Reviews
A Review of "Wars in U.S. History" in School Library Journal
This set takes a look at various U.S. wars and conflicts. Each title begins with a description of a real-life battle, going on to examine the beginning of the conflict and detailing political, social, and military aspects, as well as causes and outcomes of each. Though the writing is on the… View →
A Review of "Ancient Warriors" in Children's Bookwatch
Filled with detailed illustrations from the Codex Mendoza and other authentic sources about Aztec life, ‘Aztec Warriors’ provides a discerning overview of the role and attributes of a classic Aztec warrior, within the context of Aztec historical background from 1325 to 1521, displayed upon… View →
A Review of "Gross Jobs" in Booklist
The Gross Jobs series has looked at occupations as diverse as pig farmer and sewer inspector, but this is one that will have readers yelling, well, ‘gross!’ The text, however, is matter-of-fact. People need bathrooms, and sometimes, as in the case of construction workers or festival goers… View →
A Review of "Classic Stories" in Children's Bookwatch
The Classic Stories series is comprised of four outstanding works of short fiction including Toni Cade Bambara’s ‘Raymonds Run’; Langston Hughes’ ‘Thank You, M’am’; Joan Grant’s ‘The Monster That Grew Small’; and Robert Graves’ ‘Two Wise Children’. Each individual 24 page book has… View →
A Review of "Poetry Party" in Children's Bookwatch
‘Acrostic Poems’ is a title from the Poetry Party series for young readers and poets which uses text and illustration to define a poem, descriptive acrostics, and story acrostics. After defining and giving examples of acrostic poems, the story inspires young poets to try their hands at a… View →
A Review of "Twelve Magic Months" in School Library Journal
Thirty days hath September…including Make-a-Hat Day, International Rabbit Day, and Video Game Day. Kids curious about our calendar will get a grounding in holidays both unusual and familiar, historical dates, and more in these brief looks at the 12 months of the year. The design is simple… View →
A Review of "Talking Hands" in School Library Journal
Attractively designed, brief introductions to sign language. Each title lists a different sign, related to the topic at hand (Work covers ‘Cook,’ ‘Cashier,’ and ‘Pilot,’ for instance), and includes a large, clear photograph and quick description of the job, and an illustration and textual… View →
A Review of "Our Holiday Symbols" in Children's Bookwatch
From the series titled Our Holiday Symbols for children age 6 and up, ‘Easter Bunnies’ presents pages of fascinating facts about the fun and fables associated with Easter, the spring holiday festival that celebrates the beginning of another growing season and year. Simple narrative style… View →
A Review of "The Human Body" in Booklist
Muscular tissue makes up 30 to 50 percent of a human’s weight and is responsible for the most basic of vital functions. This book begins with a narrative of a young boy, Jeremy, lifting a cinder block to impress his older brother. Each tinge of exertion and effort that Jeremy feels, from… View →
A Review of "Jess and Jaylen" in Booklist
Lifelong best pals and diametrical opposites Jess and Jaylen are the main characters in this sweet series entry about friendship and compromise. Each wants their best friend to try their own respective favorite activity during summer rec league. For bookish Jaylen, this means trying to… View →
A Review of "Habitats" in Library Media Connection
Readers learn about different habitats in chapters with manageable amounts of information. The information is succinct and flows well from one topic to the next. There are smaller boxes dispersed throughout the text, which contain quick bits of additional information on the habitats being… View →
A Review of "Service Dogs" in School Library Journal
This collection covers the basics of working dogs, including history of these types of jobs, the ideal breeds and temperaments for the work, the training involved, and how children behave when meeting these dogs. Other than Guide Dogs, the books conclude with a specific example of a… View →