Editorial Review
SLJ Review of Community Workers
This early beginner series introduces students to the world of work, emphasize that these professionals work hard and are essential to their communities.
Each volume opens with an alphabetical list of included sight words. The brief texts, comprising one to three sentences per page, allow for fast-paced, confident reading. New vocabulary is boldfaced and defined in a picture glossary.
Pronunciation guides are not included and would have helped for some words. Full-page and spot photos portray gender and racially diverse workers in action, high-lighting their vehicles, uniforms, and the equipment they use.
White women and women of color are depicted in usually male-dominated fields—pilots, plumbers, garbage collectors—and a male is shown as a children’s librarian. Visual summaries are included after the body of the text, reinforcing learning and vocabulary.
VERDICT: Recommended for schools and public libraries.