This 32 page book has approximately three sentences of text, a color photograph and a fact box which contains a fact or vocabulary word and definition.  Four main topics are covered. The first is about death and the questions that need to be answered about each death.  The second is about procedures done on the scene, such as looking for clues, taking photographs and blood samples. The third is about procedures once the body is in the lab including all the jobs of the medical examiner. The fourth is about determining the official cause of death and filing charges , if necessary.  This book contains a table of contents, glossary, read more and internet sites page, and index.

Bella has a stuffed bear named Arthur that can protect her from monsters, dragons, slugs, and shadows. One night Arthur shows up missing and Bella has a hard time sleeping. Then, Bella finds Arthur in her baby brother’s crib and takes Arthur from him…until she sees his worried face. She then realizes that her brother needs Arthur more than she does, and she finds inner strength to ward off all monsters.

Cleo always seems to get carsick.  Well, after eating a large pancake breakfast, she was crammed into a car with several other people on her way to a birthday party, and after a while, she started feeling a little green. Suddenly she threw up on Mrs. Kenly’s mink coat.  Feeling very embarrassed, she painted on a fake smile, but felt better when she showed her diving tricks in the pool. Later, she told her mom about the experience and felt better after a good cry.    Ad   Gr 2-3

Salamanders,  Nelson,Robin  … Lerner Publications Company ..  2009    978-0-7613-4065-2   Ad

This 32 page book discusses the life cycle of salamanders. Each page has a single sentence of information with a large color photo to support the text. This book includes pages specifically for salamander facts, adult salamander facts, glossary and index.   Ad

It’s a Baby Spiny Anteater!  Hengel, Katherine  ..  ABDO Publishing  ..  2010  978-1-60453-578-5

This 24 page book has approximately two sentences of spiny anteater facts with an additional fact box that contains additional information.  Each page spread has a large color photo to support the text. The reader will learn about the litters, the babies’ weight at birth, their age of independence and adult facts as well.  Ad

Bill, the dog, was very smelly and escaped every plan for a bath, until the family went on vacation and left Bill with Aunt Bleach! Aunt Bleach had quite a tussle, rolling in the compost bin where Bill was hiding, where she finally trapped him. Aunt Bleach finally prevailed with Bill smelling like a rose…but Aunt Bleach stunk! Adorable watercolor illustrations enhance this story. This story is told in changing rhyming patterns.

Reminiscent of  the story, “Are You My Mother?” by P.D. Eastman, Little Pip, a penguin, wanders off against her mom and dad’s orders, and gets lost.  Of each animal she encounters she asks, “Can you tell where home is?”  Each animal responds with a description of where their home is, not hers.  Finally, mom and dad find her, and she realizes that home can be anywhere just as long as they’re all together.  A warm and fuzzy story.

In this 2010 release, Roy Freeman continues the legacy begun by his father Don Freeman of ‘Corduroy’ fame.  Finding unfinished work from his father’s estate, Roy Freeman was able to give us another delightful tale of a squirrel who is looking for the acorns he’s stored away.  His search takes him through the grounds of the National Mall in Washington DC where he encounters a class of students on a field trip.  Out of his habitat, he scurries until he finally makes it home to his family.  A sweet story enjoyed by young children.  Illustrations are nearly identical to the style of previous Don Freeman books.

Having been a child growing up in the 1960s, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  The writing is engaging and the information is clearly presented.  The author has done a fine job in making this book both interesting and informative.  Chapters touch on every aspect of the decade:  U. S. Foreign Policy, Civil Rights, Science & Technology, Social Change, Writing, Art & Design, Stage & Screen, Music and Sports.  Profiles of famous folk are distributed throughout the book.  Photos, which complement the text well, are printed in black-and-white or red brown-and-white.  The book also includes a timeline, a selected bibliography, a “To Learn More” section, a “Selected 1960s Classics section and an index.  A very useful resource as a research tool.

It’s just a tiny white lie when Annie Boyd tells her best friend that she’s getting a horse when her family moves to the country.  The truth is that Annie makes up the story to hide how much she’ll miss the mall, movies, street  food, and most of all, her best friend, Jade.  But in the country Annie does meet friends, and she (and the readers) learn lots about caring for and riding horses. There’s advice on the proper dress for riding club events, practical knowledge like tying a horse with a quick-release knot, and safety tips such as keeping your dog on a leash around horses.  A “Horse Tips” page, a glossary, and an “Advice from Annie” section with tips on finding new friends, are useful.

Everything turns out a bit too perfectly in this book, but after all, it is a book about wishes coming true.  Young horse lovers will find lots to dream about.