Reviews
Get a Job at a Business
“A helpful series for teens looking to turn their hobbies into cash or just seeking a good job.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Why Are There Stripes on the American Flag?
“The storylike narrative is simple, engaging, and informative…. All in all, an appealing first look at American emblems.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Playing Pro Basketball
“Top-notch writing, colorful photos and sidebars, fact boxes, and diagrams combine to make this series a standout…. A great series that sheds light on the reality of life in professional sports.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Plan a Sleepover Party
“Some kids would throw a party every weekend if they could, while others dread the very idea. Both types will get something out of this series…. Energetic design with lots of photos of diverse kids ensures wide appeal.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
How Does Weather Change?
“[T]he vibrant three-quarter page photos on every page will give inquisitive readers an inviting gateway to natural phenomena and the people who study them. Solid introductions to the subject.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Your Head Shape Reveals Your Personality!: Science's Biggest Mistakes about the Human Body
“Concise narratives work well with photos and graphic images to convey the history of scientific thought while reminding readers that with advancements in science and technology, today’s facts could just as easily be proven inaccurate in the future.” —School Library View →
Friends in the Wild
“A solid, engaging series that makes the topic interesting and accessible to young readers.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Tools and Treasures of Ancient China
“[T]hese books provide basic introductory information and a good visual history of each culture’s material treasures, making them strong additional purchases for elementary schools.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Surviving Natural Disasters
“This high-interest series provides fast-paced stories of survival in different scenarios and also offers solutions for readers if they ever find themselves facing dangerous situations. . . . Though this entertaining, informative series does not discourage adventure, it reminds… View →
Can People Count on Me?: A Book about Responsibility
“Real-life topics, ranging from the specific (‘How can I make sure I don’t forget my band instrument?‘) to the general (’Why does everyone need a turn?’), are presented in a clear question-and-answer format that is instructive but not overly didactic.… View →
Edgy Fashion
“These books, nominally about exploring fashion identities, will fly off library shelves due to the superabundance of celebrity photos. . . . Pictured celebs seem to be chosen in part for their durability—Taylor Swift and Solange Knowles are likely to be well known for a… View →
How I Do My Homework
“The first-person narratives draw in readers and make the very simple texts (about one sentence per page) clear and relatable. Full-color photographs that directly match the action assist in reading comprehension. . . . A solid way to start kids out on the road to personal… View →
Flickr Cofounder and Web Community Creator Caterina Fake
“Fact boxes of additional information, quotations, and well-produced and clearly captioned, full-color photographs are interspersed throughout the attractive layout.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Rock Crawling: Tearing It Up
“There’s a surprising amount of detail in the simply written text, supplemented by excellent graphics and photos. . . . These well-written books will appeal to a wide audience.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Move Your Body!: My Exercise Tips
“Though the first-person narratives, which flow easily and contain clear, direct language, are not conventional nonfiction in format, they still convey useful information. Eye-catching full-color illustrations match the text and aid comprehension, while red text boxes emphasize… View →
Dance Is Fun!
“Clean, crisp design supports the easy-reader format of this set, as does the repetitive, simple texts….Color photos of diverse children (including a girl in Football) illustrate each point and enhance the basic information.” —School Library Journal, Series… View →
Energy and Waves through Infographics
“Each title does offer sheaves of basic information in particularly concentrated form…and the resources lists are above average.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Fun Food Inventions
“This set is a browsers’ delight as well as a rich resource for science or pop-history report writers.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
The Brain-Boosting Benefits of Gaming
“Young gamers who wonder what’s inside their Xboxes or how those dramatic graphics are created will come away from these satisfying volumes with plenty of facts.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Can You Tell a Stegosaurus from an Ankylosaurus?
“By encouraging readers to notice similarities and differences, the set engages them with age-appropriate critical thinking, making this set a natural choice for Common Core use.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Army Delta Force: Elite Operations
“These eye-catching titles, each written in five short chapters, will be attractive to reluctant readers….The risks and destructive nature of the jobs aren’t sugarcoated, but the texts are not graphic.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Ski Superpipe
“Overall, this set uses a positive tone and conveys enthusiasm for these athletics, emphasizing that readers can practice them while keeping as safe as possible. Thumbnail sketches of innovators and youthful superstars will keep young readers engaged.” —School Library… View →
How Do Helicopters Work?
“These introductions combine plenty of big, bright color photos with explanatory texts that, for all their brevity, will give new readers healthy doses of specific information.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
Tasty Sandwiches
“These recipes manage to hit a sweet spot in kid cookery: they require little in the way of expertise, yet are complex enough to be interesting….The instructions are detailed and thoroughly illustrated with clear color drawings; photos show the enticing final products.” View →