Reviews
Frizzy Haired Zuzu
“The book’s beautiful, sometimes whimsical cartoon illustrations skillfully depict the unsuccessful endeavors to reduce Zuzu’s hair volume and capture her emotions in response. The tale offers an important message—that kids should love and accept themselves wholeheartedly . . .… View →
How Long or How Wide?: A Measuring Guide
“This third in the Math Is CATegorical series measures up quite nicely. . . Rulers in paws, Gable’s large-nosed cast of brightly colored quirky cats, mice and fleas measures objects large and small. His cartoons are entertaining and sure to gain children’s attention. View →
The Clock Struck One: A Time-Telling Tale
“Hartman’s characters are full of personality – the cat is high-and-mighty while the dog is just plain loopy. Her colors reflect the passing of the day, getting increasingly darker as the sun disappears and the characters become sleepier. With its emphasis on the… View →
Stroll and Walk, Babble and Talk: More about Synonyms
“The multicolored synonyms easily stand out from the black text, while the illustrations provide the context clues readers need to discern their meanings. Gable’s cast of cats will capture readers’ attention as they zanily exemplify the synonyms. . . It’s no… View →
Big Brain Book: How It Works and All Its Quirks
“Introducing a complicated and astounding natural computer. The science of the human brain and nervous system, and its myriad connections and functions, is addressed in a visually appealing format along with suggestions for experiments requiring little equipment . . . . Gill’s… View →
Like Ability: The Truth about Popularity
“A reader-friendly guide to breaking down the components of popularity and likability and helping readers achieve their goals. . . . Concise, accessible chapters unpack the phenomenon of popularity and offer exercises and worksheets that lead readers to a greater understanding of… View →
Remembering Ethan
“A family begins healing following a devastating loss . . . the child has real agency; Sarah effects change in the family dynamic that leads to cathartic healing. The delicate illustrations are expressive and effective. Useful psychologist’s tips in the backmatter guide… View →
Senses at the Seashore
“Say what you will about the seashore, it is a stimulating place, a sensual extravaganza. . . Rotner is a partisan fo the seashore and her gorgeous color photographs are transportingly sharp. . . The format is simple and direct: a bright picture, an uncomplicated caption. . . it… View →
It's Spring!
“Glaser and Swan team up once again in this eye-catching and informative ode to nature, the second in a series of seasonal titles (It’s Fall!, 2001, etc.). Speaking through the voice of a narrator, Glaser uses simple language to convey the changes brought by spring: warmer… View →
100 Days of School
“Readers will want to try the more interesting variations on math Harris has devised, e.g., addition and subtraction using clowns, trains, blackberry pie, and centipedes. Harris demonstrates that numbers can be broken down into recognizable units that can be manipulated and… View →
Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal
“Nelson’s well-researched biography reads much like a tall tale or frontier legend – as well it should: ‘Outlaws learned that when Marshal Reeves had your warrant, you were as good as got. . . ’ Christie’s bold full-page paintings echo the heroic… View →
Dino-Hockey
“It’s prehistoric pandemonium on ice as the toothy Meat-Eaters (in red jerseys) and the tough Veggiesaurs (in green) face off in a wild championship game. . . There’s many a tale featuring dinosaurs playing, being pets and even dancing, but here’s an activity… View →
Hush Harbor: Praying in Secret
“Banks’s oversized, almost muralistic figures reflect the strength of the Africans’ spirits and their tremendous physicality. The red outlines used throughout evoke both warmth and danger as the characters steal away to their meeting place. Evans handles the issue… View →
“Basing her tale on legend, Greene provides a smooth, suspenseful view into a rarely depicted portion of Jewish history, when Jews led a dual life and managed to maintain their Judaic rituals by blending in or hiding their beliefs and traditions, sometimes in plain sight.… View →
“Jules’s fourth Ziz book continues her versions of Midrash stories featuring the giant bird of Jewish mythology. The Ziz is summoned by the wise King Solomon of Israel for a critical job-keeping the Princess Magda company in her lonely tower. Locked up to protect her… View →
Jackson and Bud's Bumpy Ride: America's First Cross-Country Automobile Trip
“In his cartoon pictures Hargis depicts all three of his goggle-wearing travelers having the time of their lives, determinedly riding their increasingly mud-spattered horseless carriage through mountains, deserts and storms. The author sticks closely to the historical record in… View →
Millie's Marvellous Hat
“Kitamura matches his quiet story of imagination and empowerment with soft watercolor illustrations that teem with fascinating urban detail. Decked out in a bright-yellow slicker and boots, Millie’s small cheery figure easily stands out amid crowded streets and parks, but… View →
Way Too Many Latkes: A Hanukkah in Chelm
“Oy! Only in Chelm could there be such a problem—and such a solution. Chelm, that beloved but very foolish village of old-time Eastern European Jewry, has a problem as the first day of Hanukkah approaches. Faigel makes the best latkes (potato pancakes fried in oil).… View →
All the Feelings under the Sun: How to Deal with Climate Change
“Learning about climate change can arouse all kinds of feelings, but there are ways to cope with them and to use them productively . . . . Includes numerous exercises designed to help kids recognize their feelings and “build emotional resilience.” . . . Concepts like eco-grief,… View →
Ani's Light
“Singh and Prabhat combine forces for an unflinchingly honest yet soothing book about a child and his mother’s illness . . . . [I]ncludes an author’s note that stresses the importance of honesty in the face of difficult situations, from illness to divorce to death. . . . A hopeful, View →
Camilla, Cartographer
“Wood’s delightful illustrations and Dillemuth’s expertise in the matter engage readers in the woodland creatures’ adventures. In addition, Dillemuth, who holds a doctorate in geography, provides activities in the backmatter for parents and caregivers to help… View →
Carol Gilligan and the Search for Voice
“A charmingly illustrated biography that highlights psychologist Carol Gilligan’s life and achievements . . . . Cole highlights key figures and psychological concepts in the world of psychology, explaining them in digestible segments. Green’s soft and expressive artwork brings… View →