Reviews
Magnificent Monarchs
“[T]his title contains colorful, realistic illustrations that keep step with the simple, sometimes rhyming text. Three pages of more detailed data about monarchs and their complex lives, the addresses of butterfly societies, and a list of Web sites to explore are included. . .… View →
Blue Everywhere
“These bold and busy titles discuss where the colors occur in nature, describe their various shades, and discuss the meaning behind popular sayings or ‘fun facts’ about them. Well suited to independent reading, with simple sentence structure and boxed facts that… View →
Kathy Ross Crafts Letter Shapes
“These attractive books present hands-on projects to accompany phonics and letter recognition lessons. Shapes presents a craft activity based on each letter of the alphabet. . . The layout is friendly to nonreaders, including illustrations of the materials needed. . . Overall,… View →
Hanukkah Moon
“With a golden palette and a soft tone, this lovely story highlights a tradition overlooked in most Hanukkah literature. . . Soothing watercolor and crayon illustrations in shades of gold and purple beautifully convey the affectionate relationship that develops between the child… View →
“The cheerful watercolor illustrations enhance the text and add to its gentle sweetness. . . Readers who have a relative of a different religion will especially appreciate how this book reflects and validates their own families, but all youngsters will gain an understanding of… View →
Dino-Soccer
“Gott’s vibrant illustrations increase the suspense and fast pace of the rollicking narrative. The expressive faces of the players and the frenetic energy of the pictures add a bit of humor to the story. Sports fans and dinosaur lovers will delight in this follow-up to… View →
Day of the Dead
“Non-Latino youngsters will enjoy the links between Halloween and the Day of the Dead traditions and will shiver with pleasure at the decorations and treats that may seem slightly ghoulish to those unfamiliar with the holiday. Knutson’s lively illustrations reflect Mexican… View →
"Mrs. Riley Bought Five Itchy Aardvarks" and Other Painless Tricks for Memorizing Science Facts
“Readers can learn how to remember simple facts such as that the Earth orbits the Sun and the Moon orbits the Earth, or more challenging information such as the elements of the Mohs hardness scale. . . Colorful cartoons match the lightheartedness of the presentation. Teachers… View →
“Fridell delivers a compelling history of forensic science, from its beginnings in 1910 through the present. Examples of investigations abound and are brought to life by photos. Most riveting are the descriptions of professionals involved in a murder case, including a medical… View →
Camilla, Cartographer
“Through this engaging story, children will be shown the benefits of using and creating maps of their own. Camilla is a lovable main character. She’s smart, kind, and adventurous . . . . A fun way to get children interested in cartography, this book lends itself to many lessons… View →
Peacock and Sketch
“Prabhat’s use of vibrant colors coupled with Peacock’s expressive poses amplify his proud handsomeness. Readers will note the similarities between Peacock and Mo Willems’s beloved Pigeon, while enjoying the illustrations and wisdom imparted. . . . A gorgeously illustrated… View →
A Story to Tell: Traditions of a Tlingit Community
“Grandmother Fran has a story to tell her granddaughter Marissa. A Story to Tell is that story. Grandmother Fran tells Marissa the story of the Tlingit people. Many aspects of Tlingit life are included in the story: their history, their culture, the clan structure, the influence… View →
Pocahontas
“An easy-to-read biography of the Powhatan Indian woman who played an important role in American history. The author is careful to give a disclaimer, stating that it is difficult to know the true story because of lack of documentation. Large print and limited vocabulary make the… View →
Cooking the Mexican Way
“Each well-organized and well-written book [Cooking the Mexican Way, Cooking the East African Way, and Cooking the French Way] now has a greater emphasis on low-fat and vegetarian recipes. These new titles will be useful for cultural and heritage school projects as well as fun… View →
Cooking the Norwegian Way
“The narrative pieces are smoothly written and offer some interesting tidbits. The authors are either natives or have some family connection to the country under discussion. All in all, these are good resouces for reports and for older kids who want to add something new to their… View →
Cooking the Greek Way
“The narrative pieces are smoothly written and offer some interesting tidbits. The authors are either natives or have some family connection to the country under discussion. All in all, these are good resources for reports or for older kids who want to add something new to their… View →
The Best Pet Yet
“Refreshing and attractive additions to any beginning reader collection. The upbeat stor[y] of a. . . boy selecting his first pet work independently of their value as phonics lessons, a welcome change from most basal texts. Appealing full-color photographs of children enliven and View →
Stop That Noise!
“[This] earnest entr[y] in the controlled-vocabulary category [is]. . . successful. . . [S]upports new readers through short sentences, text of nine or fewer lines per page, and no surprising vocabulary. Noise! presents two boys and a girl who drum, hum, and strum their families… View →
Lost and Found
“[A] welcome addition to any collection. . . [This story is] interesting, makes sense, and [has]engaging characters. However, it is the colorful photographs on double-page spreads that make these texts come alive. The children’s facial expressions and natural body language… View →
Our Big Home: An Earth Poem
“A joyful celebration of the Earth with the important environmental message that we share the planet not only with all the various people of the world, but with the plant and animal worlds as well. The loosely rhymed poem describes water, sun, soil, air, wind, sky, night, and… View →
Kathy Ross Crafts Numbers
“[F]eatures fun creations that involve counting and measurement and whimsical, child-friendly artwork. For visual learners, there is also an illustrated supply list for each project. The 20 activities include a four-leaf clover necklace, a five-point star magnet, a play alarm… View →
Star-Spangled Crafts
“Ross is well-known for her creative craft books and this one is no exception. Here she offers ideas for 22 activities, with clear, step-by-step instructions that use commonly found materials. Colorful illustrations set against lots of white background enhance the text along… View →
Crafts to Make in the Winter
“Ross is a proven veteran of children’s crafts. This title rounds out her seasonal collection with 29 imaginative, easy-to-do, and fun activities. The clear instructions are accompanied by colorful illustrations. Besides a snowman pin, an icy sun catcher, and a lace… View →
What Is a Scientist?
“In a deceptively simple style, this little gem introduces the scientific process. . . On the recto, a large, clear, colorfully bordered photo shows a first-grade scientist engaged in that investigative step. . . Other students are shown noticing details, drawing what they see,… View →