This 11″ X 9″ board book takes preschoolers step-by-step through preparing the ground for a new building project: bulldozer, excavator, front loader, dump truck, concrete mixer, crane, flatbed truck, forklift, road roller, and backhoe are all pictured in bright simplified versions of the machines. Each right hand page has a 4″ diameter circle cut into the center of the page that reflects the readers face back to him/her on a shiny silver mylar surface making the reader seem to be the operator of each piece of equipment. Fun!

The final page shows a finished library has been constructed using all of this equipment.

This informational book on Vietnam includes: location, landscape and climate, wildlife, people, communities, customs, school and work, play, food, and celebrations before a timeline, Vietnam facts, glossary, with factsurfer.com website, and index. The information given is good solid information. It is what is not given that makes this a problematic book for young people.

The location maps show Vietnam both up-close and on a worldwide scale. The climate lists the monsoon months, but the inset lists the temperatures for only four months which do not correspond with the months specifically named for the monsoon seasons. This would be confusing for younger readers.

The biggest problem with this book is the use of Vietnamese words without their definitions half of the time. This often takes place on the photos. On page 13, there is a river scene with many boats being rowed by people standing . The word or phrase “SOC TRANG” is inset on the photo, is SOC TRANG the river or the boat people or the mode of transportation? On page 16, there is a row of five traditionally dressed young ladies walking with the word “AO DAI” inset on the photo. Is AO DAI their clothing style? I do not blame author Emily Rose Oachs for this confusion because most often the authors do not choose the photos put in their books.

The timeline is also a bit confusing because the events listed are most often not directly above their place on the timeline. It lacks adequate space on the line, squeezing in six events at the very end and four other events spaciously displayed.

And lastly, there is a centuries old building on the front cover of the book and repeated on the title page which is not identified anywhere in the book.

Readers will love to watch Rollo the rambunctious bull dog as he chases a tennis ball, digs too many holes, tracks muddy feet into the house and even onto a sofa, chews a shoe, and chases a chipmunk without stopping into a stone wall.”But there’s one thing that Rollo loves to do the most. And that’s to say he’s sorry.”

Keith Frawley’s illustrations are hilarious. They perfectly capture Rollo’s enthusiasm and his boy’s frustration.

In book one, Nicky, the new kid in town, finds a friend in Aaron only to loose him, when Aaron’s mother dies.

This book is part two of the pre-story behind the HELLO NEIGHBOR video game. It is so much deeper than I ever imagined it would be!

In book two, Nicky is trying to cope with his loss of Aaron while beginning a new school year. Nicky finds himself studying Mr. Peterson’s ( Aaron’s father) every move. Nicky is not convinced that Aaron and his little sister, Mya, have gone away to live with their aunt in the wake of their mother’s death. Mr. Peterson is so strange, by Nicky’s standards. Mr. Peterson continues to go to the Golden Apple Amusement Park, outside of town, which he designed, in its now closed run down state. Why? Is there some evidence of wrong doing Mr. Peterson is trying to get rid of there? The town is debating if they should demolish the park and revitalize the area. Nicky, Mya’s friend- Maritza, and Trinity have set themselves a goal to find out the truth about Aaron’s and Mya’s whereabouts. Are they living with their aunt, or has their father done something with them? They need to find all the evidence they can before the old park is demolished and the evidence with it.

Breaking Bailey is an addition to Beatrice Sparks’, aka Anonymous’s, collection of stories written in the diary format concerning hard choices and consequences teens encounter. Bailey has started a new school after losing her mother. Desperate for friends and to fit in, she joins an after school “science club”–the meth club–that produces meth that is sold around their town. With paychecks come parties, alcohol, prescription drugs and a love interest. But this party will come to an end. Bailey will ask her love interest to stop. But will she be able to pull away and come out ok? Teens that crave the chance to live vicariously through characters will enjoy Anonymous’s newest tale.