Bridges is a title in Scholastic’s Blastoff Readers’ new series, Everyday Engineering. The text takes us through what are bridges, types of bridges, and how bridges work in a very simplified manner. There is a glossary in the back of the text for bold words, but some more challenging words like cantilever are not defined. There are photographs of several bridges, but it does not always tell where the bridge is and for some of the pretty cool bridge construction I wanted to know more about them. They only name and give details for the Golden Gate Bridge.

At the back of the book there is a list of books for further reading. It also includes details for how to access factsurfer.com, which links you to sites for further information and videos on the topic.

The Water Cycle is a nonfiction book from the series Weather. This is one of the series in Abdo Publishing’s new Pop! Books. Several of the pages include QR codes with further information or activities. You can also access the activities, information, and teacher resources at popbookonline.com.

On each two page spread there are text and color photographs. Text features are on several pages including keywords, a diagram, text boxes, glossary, and index. At the end there is also a section on making connections (text to self, text to text, and text to world).

Toucans is a nonfiction book from the series Rain Forest Animals. On each two page spread there is text and color photographs. There are text features on several pages including keywords, a diagram, text boxes, glossary, and index. At the end there is also a section on making connections (text to self, text to text, and text to world). Several of the pages include QR codes with further information or activities. You can also access the activities, information, and teacher resources at popbookonline.com.

A Dog Named Doug by Karma Wilson is a fun, loosely rhyming read. There is some alliteration that can be a bit of a tongue twister. Matt Myers, the illustrator, is creative in tying his pictures into the words, but sometimes the illustrations impeded the text. It took me a bit to figure out that the mountains were standing in for the letter M for several words. As a read aloud, this would be a fun book, but as a book for beginning readers to check out, decoding the words that have pictures as the letter could be a challenge.

On his way home from band practice, Oliver missed the bus, people started screaming which confused Oliver. Then he discovered he was a werewolf. As he finds out all the wonderful thing he can do, he realizes his mom will be upset that he is late. Would his parents be mad for being late or would they be afraid of Oliver?

Knock Knock is a hilarious book about a bear getting ready to settle down for his yearly hibernation. His friends all dropped by and throw him an impromptu party but all Bear wants to do is sleep. The book is full of knock knock jokes that will entertain the audience.

At the town’s Valentine’s Day Bash, the monsters give Frankenstein a hard time for not being “monster” enough. At the bash, though, Frankenstein receives a secret valentine. Follow along to find out which monster likes Frankenstein just the way he is. It is well illustrated with bright colors. An easy reader with a subtle moral.

Jack B. Ninja is a new twist on the nursery rhyme Jack Be Nimble.  Using a ninja theme, Jack needs to find the treasure chest. There is a surprise ending. It rhymes and flows easily. I found it to be a good read aloud book.

The Stand-In features Brooks, a kid from a working class family with a dead beat dad, who is desperate to get out of town and attend an Ivy league school. Having no money, he volunteers to be a stand-in for a schoolmate’s cousin who got stood up for Homecoming. He planned to do this for free, as a favor, but when he receives a $300 tip, he decides he can earn college money escorting other rich 1% girls in the area. With the potential to earn this kind of money, he’ll be able to hire a tutor to help raise his SAT scores. Columbia University might be within range, after all. His escort business booms, but to keep up the momentum, he makes some minor deceptions, and cuts a few moral corners. And then he meets the unhinged Celia, and the captivating Shelby.
The Stand-In has a young male as the protagonist, which is unusual for many YA novels., and this male POV may appeal to male students.
This fast-faced, hilarious story is a fun read.

Two Summers tells two stories of one summer. In one story, Summer Everett fails to answer a phone call from her father as she prepares to catch a plane to France, where her dad is living the artist life. Upon arrival, she discovers that he’s gone to Berlin and she is left with his friends who are house sitting.
In the other story, Summer answers the phone before getting on the plane, and realizes her summer is Paris is off. Disappointed, she resigns herself to a summer at home.

We see two perspectives: Summer in the French countryside, among sun-kissed fields of lavender. And another Summer in upstate New York, amid familiar settings, but facing a real surprise.

In each version of her summer, she falls in love and discovers new things about herself, including a terrible family secret.

This is a fun read.