How the Executive Branch Works is part of the How the US Government Works series, which includes additional titles of How Political Campaigns and Elections Work, How Political Parties Work, How the Judicial Branch Works, How the Legislative Branch Works,  and How the US Security Agencies Work.  This non-fiction series supports the Common Core State Standards for grades 3-6.

Nicely laid out, easy to read with color and black and white photographs and other illustrations, the text contains sidebars, a timeline, a glossary and an index, and a “Stop and Think” section that would be very useful in the classroom. There is also a reference section that includes books and a link to websites that are routinely monitored and updated.

Armistice Day is a  graphic novel in the Graphic Warfare series that includes these additional titles: D-Day, Fallujah, Gettysburg, Iwo Jima,  and the Tet Offensive. The text is filled with action-packed illustrations and fact-filled narration. Easy to read, but riveting, this text explains how WW I started, the new battle methods used in that war, trench warfare, the final days of the war, and the signing of the armistice agreement with the cease fire on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. It concludes with a history of Armistice Day, how it later became known as Veterans Day. The text also includes maps, timelines, biographies, statistics, a glossary and index, as well as a reference to websites that are frequently monitored and updated.

This book, and the entire series, would make an excellent addition to a school library.

Polar Bears Matter is a non-fiction book in the Bioindicator Species series that also includes the titles Bees Matter, Coral Reefs Matter, Dragonflies Matter, Frogs Matter, and Monarch Butterflies Matter. The series supports Common Core State Standards for grades 3-6

Polar Bears Matter has especially nice colored photographs of polar bears in the wild, and of scientists and researchers working to determine what is causing their habitat to shrink, and how to protect these animals from extinction.  There are also sidebars, graphs, charts, a glossary, index, additional resources for further research, and a nice “Stop and Think” section that will useful for classroom use.

Thomas Edison Invents the Light Bulb is a non-fiction book in the Great Moments in Science series. The series, which also includes non-fiction titles on Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Louis Pasteur, Marie Curie, and Rachel Carson, supports the Common Core State Standards for grades 3-6.

The book is filled with period black and white photos and etchings, has numerous sidebars of information, as well as a timeline, glossary, index, and resources for further study. It is interesting and easy to read, and will make a good addition to a school or classroom library, especially for students who are studying inventors and inventions.

Ebola is a non-fiction book for children and youth that explains how the Ebola epidemic occurred, what is thought to cause the virus, the symptoms shown by the infected, how the disease spreads, how the disease can be  or prevented or contained, and what health officials in the affected countries of Africa and around the world are doing to educate communities about this disease.

The book contains numerous color photographs and other graphics, as well as statistics, a glossary, index, and resources for further study.

George is a novel about a 10 year old named George, who loves to read and has a best friend named Kelly. Everyone thinks George is a boy, but she doesn’t feel like one. George is a transgender fourth-grader who prefers to be called Melissa and who identifies as a girl. The main plot conflict is that George really wants to try out for the role of Charlotte in the class production of the play Charlotte’s Web.  George  thought she would always be keeping the secret, but when her teacher states that she can’t try out for the part because she is boy, she and her friend Kelly come up with a plan.

George is praised for filling the gap between transgender picture books for young children and novels for teenagers, as it is the perfect book for mid-grade kids.

As author Alex Gino states, “It’s not just, ‘This is a trans narrative.’ This is a narrative about a young person who is very much trying to become who they are.”

Have you ever played those word games were you have to see how many words you can create from the original word? This book reminds me of one of those games, but for primary age readers. It is a cross between one of those games and a wordless picture book. There are no sentences in this book.  There is usually one word per page. All of the words begin with the letter “p”. Sometimes a letter is added to the word on the previous page and sometimes a letter is subtracted from the word on the previous page. Here is the progression of words: plan, plane, planet, plant, pant, pants, pans, pals, Pa’s, past, post, pot, pit, pin, pint, point, paint, pain, plain, plan. Have you guessed the plot of this book yet? It is about a young girl with a dream to fly a bi-plane as she plants a garden,  hangs pants up on a clothes-line, and goes about her daily life. She takes a key which fell out of the pant’s pocket to open a locked photo album belonging to her Pa. Inside the album are ticket stubs, old photos, a blue ribbon, and pilot’s wings from her parents’ barnstorming days. She shows the album to her pa. Together they paint posters, fit aviator clothing, paint the bi-plane, visit her mother in the cemetery, and pack a picnic lunch and luggage, before flying off over the plain. What a great plan!

The first graders I read the book to loved finding the change from one word into the other, as well as, following the story-line through use of the one word per page and the illustrations!

Poisonous vomit, punching shrimp, hidden claws… oh my!  This high appeal title profiles a wide selection of animals from all over the world which defend themselves in unexpected ways.  Many of the defenses hinge on bodily fluids in some way – and kids can’t get enough of it.  Each tale is accompanied by photographs, and the graphic design of the book has pizzazz.  This and Johnson’s similarly packaged works “Zombie Makers” and “Masters of Disguise” are essential for any public, elementary, or middle school library.

