What kid won’t get a giggle out of a little bathroom humor?  This title delivers 21 creative poems paired with lively illustrations that cover everything from sisters hogging the loo to potty training.   An entertaining touch of the taboo with out going down the drain.

It took Marco Polo four years of crossing deserts, climbing mountains and struggling against man and the elements to reach his destination: China and the palace of Kublai Khan. This biography of the amazing explorer does more than just relate the facts of his life and trek. Feinstein relates the account of Polo’s 17 years of service to the great Khan, how he ended up in a Genoese prison and how  his life story got written and published. Although only 112 pages, the book is beautiful.  The pages appear to be written on old maps.  The photographs and drawings are stunning.  The book is well-organized and easy to follow, ending with a chapter on the impact of Polo’s travels and a list of resources for further reading.  A solid reference on an incredible man.

10-year old Persimmony Smudge falls into an adventure when she seeks the answer to the question, “Is there a giant sleeping under the island of Mount Majestic?”  First-time author Jennifer Trafton writes in a delightful, lyrical way (…for if there was one talent in the world Prunella possessed, it was a gift for going into hysterics), full of puns (the Lyre-That- Never-Lies), and whimsically profound (“But how do you know the sea goes on and on forever on all sides, and how do you know the sky is blue behind your back when you aren’t looking, because after all it might turn green or purple or orange the way the sunrise changes colors, and did you see how beautiful the sunrise was this morning?) This wacky tale features wonderful artwork by Brett Helquist (from the Series of Unfortunate Events) which helps add dimension to the story.

Friends and detectives-in-training, Milo and Jazz, are at the local fair during the summer.  The fair seems to be jinxed because strange things are happening: farm animals getting loose, pies disappearing, fake snakes in the games.  No one can explain it, until Milo and Jazz overhear a group of older boys known for their troublemaking ways, saying pretty incriminating stuff.  This leads Milo to think that these boys are planning for something bad to happen during the next day’s Fourth of July celebration.  Milo decides to infiltrate the group by pretending he’s a ‘bad boy,’ too.  But rather than planning a heist, the boys are trying to get organized to be fruits and veggies for a parade.  Big mistake on Milo’s part.  The person who they least expected turned out to be the culprit. This book will be a great fit and popular for readers in third and fourth grades who need something to read that’s of interest to them but not difficult.

Kayla Dean is a 15-year-old student journalist who smells a story when she hears that the Lady Lions, a prestigious hip-hop dance team at her high school, chooses members more for their curvy bodies than their dancing skills.  Encouraged by Rosalie, her best friend and fellow journalist, Kayla, who lacks the most basic of feminine curves, embarks on a fitness/dance/makeover process to try out for the team.  Through her own efforts and a dynamite tryout performance, she makes it, and is shocked to find new and supportive friends on the team.

“Being chosen…exceeds the boundaries of earth and space,” Kayla opines.  But her happiness is challenged when Rosalie accuses her of losing both her feminist and journalistic ideals.

This story of  teen friendships and triumphs is told with humor and wisdom, and will appeal to teens facing the everyday trials in their lives.  I especially liked seeing an African-American teen whose problems have nothing to do with poverty of lack of education.  We need more books like this one.

It has been a year since the meteorite struck the moon leaving the earth and its inhabitants struggling to survive.  In this 3rd book in the Last Survivors trilogy, teen Miranda (with her diary) surviving in Pennsylvania (from Book 1) and teen Alex who survived in New York City (from Book 2) meet in Pennsylvania under interesting circumstances.  And, yes…romance does bloom instantly between the two even though they hardly know each other.  Staying alive in this unforgiving climate is the ever-present constant in the book.   This novel, with its plots flaws and all, is still an interesting read.  It will leave the reader wanting to know more.  Is this really the end of this series?

Stylish and colorful this readable introduction to writing ones own graphic novel will be a hit with the comic book crowd.  Written for ages 10-12, it could certainly engage and prove very useful to the junior high or high school student.  Student writers will receive oodles of excellent advice on various topics, such as, setting the scene, characters and character building, building suspense, etc.  Of particular interest to me was the How to Use this Book intro which visually depicts in a linear fashion the writing process.  This book also includes a glossary, a “Further Information” section which includes websites and graphic novel titles and an index.

In this science project book, the author offers older students 16 plans…”to construct and explore working models that generate renewable energy.”  The directions are easy to follow; black-and-white simple photos help to visually depict the steps.  Safety is one-page addressed.  (Note:  Quite a few of these projects involve cutting, soldering, sawing, etc.  The young scientists must pay heed to the author’s Safety First section.  I wish the author had stated the need for adult help or adult supervision depending upon the age and ability of the young scientist.)  Each project includes a Materials and Tools list (websites are given on where to find specialized items) and  More to Think About questions.  Although the presentation of the book is not handsome, it is straightforward.  The topic is definitely current and relevant for today’s students.

This book does an excellent job in illustrating the interdependence of all creatures.  If we were to extinguish even one species, others would fail and the quality of the environment would drop.  The illustrations and simple explanations are easy to follow and understand.  This book would make an excellent resource in teaching habitats.

Attractive in design, this boldly colorful book will attract motorsport fans young and old!  The writing is clear and informative.  The book is logically organized with a wealth of information; chapters include a short historical perspective, “Motorsport Classes,” “Techniques and Technology,” “Tracks and Races,” “The Business of Racing,” “Racing Legends,” and “Teams and Machines.”  This engaging book will appeal to the casual reader as well as to the student who is gathering research information.  The color photos are definitely awesome eye grabbers.  The reference section includes U. S. Facts and Figures, a glossary, a resources section, and an index.