Sieb Posthuma’s Where is Rusty? is a treat for the eyes. Posthuma’s illustrations are wittily creative and are the prize of the book. Readers follow Rusty and his family as they enter a busy multi-floored department store to do some shopping. Both the title and the mother’s guiding foreshadow what’s to come — Rusty wanders off. Remembering the audience, Rusty doesn’t come across as too scared. Instead, he’s inventive in how he’ll hide from the patrol watchdogs around the store while still looking for his mother. The only lacking caveat is that there is no remorse in Rusty. Instead of an apology when is mom is snuggling with him that evening at home, “…Rusty’s not listening. He’s worn out and dreaming about the dog-biscuit machine.” A simple “I’m sorry mom” would have gone miles with this reader. Because of this, Where is Rusty is an additional purchase instead of recommended.
When the Wind Blows
A poetic celebration of a blustery day, and a tool for teaching nouns and verbs, too. The book describes all the ways different things behave on a windy day, told in two-word sentences, always coming back to the many things “we” do on such a day. (e.g. “Twigs drop. Clouds race. Seeds scatter. We chase!”) The illustrations support the text, providing readers a chance to hunt for where each example is found, and they also extend the text, rounding out the story of who is doing what as the windy day progresses, showing a family sharing a day together, enjoying simple pleasures. Oh, and it would be good for hunting for rhyming pairs and exploring interesting verb choices as well.
Where Is Jumper?
The illustrations are really charming, but I wish the story was stronger. It’s basically about five little mice who are out and about when one disappears and the others look for him, eventually finding him, and then the others disappear. The fun in the book comes from searching on each page for the little bit of the missing mouse that is peeking out from somewhere. It’s strictly a choice for the youngest set, PreK or kinders.
Law and Disorder
Law and Disorder is part the Beware of Batman series of graphic novels. The story follows the typical super hero story line with a villain for the good guy to beat. Batman’s backup is a woman named Katana. A Visual Questions and Prompts section in the back helps teach readers to effectively engage with the graphic nature of graphic novels. Also contains a Glossary with pronunciation of key words.
Kitanai and Hungry Hare Eat Healthfully
A origami dog and a cartoon rabbit give examples of healthy eating in Kitanai and Hungry Hare Eat Healthfully. Dialog appears in bubbles and comes across as stilted and awkward. While the images are kid-friendly, the food options and meals discussed are not particularly kid friendly. For each meal of the day, specific bad choices and good choices are offered, but there is no information that would help a child develop the concept of eating healthfully.
This book is part of the series “Kitanai’s Healthy Habits.”
Your Muscular System Works!
This well organized title about the muscular system is part of a six book Capstone series about body systems. Connections and interdependencies with other body systems are naturally integrated into the text. Topics are supported by headings, bold vocab defined on each page, diagrams, and photographs.
Includes Table of Contents, Glossary, Common Core critical thinking questions, additional information, and Index.
This book is a good choice to support the Next Generation Science Standards.
U.S. Independence: A Primary Source History
A Primary Source History of U.S. Independence uses newspaper articles, photographs, painting, speeches, maps and other primary documents to tell the story of the fight for U.S. Independence through the eyes of those who lived it. Primary source quotations are cited in red italic font throughout the text. There is also a selected bibliography with a number of titles, several website referrals, a glossary, and an index.
Living on a Mountain
Intended for primary students, this non-fiction text defines what mountains are, how they are formed, and discusses life on a mountain. Included are chapters on the people who live in mountainous regions, their clothing and shelter, farming and transportation in the mountains, what school and work is like, fun things to do in the mountains, as well as mountains of the past and the future. The book includes fun facts, a quiz, glossary, index, and references to additional sources.
With colorful photos on every page, this colorful book would be a good addition to the non-fiction section of an elementary school collection.
Other books in this series include Living Beside a River, Living Beside the Ocean, Living in a City, Living in a Desert, and Living in a valley.
Farm Machines
Farm Machines by Kathry Clay is a non-fiction book in the Wild About Wheels series geared towards pre-school – 2nd grade. Colorful pictures and large font text describe the various machines used on farms, including tractors, plows, seed drills, cultivators, combines, and balers. One photo shows a young woman driving a tractor, which is good role modeling for girls.
The book includes a glossary, an index, internet and printed text sources for more information, and Common Core questions (Key Ideas and Details, and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas).
Other books in this Wild About Wheels series include Construction Vehicles, Emergency Vehicles, and Military Vehicles. Kids love books about vehicles, and these would make good additions to the elementary school library.
Animals Helping to Detect Diseases
Susan H. Gray, a zoologist, has written over 140 reference books for children, and enjoys writing about animals and topics that engage children. Animals Helping to Detect Disease is one that will be of interest to kids. It is full of photos of animals being used to detect diseases, such as dogs using their keen sense of smell volatile organic compounds (VOCc) from diseased tissues, and rats smelling samples to detect TB.
The book includes a history of medical diagnosis, how dogs have been used in other helpful ways (searching for lost people), and the technology being tested for ‘electronic noses’ to sniff out disease.
There is a glossary and index, as well as resources for further study.