Kwanzaa by Betsy Rathburn is part of a Blastoff Beginners series of the Happy Holidays. This set is geared towards kindergarten, with sight words, short sentences, and bright color photographs. Each book is 24 pages and starts with the sight words for review before beginning the book content. As a parent of a kindergartner, I like that they provide a list of sight words to review before we begin reading the book together.

This book includes a table of contents, headings, bolded words, glossary, index, and labeled photos – perfect for introducing a holiday to preschool through second grade and working with them on identifying non-fiction text features. 

Each section includes 2-3 sentences and a photograph describing when Kwanzaa is (p. 6), and how to celebrate the holiday (p.14). 

This book is a good, quick overview of the Islamic holiday Kwanzaa. The photos show different aspects of the holiday really well, from lighting candles to celebrating with family. I love the Facts page (p. 22) as it summarizes the traditions talked about in the book, with simple photos, labels and key words.

This series also includes a page referring you to Factsurfer (factsurfer.com) for additional kid friendly web sources. I liked this website and feel like it would be a great place for your beginning researchers to find online sources, or broaden their knowledge base. At the website you type in the title of your book, click the picture of the book cover that pops up, and then are given three age appropriate sites to go to for more information. 

I find these Blastoff Beginners a go-to in my library because I know I can count on them for their eye-catching covers and photos, their quality, and their consistency in content and readability. 

If you need books for primary students about holidays or books that provide a simple to understand overview of a holiday, I recommend adding this book to your library collection. 

Ramadan by Betsy Rathburn is part of a Blastoff Beginners series of the Happy Holidays. This set is geared towards kindergarten, with sight words, short sentences, and bright color photographs. Each book is 24 pages and starts with the sight words for review before beginning the book content. As a parent of a kindergartner, I like that they provide a list of sight words to review before we begin reading the book together.

This book includes a table of contents, headings, bolded words, glossary, index, and labeled photos – perfect for introducing a holiday to preschool through second grade and working with them on identifying non-fiction text features. 

Each section includes 2-3 sentences and a photograph describing when Ramadan is (p. 6), and how to celebrate the holiday (p.12). 

This book is a good, quick overview of the Islamic holiday Ramadan. The photos show different aspects of the holiday really well, from fasting and praying to celebrating Eid-al-fitr. I love the Facts page (p. 22) as it summarizes the traditions talked about in the book, with simple photos, labels and key words. The one adjustment I would make in this book is a pronunciation guide for Allah and Eid-al-fitr.

This series also includes a page referring you to Factsurfer (factsurfer.com) for additional kid friendly web sources. I liked this website and feel like it would be a great place for your beginning researchers to find online sources, or broaden their knowledge base. At the website you type in the title of your book, click the picture of the book cover that pops up, and then are given three age appropriate sites to go to for more information. 

I find these Blastoff Beginners a go-to in my library because I know I can count on them for their eye-catching covers and photos, their quality, and their consistency in content and readability. 

If you need books for primary students about holidays or books that provide a simple to understand overview of a holiday, I recommend adding this book to your library collection. 

Day of the Dead by Betsy Rathburn is part of a Blastoff Beginners series of the Happy Holidays. This set is geared towards kindergarten, with sight words, short sentences, and bright color photographs. Each book is 24 pages and starts with the sight words for review before beginning the book content. As a parent of a kindergartner, I like that they provide a list of sight words to review before we begin reading the book together.

This book includes a table of contents, headings, bolded words, glossary, index, and labeled photos – perfect for introducing a holiday to preschool through second grade and working with them on identifying non-fiction text features. 

Each section includes 2-3 sentences and a photograph describing when Day of the Dead is (p. 6) and how to celebrate the holiday (p.12). 

This book is a good, quick overview of the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead. The photos show different aspects of the holiday really well, from celebrating to remembering your lost loved ones. I love the Facts page (p. 22) as it summarizes the traditions talked about in the book, with simple photos, labels and key words.

This series also includes a page referring you to Factsurfer (factsurfer.com) for additional kid friendly web sources. I liked this website and feel like it would be a great place for your beginning researchers to find online sources, or broaden their knowledge base. At the website you type in the title of your book, click the picture of the book cover that pops up, and then are given three age appropriate sites to go to for more information. 

I find these Blastoff Beginners a go-to in my library because I know I can count on them for their eye-catching covers and photos, their quality, and their consistency in content and readability. 

If you need books for primary students about holidays or books that provide a simple to understand overview of a holiday, I recommend adding this book to your library collection.

Summer by Christina Leaf is part of a four book Blastoff Beginners series of the Seasons. This set is geared towards kindergarten, with sight words, short sentences, and bright color photographs. This book has the biggest vocabulary words of any in the Seasons set: thunderstorms and lightning (p. 13). This, and the fact that the words are used to define each other in the glossary, makes this the most challenging book in the set. 

This book includes a table of contents, headings, bolded words, timeline, glossary, index, and labeled photos – perfect for teaching non-fiction text features to your youngest elementary students. 

Each section includes 2-3 sentences and a photograph describing when summer is (p. 6-9), including a timeline on pg. 6-7 of the seasons, things to do in summer (p. 16), and what summer looks like (p. 10). 

This book is a good, quick overview of summer. It may be a little more difficult than the others in the set for a kindergartner to read independently. I like the Summer Facts page (p. 22) as it summarizes many of the facts in the book, with photos, labels and key words.

