Reviews
A noteworthy review of Space Neighbors from Booklist on April 1, 2011
Books on the planets have been around for decades, but they are always in demand, both for school projects and for general interest. Part of the Space Neighbors series, which focuses on the planets, the dwarf planets, and the sun, this slim book is colorful, eye-catching, and well… View →
A noteworthy review of Weird Sports from Booklist on April 1, 2011
When the name of a series is Weird Sports, you know you’re probably in for some fun. And sure enough, Watson’s title comes through. The premise is a book about sports in which a ball is not used. So what does that leave? Well, there’s blanket riding (kind of like… View →
A noteworthy review of StateBasics from Library Media Connection on March 1, 2011
This high quality, visually brilliant new series provides primary readers with a comprehensive overview of the fifty states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington D.C. Although the books have different authors, each has the same chapter headings, layout and factual format, and is written in… View →
A noteworthy review of Favorite Children's Songs from Booklist on March 1, 2011
The slim volumes in the Children’s Favorite Activity Songs series each contain a page explaining the benefits of nursery rhymes and activity songs. The bullet-pointed list notes that singing along helps memory, expands vocabulary, builds a child’s self-confidence, and… View →
A noteworthy review of Science Definitions from Library Media Connection on March 1, 2011
This series of scientific basics will appeal to a wide audience of readers with its attractive layout and captivating images. Each title focuses on a specific science concept and how it applies to the readers’ everyday experiences. Text is paired with vibrant photographs in order… View →
A noteworthy review of Language Rules! from Library Media Connection on March 1, 2011
This impressive series tackles the usually humdrum mechanics of grammar using fun examples, silly sentences, and cute little monster artwork. Each book asks the ‘What is it?’ question, and after a brief example and definition, develops the part of speech through examples and… View →
A noteworthy review of Be Safe from Children's Bookwatch on February 1, 2011
‘Being Safe Around Water’ is book one of a series for elementary to middle school age children teaching safety practices in all sorts of water settings. Humorous illustrations and a friendly helper named Buzz Bee Safe help kids focus on tips and safety information. Included… View →
A noteworthy review of Hah-larious Joke Books from Booklist on December 15, 2010
Starting with the name, the Hah-larious Joke Books series relies heavily on wordplay in entries that find humor across subjects from space to sports. In each slim volume, the spreads focus on specific categories linked to the title’s theme (soccer and horse racing in Sports Jokes,… View →
A noteworthy review of Language Rules! from School Library Journal on December 1, 2010
Heinrichs has taken her ‘The Magic of Language’ series (2004), geared to grades 3-6, and packaged it for the lower elementary grades. The books are well organized and attractive, and inject humor into what might otherwise be fairly dry subjects. The font is large and changes… View →
A noteworthy review of Science Definitions from School Library Journal on November 1, 2010
Attractive and succinct, these introductions tackle big topics in a friendly way. Each one opens with short, declarative sentences that provide a poetic sensibility. For example, Soil begins, ‘’Dig it. Plant in it…Spongy, sandy, or sticky—it’s all delightful View →
A noteworthy review of Aesop's Fables from Booklist on October 15, 2010
Does the world literature canon include any secular stories that are as enduring and adaptable as Aesop’s 2,500-year-old fables? These titles in the Aesop’s Fables series retell the ancient stories for an elementary-school audience with simplified language and sentence… View →
A noteworthy review of Language Rules! from Booklist on October 1, 2010
Volumes in the Language Rules! series take on adverbs, conjunctions, pronouns, and more, but is there any part of speech more enjoyable than interjections? As the bratty kid brother of the language family, interjections get all the fun exclamations—Yikes! Drat! Shhh!… View →