Reviews
Power Hitter
“Just the ticket for readers who prefer their sports fiction distraction-free.” —Booklist View →
The Great Sheep Shenanigans
“The stanzas employ a singsong rhyme that never wears out its welcome…. The rascally illustrations reduce things to humorous simplicities (lambs are but plump white circles), completing this very appealing twist on a familiar tale.” —Booklist View →
Big Birthday
“Clifton-Brown’s whimsical painted illustrations match the spirited nature of the text, particularly in her depiction of freckled sprite Annabelle.” —Booklist View →
Beep and Bah
“Beep, who resembles a truncated, malfunctioning pogo stick, and Bah, a somewhat querulous creature with a perpetually concerned expression on his face, try to track down the sock’s rightful owner, traveling from one animal to the next, with lots of slapstick and… View →
Talia and the Rude Vegetables
“Talia is confounded by her grandmother’s request for some ‘rude vegetables’ (carrots, turnips, potatoes, etc.) for the Rosh Hashanah stew. While digging up an ‘ornery onion’ and ‘garish garlic,’ she thinks about her own behavior; all ends… View →
Summertime Blues: Book 2
http://rosepetals1984.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/review-summertime-blues/Summertime Blues is the second book in the popular “Lou” series by Julien Neel. This was a wonderful story that had Lou and her mother traveling to Memaw’s place to spend… View →
Street Dance
“Engaging introductions to dance forms…offer aspiring dancers inspiration and insight.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
The Knife and the Butterfly
“Based on a true incident, this work of fiction is gritty, sad, and not for the faint-hearted.” —VOYA View →
The White Zone
“Marsden tells a story that resonates highly in today’s society where there are many different types of chaos disrupting lives and homes worldwide.” —VOYA View →
“Hand this to aspiring sailors and chefs alike—but advise them to take a snack along for the journey, as the focus on food is sure to inspire a few rumbling bellies.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
A Leaf Can Be . . .
“Each spread is bursting with natural wonder, and while the animals are cute rather than realistic, the art creatively and effectively supports the text’s evocation of the leafy world. This is an ideal curricular introduction to a unit on leaves, but it will also find plenty… View →
Put Inclined Planes to the Test
“Clear explanations, relatable examples, and effective visuals.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
Investigating Magnetism
“Clear explanations, relatable examples, and effective visuals.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
Kill Me Softly
“Incorporating suspense and romance, this contemporary, edgy, Grimm-based novel is an entertaining and well-written entry in the crowded but popular genre.” —Booklist View →
“Spielman’s understated picture book biography covers fascinating events of Marceau’s early life. At sixteen, he and his brother fled the Nazis and became active in the French Resistance. Because of his ability to entertain, Marcel was tapped to smuggle Jewish children… View →
Is the End of the World Near?: From Crackpot Predictions to Scientific Scenarios
“Compelling.”—The Horn Book Guide View →
Friend Me!: 600 Years of Social Networking in America
“The solid information will make this useful for reports, while the pleasing design set off by touches of blue, as well as the sufficient black-and-white archival photos placed throughout, make this plenty appealing for browsers.” —Booklist View →
Conflict Resolution Smarts: How to Communicate, Negotiate, Compromise, and More
“This accessible, interactive title in the USA Today Teen Wise Guides series will draw readers with its close look at conflicts. An excellent choice for group discussion, this will also appeal to individual readers, who will recognize themselves, whether… View →
Escape from Planet Yastol
“Funny, quirky, and action-filled, the story will hold reluctant readers’ attention.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
Marco's Cinco de Mayo
“Sidebars with additional information expand on the holiday. Illustrated with vibrant digital artwork, the text avoids stereotypes.” —Booklist View →
Can You Tell a Bee from a Wasp?
“[An] easy-to-read and informative text.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
A Fraction's Goal — Parts of a Whole
“An entertaining starting point.” —The Horn Book Guide View →