I did not like that the definition of lightning contained the word thunderstorm, and that the definition of thunderstorm contained the word lightning (p. 23). I think this would be confusing for a child who did not know what those terms meant.

I find these Blastoff Beginners a go-to in my library because I know I can count on them for quality and consistency in content and readability. 

Fall by Christina Leaf is part of a four book Blastoff Beginners series of the Seasons. This set is geared towards kindergarten, with sight words, simple two syllable words, short sentences, and bright color photographs. 

This book includes a table of contents, headings, bolded words, timeline, glossary, index, and labeled photos – perfect for teaching non-fiction text features to your youngest elementary students. 

Each section includes 2-3 sentences and a photograph describing when fall is (p. 6-9), including a timeline on pg. 6-7 of the seasons, things to do in fall (p. 16), and what fall looks like (p. 10). 

This book is a good, quick overview of fall and is easy enough for kindergarteners who are sounding out two-syllable words to read independently. I like the Fall Facts page (p. 22) as it summarizes many of the facts in the book, with photos, labels and key words.

I find these Blastoff Beginners a go-to in my library because I know I can count on them for quality and consistency in content and readability. I also appreciate the consistency in headings and page numbers throughout the books in a set. I can give out multiple books from the same set and ask students to find something to turn to page 16 and tell me one thing to do in that season. Great for beginning research skills.

Spring by Christina Leaf is part of a four book Blastoff Beginners series of the Seasons. This set is geared towards kindergarten, with sight words, simple two syllable words, short sentences, and bright color photographs. 

This book includes a table of contents, headings, bolded words, timeline, glossary, index, and labeled photos – perfect for teaching non-fiction text features to your youngest elementary students. 

Each section includes 2-3 sentences and a photograph describing when spring is (p. 6-9), including a timeline on pg. 6-7 of the seasons, things to do in spring (p. 18), and what spring looks like (p. 10). Spring also contains a good amount of information about animals and plants in spring and how it is a time of growth. 

This book is a good, quick overview of spring, easy enough for kindergarteners who are sounding out two-syllable words to read independently. I like the Spring Facts page (p. 22) as it summarizes many of the facts in the book, with photos, labels and key words.

I find these Blastoff Beginners a go-to in my library because I know I can count on them for quality and consistency in content and readability. 

Winter by Christina Leaf is part of a four book Blastoff Beginners series of the Seasons. This set is geared towards kindergarten, with sight words, simple two syllable words, short sentences, and bright color photographs. 

This book includes a table of contents, headings, bolded words, timeline, glossary, index, and labeled photos – perfect for teaching non-fiction text features to your youngest elementary students. 

Each section includes 2-3 sentences and a photograph describing when winter is (p. 6-9), including a timeline on pg. 6-7 of the seasons, things to do in winter (p. 16), and what winter looks like (p. 12). 

This book is a good, quick overview of winter, easy enough for kindergarteners who are sounding out two-syllable words to read independently. I like the Winter Facts page (p. 22) as it summarizes many of the facts in the book, with photos, labels and key words. 

I find these Blastoff Beginners a go-to in my library because I know I can count on them for quality and consistency in content and readability. 

Kelly Yang crafted an excellent book with an easy to follow prose that teaches people about Asian American history and the people who have had a role in building a better future for us all. Each page is illustrated by a different Asian American and shows a point in history where Asian Americans were fundamental in the changemaking that happened there. The text and illustrations are also accompanied by a one line biography of the person or historical moment you see on the page.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful. They are dynamic and vibrant and full of emotion and motion. Get the book just to look at the illustrations!

At the end of the book, you will find an extended biography of all the people and moments depicted throughout the book.

This book is a must have for your school library!

That’s Not My Name is written by Anoosha Syed and is a picture book that covers a familiar scenario for many students with cultural names. In this lovely book Mirha starts her first day of school and when she shares her name with her new classmates, she finds out none of them can say it right. The illustrations add to her dismay with all the speech bubbles of kids calling her any number of variations of her name, none of them correct. Even teachers say her name wrong. Mirha goes through many emotions about people saying her name incorrectly and what she should do about it. Should she change her name to something no one could get wrong? At the end of the day, Mama saves the day reminding Mirha about the beauty behind her name and the strength she has behind her to make sure classmates and teachers say it correctly.

Many kids go through this exact same experience and because of that – this book is important!

I highly recommend this beautiful book and think it belongs in every school.

The illustrations, by Grant Snider, are one of my favorite things about this picture book. I love the torn paper and colored pencil drawings of the iceberg and airplanes and snow falling on the ocean.

The story is wonderful as well. Blue is an iceberg that breaks off from his parents and begins to float away from them. You can see the apprehension and nerves on his face as he unwillingly leaves them. But, soon he floats and meets friends and enjoys seeing the sights. He travels far from his home and the water becomes warmer. He is melting into the ocean – he becomes the ocean! His friends were a bit frightened when he disappeared, but then he transformed into a cloud and got to see new things from this new perspective.

This is a great story about the water cycle without throwing the water cycle in your face. I would way rather read this, than many others out there!

I highly recommend putting this book in your classroom library or school library! A must have for teaching the water cycle and there are some great art projects you could do alongside it.