Life in the United States military is definitely different from civilian life, but it is also different for the spouses and for their children.  Combat Zone,  weaves a story about high school senior Justin who is the child of a military parent. Justin is the son of a Navy Seal, the elite of the elite. Every year before school begins, Justin takes part in the ritual mixed martial arts BBQ with the sons  and their Navy Seal fathers in one of their backyards. “This establishes who’s tough and who’s weak. Who rules but also who needs to be protected. At school, we stick together. The Seals are not just a branch of the military; we’re a family.” (4)

Justin and his father haven’t spent much time together as Justin was growing up. So now that Justin’s parents are divorced, Justin is enjoying their time together. Dad- Colonel Edwin Ladd, wants Justin to teach Col. Parker’s son Calvin , a freshman, how to fight. Justin doesn’t want to saying it’s Calvin’s dad’s job. Dad ends the discussion by inferring it’s Justin’s “Duty”.

After the football game Friday night, Justin and his Dad go for a motorcycle ride. On one of their stops, Dad suggests that Col. Parker and Calvin come on their next ride, too. On a later stop, Justin texts his friend Eric to see where the after game parties are happening. When Justin shows up at the party, his teammate Anton asks for a ride home because it’s against the “athlete code of honor” to be drinking. Justin eventually agrees to take Anton home. On the way home, Anton tells Justin, “I thought you’d be a good person to come out to first…” Justin can’t stand the implication of what Anton is trying to tell him. This is unmanly! Justin goes overboard and breaks Anton’s jaw.  At school, Justin makes up a story saying the fight with Anton was over Allison. The next weekend, Colonel Parker (Larry) and Calvin tag along on Justin’s and his father’s motorcycle ride. During a stop on the ride, Ed and Larry go off together to see something leaving Calvin and Justin to talk. Calvin mentions that he and his father will be stationed here for as long a Justin and his Dad are here. Why? ” ‘You know about our dads.’  ” (39) Justin is about to hit Calvin when the dads come back. All Justin can do is race out of there as fast as he can. Justin is so hurt and angry he smashes the windshield of his father’s car. He doesn’t come home that night. Colonel Ladd has Justin taken out of school in handcuffs by the MP, when Justin won’t talk to him, and put in the back seat of his car. At home, Justin pretends to teach Calvin how to fight, pins him, and tells Calvin he lied about his father. Justin is so confused. His father, his macho Navy Seal role model, is living a lie. Justin starts spreading rumors at school about boys he suspects of being gay. He even tells one of the boy’s girl friends, he’ll be taking her to the homecoming dance because her boyfriend is gay. Justin is out of control. Between the football game and the homecoming dance Justin and Jimmy get into a fight in their backyard. Justin won’t end the fight when Jimmy taps out, until Justin’s dad steps in. After the homecoming dance, Justin breaks Allison’s curfew and scares her by his actions. When Justin finally takes her home, both Allison’s and Justin’s parents are there. Justin goes over to Eric’s house to get away from his father. Eric’s mother doesn’t want Justin in their house, so they sit out on the curb and talk. Justin finally tells Eric what is going on with his father. Eric’s response , ”  ‘I’ve been so jealous of the two of you since my dad split. You know what to do. Man up.’  ” (73) Back at his home, Justin confronts his father. Dad say, ”  ‘ This changes nothing between us…’  … ‘I don’t want to be a disgusting freak.’.. SMACK.  Justin’s father hits him and he runs from the house. (77) Justin spends the night in the high school baseball dug out. Later at lunch, Justin and Mychal throw a bowl of fruit at Eric. Coach Young sees the whole thing and takes it upon himself to handle the situation. Coach Young takes them aside and then throws them off of the football team.  Coach “knows about Dad. He doesn’t care. Am I the only one who does?” (82) Coach Young arranges for  Colonels Ladd and Porter to have a talk with Justin in his school office. Dad tells Justin he’s always been this way.  He can ”  ‘accept it now. I hope you will. … How do you feel? ‘   ” … ”  ‘ Betrayed.’  ”     ”  ‘You’re my son. I’m still your father.’  “(85)  … ”  ‘First, you’ll apologize to Eric. Second, you’ll get a job so you can pay for replacing my windshield, and third, you’re going to get your act together going forward? ‘  ” (86) …  ”  ‘So we know where we stand. Are you going to keep acting like this or will you…’   ‘ Man up.’ I finished his sentence. For the first time in a long time, Dad and I both smile.” (87)

Short and quick paced.

Twelve-year-old Genuine Sweet lives in a tiny, broken down house with her drunkard of a father who cannot get a job, and her Grandmother who moved in to provide guidance to Genuine. Living in the small southern town of Sass, Georgia has proven to be challenging for the family who goes hungry and has their power turned off due to lack of funds. Then Genuine’s grandmother tells her a secret; Genuine is a 4th generation wish fetcher. She is able to grant others’ wishes by calling to the stars and having them pour down their liquid star light. The problem is she cannot fetch wishes that would benefit her self. When a city girl moves into town, she gives Genuine ideas to trade wishes for things she needs, bring bartering into town to better the community, and have her wish fetching go world wide on the internet. However, wish fetching for the clients on the web is a lot of work for one girl, and when she loses the one person who has held her world together, her grandmother, Genuine breaks the main wish fetcher rule and asks for a wish for herself. With that, she loses her gift, but shares the secret of wish fetching to others to continue the positive support for those in need.

Faith Harkey tells her story adding a sweet southern charm that adds a little magic to the already magical tale. The humanitarian message given is a valuable message to the youth of today.