Shows a city street and alley where creatures live.  Creatures are pretty undesirable and somewhat feral, such as squirrels, rats, cats,  raccoons, cockroaches and scavenger birds.  Pictures are pretty graphic and will gross out some kids — a good example to use for teaching ‘Don’t Touch!’   Use for science/habitats

Defines citizens and shows what it means to be part of a group, to be responsible and caring.  Use for teaching table of contents, index, and glossary.

A pretty generic book showing the typical ways kids can help out at school. Use for teacher table of contents, glossary, and index.

A beginning non-fiction reader which depicts different ways kids play around the world.  Interesting observation is that all photos are taken outside, none inside.  Contains table of contents, glossary, index and introduction to maps.

A story about a Jewish family where an uncle is getting married.  Everyone has ideas about how the wedding should be, until they finally elope.  His niece is jealous that now she won’t have her uncle all to herself.  Jealousy rears it’s ugly head but she learns she now has a cousin and a new friend and they learn to work/play together.  All turns out for the best. The down side is the the illustrations for Brenda, the main character, are quite unattractive and distracting.

When the Bzzz fly bites a Smurf, it turns him Purple, angry and only able to say “GNAP!”  When the purple Smurf bites a regular blue Smurf he, too, becomes purple.  So with the Bzz flies and purples Smurfs angry and biting, there is a problem.  An explosion, a scientific accident, creates a cloud which cures them all.  Can you Smurf it?

Smurf is tired of walking so he decides to fly.  He tries everything from stripping the feathers off of a chicken and making his own wings to strapping himself to a rocket.  Not such good results, but funny.  Smurf-tastic!

Depicts with words and photos ways we are alike and ways we are different.  No mudgment, just fact.  No geography lesson; includes table of contents, glossary and index.

Great cartoon-like illustrations show a cross-section of a house and where pests can live.  Also explains the damage or usefulness of each pest.  Excellent photos of actual pests, including termites, rats, bats, and mold.  Seems adequate but it could have included more, such as mice, fleas, ants, and so on.  Could be used with science habitat unit.

Fun non-fiction read for teens about the world’s strangest parrot.  A native of New Zealand, the enormous, flightless and friendly Kakapo is on the verge of extinction- for obvious reasons.  It’s a fat, friendly, ground dwelling bird- people arrived in New Zealand and immediately thought- ‘Hey! Green Chickens!’  This book tells the story of one breeding season on the last tiny island home of the kakapo, and everything that the scientists and volunteers are doing to keep them from disappearing.  Lots of pictures, best for older elementary or  middle school but there’s more than enough info to keep a highschooler engaged as well.  In fact it’s a YA book in the Timberland Library system.

Elmer and Wilbur are asked to escort a shy young elephant named Rose back to her herd.  She thought that Elmer and Wilbur were unique and special; they thought she was unique and special.  Until they saw her herd — all pink!  Pretty colors; young children will like the concept of feeling like one of a kind.  Same quality as previous Elmer books.