Reviews
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Food Matters – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Although all people need to eat, not all of us tend to think about where our food comes from and what goes into producing it. Providing pros and cons related to the issues, this series outlines ways in which people can become well-informed, responsible, and safe food consumers. Each book View →
Reality TV Titans – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
A quick look at some big names in reality TV. The layouts are more attractive and varied, making ample use of current and archival photos. Readers will learn some intriguing and illustrative facts. . . . Special mention is made of charities established or supported by the stars. These… View →
Xtreme Jobs – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
This informative and attractive series includes eye-catching, full-page photos that immerse readers in the dangerous work of stunt performers, test pilots, and other death-defying professionals. Written in brief, easy-to-read blocks of text, the information highlights the skills,… View →
Healthy Habits - School Library Connection
With simple kid-friendly language and bright engaging pictures, any early elementary library would be incomplete without this series. View →
Biggest, Baddest Books Set 2 - School Library Connection
This series teaches young readers about various high interest scientific topics. The information contained in each book is brief in scope but appropriate for the intended audience. Each book provides full-color illustrations and vivid photographs detailing fascinating facts and presents… View →
Ocean Life - School Library Connection
. . . each double-spread displays a beautifully colored photograph and several simple sentences that explain where the creature lives, what it looks like, how large it is, its body parts, and how it moves. Other chapters explain how each creature captures its prey and how it develops… View →
Cool Great Outdoors – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Fun activities . . . . ABDO’s characteristic clean design will invite crafty kids to try seven accessible projects per volume and then to take their creations outside. Hiking bingo cards are a particularly inspired addition. Delightful offerings: readers will be asking for s’more. View →
My Military Mom (My Family) – School Library Journal
A new entry in a series that aims to celebrate family diversity. The tone of the narrative is humorous and friendly, and Lenny (as well as readers) are able to gauge a lot about Conner and his father’s household. Persico’s especially charming digital illustrations make the… View →
My Two Homes (My Family) – School Library Journal
A simple and approachable glimpse at blended families and divorce. Skye refers to all of the adults in her life as her parents and gives them credit for teaching her all she knows about baseball. This is a warm and idealized look at blended families with happiness at each end. The… View →
Martin Luther King, Jr.: Civil Rights Leader (History Maker Biographies) – Booklist
Large photographs of events in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and scenes from the segregated South draw young readers into this pared-down biography. Two to four sentences per page lay out the facts. . . . This will work for one-on-one reading and classroom use. . . . The brevity View →
ABDO Zoom Animals Database – Booklist
This engaging database provides young researchers with standardized, accessible information on 160 different animals. Users can opt to type in a search term or browse through three main categories: habitat; type (e.g., mammals, insects, and amphibians); or geographic region. Subgroups… View →
My Community: Jobs – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Children will learn about important jobs performed by people in the community in this appealing series. Sentences of up to six words in length convey information about each profession, including what the job entails and the tools required. The text appears in large black type on a clean… View →
Essential Literary Themes - School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
These volumes provide detailed guidelines on examining literary works for thematic content and critiquing them. Each selection presents comprehensive overviews of familiar literary classics and films, followed by insightful analyses and critical-thinking questions. Theses and their… View →
Super Simple Gardening - School Library Connection
This series will appeal to science teachers, beginning gardeners, and garden clubs. Each book gives easy step-by-step instructions on how to create the garden. The photographic illustrations are first-rate. Teachers will appreciate the botany students are learning as well as the… View →
Hoop City - Youth Services Book Review
. . . an excellent choice for reluctant readers, those reading below grade level and ESL students. Strong, likeable characters, realistic situations, very well done. Recommend to high school students interested in sports, especially boys and those ready to graduate. View →
Alex (Coming Out) - Youth Services Book Review
This is just one book in a six book series about different teens facing difficult situations. . . . The reader travels the hard road with Alex, a likable, believable hero as she/he struggles to be who he needs to be. Recommend[ed] to anyone who needs to understand how it feels to be… View →
Tunnel (Time of Death) - Youth Services Book Review
Kyle is a believable, likable protagonist; he is truly suffering and thus, changing due to his horrendous action. Excellent choice for high schoolers who may not consider the consquences of their actions, for time-travel buffs and those just looking for a good story well-told. View →
Echidnas (World's Weirdest Animals) - Booklist
Readers won’t be able to resist this book’s cover photo of the strangely adorable echidna, with its long, bald beak and spiny body. As this entry into the World’s Weirdest Animals series explains, the echidna is one of the only egg-laying mammals in the world. In… View →
Emergent Behavior (Bots) - VOYA
. . .the story is fast paced and well written. Edmond is a believable character. The reader does not have to be as brilliant as Edmond to understand the technology and robotic science that goes into creating Hart–it is well within the reader’s reach. There are enough unresolved… View →
Eating Ethically (Food Matters) - Booklist
This volume in the Food Matters series addresses food production and consumption in the U.S., with an eye on factory farms. Felix clearly establishes that ethical food should be “produced without abuse to animals, the environment, or humans.” The animal rights chapter. . .will… View →