The illustrations really add to the interest of this book.  The writing is a bit flat.  It does the basic job of telling many different aspects of Lena Horne’s life, but it seems to leave out some basic details: since it never actually says when Lena was born, when it mentions other specific dates later on, the reader has no way of tracking how old Lena was at different points in her life story.  It does include a lot of information about the roadblocks Lena faced as a woman of color in the days before the civil rights movement, as well as efforts she contributed within the civil rights movement.

How much abuse could you be dealt before it crushes your spirit?  Lisa Heathfield’s story of June’s child and young adulthood is a psychological twister, alternating chapters between before and after an event that changes everything.  Before, June’s mother had died and her father had remarried Kathleen.  After, June is talking to Reverend Shaw about forgiveness.  And then the Before takes off, where Kathleen seems like the perfect wife and doting mom when the father is around, but when he’s not, it’s purely mental and physical torture for June.  Force-feeding her over years to make June obese, coming into her room at night and cutting off some of her hair, and making Megan, the step-sister participate in the multiple physical and spiritual crimes, June hates her life but can not find the words to tell an adult.  Her only escape is a literal one.  When she received a bicycle for her birthday, she is able to ride to an area on the outskirts of town.  Here she meets Blister, a sensitive, creative, smart boy with whom she develops a deep friendship and eventual love interest in over the years.  While other students make fun of her at school and push her to take actions that get her in trouble, Blister sees into June’s soul but must remain a secret, else Kathleen will kill this happy aspect of her life too.  In the after chapters, Heathfield gives hints as readers start to piece together what could have happened between Kathleen and June, but this reader did not foresee the path this story would take.  Young adult readers from 7th and up will cringe with June and love with June and they will follow June until the very last moment.

Those of you with pre-school youth will enjoy this 6″ X 6″ book containing recorded sounds of six animals: rooster, cow, duck, pig, sheep, and horse. The sounds are so life-like my dog comes running to find the animal, each time I push one of the six sound buttons.

This is a sturdy board book, with a hidden on/off switch under a flap inside the back cover.

Former science and math teacher Rob Ives has compiled nine projects to make using common everyday supplies. Each project comes with step-by-step illustrated directions, including warnings when open flames and utility knives are involved. At the end of each set of directions there is a color photo of the project and a photo of an actual working devise. Example: a balloon hovercraft is assembled in five steps on pages 12-13, ending with a photo of an actual hovercraft skimming over water in the section entitled, “Amazing Science”.

The first project is fairly simple, but fun, with each consecutive project’s instructions becoming a little more involved/difficult.

The projects are close-ended as they are presented in this book, but could easily be made open-ended if the builder needs to present something with a hypothesis.

Experiments include: bottle rocket, ball in orbit, balloon hovercraft, elastic band dragster, paper plane, candle seesaw, soap-powered boat, warm-air spinner, and a vortex.

Going back to school is a BIG worry for a Bigfoot! Finding clothes that fit, getting a full body hair cut, worries about lunch time and even picture day make BigFoot want to quit school! Yet, there are so many great things about school such as his teacher, the study of mythological creatures, and, most importantly, his friends. That is enough to change Bigfoot’s mind. Illustrations are bold and bright. This silly story will have young students laughing.

Alphie Bloom thought his Summer would be boring, until he gets told he has inherited a castle, Hexbridge Castle, which has been closed up for hundreds of years. Alphie receives a letter explaining that he must be sure not to open the basement with the talisman-key enclosed. Alphie and his two cousins have a great time exploring the castle and finding a large bear skin rug that magically comes to life and takes the trio on a magic carpet ride through the city. Unfortunately, they nearly escape the wrath of a two headed dragon before reaching the safety of the castle again.

Alphie attends school where two horribly mean head mistresses have targeted him as a victim. There, the students are preparing to put on a theatrical show in the auditorium until a fire breaks out. In fear the show may not go on, he offers the use of the castle which could allow someone to open the basement and let a nest of hibernating dragons out. While the show is in progress, the two headmistresses turn into the two headed dragon in an attempt to get the talisman-key, but good always wins, and the dragon is taken down. Adventure, magic, time travel, and mystery awaits.

Princess Juniper’s father sent her  message, in Queen’s Basin, two weeks ago telling how his kingdom is under attack by the Monsians. Meanwhile, her cousin Cyril unsuccessfully  tried to usurp  her valley. Later, Cyril admits, ” I know who thieved your horses.”(22) What else can go wrong in Princess Juniper’s life? Juniper’s group can’t help her father without their horses, so Juniper will work with her treacherous cousin Cyril to get the horses back. This leads to an adventure through tunnels in the mountain to find a whole different world. Little by little, Juniper realizes this is the world her deceased mother came from, the world of the Anju. The Anju have prematurely lost their leader. They are preparing to celebrate their lost leader’s life and then, begin the trials to determine who their new leader will be. It is slowly revealed, Juniper’s mother is of the Anju bloodline to take part in the trials. Now, Juniper feels she must go through the three Trials: Tests of Might, Mind, and Mettle. If Juniper is successful, she will have the army she needs to help her father.   Juniper is considered an outsider by most of the Anju, but a case is made to allow her to be in the trials.  Trickery, skill, and happenstance woven together by several in the trials eventually determine Juniper to be the new chieftain of the Anju. But how will Juniper be a proper chieftain for the Anju if she does not, in fact, know their culture? How will the Anju be a willing army to fight for Juniper’s father when they are against violence? Once again, Juniper must deal with the problems of being a leader, but this time by declining the role of Anju’s chieftain.  And by doing this, Juniper wins the trust of Zetta, the second in the trials, now the Anju’s new chieftain. Zetta vows to help Juniper in her fight with the Monsians, who are also longtime enemies of the Anju.

Get ready for book three.

This title details the many unique adaptions that make the beaver such a successful builder of both dams and lodges.  The book specifically addresses the physical, social and behavioral characteristics of the beaver and how those characteristics allow the beaver to construct impressive structures.  Short sentences and graphically appealing set-up makes it a good choice for young readers. Text is supported by color photos, a map and a diagram of a lodge.  Includes a table of contents, true/false quiz, and glossary but no index.

For most children, the wildebeest is one of the less recognized African safari animals. In this title from Abdo’s Animal Migration series, the wildebeest’s migration is detailed through lens’ of the animal’s life cycle, season and location.  Cause and effect ties the movement to the change in grass which is directly tied to rainfall.  With simple words and short sentences, Wildebeest Migration details the interconnection of the wildebeest and its environment.

Contains table of contents, map, glossary, and index.  Abdokids online link includes a video (2:41 long), text, activities, and additional links.  Two of the three additional links are way above the reading level of the book.