Reviews
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Groundbreaker Bios – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
These titles offer sufficient introductions to these notable people. View →
Native American Nations – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Lots of information is packed into bite-sized chapters in this series. Each book explores the nation’s homeland, societal structure, dress, food sources, and war capabilities. While there is a chapter about traditions, it only includes a short example of spiritual beliefs. First contact… View →
Military Animals – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Informative and entertaining, these books will attract those interested in animals and the military; they should be considered for purchase by both school and public librarians. View →
Greek Mythology – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Among the usual gods and goddesses, readers will learn about centaurs, Pegasus, and Medusa in this fascinating series. It is hard to make a series about Greek mythology feel fresh, but the authors manage to do just that. With easy-to-read yet richly detailed text, young readers will… View →
Girls' Basketball – Booklist review
The title of this entry in the Girls’ SportsZone series (6 titles) implies that there is something gender-specific about the book’s contents, but that is not so; rather, this book covers the fundamentals of basketball, applicable to any gender, using WNBA stars… View →
Deadly Diseases – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
This grisly collection looks at epidemics and pandemics of the past and present, explaining each in a simple, relatable way that remains true to the science without leaning into the overly morbid aspects of discussing illnesses. Archival images and photographs of sick people are used… View →
Travel Bucket Lists – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
This series includes titles that prepare readers for experiences from visiting historical sites to sports venues. Starting with a table of contents that shows four-to-five chapters in varying lengths, each title opens from a visitor’s perspective and is written in third person, setting… View →
Sports GOATs: The Greatest of All Time – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Browsers will flock to this fast-paced, exciting series. The 20 best athletes for each sport are lauded in snappy bios that break down their phenomenal careers. GOATs of Football includes offensive and defensive players, like quarterback Peyton Manning and defensive end Reggie White.… View →
Hauntings – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Each book in the series retells three haunting tales in easy-to-read text with bolded vocabulary and plenty of white space…. A wonderfully creepy way to build reading skills. View →
Toy Stories – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Talk about shelf appeal! Graphically striking covers featuring favorite toys lure readers into these succinct overviews of the development and continuing evolution of each product line. And the eye-catching design doesn’t stop at the covers—interior spreads feature large typefaces and… View →
Girls' SportsZone – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Young athletes interested in learning how to play like the pros will find a lot of sage advice in this engaging series. Each book follows a similar format, describing an amazing performance by a respected female athlete and then breaking down the components, sharing practice tips for… View →
World Explorers – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
These six volumes relate the lives and accomplishments of various explorers…. Information provided is factual without resorting to hagiography. View →
Sports Encyclopedias – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
For browsers who want a Guinness Book experience, but with a laser focus on sports, this series is clutch. Each book follows a similar formula, starting with a history of the sport and the formation of formal competition. For MLB, NBA,… View →
Essential Animals – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Covering the five vertebrate classes, plus invertebrates, these well-organized titles include a lot of information…. Useful resources for kids studying animals at the upper elementary and middle school levels. View →
Hip-Hop Artists Set 3 – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
The lives and careers of several popular hip-hop artists are chronicled in these detailed accounts. View →
Makerspace Trios – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Readers who want to make toys, tools, functional items, or things that just look cool will find guidance in this series on how to make creative use of a variety of materials. These books encourage makers to consider each material’s properties and imagine how it could be used. Wrap it,… View →
R.L. Stine – Booklist review
Kidlit horror master R. L. Stein stars in this biography in the Children’s Authors series (6 titles). Young readers will learn about his early years, what inspired him to write, how he came to write his popular Goosebumps and Fear Street series, and his legacy in children’s literature.… View →
Unplanned Pregnancies – Booklist review
This straightforward offering features plain language and relatable scenarios while considering multiple perspectives on unplanned pregnancies. Part of the Teen Challenges series (8 titles), the text lays out options—from prevention measures to decisions about keeping or ending a… View →
Abdo Kids Jokes – School Library Journal, Series Made Simple
Some puns are cute and some are absolute groaners, but all the jokes in these books rely on everyday language and homonyms rather than Amelia Bedelia-style literal interpretations of figures of speech. Jokes make our brains work in order to reconcile competing meanings, pronunciations,… View →
Mine-Hunting Animals – Booklist review
Readers will get acquainted with these impressive creatures and come to understand how they are able to spot, hear, or sniff out mines. View →