The book jacket clearly summarizes this Recipient of the 2008 National Endowment for Humanities Medal book:  “Here is the story of the land, of the people who transformed it, and the terrible price they paid.”  The author writes about the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.  He introduces to the readers the ecology of Great Plain which sets the stage for a better understanding of the dust storms.  The reader is given another introduction into the history of the Great Plains in the late 1700s and the 1800s.  Farming life in the late 1880s and the 1890s prepares the reader for the role of the farmers in World War I.  As time progresses, the reader is able to follow those farmers into the 1920s,  the Depression era and then into and after the devastating Dust Bowl Days.  In the final chapter, the reader is told, “The lesson is clear:  serious droughts are inevitable. We should expect them and plan for them.  If not, we will see more Dust Bowls.”  Evidence of an immense dust cloud in China (2002), excessive erosion on cropland (1997) and the desertification of the Amazon rain forest are presented leaving the reader wanting to pay attention to history and not make the same mistakes again.  The book contains a glossary, a “Books for Kids” section, a bibliography, a timeline and an index.  The brown-and-white photographs are well-chosen and greatly complement the text.  Students, teachers and history buffs will enjoy this well-written thought-provoking book.

The author has created a visually stunning and clearly presented book on this event in history.

I found this 32 page non-fiction book about the Wright Brothers to be easy to read and full of interesting facts. The illustrations are cartoon style with funny captions which should hold the attention of young readers. There are also many good quality photographs of the Wright Brothers and their inventions which brings their biography alive. I would be interested in having more books in this series.  There is an AR test for this book (level 5.6, .5 points).

Ellray is a small third-grader.  He keeps getting beat-up by Jared, the biggest kid in the class.  Jared’s dad wants him to stay out of trouble so he tells Jared that the family will go to Disneyland if he can stay out of  trouble for one week.   Ellray has to stay away from Jared to keep out of trouble,but he is not sure he can do that.

This deals with bullying and how Ellray handles the problem without telling his parents.

This is a good first chapter book  for students who are afraid to read.

“What is religion?” is the first question the author presents to the reader in this very useful beginner’s resource.  It is not an encyclopedia per say, but an introduction to the world’s religions.  Detailed chapters are devoted specifically to Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.  East Asian religions (Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, etc.) and Modern Religions, the Baha’i Faith, for example, are briefly discussed.  Sidebars provide interesting information.  There is no glossary, however there is an index.  The wonderful color photos complement the text.  A valuable tool for students wishing to gain a quick perspective.

This book is not for the “Twilight” fans, but rather for those who wish to learn the real history of vampires and creatures who walk the night.  The author, paranormal researcher Brad Steiger, dispels the many myths of the vampire, but does inform the reader of true frightening accounts of real vampires, etc. that walk our streets.  This is a well-organized readable resource – suitable for research, as well as, the casual reader.  Photos and sketches are printed in black-and-white.  A “Vampires: A Chronology” section and an index are included.  This dark read will definitely appeal to the horror fancier.

This non-fiction book (AR level 6.3, .5 points) about climate change on our Earth is well-written and easy to understand.  Difficult concepts are clearly explained and evidence pointing to climate change is presented amongst engaging, colorful and good-quality photography.

This series is a comical and rhyming guide for teachers who are working with their students on grasping various grammatical concepts and parts of speech.  The illustrations are funny and colorful.  We have several from this series in our school library and teachers do use them with their classes to reinforce these concepts.

This is a good overview non-fiction book geared for late elementary through middle school aged students who are interested in the events around Hurricane Katrina.  Full of engaging, but student-friendly pictures of the disaster, the layout makes the information very readable.  The price makes this series very affordable for the quality of the book.

This was a fun story of a 5th grade girl Abbie, who happens to be a witch.  She ends up in one comical pickle after another as she navigates life and works to solve a mystery involving her enchanted cat.  As the mystery unravels and the plot thickens, Abbie’s magical skills and courage are tested.  The characters are well developed, the parents (also witches) demonstrate impeccable parenting throughout, and Thomas Edison’s role in science and technology is introduced adding an educational component.

This easy-to-read collection of Bible stories includes the David and Bathsheba story and others which may call for some explaining if it’s read to very small children.  However,  for older children and adults the familiar stories are an interesting and entertaining collection of folk tales, poetry, short stories, and history.  The author introduces each chapter with a summary of his research and opinions on the story that is to follow.

The flood is there, though in a couple of paragraphs rather than the many verses that King James gives it.  The important genealogy of Jesus is shortened to a paragraph, which is enough to explain that Joseph was a descendant of David.

Purists may be reciting the beautiful King James wording in their minds, and students will note that chapter and verse divisions are not there, though the index at the end does identify in which book the stories appear in the King James version.  Nevertheless,  this story format works very well for reading aloud.  The author’s thoughts, such as that Joseph cries himself to sleep in frustration when he finds out that Mary is pregnant before their wedding, are an interesting addition.