Thick, heavy pages free the young reader to turn the pages with enthusiasm and no worries.  Although, the binding on this particular copy wasn’t strong enough to withstand library use, it may be that it was stitched this way because it’s a demo and will have stronger binding in publication.  The visual layout of the book is exceptional.  It feels “layered”.  There are pictures that are larger, some have frames, and there are captions along with regular text.  Just the right amount of visuals, not overdone, as is the case with more and more nonfiction books.  Glossary and Index at the end.  No websites listed in this book, but there was a free e-book download.  Got the book to download, but it was complicated to operate.  I recommend this book for a primary reader.

Not too spooky, this is an adorable book about the famed holiday, Halloween.  Gentle illustrations softly convey the sweet personality of the ghost Oliver, as he readies the house for his holiday guests.  He “dusts” the house, wakes the black cats, and delivers invitations.  The doorbell rings and he has human trick or treaters: a jack o’lantern and a cow.  What to do?  Scare them away, or invite them in?  They are “treated” to a wonderful party by Oliver.  The next morning Oliver finds a birthday invitation on his doorstep, to Jack (o’lantern)’s home!

Preschool and primary age story explaining the different types of friendships: other children, adults, pets, stuffed animals, etc.  Bright pictures and a good size to the book, help make this a nice book to share with young children.  This story would make a good addition to a primary library.

Cheerleading, a title in the Science Behind Sports series from Lucent Books, is a 100 page report on what body parts are in motion while performing cheers and dance moves.  The first chapter gives an historical overview of the development of cheerleading into the competitive sport it is today.  The final chapter covers some psychological aspects of cheer, including crowd management, stress, and positive speaking.  There’s nothing spectacular about this book.  It fits a need if one exists in showing that cheerleading is a physically active sport.  But there aren’t many references to research studies or data from scientific journals to make this very authoritive.  This reader would actually encourage students to supplement this with much more web research.

Abdo Publishing has got the right style going on with their Contemporary Lives biography series.  Glossy pages full of color photos, sidebars, and to be honest, font at a size 14, really makes the information easy to get through.  Specifically, Lisa Owings writing about Adele was very intriguing.  Owing keeps readers interested by her own exciting diction such as dazzled, rocketed, belted, and fizzled.  Her writing also focuses on the emotional side of the Adele, allowing readers to feel Adele’s excitement, passion, and soul for music.  Any student in middle or high school would enjoy this  100 page biography.  Other artists in the series that this librarian plans to pursue include: Beyonce, Drake, Cee Lo Green, Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj and Kanye West.  Highly recommended for school and public libraries.

Stephen is a scavenger.  He travels around a post-biological-attack America with his father, looking for usable items and avoiding threats.  One day he finds himself in need of help and a group of strangers come to his rescue.  They have built a microcosm of civilized society in what used to be a gated neighborhood.  Dystopian and post-apocalyptic settings are all the rage in teen literature today.  In a field overflowing with books of this type, this is one of the good ones.  In a blurb on the jacket, Suzanne Collins (author of The Hunger Games) describes this novel as “taut,” and she has found just the right word to describe it.  The first chapter opens with Stephen and his father burying Stephen’s grandfather and they are immediately thrust into a dangerous situation.  Eventually Stephen is forced to make important decisions without the help or advice of his father.  As he struggles to decide what the “right” thing to do is in a world where every choice is life-or-death, the reader witnesses a true coming of age.  This is a novel which will catch teen’s attention at the very beginning, make them think, and keep them reading through to the end.

Frank is a name you don’t hear much anymore, nor is it word often used to describe being totally honest.  But it’s a word that shouldn’t be forgotten, as this book so aptly shows.  Being totally frank with someone does not make one popular.  Learning how to be honest without hurting someone’s feelings is a skill in diplomacy of which we all need a reminder.  Frank learned from his grandpa that you can still say what you think, and be honest, without alienating people.  A great book with a great lesson.