The only thing I like about this book is the reinforced library binding.  The craft projects seem a bit lame, their connections to the states a bit tenuous, and the information about the states a bit redundant and dull.  Sorry, but that’s kinda all I have to say.

Is it still called a graphic novel if it’s only as long as a picture book?  This mystery is set in Mr. Venezi’s pet shop, where all the cages are mislabeled, except that of the guinea pig.  When the crash of the door one evening knocks the G off the end of the guinea pig’s sign, the new hamster on the block mistakenly thinks he’s a P.I.  Sasspants is really only interested in returning peacefully to his cage full of books, but the young hamster won’t stop pestering him until he fulfills his duty as local P.I. and solves the mystery of who has been eating the pet store owner’s sandwich each day.  The pestering hamster becomes the begrudging P.I.’s sidekick as they interview witnesses, test hypothesis, and set a trap to catch the culprit.  It’s a cute introduction to both the graphic novel format and the mystery genre for young readers.  It’s got a good, sturdy binding, and it finishes off with a couple pages in the back to offer a brief,kid-friendly, non-fiction explanation about the animals featured in the story.  It’s the first in what I presume will be a series for the Pet Shop Private Eye.  For now I’m calling it an additional purchase, but I reserve the right to come back and edit my review (possibly bumping it up to recommended) after I see how it goes over with the kids.

Wow!  Labrador Retrievers are the most popular dogs, the easiest to train, smart, most loyal, and hardest working dogs.  Traditionally a dog for hunters, Labs would retrieve the animal or bird shot.  Labs make excellent pets for children as they won’t bite, and can be trained as service/guide dogs as well as for other jobs.  It’s interesting to be able to compare a Lab to other breeds.  All breeds have something worthwhile, but also something you have to learn to either love or put up with.  Labs seem to be well-suited for just about any situation, just be prepared to take care of it, and they will be your best friend for life.

Yorkshire Terriers, originally from Yorkshire, England, are dogs with attitude.  Small dogs, they think they’re actually big dogs.  They are difficult to train and patience is required in teaching them appropriate behavior.  But once learned, Yorkies are loyal companions.  Yorkies are hypoallergenic but need daily grooming to keep their hair manageable.  Photos are terrific.

Dachshund means ‘badger dog’ in German.  Historically a hunting dog, dachshunds love to chase, dig and burrow after smaller animals.  Today’s dachshunds are smaller than they used to be, and come in various ‘styles’ such as mini, long-hair, short-hair, wire-hair, and so on.  Loving, cuddly animals, dachshunds love people and love to cuddle.  The photos in this book will warm anyone’s heart.

This is a friendship story set in a large city with two rabbits as the main characters.  One rabbit is excited to meet his friend in the big city and the other rabbit is excited to show him the city.  Brown rabbit is exhausted from the hustle and bustle and running to one event to the next and ends up hiding in a cafe’ to eat carrot cake.  The white rabbit realizes her mistake of focusing on the events instead of time with her good friend.  The two of them end up playing guitar in the park and dancing together while the city continues to hustle around them.  Nice friendship theme.

Written in a rhyming format and illustrated in classic Jack E. Davis fashion, this book tells the story of a child named Burt and his quest to cure his bunions.  He tries “goop for feet”, pigsty mud, sunburn, and even gets offered a pedicure by his little sister.  Finally, Burt’s father informs him that he’s from a lineage of over-sized footed persons and cures what ails him with brand new shoes.

This small sized, primary astronomy book would fit well into small hands.  Illustrated with real photographs, this book is broken into chapters and has extended information in the back of the book.There are notes on sharing the book, an opportunity to be a “vocabulary detective” and book recommendations as well as websites.  A glossary and index finish the book.

This is a reader friendly book which would make a great companion to the fifth grade Foss Science Units taught in many school districts throughout our state.  The chapters include “Farming Past & Present”, “Nutrition”, “You’re Eating What?” which feature ideas and recipes like Civil War hardtack, a food additive experiment, and directions on making a clay pot which were once used by ancient civilizations as storage and refrigeration.  Vocabulary, interesting facts, and black and white illustrations are strewn through out the book which add interest and delight for the reader.

This is the true story of a 14-year-old boy who is an aviation pioneer,  inventing a bicycle powered, hydrogen air, flying machine just after the turn of the last century (1907).   This book is in an illustrated, picture book format.  It would make a great companion to those teaching  units on aviation, Wright Brothers, famous inventors, or the theme of children who persevere and succeed.  The water color illustrations provide a  visually pleasing backdrop to the well written story of Cromwell Dixon and his mother’s support in creating his dream contraption which propels him to the clouds (2500 feet) in his Columbus, Ohio hometown and in the St. Louis Air Ship Carnival.