The title just about says it all, Unusual and Awesome Jobs Using Technology: Roller Coaster Designer, Space Robotics Engineer, and More, Here is a book to inspire ‘tweens to use computers for more than just gaming and Googling. The ten jobs, which use technology, are giving brief descriptions of three or four paragraphs after their introductory information of Job Description, Requirements, Technology Used, Salary, and Hours. The jobs compiled are: roller coaster designer, animal psychologist, video game designer, rock band sound engineer, medical illustrator, software developer, pet photographer, space robotics engineer, ROV pilot technician, and wind turbine technician.

“If you’re interested in learning about the latest gadgets, you’ll love reading about the jobs in this book.” ( p. 4) Some jobs never crossed my mind, but what an interesting jumping off point for students to begin thinking about their future and for asking that age old teacher question, “Why do I need to know this?”

Each of the ten jobs comes with a photograph of someone working in that particular field and an added bit of job trivia under the heading “You’d Better Believe It!”

Includes a glossary, index, www.facthound.com website, and two questions under the title – “Critical Thinking Using the Common Core”.

What a wonderfully visual book on lightning, nature’s fireworks!

Thunder and Lightning is divided into four sections: Thunderclouds, Lightning. Thunder, and How Lightning Forms. “Thunderclouds” describes these clouds as being dark, containing hail and / or water droplets and/or ice. Page 8 states, “ The wind moves everything around. The water droplets crash into each other. This makes static electricity. An electric charge builds up.” Then the next section,  “Lightning” goes onto state the static electricity “escapes” as lightning. Lightning moves between clouds, inside of clouds, and/or from clouds to the ground. Lightning travels to earth from negative charges to positive charges. “Thunder” states the heat from the lightning causes “a rumbling or cracking noise. This sound is thunder.” (p.18)  The information ends with two labeled graphics. The first graphic shows the relationship of the speed of lightning in connection with when the thunder will be heard. The second graphic shows “How Lightning Forms” in relation to positive and negative charges within clouds and on the ground.

The young reader will find four large font sentences on the left page opposite of the 9″ X 10.75″  color photo on the right hand page which bleeds over onto the left hand page.

Includes a Glossary, Index, and abdokids.com.

This delightful bedtime story introduces a pup who is reluctant to go to bed.  After checking the house and reminiscing about his day, he finally settles into bed and falls fast asleep.  The lyrical text and endearing pictures will make this a favorite bedtime story.

Enslow Publishers brings to their American REBELS series the unauthorized biography of Andy Warhol. The author does a fine job of consolidating information to produce this biography; it does satisfy basic information requests. The book is a well-organized and readable resource. Color and black-and-white photos enhance the text. The book provides a snapshot chronology of Andy’s life, a glossary, a bibliography and an index.

DC Comics Tiny Titans are grade school aged super heroes: Super Girl, Aqua Lad, Robin and Barbara Gordon, Kid Flash, and Wonder Girl to name a few. Third graders, who watch TV, are very familiar with these characters from their daily television show. In this graphic novel’s first episode, villainous Principal Slade is  handing out the tiny titans’ reports to their guardians/parents one by one and making verbal comments (inside conversation bubbles) describing each tiny titan’s strong suits, such as, ““KID FLASH NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN AND PAY MORE ATTENTION.” ( next bubble) “HE SEEMS TO BREEZE THROUGH HIS HOMEWORK!”

Two of the other four episodes include: ‘Happy Feeling Blue’ about the Blue Beetle being painted pink* and ‘Joke’s on You‘ where Robin confuses a birthday party clown with the Joker.

The book includes what they call a “BONUS PIN-UP!” which consists of a two-page spread of tiny titan head shots plus mini bios of 17 of the tiny titans.

There is a  half-page  glossary and half-page of tiny titan ‘action accessories’. These are followed by a two-page spread of “Visual Questions & Prompts“. Here the reader is given a chance to look deeper into four of the graphics in this book. For example, “1. WHAT DO YOU THINK BLUE BEETLE’S BACKPACK SAID TO HIM IN THE PANEL BELOW? WHAT CLUES DOES THE ILLUSTRATION OFFER*?”

Hades is the narrator of this book who takes the reader on a tour of the many levels of the Underworld that is filled with monsters, furies, giants, and vampire demons. He also tells very intense stories of the Gods and heroes associated with the many different locations of his underworld. Greek myth lovers will find this book quite intriguing!

This book is a collection of riddle style of puzzles. The puzzles are presented in the conversation of Watson and Holmes. Illustrations from the world of Sherlock Holmes accompany most puzzles.  These puzzles will test the readers’ intellect as well as their patience. Over 50 puzzles are included. Solutions to each puzzle are in the back of the book. Many puzzles are very challenging!

This Titanic book is a great book for most for readers of most ages. Although the content does not cover much of the ship’s construction, the passengers, or the tragedy, it does cover the facts around locating the Titanic and the recovery of artifacts. It is displayed in a simple context that covers the most basic information. The simple but informative text is accompanied with amazing photos, charts, illustrations and maps on each page.  This is a very intriguing read that is the third in a set of four books.

Ten-year-old Max Monroe discovers the house behind his grandpa’s home used to be the office of the Monroe Detective Agency. Max finds out that his grandfather had a brother, Larry, that ran the agency, but Larry died years earlier. However, Larry’s ghost still exists in the agency house, yet he is sad because he never solved a case. When a magician calls with a problem, Larry gets another opportunity to solve a crime. Because Larry is a ghost, he relies on Max to help him finally crack a case.

This is book one of “The Ghost and Max Monroe” series. With occasional black and white illustrations, this is a good early chapter book.

If your youngest readers are into Mexican wrestling, Lucha Libre, this easy reader might be the book for them.

“HOLA AMIGOS! WELCOME TO LUCHAVILLE, THE TINY TOWN OF WRESTLING LIZARDS!“(p. 4) the announcer says into his microphone as this graphic novel for young readers begins. The wrestlers are wearing their colorful masks has they ‘rumble’. After the first matches there’s an argument about ” ‘SALAMANDERS AREN’T LIZARDS!’… ‘NO… YOU’RE NEWT!  ‘  ” (p. 6). This is followed by a cartoon diagram explaining the difference between ‘lizard vs amphibian‘(p. 7). Little Leon chameleon is afraid of wrestling, but he can change colors when around danger. Soon King Komodo comes to Luchaville and states there will not be anymore wrestling. “WHATEVER WILL THE LUCHA LIZARDS DO?!” (P. 17) Slowly, slowly, one by one, first Flying Dragon, then Gila Monster, and finally Thorny Devil each try to defeat King Komodo to restore wrestling, but they each fail. Then, seven other lizards come forward, in separate wordless cartoon frames, to try their luck. They, also, fail. Little Leon comes forward to wrestle. Leon tricks Komodo by disappearing at key times to successfully win the match and restore wrestling to Luchaville.  “ADIOS.”

With the story over, wrestling lizard trading card information is given on the next few pages. The factual  information includes: real name (scientific name), weight, length, habitat followed by a silly bio and special moves. “Blue-tongued skinks

Real name: tiliqua scincoides

Weight: 15 ounces

Length: 23 inches

Habitat: grassland, rainforest, desert

Bio: These awesome Aussies are friends, not fighters. But they’re not afraid to give competitors a good (blue) tongue lashing.

Special move: the tongue twister!” (p. 39)  [ The first four lines are factual, before the silliness begins.]