Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Indigenous Peoples’ Day by Rebecca Sabelko 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 a few sentences and a photograph describing when Indigenous Peoples’ Day is (p. 6), and a variety of ways you could celebrate the holiday (p.10). 

This book is a good, quick overview of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The photos show different aspects of the holiday really well, from people reading books about indigenous cultures, to celebrating the art, and their Native history. I love the Facts page (p. 22) as it summarizes the activities 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. 

Cover of Indigenous Peoples' Day blastoff beginners book. Picture shows three clay pots of different sizes

Kwanzaa

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. 

Cover of Kwanzaa book by Betsy Rathburn, a Blastoff beginner book. Picture shows red, black, and green candles sitting behind corn, pumpkins, a red present, and a wood cup.

Ramadan

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. 

photo of the cover of Ramanda by Betsy Rathburn - showing two laturns and a bowl of dates

Day of the Dead

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.

Cover of the Day of the Dead book by Betsy Rathburn.

Singapore

Nicole E. Rodriguez Mata explores the 278 square mile urban city-state of Singapore. Rodriguez Mata uses snapshots of Singapore’s location, landscape, wildlife, people, school and work, play, and food. The 32 pages just give a quick overview of what this city-state has to offer with two or three paragraphs of text per topic accompanied by half a page-spread of color photos.

I continue to find the TIMELINE in this “County Profiles” series confusing to the eye with its segmented lines stating facts above and below the actual timeline leading to the events’ locations on the timeline. It might be better to print the statements on a slant with a single line segment drawing the eye to the timeline location.

The SINGAPORE FACTS on pages 28-29 provide good visual graphics to show the flag, where people live, their work, main exports, religion, and unit of money.

Factsurfer.com provides more information with safe internet.

Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong

The Seasons: Summer

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. 

Cover of Summer by Christina Leaf. Cover shows flip flops stuck in sand, with a sand castle, pink bucket, and pink starfish. Beach balls are floating around the title.

The Seasons: Fall

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.

Cover of Fall by Christina Leaf. Cover shows orange pumpkin surrounded by orange and red leaves falling.

The Seasons: Spring

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. 

Cover of book Spring by Christina Leaf. Cover shows pink tulips and a butterfly.

The Seasons: Winter

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. 

Cover of Winter by Christina Leaf. Cover has a snowman with a green hat and scarf, and brown gloves on stick arms.

My Fade is Fresh

In My Fade is Fresh, a young girl heads into the barbershop with a clear vision of what she wants. It seems like everyone has a suggestion for what she should have done – A PERM? A PRESS? A TRIM? A CHOP?. With fun rhyming text and dynamic, engaging illustrations, suggestion after suggestion is put forward and dismissed. The patience of both the barber and the little girl are increasingly strained as no one seems to be listening. Finally, after 3 hours, the young girl gets her fresh fade and proudly leaves the barbershop with a confident smile.

A fun celebration of black hair and creative ways to shine one’s personality through self expression.