals, State Department and judicial reports and the Kosovo Declaration of Independence. The second chapter presents information on the genocide in Kosovo from multinational perspectives, essays and speeches on whether or not the events in Kosovo meet the criteria of a genocide and reports on incidents of rape as a weapon of war the systematic execution of Albanian males of fighting age. Chapter three recounts personal experiences of victims of the Serbian forces, a peace worker who was imprisoned, a witness of atrocities, and young victims from the region. I don’t think many of our students know about the genocide in Kosovo, and I think fewer understand the root of the problems; this book does a good job explaining it. There are exercises at the start of each chapter, including analysis of data and political cartoons, writing prompts and group activities. The reference includes a timeline, maps, and lists of websites and books for further information.  I see this as an excellent addition to a high school library, both for students looking for more information on genocide or teachers interested in developing a lesson/unit on the topic, particularly one supported by primary source documents.

Cowpoke Clyde had finished his chores and was pleased with his clean home until he noticed his “dawg” caked with mud. Cowpoke Clyde was determined to give his dog a bath when his efforts turn into a comedy of errors from Clyde roping a hog instead of the dog, and instead of luring the dog in for treats, he attracted six cats. Well, Clyde decided to give up and take a bath himself. While he was singing in the tub, his dog decided to jump in and croon with him beneath the moon. This story is told in rhyme with a country twang. The illustrations are cute, colorful and detailed, allowing the reader to read facial expressions of each character!