The purpose of this book is to be a counting-by-fives book, and as such it does a nice job.  It’s got cute pictures of ladybugs, each with five spots on it’s shell, and a new ladybug joins each page, as a domino-style counter in the corner helps the reader count by fives.  The target numeral is hidden in the picture on each page (kids love hunting for hidden elements in the pictures).  It uses rhythm in the repetition of the counting on each page.  In addition, it has another features which could be used as teaching tools, such as alliteration and a repeating adjective-noun-verb-object sentence pattern which could be used in language lessons.  Unfortunately, the bilingual aspect of the book seems to have been a bit of an after-thought and is somewhat clunky at times:  the alliteration is lost and the sentence structure/rhythm don’t work as well.

Another good choice in the Pebble Plus series.  Like the other books in this series, this title features full-page color photos to support the text, a high-interest non-fiction topic for students, text which is accessible to early readers (large font, with just a few simple sentences per page), and solid information.  This particular title begins by describing some typical features of hip-hop dance and goes on to instruct students in some simple moves.  I particularly like that the photos that accompany the text feature other children.

I pretty much like all the books I’ve seen in this series.  I like that it uses large full-page color photos to support the text and capture student interest.  I like that they choose high-interest non-fiction topics to spark students’ curiosity.  I like that they provide sound information in non-threatening format (large font; only a couple of sentences per page) that is accessible to early readers.  I like that “bilingual” applies to all parts of the book, including extra text features (glossary, index, etc.) and not only the body of the text.  And I like the sturdy bindings.  In this particular title, I do wish they had made the connection between hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones in body of the text and not only in the glossary, as many students tend to skip reading the glossary, but might be interested in that bit.  The only thing that keeps these from an R* rating is that because they target emergent readers, it means you’re not getting a huge amount of meat for your buck.  Still, it’s definitely Recommended.

I generally avoid lift-the-flap books in the library, just like I avoid pop-up books, because they’re not likely to have a long life.  So that is already one mark against getting a recommendation, and in addition, this has a very limited audience: strictly preK-K.  Each page has a Who __________? question (e.g. “Who wears a carrot for a nose?” with the answer revealed when the reader unfolds either the top or bottom half of the page.  The illustrations are cute, and it’s kind of fun to see how some of them shift with the unfolding of the flap, so that saves the book from an NR rating, but the best I can do is to call it an “Additional Purchase.”

This graphic novel is an exciting introduction to a classic Arabian tale.  The illustrations are expressive and colorful and the layout makes the story easy to follow.  Students come into the library looking specifically for graphic novels and I’m sure this one will circulate frequently.  AR level is 2.6 but content is young adult (5th grade and up).  Additional great features at the end of the book include discussion questions, writing prompts, a glossary, short articles about real hidden treasures in history as well as an introduction to the One Thousand and One Nights folktale collection.

I chose to review this 32 page  juvenile non-fiction book about Miniature Schnauzers because we have one at home.  I found myself laughing in recognition some of the time and disagreeing some of the time.  One statement said that Schnauzers make a strange howling sound when they don’t want to comply with a command.  However, we find our mini does that when he’s excited and wants our attention.  A section on grooming noted that minis should be professionally groomed at least twice a year.  At the rate Schnauzer fur grows and because they don’t shed, this breed of dog would be a shaggy mess if left 6 months without grooming.  Schnauzers should be groomed about every two months.  Just nuances but noticeable to an owner of this breed.  Every dog is different so some of the sweeping generalizations aren’t necessarily accurate, while other tendencies seem more typical of the breed.  Overall this is a good resource and the pictures capture the Schnauzer expressiveness and personality.

Mike Artell’s books make fantastic read-alouds for library story time for children aged 5 even up to middle school.  The Cajun language twist on Jack and the Beanstalk adds new flare and fun to a classic folk tale.  The illustrations are colorful and expressive and never frightening or too intense.  The story is told in a way that is a comfortable to read even for young children.  I highly recommend Jacques and De Beanstalk for elementary school libraries.

This latest Hank the Cowdog was funny, exciting and entertaining.    The author uses language and the dog’s perspective to create humorous situations throughout the story.  In this volume, Hank saves the ranch chickens from a pack of coyotes despite great temptation to join them in the chicken dinner.  Our students enjoy these books and they circulate frequently.  The book’s AR level is 4.4 and it is written for ages 8 and up.

While the subject of anorexia and bulimia is not an easy one to tackle, Kessler adds a touch of levity to the topic by bringing in a fantasy element.  Lisabeth Lewis is NOT an anorexic – she just watches what she eats.  Or so she convinces herself until she nearly overdoses on her mothers’ prescription medication, is visited by Death (who bears a surprising resemblance to a certain deceased rock legend), and is bequeathed the title of Famine.  In her newly appointed role as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Lisa begins to realize that her relationship with food is unhealthy.  Kessler does not shy away from unpleasant depictions of eating disorders, but Lisa’s sardonic personality shines through and gives the reader a reason to root for her.  The novel is not as powerful as Laurie Halse Anderson’s Wintergirls, but the supernatural tint will pull in readers who may not otherwise read about the topic.  Look for the sequel, Rage, coming out April 2011.

While set in a disturbing dystopian vision of the future, the world of this novel hits close to home.  Grace has been raised to be an Angel – one of the People of the Hills whose purpose in life is to die for her beliefs.  Grace is a suicide bomber, and when she sets off a bomb to kill one of the followers of the tyrannous ruler Keran Berj, her own death will bring her and her people honor.  However, when Grace decides that she would rather live than sacrifice herself, she finds herself on the run with another fugitive with a mysterious past.  This novel is largely introspective, and using succinct and philosophical language, Scott leads the reader towards truly understanding Grace, her world, and her struggle with the decision to live.  The parallels with our own world are apparent, and Scott does not skimp on violence or moral turmoil.  This book would be a perfect companion piece to a social studies lesson on the psychology of suicide bombers.