The idea expressed in the title is over simplified in this book by the text if it is meant for 2nd and 3rd graders, as the ages 3-9 states on the back cover.

The idea- technology is used to solve problems- goes back and forth between electronics and non-electronic objects. For young children, it might be better to reference the technology by time eras. The technology mentioned in the book are: video games, chairs, microwave ovens, calculators, eye glasses, a backpack, and an airplane. The text/song does mention how each bit of technology helped solve a problem, but I find a problem with the book’s content and the way the children’s parents and siblings will be using the word ‘technology’. I worry about the child’s comprehension of the word ‘technology’ if a knowledgeable adult is not helping with this concept.

The musical CD accompanying the book has beeps and boops included to represent the sounds of technology, but none of the chairs, eye glasses, and backpacks mentioned in the text make any of those sounds.

“Persian cats are one of the most popular cat breeds in the United States.” (4) So begins the 14 pages of text on Persian cats in this basic informational book for primary grade readers.

There are 13 different adorable full color photos of Persian cats. The word ‘adorable’ may not be factual, but even this non-cat lover found them cute. The factual text usually appears in one or two sentences per page.

Book comes with: Table of Contents, Glossary, Index, QR code, and website – abdozoom.com.

Follow along as Ginny tries to find the perfect pet. She likes goats but they are too messy to have in the house. Ginny ventures to the beach, the hills, the forest and outer space looking for the perfect pet but definitely not a monster. If Ginny can not find the perfect pet, maybe she shouldn’t have a pet at all. Read this cute read aloud book to find out which pet Ginny gets in the end.

Blue is working to find freedom for her friend, Crow. However, she’s also very much a part of the ongoing war between Goswing and Grimmaea. Blue, being half Grimmaean, has a difficult time getting someone to listen to her. Hector is a journalist who is trying to help, but no one wants to listen to the stories he writes or the truths he shares. The draft age has been lowered and Hector is being pressured to enlist even though he’s only seventeen, It seems the world has gone mad while Blue and Hector work hard to get anyone to listen to reason.

EndGames is the sequel to NewsPrints. If you haven;t read the first book then this will be difficult to understand. It works to tie up some loose ends from the first book, but it does take awhile to get there. This book takes a pointed look at how pride and greed can fuel conflicts as well as looking at racial profiling and gender roles. There are no language issues. It does deal with war violence and racial prejudice.

Frank William Epperson knew he wanted to be an inventor from a very young age. This picture book chronicles his boyhood life through his successful invention of the popsicle. Along the way four step-by-step experiments are woven into the story including the materials needed, procedures, results, and additional information. Frank did invent many other things as well, but it was not his main form of employment.

The book is presented in tri-color overlays and sepia tones to help the reader get into the early 1900s.

The book ends with family photos from the 1920s and 1937, along with an advertisement poster for Popsicle.

This 11″ X 9″ board book takes preschoolers step-by-step through preparing the ground for a new building project: bulldozer, excavator, front loader, dump truck, concrete mixer, crane, flatbed truck, forklift, road roller, and backhoe are all pictured in bright simplified versions of the machines. Each right hand page has a 4″ diameter circle cut into the center of the page that reflects the readers face back to him/her on a shiny silver mylar surface making the reader seem to be the operator of each piece of equipment. Fun!

The final page shows a finished library has been constructed using all of this equipment.

This informational book on Vietnam includes: location, landscape and climate, wildlife, people, communities, customs, school and work, play, food, and celebrations before a timeline, Vietnam facts, glossary, with factsurfer.com website, and index. The information given is good solid information. It is what is not given that makes this a problematic book for young people.

The location maps show Vietnam both up-close and on a worldwide scale. The climate lists the monsoon months, but the inset lists the temperatures for only four months which do not correspond with the months specifically named for the monsoon seasons. This would be confusing for younger readers.

The biggest problem with this book is the use of Vietnamese words without their definitions half of the time. This often takes place on the photos. On page 13, there is a river scene with many boats being rowed by people standing . The word or phrase “SOC TRANG” is inset on the photo, is SOC TRANG the river or the boat people or the mode of transportation? On page 16, there is a row of five traditionally dressed young ladies walking with the word “AO DAI” inset on the photo. Is AO DAI their clothing style? I do not blame author Emily Rose Oachs for this confusion because most often the authors do not choose the photos put in their books.

The timeline is also a bit confusing because the events listed are most often not directly above their place on the timeline. It lacks adequate space on the line, squeezing in six events at the very end and four other events spaciously displayed.

And lastly, there is a centuries old building on the front cover of the book and repeated on the title page which is not identified anywhere in the book.

Readers will love to watch Rollo the rambunctious bull dog as he chases a tennis ball, digs too many holes, tracks muddy feet into the house and even onto a sofa, chews a shoe, and chases a chipmunk without stopping into a stone wall.”But there’s one thing that Rollo loves to do the most. And that’s to say he’s sorry.”

Keith Frawley’s illustrations are hilarious. They perfectly capture Rollo’s enthusiasm and his boy’s frustration.

In book one, Nicky, the new kid in town, finds a friend in Aaron only to loose him, when Aaron’s mother dies.

This book is part two of the pre-story behind the HELLO NEIGHBOR video game. It is so much deeper than I ever imagined it would be!

In book two, Nicky is trying to cope with his loss of Aaron while beginning a new school year. Nicky finds himself studying Mr. Peterson’s ( Aaron’s father) every move. Nicky is not convinced that Aaron and his little sister, Mya, have gone away to live with their aunt in the wake of their mother’s death. Mr. Peterson is so strange, by Nicky’s standards. Mr. Peterson continues to go to the Golden Apple Amusement Park, outside of town, which he designed, in its now closed run down state. Why? Is there some evidence of wrong doing Mr. Peterson is trying to get rid of there? The town is debating if they should demolish the park and revitalize the area. Nicky, Mya’s friend- Maritza, and Trinity have set themselves a goal to find out the truth about Aaron’s and Mya’s whereabouts. Are they living with their aunt, or has their father done something with them? They need to find all the evidence they can before the old park is demolished and the evidence with it.