Reviews
Walking Sticks
This offering from the Even More SuperSized! series introduces readers to the world’s longest insect: Chan’s megastick, a walking stick native to the rain forests of northern Borneo that can grow to a length of 22 inches. Using double-page-spread chapters, Gray provides a… View →
Winter Punches to Nut Crunches
With the cold, gloomy weather in the winter months, the bright, warm, healthy, and tasty recipes curated by LaPenta might be just the pick-me-up the doctor ordered. After an exhaustive list of necessary equipment and a stern warning to seek adult help with knives and other tools,… View →
Half-Human Monsters
The grotesque, horrifying depictions of half-human monsters in this title from the Not Near Normal: The Paranormal series will no doubt draw interest from curious readers. The (un)usual suspects are each accounted for: Bigfoot, the chupacabra, the Loch Ness monster, and so forth. But… View →
FUN-damental Experiments
Arranged, roughly, in order of complexity, the demonstrations in these volumes are also clearly laid out, with simply phrased directions matched to clear color photos or photorealistic images followed by questions about what young experimenters have observed (e.g., “Which push made View →
Yummy Tummy Recipes:Seasons
The 13-to-14 recipes in each volume are easy to make, require accessible ingredients and prepared foods, and cover a variety of categories, from drinks (“Warm Cranberry Punch”) to dessert (“Baked Stuffed Apples”). They’re also wholesome without calling a lot View →
Kinkajous
What is a kinkajou? Good question. As this title in the Jungle Babies of the Amazon Rain Forest series explains, a kinkajou is a small mammal, related to a raccoon, with thick fur; large, round eyes; and small ears. But perhaps the most remarkable feature of the kinkajou is its powerful… View →
Even More Supersized
Browsers and report writers alike will enjoy this series about giant animals. Readers will learn about the featured animals’ diets, defenses, habitats (all titles include a map), physical characteristics, and life cycles. The size of the creatures is compared to objects young… View →
Half-Human Monsters
The grotesque, horrifying depictions of half-human monsters in this title from the Not Near Normal: The Paranormal series will no doubt draw interest from curious readers. The (un)usual suspects are each accounted for: Bigfoot, the chupacabra, the Loch Ness monster, and so forth. But… View →
Walking Sticks
This offering from the Even More SuperSized! series introduces readers to the world’s longest insect: Chan’s megastick, a walking stick native to the rain forests of northern Borneo that can grow to a length of 22 inches. Using double-page-spread chapters, Gray provides a… View →
Football Stars Up Close
This set delivers a solid performance. Clear writing, full-page color photographs, and text boxes (or, rather, text footballs) of information allow young readers to learn about six of their favorite players in an accessible and visually appealing way. The titles examine their… View →
School Library Journal Review for Not Near Normal: The Paranormal
Each volume introduces a different paranormal creature and focuses on the stories surrounding it. Some titles attempt to examine the origin of their supernatural subjects. For example, Ghosts asks, “If ghosts aren’t spirits of the dead, what are they?” which should… View →
Kinkajous
What is a kinkajou? Good question. As this title in the Jungle Babies of the Amazon Rain Forest series explains, a kinkajou is a small mammal, related to a raccoon, with thick fur; large, round eyes; and small ears. But perhaps the most remarkable feature of the kinkajou is its powerful… View →