Reviews
A noteworthy review of How America Works from Children's Bookwatch on September 1, 2016
‘How Elections Work’ is a succinct guide to the American electoral process in the U.S.A. for young adults and teens. Illuminated with historic black and white and color photos, timelines, and other visual aids, ‘How Elections Work’ covers it’s subject matter in three chapters: Voting Rights View →
A noteworthy review of Inside Look at Sports Events from Booklist on June 1, 2016
Rather than presenting the facts historically or analytically, each volume in the Inside Look at Sports Events series leads off with a two-page informational section in a Q&A format, and then offers five narrative chapters, each from a different point of view. The result is a book that… View →
A noteworthy review of Exploring Dinosaurs from School Library Connection on May 1, 2016
Dinosaurs are a source of fascination because scientists can only study their fossils to gather information, and they are still uncovering interesting facts. Author Susan Gray, a scientist with a special interest in zoology and paleontology, includes the latest information and answers to… View →
A noteworthy review of Endangered Animals from School Library Connection on May 1, 2016
The focus of these books is on the reasons each animal is endangered and the ways humans can help. Each title describes an animal, its environmental adaptations, and the threats contributing to its decline and conservation. Up-close photographs engage the reader, and life cycle diagrams and View →
A noteworthy review of One World, Many Countries from Horn Book Guide on April 1, 2016
K-3 One World, Many Countries series. These service able overviews for report writers are liberally illustrated with sharp photos. An introductory chapter in each book often highlights a holiday or festival (Israel includes a minor error). Four chapters then focus on land, government and… View →
A noteworthy review of One World, Many Countries from Horn Book Guide on April 1, 2016
K-3 One World, Many Countries series. These serviceable overviews for report writers are liberally illustrated with sharp photos. An introductory chapter in each book highlights life in the Amazon region (Brazil) and Chichicastenango’s thriving and historically significant marketplace… View →
A noteworthy review of Natural Disaster True Survival Stories from School Library Journal on April 1, 2016
Following a two-page overview of the title event, each volume presents four or five dramatic accounts of people who experience the effects. Photos of survivors accompany many stories, including those of a small boy pulled from Haiti’s earthquake rubble and a man floating on his house 10… View →
A noteworthy review of One World, Many Countries from Horn Book Guide on April 1, 2016
K-3 One World, Many Countries series. This serviceable overview is liberally illustrated with sharp photos. An introductory chapter highlights a festival that both celebrates the patron saint of Santiago de Cuba and honors Fidel Castro. This chapter and a ‘Global Connections’ page mention… View →
A noteworthy review of Inside Look at Sports Events from School Library Journal on April 1, 2016
This immersive series will make students experts at major sporting events in no time. Each volume is prefaced by effectively answering the five W’s (who, what, where, when why) in a ‘Fast Facts’ section. The volumes are slim, but they pack a lot of information. As these titles can… View →
A noteworthy review of True Stories, Real People from Booklist on April 1, 2016
The central library in Basra, Iraq, served its community for years before war threatened not just to end its services but to destroy its collections. In 2003, chief librarian Baker led an impromptu, grassroots effort to save as much of the collection as she and the library’s neighbors could View →
A noteworthy review of Unsolved Mysteries from Horn Book Guide on April 1, 2016
4-6 Unsolved Mysteries series. These books offer clear-eyed assessments of persistent unexplained phenomena. An anecdote introduces the titular subject; each survey superficially touches on history and possible explanations— scientific or otherwise. The slight texts are easy to read and… View →
A noteworthy review of One World, Many Countries from Horn Book Guide on April 1, 2016
K-3 One World, Many Countries series. These serviceable overviews for report writers are liberally illustrated with sharp photos. An introductory chapter highlights apartheid (South Africa), a spring festival (Egypt), or the Mombasa Carnival and safaris (Kenya). Four chapters then focus on… View →