Reviews
SLJ Review of Seedlings: Community Helpers
In a continuation of their previous series, these books provide basic information about 10 common careers: engineer, mail carrier, librarian, mechanic, police officer, bus driver, coach, firefighter, doctor, and garbage collector. Each book is divided into chapters that don’t exceed four View →
SLJ Review of Explore Music
Each title in the series provides a basic understanding of instruments and how they are played. Opening with a table of contents, each title also features vocabulary words in bold and in a different color while describing instruments in short paragraphs accompanied by appropriate images. View →
SLJ Review of Early Animal Encyclopedias
Aimed at a slightly younger age range than the “Animal Encyclopedia” series, this set provides basic facts about a wide variety of animals. Each title opens with a general overview of the group, followed by brief articles on individual breeds and spe- cies. Most of the profiles are two… View →
SLJ Review of Craft to Career
Materials used to highlight potential careers in this series are used to create everyday items. The table of contents is accompanied by pictures of the material being discussed, from fabric making to metal and glasswork. Each title breaks down how the material can be made and its… View →
Booklist Review of Chang'e: Goddess of the Moon
Beginning with the most famous version of the Chinese myth of Chang’e, the moon goddess, in which she saves her husband’s elixir of immortality from a thief by drinking it and escaping to live on the moon, this entry in the Chinese Mythology series (8 titles) uses accessible,… View →
SLJ Review of STEM Is Everywhere!
“Any grown-up who has felt the urge to start an “In my day…” rant about the ease of access today’s students have will appreciate the educational content of these well-written, informative books. Not only do they lay out the history of how the technology came about, they also… View →
SLJ Review of Best Inventions
The inventions described in this transitional, evolving reader series have changed the world for the better. Aircraft and automobiles have made it possible not only to carry goods and people across countries and around the world but to ferry humans into outer space. Automobiles have… View →
Booklist Review of The Cloud: Understanding Modern Data Storage
Cloud computing is an abstract concept that many adults don’t even fully grasp, yet this selection from the STEM Is Everywhere! series (6 titles) manages to get the gist of it across in its short page count. It begins by stating, “The cloud is made up of… View →
Booklist Review of Competitive Dance
Large, attractive photos take the lead in this selection from the Artistic Sports series (6 titles), which introduces readers to the competitive-dance world. It begins by describing very generally how a performance is scored (points are earned for choreography, technique, and more) and… View →
SLJ Review of Artistic Sports
Creative readers looking for aesthetic athletic outlets will find some beautiful options in this series. All require a high level of concentration, from the balance and bravery essential in skateboard- ing to the focus and intensity of archery. Each book describes the history of its… View →
Animals at Risk - SLJ
This Level 2 reader explores the conservation status of four endangered animals: the axolotl, rhinoceros, snow leopard, and Tasmanian devil. A brief introduction to the animals’ habitat is followed by the threats to their survival and actions to repopulate the species. The series… View →
SLJ Review of Ancient Civilizations
The glamor and mystery of ancient kingdoms from around the world are described in these titles. Readers can learn about the Epic of Gilgamesh or Chinese mythology, as well as emperors, dynasties, and the extent of the territories they ruled. Most pages contain an illustration or sidebar… View →