Category Archives: Recommend

Baseball for Breakfast A (Mostly) True Story by Judy Campbell-Smith

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Unshers in nightgowns? Cornflakes for breakfast at a baseball game?

Jimmy’s family loved to go watch the Milwaukee Brewers with his family, but during World War II things changed. Pop went overseas to fight and Ma worked at night in the factory. Ma was too tired to go to the games. One day Jimmy met the Brewers owner and morning baseball games started.

During World War II, the Brewers owner, Bill Veeck started offering morning games so that night factory workers could attend the games. Cornflakes, doughnuts and coffee were offered at the games. Over the course of the season about six morning games were played by the Brewers.

Jimmy and his family were invented by the author, but the morning baseball games are a little known piece of baseball history. The author’s note at the end tells more about the morning games and Bill Veeck.

You Are the Land by Steph Littlebird

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The illustrator of the beautiful My Powerful Hair and Fierce Aunties has created a lovely book about our connection to the land and the people around us. The illustrations in the book are vibrant and show many of the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest. Littlebird also begins the book with an author’s note talking about her tribe, their beliefs, and her hopes for the book. Its inclusion at the beginning of the book will help adults and kids read the book with a clearer understanding of and greater appreciation for the message of the story.

This book would make a great addition to any school or home library. Kids of all ages will be drawn to the striking illustrations, and the message about our connection to and responsibility for the land will benefit all.

Better Pets by Leigh Bardugo

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Everyone has a pet. Sam has a lamb and Myrtle has a turtle. Yvette and Evan don’t have pets – yet. They want to be thoughtful about the pets they choose and not have any regrets. They visit the adoption fair, but then the Better Pets emporium comes to town with some peculiar pets. A Springer Spaniel with spring coiled legs to reach the high stuff. A Water Moccasin to bring you a glass of water. What type of pet will they choose?

The book is full of creativity and chaos. The better pets names are puns and highlighted in a different colored text.The pictures illustrate the pun. The Hoarse Horse is a horse with and ice pack on its head coughing into a phone. The book is chaotically funny as the two friends search for the best pet for them.

Jia Has a Dog Problem by Stephanie Ellen Sy

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Jia lives on the second floor of an apartment building in a busy city. She is terrified of dogs. She has never been bitten or chased but she is still afraid. In the same building lives a dog named Charlie who is scared of children despite never being bitten or chased. One day Jia and Charlie are both outside when a storm comes and there is only one place to hide. Despite their fear, they find comfort in each other.

The watercolor illustrations are bright and colorful and help tell more of the story. Exaggerated facial expressions and cartoon-like pictures to illustrate their thoughts assist the story. An excellent choice for overcoming fear and finding a new friend.

The Outermost Mouse by Lauren Wolk

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The Outermost Mouse lives with an old man in the Outermost House at the very tip of the beach. She loves her life, the house, the wind, and the beach. A storm is coming and the ocean is getting very close. Mouse tries to warn the gulls, the fish, and the foxes but they don’t seem to care. Outermost Mouse sets out to protect her house.

This book was inspired by a real house on Cape Cod that was swept away by a storm in 1978. Henry Beston, a naturalist and writer, build the house that became known as the Outermost House.

Even though this book is about a house being swept away in a storm, there is a calm and peace throughout the story. The text and the beautiful watercolor illustrations offer a calming, reassuring presence to the story.

Cool Cars – Series

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This Bellwether Media series is sure to be a hit with car enthusiasts. Each title is packed with stats and specs focusing on special features for each vehicle. The text is supported by diagrams, timelines, maps, and a glossary. Nontraditional options are included such as hybrid and electric vehicles. Students who are familiar with cars will easily connect with the content.

There are 32 titles in this series. The books reviewed from this series:
–Ford Mustang: Dark Horse
–Toyota GR: Supra
–Lamborghini: Countach
–Maserati: Grancabrio

Do You Really Know Flamingos? by Brandon Todd

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Frank E. Armadillo (the E stands for Expert, Explorer Extraordinaire) knows about a lot of stuff. Like flamingos. Or as he refers to them pretty, princess birds who are practicing to be ballerinas and are pink because they eat cotton candy. But when he is interrupted by a real flamingo, Frank begins to question if he really knows about flamingos and learns that real experts ask lots of questions.

An entertaining book with facts about flamingos which also teaches readers that they don’t need to have all the answers and it is good to ask questions to become an expert. This book could be used as a starting point for animal research.

Best Buds by Becky Scharnhorst

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Spencer moves to a new town and instantly makes a friend and then more friends. His friends are just not the type that the adults in his life expect. Spencer’s friends are plants. The adults around him asks if he would like friends that are more human, but Spencer is content with his friends. One day while visiting his friend Eugene (an oak tree), Spencer sees someone else at the tree. Will this be another friendship for Spencer?

A sweet book about friendship and being true to yourself. The illustrations are colorful and feature diverse characters and a wide variety of plants.

Bollywood Beat! by Anita Yasuda

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Bollywood Beat is a brightly illustrated story of two sisters preparing for a dance recital. It’s told through a series of onomatopoeias and two-word phrases that capture the motion and emotion of the busy celebration. Young readers will be drawn to the joyful illustrations, and this title is a great option for pre-readers, as the entirety of the story can be understood through the vibrant artwork. There are a few key words explained in the back, making this a great story for caregivers to read with younger children as well. This would be a hit with preschool and kindergarten-aged kids.

Cities Through Time Book Series

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The Cities Through Time series offers a glimpse at key moments in different cities’ history. The text features in these books are perfect for beginning readers or for a teacher/caregiver looking to introduce features of nonfiction texts. Each book begins with three goals for the child as they read. The table of contents then clearly outlines the topics in the book, and each two-page spread features bright illustrations and a variety of labels, bolded words that can be found in the glossary, and even “Jimmy Says” features that allow the books’ guide, Blastoff Jimmy, to share facts or offer comprehension support throughout.

A timeline, glossary, and index, along with post-reading questions and ideas for where to learn more, round out the features of this series. This is a great introduction to timelines and key moments in history, though, of course, the length and target audience of these books leave gaps in discussions about colonialism and key events that might be difficult for young children to understand without more historical and cultural context. Still, this is an excellent series for young learners to learn a bit about history, geography, and a lot about nonfiction text features.