Reviews
A noteworthy review of Sequencing Stories from Children's Bookwatch on October 1, 2019
‘Making a Book’ is a grade level 1 how-to book from the series, Sequencing Stories. It describes the process of creating a book from a child author’s viewpoint. It outlines the process of writing a book, including imagining and creating a story, plus specifics about… View →
A noteworthy review of Musical Instruments from Children's Bookwatch on September 1, 2019
Written for elementary student reading (grades 3-6), ‘Pianos’ is a color photo filled brief encyclopedia on acoustic pianos. The piano is a historic stringed instrument that uses hammers to hit strings that are activated by depressing keys on the keyboard. Thus it is also a… View →
A noteworthy review of Great Escapes in History from School Library Connection on May 1, 2019
This high interest series will appeal to readers who like to collect interesting facts and learn about unusual circumstances. The nonfiction narrative of Escaping Alcatraz vividly and chronologically describes all the attempted escapes from Alcatraz prison. A section of Fast Facts gives… View →
A noteworthy review of Immigrant Experiences from Horn Book Guide on January 1, 2019
This series provides general glimpses into many immigrant groups’ struggles in the U.S. Vignettes (with direct quotes) of real immigrants striving for citizenship and acceptance in America add intimacy and impact to the presentation; frank discussions of discrimination are included. View →
A noteworthy review of Learning about Emotions from Horn Book Guide on January 1, 2019
Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray… View →
A noteworthy review of My Day Readers from Horn Book Guide on October 1, 2018
K—3 My Day Learning Health and Safety series. Published fall 2017. Each slight easy-reader text enumerates multiple straightforward ways that the child characters—and young readers—can take care of their bodies. David gets exercise through biking; Emily wears sunscreen… View →
A noteworthy review of Everyday Heroes from Booklist on October 1, 2018
Books in the Everyday Heroes series (12 titles) focus on regular people who live with typically chronic medical conditions. This volume discusses epilepsy and how people manage the seizures it causes. An opening list of facts about this neurological disorder plunges readers into the… View →
A noteworthy review of My Day Readers from Horn Book Guide on October 1, 2018
K—3 My Day Learning Science series. Published fall 2017. Lee learns about primary colors and color mixing as he paints a picture of his family. A slight easy-reader text with new vocabulary words in bold-colored type is supplemented by vibrant close-up photos of the paints as Lee… View →
A noteworthy review of Eyewitness to World War I from School Library Connection on August 1, 2018
Each of the titles in this series is an introduction to a specific topic concerning World War I for students. The series covers a wide range of subjects and is filled with black-and-white period photographs as well as images from prints and magazines. Each book follows the same format,… View →
A noteworthy review of Immigrant Experiences from School Library Connection on May 1, 2018
With all the debate about immigration recently it is easy to forget that, with the exception of Native Americans, everyone living in the United States has relatives that came from somewhere else. This series of books provides a balanced view of what coming to America is like. Each title… View →
A noteworthy review of Understanding the Basics from School Library Journal on April 1, 2018
These guides develop skill sets that are easily transferable to schoolwork, home life, and future jobs. In Calendars and Clocks, digital takes a backseat to analog for a truly introductory lesson about units of time using a familiar clockface with three hands. The back-to-basics focus… View →
A noteworthy review of Neighborhood Sports from School Library Journal on April 1, 2018
Backyard games are described in detail in this spirited series. In each title, full-color photos show the setup of the game and demonstrate how players should position themselves. For instance, in Ultimate instructions on how to do a backhand throw are accompanied by mid-action images of View →
A noteworthy review of Stories from the Wild Animal Kingdom from Booklist on March 15, 2018
A double-page spread of fast facts kicks off this account of emperor penguins’ famous 100-mile walk to their antarctic breeding grounds. The narrative text is easy to read, feeling like a story rather than standard nonfiction. Four chapters zero in on the adult penguins’… View →
A noteworthy review of My Day Readers from School Library Journal on November 1, 2017
The average preschooler’s learning day incorporates a vast amount of basic information, such as healthy eating, being a good friend, bus and fire safety, and more. This series introduces some of these conversations to young learners by using a brief word count, color photographs… View →
A noteworthy review of All About Money from School Library Journal on November 1, 2017
Why were no quarters minted in 1931 and 1933? Which denomination is cheapest for the U.S. Treasury to manufacture? Emergent readers will learn the answers to these and many other questions in this introductory set. These slim volumes discuss the worth of each item, its written notation,… View →
A noteworthy review of Immigrant Experiences from School Library Journal on November 1, 2017
Leaving a life behind to start anew elsewhere is a daunting task but one that speaks to the essence of the American spirit. Each group represented here has much in common yet very different experiences in their journeys. Starting with a time line and fast facts that succinctly illuminate View →
A noteworthy review of Immigrant Experiences from Booklist on October 1, 2017
This volume of the Immigrant Experiences series reads like a story and could easily be used as a read- aloud in a library or classroom. This is the tale of one family’s journey from war-torn Somalia to the snow-clad suburbs of Minneapolis. The tone and narrative style are intended… View →
A noteworthy review of Earth-Friendly Projects from School Library Connection on October 1, 2017
Elementary students will enjoy reading and constructing the environmentally friendly projects featured in this series of short, colorful chapter books. In Build a Weather Station, young investigators discover the variables weather forecasters use to measure and describe weather and the… View →
A noteworthy review of All About Money from Children's Bookwatch on October 1, 2017
Understanding the basic concept of money is essential for young children of elementary school age. ‘All About Money’ is an impressive twelve volume informative series in which young readers ages 5 to 8 will learn about the coins and bills that Americans use every day.… View →
A noteworthy review of Engineering that Made America from Horn Book Guide on October 1, 2017
Engineering That Made America series. This series takes an in-depth look at the history, conception, and practical application of key engineering feats and inventions. Each volume thoughtfully breaks down events and inspiration that led up to each invention, as well as its evolution and… View →
A noteworthy review of U.S.A. Travel Guides from Booklist on October 1, 2017
Based on Heinrichs’ previous Welcome to the U.S.A. series, the new U.S.A. Travel Guides series offers readers up-to-date facts and an attractive vertical design. In this look at the Golden State, each topical double-page spread briefly introduces one feature (Disneyland, Intel… View →
A noteworthy review of All About Money from Booklist on October 1, 2017
Although this title in the All about Money series isn’t the most scintillating read, it provides a wealth of basic information on this piece of currency. The first chapter answers the question ‘What Is a Twenty- Dollar Bill?’ and includes a clearly marked diagram… View →
A noteworthy review of U.S.A. Travel Guides from Children's Bookwatch on September 1, 2017
A premier publisher of non-fiction books for young readers, ‘The Child’s World’ has now published a new and highly recommended series for students in grades 2 through 5 called ‘U.S.A. Travel Guides’. There are 52 hardcover volumes, one for each of the 50… View →
A noteworthy review of Immigrant Experiences from Children's Bookwatch on August 1, 2017
Aside from Native Americans, the United States is a nation of immigrants and the descendants of immigrants. Now, The Child’s World has published a new eight volume series showcasing the immigrant experience of people from eight different countries. Each individual volume in this… View →