Reviews
Star-Spangled Crafts
“This book consists of step-by-step instructions for making twenty-two craft projects, each with a patriotic motif, including lapel pins, magnets, and various puppets. The crafts are simple and inviting. . . The materials and tools needed are easily obtainable; some projects… View →
Band Together
“A loner duck comes into his own. . . . Both vulnerability and self-confidence shine.”—Kirkus Reviews View →
“Children who are interested in ants and are just gaining confidence in reading will find this book a good place to start. The brief text works with close-up photographs to provide very basic information about characteristics and habits, finding food, and care of young. A North… View →
“With plentiful photos, examples are shown from each food group, along with helpful samples of appropriate portion sizes for kids.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
“Keleti’s life experiences will captivate new generations of readers while simultaneously teaching important history lessons.” – School Library Journal View →
Twist, Tumble, Triumph: The Story of Champion Gymnast Ágnes Keleti
“The story of Hungarian Jewish Olympian Agnes Keleti (b. 1921) inspires in Bodin Cohen and Olitzky’s chronicle of how the gymnast persisted throughout WWII. The story opens with Keleti, the Hungarian national champion, being told that a new law… View →
All New Crafts for Kwanzaa
“Ross’s directions are easy to follow, and Holm’s clear, simple illustrations are equally helpful.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
All New Crafts for Earth Day
“The book offers step-by-step directions, presented in colorful cartooned sequences, for making such items as puppets, games, picture frames, and a trivet of a raft of pencils.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
Hello, Squirrels!: Scampering through the Seasons
“Using a simple conversational tone, the author addresses young gray squirrels directly as she describes their activities.” —The Horn Book Guide View →
The Apple Argument
“A palatable variation (of the Garden of Eden story) that connects the tale to contemporary individuals ‘hardy, sweet, and difficult.’”—Publishers Weekly View →
All Aboard for Noah's Ark!
“Heroic hedgehogs demonstrate to young readers that even though they may be small in size, their contributions can be large and important. This new take on the biblical story is both original and charming.”—Jewish Book Council View →
"Sharp, colorful photos on every page and well-defined vocabulary words make these good early science texts." —Horn Book Guide View →
Clouds of Terror
“Coping with a plague of grasshoppers on the Minnesota prairie in the 1870s, Helga and her brother are fishing when they become aware of an odd cloud approaching with a strange ‘deep hum’. . .The authentic details here carry a simple narrative that’s sure to… View →
It's Not My Fault!
“George’s antics are funny and the sequence of events is believable for children who have ‘accidents’ of their own.” —The Reading Teacher View →
“Mixing fantasy with brutal reality, McNish’s novel is disturbing as well as moving. . . McNish is an author to watch.” —School Library Journal View →
Harvest of Light
For the young Israeli girl narrating this photoessay, this year’s Hanukkah observance will be particularly meaning-ful, since she will help harvest the olives that will be pressed into the ritual lamp oil. She introduces the olive trees in spring: “When the days start to get… View →
Druscilla's Halloween
“The blend of origin tale and Halloween story is a fresh one, and Walker’s clever imagery and lively turns of phrase add vitality to the text.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Double Cheeseburgers, Quiche, and Vegetarian Burritos: American Cooking from the 1920s through Today
“There are plenty of edible info bites here. . . readers will enjoy learning about the introduction of food phenoms such as Rice Krispies, TV dinners, and fast-food hamburgers. They’ll be intrigued to see the way the food landscape has changed, and they’ll join the… View →
Zayde Babysits before Passover
“While Ruthie’s parents help Bubbe prepare to host the seder, Zayde makes his debut as Ruthie’s babysitter, guided by 10 instructions from Mommy. Humor emerges from the contrast between Sutton’s administrative-style text and Chappell’s naif illustrations as… View →
"The last laugh is on Simon, though, and timid listeners who have been led to the brink of childhood disasters by a fearless will cheer his comeuppance . . ." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Loose-Tooth Luke
“[This book] will add a breath of fresh air to beginning-reader collections. A section for parents at the back of each book includes tips on encouraging beginning readers and phonetic guidelines. Solid alternatives to the usual fare.” —School Library… View →
“With a down-home storytelling style that enlivens his already flamboyant subject, Porter treats Zora Neale Hurston’s life as if it were one of her own best stories. Porter’s book captures all the complications and contradictions of Hurston’s character, . . .… View →
Everybody's Book: The Story of the Sarajevo Haggadah
“Bright watercolor illustrations follow the true story of a book’s remarkable journey through generations and across multiple wars…People of all cultures and faiths come together to protect the book from Nazi invasions, Serbian bombs, and the passage of… View →
Everybody's Book: The Story of the Sarajevo Haggadah
“An engaging introduction to a volume with a remarkable history.”—The Horn Book View →