This 24 page nonfiction book is very informative for children to determine if a Dalmation is a proper dog for them.  It is filled with color photographs that are relevent to the information on the pages. It covers a large range of information from a Dalmation’s appearance, health and care, exercise and training, attitude and intelligence, purchasing a Dalmation, history and more. This books has a table of contents, and glossary.

Buddy is a Golden Retriever that was taken in by an elementary principal as a therepy dog for students. One day, while listening to a young girl read to him in the library, Buddy spotted a monster. This monster was quite small, had a blue tongue and was quick to hide! By listening to students read books, Buddy learns that the monster is a Blue-Tongued Skink. With determination, Buddy sets off to capture the Blue-Tongued Skink and crack the case of how it got in the school!

Zach Harriman never knew his dad was a super hero until his father died, and slowly Zach gained super powers. Zach seems to be drawn to an assortment of troubles, such as having to get out of bed in the night to walk to the park, only to intercept an attack on a woman.  Out of the blue, an old man appears and attempts to give him guidance with his newly found powers. But his dad’s best friend tells Zach not to trust the old man. In this book, Zach learns who he can and can’t trust as he takes on a whole new responsibility of hero.

Pirates are a favorite among middle grade kids, with Jack Sparrow and his crew topping the list.  But Treasure Island is the source material and a great adventure as well.  Michael Foreman adds to the classic tale of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver his beautiful illustrations.  Each image brings detail and atmosphere to the text.  The large format book is a little difficult to read, as the pages are so wide and the lines of text consequently long.  But the large size allows the illustrations truly to shine.

Treasure Island is in the public domain, and free downloads and old copies are easy to find.  But Michael Foreman’s Treasure Island may invite new readers to begin their own voyage from the Admiral Benbow Inn.  This volume could make a perfect readaloud.

Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg played for the Detroit Tigers before WWII and experienced anti-Semitism both on the field and off.  He was born to Romanian Jewish immigrants and began playing pro at the age of 19.  Known as the “Jewish Babe Ruth,” he helped the Tigers win the World Series and was voted American League MVP in 1935.  In 1941, Greenberg joined the Air Force, but returned to a successful ball career in 1945, winning the World Series again.

Taunted on the field by players and spectators, Greenberg knew prejudice first hand.  With the rise of Hitler and the world at war, Greenberg’s life is set against a backdrop of political and cultural anti-Semitism.

Sommer’s writing is accessible and interesting.  Most pages include black and white photos, mainly from team promotions.  The paper is thin and feels like newsprint.  Bibliography, index, and further resources are provided at the end, along with Hank Greenberg’s fantasy all-star line-up.

The Islands of the Blessed is the conclusion of the series that began with The Sea of Trolls.  Jack and Thorgil continue their adventures, when the safety of home is threatened by the arrival of a monster.  Accompanying the wise Bard, apprentice Jack and shield maiden Thorgil travel in search of mermaids after calling up a sea hag with a magical bell.  Thorgil is reunited with her Viking kin, while Jack loses contact with his family.  They travel to towns near and far, the land of the fin folk, an island ruled each night by the destructive rage of murdered men, and finally, the Islands of the Blessed.

Fascinating references to medieval Britain abound, and readers will laugh at the antics of the uncouth Vikings.  Readers who love deep fantasy laced with Nordic and Celtic mythology will dive into this trilogy, but the later titles do not stand alone.

Reason # 14 –  A tiger’s tail helps it balance, Reason # 19 – Tigers can live in many climates,  and Reason #26 Tigers have families are a sample of the 50 reasons why students might care about tigers. The 50 reasons are broken down into sections: getting to know tigers, tiger biology, tiger habitats and hunting, tiger behavior, tigers in culture, threats to tigers, and  tiger conservation. Each reason is usually given 2 pages- one with photo and one for text. The information in the topics often overlaps due to cause / effect but the book remains interesting to the end.

I found myself studying the photos to see if I could distinguish between the six subspecies of tigers.

Text written using 4-5 sentence paragraphs.

Grandmothers knitting sweaters is cliche, but it adds to this simple story in a simple style.

Grandma lives alone in a forest knitting sweaters. When she returns from visiting her grandchildren in the city her large supply of yarn has mysteriously disappeared. Then streamers of yarn decorate the forest outside Grandma’s home. Grandma discovers her forest animal neighbors she has previously been oblivious to.

Stephanie McMillan’s pictures give Grandma depth by having her knit sweater, blanket, and curtains the texture of knit fabric in otherwise two dimensional illustrations which only adds to the charm of Grandma and the story.

“Spain is the third most popular country for people to visit in the world. Around 57 million tourists come to Spain each year.” This is just one of the “Did you Know?”  trivia pieces placed throughout the book.  Rachel Grack covers more general information about Spain’s wildlife, the people, daily life, going to school, working, playing, food, holidays, and the Running of the Bulls in mini-chapters usually accompanied by two colorful photos.

Includes: glossary, contents, index, and internet site – www.factsurfer.com

“Pakistan was  part of India until 1947.”  The text does not tell why Pakistan became independent 64 years ago, but tells about the wildlife, the people, daily life, going to school, working, playing, food, holidays, and the Faisal Mosque, usually accompanied by two colorful photos. The “Did you Know?” and “fun facts” trivia pieces sprinkled throughout the book give more specific information then the generalizations in the text.

Includes: glossary, contents, index, and internet site – www.factsurfer.com