Reviews
But and For, Yet and Nor: What Is a Conjunction?
“This colorful book offers information about conjunctions and examples of how they work, all in easy-to-read rhymes, beginning with, ‘Conjunctions are connecting words like but or and or or’. . .An amusing addition to classroom lessons on parts of speech.”… View →
"Filled with harrowing accounts from citizens and foreign observers, these entries in the Dictatorships series give a strong sense of the stark, terrifying realities of living without democracy" —Booklist View →
Jackson and Bud's Bumpy Ride: America's First Cross-Country Automobile Trip
“Hargis’ glib cartoon illustrations of the begoggled trio and their clanging, mud-spattered auto are a terrific match to the lighthearted narrative. An afterword provides a deeper appreciation for just how remarkable and historical their adventure really was. Easily… View →
Survival in the Snow
“This volume from the On My Own History series offers independent readers a straightforward tale of rugged adventure and survival in the snowy area that, according the appended historical note, challenged the Donner party just two years later. Told with concrete details that… View →
Stroll and Walk, Babble and Talk: More about Synonyms
“Kids will chuckle as they read at home and in writing classes, however difficult or demanding the scenarios. With all the slapstick fun, the pages show and tell about shades of meaning and the importance of choosing just the right word.” —Booklist View →
Straight and Curvy, Meek and Nervy: More about Antonyms
“Wild colors and zany, attired animal characters ramp up the humor and the fun in this useful introduction to antonyms. The rhyming, rhythmic text lopes along, succinctly explaining what an antonym is and following up with plenty of clear examples, made not just palatable but… View →
“. . .solid, high-interest choice for browsing or basic research.” —Booklist View →
Lazily, Crazily, Just a Bit Nasally: More about Adverbs
“Comical line drawings zapped with color show animals in a wide variety of roles, from tourist to cowboy to knight. Meanwhile, the rhyming verses gallop along, playfully brandishing adverbs galore. Color coding differentiates adverbs that tell you when (pink), where (purple), how View →
The Nice Mice in the Rice: A Long Vowel Sounds Book
“Cleary’s imaginative, often humorous text and Miskimins’ vibrant cartoon-like digital illustrations featuring animals and children make this a standout reading primer that is also well suited for English-language learners.” … View →
Crafts to Make in the Winter
“This title in the Crafts for All Seasons series provides 29 ideas for winter projects, including a reindeer puppet, a dreidel banner, a kwanzaa magnet, and an outdoor sun catcher made of ice. . . This multicultural, religiously inclusive book features some unusual and fun ideas… View →
Crafts for Hanukkah
“Ross continues her holiday series with this book, which draws not only on themes and elements associated with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah – dreidels, menorahs, etc. – but also on symbols that are part of year-round practice, such as yarmulkes and the Star of… View →
A Boy Named Beckoning: The True Story of Dr. Carlos Montezuma, Native American Hero
“Capaldi uses Carlos’ own words, throughout, to draws the reader close. Attractive watercolor paintings in desert colors are the backdrop for the text, but the design cleverly uses photographs placed in the margins, which make a strong visual counterpoint to the art. An… View →
Noah's Bark
“There are a lot of Bible-themed picture books out there, but few will be as popular as this humorous offering. . . The stylized, brushstroked paintings are embellished with highlighted sound effects and subtle comic expressions. Inventive and sure to elicit a boatload of… View →
Name That Style: All about Isms in Art
“Beginning with naturalism and ending with photorealism, with many stops along the way, this compact overview documents the shifts, both in terms of technique as well as subject matter, that differentiate each style from its predecessors. . . An obvious choice for museum-bound… View →
The Art of Freedom: How Artists See America
“. . .the 18 beautifully reproduced works of art in this collection cut a swath across the country—including farms and cities, baseball and jazz, hard work and sacrifice, native peoples and immigrants.” —Booklist View →
The Iranian Revolution
“Accessibly written and attractively designed, the text is complemented throughout with photographs, maps, and sidebars. Offer this insightful volume to YAs alongside Marjane Satrapi’s adult memoir Persepolis (2003), an account of her childhood experiences during… View →
![Cover: Guan Yu: Blood Brothers to the End [A Chinese Legend]](https://assets2.titleleaf.com/lerner/product/cover/s_9781580138901_fc.jpg)
Guan Yu: Blood Brothers to the End [A Chinese Legend]
“The importance of honor and loyalty are highlighted over Guan Yu’s physical and strategic prowess, intrigue is given weight equal to fighting, and the bloodshed is kept (mainly) offscreen, meaning the battles are depicted mostly in single panels rather than in more… View →
“Costello’s impressionistic artwork seems well suited to this nostalgic story. Although respectful in tone, the illustrations also pick up on occasional humor, as when hungry soldiers swallow too much bitter herb and chase it down with very potent cider. A good choice for the View →
Prisoner for Liberty
“This inspiring, personal story will help draw early readers into U.S. history.” —Booklist View →
Circle the Truth
“. . .a well-written story about a boy trying find his place in a family and testing his relationship with God.” —Booklist View →
Praying Mantises: Hungry Insect Heroes
“Veteran science writer Markle’s enthusiasm for her subject energizes this title about praying mantises that moves from a general summary of insect characteristics to the specifics of mantis anatomy, characteristics, and life cycle. . . this well-written and illustrated… View →
“Nicely paced, the story imparts information without becoming bogged down in a civics lesson. Small sidebars on many pages provide additional facts, but most readers will stick with the narrative, which shows that tax dollars go toward many services that children use. This… View →
Jodie's Hanukkah Dig
“Levine, author of the middle-grade novel Running on Eggs (1999), writes knowledgeably about the details of archaeological work, including the thrill of discovery, the backbreaking work of digging in the hot sun, and its importance to the historical record. Topaz’s View →