Reviews
Patrones en la naturaleza (Patterns in Nature) - Reviewed by School Library Journal
Patterns and textures take the spotlight in this Spanish series about where to find patterns in all kinds of natural environments, including forests, deserts, gardens, and beaches. Readers as young as three will benefit from full-page color, high-definition close-ups of butterflies,… View →
Booklist Review of Clothing Warrior: Going Green
When your favorite pair of jeans gets too torn to wear anymore, what should you do? This entry in the Be a Waste Warrior! series (6 titles) offers numerous options, from patching to upcycling, that can help readers extend the life of their clothing and shop eco-consciously, whether… View →
SLJ Review of Mission: Special Ops
This series features graphic fiction/nonfiction hybrids. Fictionalized dialogue bubbles mix with fact boxes to give an action-packed feel. Green Berets take on a rescue mission during the Iraq War, while pararescue jumpers work around the clock to save Hurricane Katrina victims. Army… View →
Booklist Review of Blow Up a Burger
This entry in the Deconstructed Diets series (6 titles) gets children thinking about the food they eat in multiple ways. First, it informs them that a diet is not a weight-loss plan but rather what we eat and drink in a day. Then the high-interest book, enhanced with easy-to-understand… View →
Cabras en la granja (Goats on the Farm) - Reviewed by Booklist
In this installment in the Spanish language Animales de la granja series (8 titles), beginning readers will learn fun facts about goats. Each spread includes a labeled photo introducing goat body parts, diet, and behaviors, as well as differences between goat bucks and kids, paired with… View →
SLJ Review of Playful Pet Projects
The page of safety and cleanup instructions that prefaces each of these titles admonishes, “Never force your [pet] to do something it seems unhappy to do”–good advice for avoiding bites but also a reminder that consent applies to all creatures. Four projects include a toy,… View →
SLJ Review of Farmer Llama's Farm Machines
Information about big farm machines is wrapped into a very cute package as readers (and pre-reading listeners) are led around Farmer Llama’s land, learning all about the massive vehicles, how they work, and how they help farmers do their jobs more efficiently. Readers will learn… View →
Los grandes felinos (Big Cats) - Reviewed by School Library Journal
How do different types of big cats survive in the wild? Readers will learn the answer to that question, and much more, thanks to this Spanish series about six species of big cats. The organized layout and simple format of these books make them perfect for beginning readers who are… View →
Big Cats - Reviewed by School Library Journals
Appealing photographs and basic facts introduce well-known wild cats. Short and simple sentences make the text accessible to new readers: “Jaguars are big cats. Their fur is tan. They have dark spots” (Jaguars). Question-and-answer sequences and interjections such as “Neat!” and “Wow!”… View →
Nature Heals - Reviewed by School Library Journal
Now that we are all plugged in and cooped up, a series on healing and unplugging by connecting through nature is just what many need. The series is heavy in calming scenes, and the images share much of the information and, as such, express a sense of inclusion through the depiction of… View →
SLJ Review of Be a Waste Warrior!
Adding on three additional Rs to the ubiquitous green phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle,” the new six Rs (refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, rot) express the impact everyday actions can have on the environment. The discussions one would expect are addressed such as… View →
Science Behind the Colors - Reviewed by Booklist (Booklist Top Ten)
Ever wonder how animals came to possess their particular pigments? The answers to these colorful mysteries are revealed in these early readers, which take a unique approach to animals science. View →