Reviews
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 →
My Brother, the Pest
“These realistic. . . stories address some of the frustrations and fears of childhood. My Brother, the Pest is narrated in rhyme by a young girl who expresses her annoyance with her little brother until she realizes that they do have some fun together. . . [The books ueses] a… 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 →
Spectacular Spiders
“A young girl admires the work of a garden spider living in her backyard and describes its physical and behavioral characteristics. Focusing on the arachnid’s use of spider silk, she tells how it constructs a web to catch insects, employs a ‘dragline’ to escape… View →
It's Spring!
“A companion to the author’s It’s Fall (Millbrook, 2001). The excitement of spring is in the air as a boy explores the world around him. Cut-paper illustrations enhanced by hand painting give a three-dimensional look to the scenes. A double-page spread of a torrential View →
The Quilt-Block History of Pioneer Days: With Projects Kids Can Make
“A really-truly-kids-can-do-it history/art project book. Cobb’s well-written text will hold youngsters’ interest, and the information about pioneer life is neatly tied to particular quilts, illustrated with simple, colorful watercolor sketches. Best of all, the… View →
Sam Bennett's New Shoes
“Thermes’s tale is chock-full of historical facts and tidbits. Her detailed illustrations show much about 18th-century life but stay focused on the central narrative. An author’s note explains that hidden shoes in the walls of old houses, called concealments, inspired View →
I Am an Artist
“This lyrical, almost poetic, text puts forth the idea that art is a process – a way of living and seeing – as well as a manifestation in the form of a finished product. The emphasis is on that process rather than on an end result. This is a valuable concept to share… View →
The Schoolchildren's Blizzard
“This fast-paced, high-interest tale set in Nebraska is based on the true story of Minnie Freeman, a teacher who led her students to safety through the deadly blizzard of January 12, 1888. Well-painted, realistic watercolors depict their struggle to find a safe haven and blend… View →
Fabulous Frogs
“This picture book has a fun, simple text replete with froggy sounds and a rhythm and rhyme or near-rhyme that give it a pleasant, poetic flavor. The book presents the life (from mating to birth to growth) of a common frog while featuring illustrations of the leopard frog, spring View →
Dilly's Summer Camp Diary
“This visual and verbal delight brings to life the emotional ups and downs of three weeks at sleep-away camp. Dilly, who was convinced she would love camp, finds that its not exactly as she’d envisioned. Eventually, her interest in frogs helps her to overcome the rough… View →
Crafts to Celebrate God's Creation
“Clever craft ideas, based on the first portion of Genesis, show how to make items representing the earth, night and day; the sun, moon, and stars; land and water; plants and flowers; birds, fish, insects, and animals; and people, stressing God’s love for them. . . Some… View →
Arctic Explorer: The Story of Matthew Henson
“Accurately written and filled with precise details about Arctic survival skills and Inuit customs, the book is a jewel of an adventure story. With black-and-white photographs, a bibliography of primary and secondary sources, and an index, it’s a worthwhile and up-to-date… View →
You're in Big Trouble, Brad!
“[A] phonics-based stor[y] that [is] designed to encourage and assist children in their reading development. . . In [Your in Big Trouble, Brad] Brad is called to the principal’s office. As he tries to figure out why, flashbacks show his recent escapades. The… View →
My Pen Pal, Pat
“[P]honics-based stories that are designed to encourage and assist children in their reading development. My Pen Pal, Pat is amusing, if a bit predictable. Two students named Pat-one in New York City and one in Boston-are paired together as pen pals. They seem to have everything… View →