Describes the history of the camera from the discovery that silver salts darken when exposed to light, up to modern digital cameras, explaining the basics of how each version works.  The significance of cameras to society and jobs is discussed. Labeled diagrams help illustrate the information.  Index, glossary, recommended web links and timeline are included, with the words included in the glossary highlighted within the body of the text.  I found some of the choices as to which words to include in the glossary a bit odd (“demonstrated”), and I worry about the currency of the information (it says that most people use color film these days, but I believe that digital cameras have nearly eliminated film altogether).

This simple, kid-friendly guide to staging a dramatic performance, begins with basic information, outlining and defining different elements that help bring dramatics to life, such as backdrops, props, and set pieces.  It offers suggestions for finding, buying, or making what you need. It provides a complete list of the tools and materials needed for the projects in the book, and then it provides step-by-step directions with ideas for spin-off variations.  Lots of reminders about safety and supervision are included.  The projects included are ones with which the target audience should be able to find success.  Index, glossary, and table of contents are included.

Fun, cheerful, bright illustrations brighten this book that has a lot of potential but doesn’t quite hit the target.  It attempts to use the rhythm of the familiar song, “Who stole the cookie form the cookie jar,” to address all the basic question words: who, what, when, where, why, and how.  Unfortunately, the rhythm is a bit off, making it hard to read smoothly.  The storyline tying the song together is a bit vague and kind of gets lost in the singing.

A rather odd little story, it’s got a nice font.  Quirky, cartoonish illustrations accompany this story telling of a very active boy whom people are always warning that’s he’s sure to crack his head and scramble his brain.   One day he does crack his head and his brain runs away.  The story continues, telling of community efforts to catch the brain, until Bobby and his brain both realize that they work best together.

Rhyming, Rhythmical text, accompanied by cheerful watercolor illustrations tell the story of a lonely duck whose familiar lake has been deserted since a hurricane.  A kazoo is his only companion.  When he heads south to find a new lake, the kazoo serves to help him make friends with the locals, who eventually accompany him back home.  It’s a sweet story.

This colorful picture book uses the biblical story of Noah’s Ark as the setting for a tale declaring how it came to be that each animal has it’s own familiar sound.  Bright paintings depict the time before the ark, with elephants quacking, pigs howling, etc.  Noah keeps having to bark at them for quiet to cut through the confusion.  Once on the ark, in the interest of maintaining order, each animal is assigned the noise we associate with them today.

This might rate a “recommended” if you’ve got a significant Jewish population among your patrons.  It tells the story of a remarkably well-travelled kippah and very briefly touches upon several Jewish holidays and the traditions there of as the kippah travels the globe.  Each holiday it manages to get misplaced at the festivities, finding its way into the suitcase of someone who was just visiting and really lives half a world away.  A map in the back traces the travel route, and a glossary of Jewish holidays and traditions is also included, but there’s not really enough explanation for non-Jewish readers to learn much.  The targeted audience is limited to those children who would already be familiar with the customs included.

The unusual endangered pangolin is the playful main character of this story in rhyme of a shy pangolin.

Anna Dewdney’s acrylics on canvas add desired texture to the eye pleasing geometric and symmetrical  drawings.

Cute, cartoon-like illustrations accompany this story of two chameleon friends battling through what to do when both catch the same bug at the same time, and neither wants to let it go.  Predictably, they get so caught up in fighting with each other that the bug escapes, and neither one gets to eat it.  It’s a cute version of a lesson that kids need to hear, but it’s been done before, so you probably already have something that would serve the same purpose.  If you’re looking for something new to fill this need, it’s a nice tale.

BIB, Bright, Crisp colorful photos fill the  10.5″ x 8″ pages.

This just might be the BEST subject related alaphabet book I have ever read! 2 or 3 sentences provide explanatory text of each letter.

Each letter of the alphabet is represented without going to extremes: G is for giving (red kettle donation),

Q is for quick and quiet (describing Santa), U is for unwrap.

The letter Z is for dazzle “gaze up at the bright Christmas lights…” is the only letter which does not begin the word.