Preschool to Grade 4 Cont.

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-- School Library Journal, 11/01/2006

Nonfiction

Gr 3-5–The information in these books is presented in a concise manner with respect for Native American culture and history. Each title is illustrated with artist renderings and/or color photographs. Southeast introduces the tribes’ culture, language, history, and customs but does not include the impact of European settlement. Foods gives the history and significance of various foods both historically and today. It includes corn, squash, and herbs and explains the process for making pemmican and harvesting rice. Several traditional recipes are interspersed within each chapter. Wisdom discusses the contributions that Native Americans have made for which they may not have received credit. They include various foods eaten by many Americans today, the use of scented fishing lures, lacrosse, the parka, and jojoba as an ingredient in shampoo. The books are clearly written and would be useful for reports or browsing.–G. Alyssa Parkinson, Highland Township Library, MI

Gr 1-4–The Barbers, both NFL players, present a follow-up to By My Brother’s Side (2004) and Game Day (2005, both S & S). When young Tiki fumbles the football in a preseason practice game, his teammates begin to question his ability as a ball carrier. Coach Mike shows him a better way to hold it and reminds him that “Practice makes perfect.” Ronde creates a secret “Morning Practice Club” so his twin can perfect his technique during tackles. When the boys’ team plays its archrivals, Tiki holds on to the ball in a pileup, bringing the Vikings to victory. While the text is a little long, there is enough action to keep the plot moving along. Tiki and Ronde have a warm, supportive relationship, rare in tales featuring siblings. Root’s watercolor-and-gouache full-page paintings in autumn tones, while stiff in some of the action scenes, are warm and accessible. Sports fans will welcome this addition.–Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Gr 4-6–In each of these books, a famous person “narrates” his life story. Da Vinci contains some interesting details that are not widely known, such as the fact that the artist had a sweet tooth and was known to make models out of marzipan. However, the other titles contain only common fare about their subjects. The books are highly fictionalized and there is no attempt to reference the thoughts or actions related. Picasso is replete with distracting colloquialisms like, “Anyway, I can’t complain” and “However, as the saying goes, all things must pass.” Van Gogh awkwardly addresses the artist’s many romantic attachments and how they affected his work. “Some people, including my family, thought we were sinners. Nonsense! Is it a sin to be in love?” All four books are illustrated with colorful cartoons. In the titles about artists, the illustrations attempt to replicate the style of the subject. However, without captions, it is difficult to tell when the illustrations represent the artwork mentioned in the text and when they simply depict a scene from the man’s life. The “Smart about Art” series (Grosset & Dunlap) presents artists’ lives in an accessible manner and includes photographs of their work. It’s a better choice.–Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT

PreS-Gr 3–Very simple in format and content, these titles present basic facts about their featured animals. Designed to support the National Science Education Standards, the books address the animal’s appearance, habitat, diet, life cycle, and natural enemies. Sharp full-color photographs appear throughout, a labeled diagram shows the subject’s main body parts, and “Up Close” looks at unique features (e.g., the penguin’s claws and the panda’s “thumb”). Animal lovers will enjoy these bright, attractive titles.–Cathie Bashaw Morton, Millbrook Central School District, NY

K-Gr 3–Born Wa-tho-huck (meaning “Bright Path”) in 1888, Thorpe preferred the open space of Oklahoma’s prairies to the dreary Indian schools that his father believed provided the best opportunities for his son’s future. Unhappy with the rigid lifestyle, Thorpe ran away again and again. Sent across the country to the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania, he found himself preparing for a career as a tailor. Athletics afforded him his only real happiness, and he discovered almost by accident his outstanding abilities in track and field. Brown uses prose and paint to show the significant childhood events leading to Thorpe’s victories at the 1912 summer Olympics, where he was called “the greatest athlete in the world” by the king of Sweden. Done in watercolor and pencil, the cartoon-style illustrations convey a sense of motion and the delight Jim took in playing, running, and training. Color and lines contrast the freedom he felt on the Sac and Fox Indians’ land with the confinement and conformity of school. A two-page author’s note provides additional information. Joseph Bruchac’s Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path (Lee & Low, 2004) includes more details and realistic artwork, but Brown’s book offers a well-organized and visually appealing introduction that is well suited to reading aloud.–Julie R. Ranelli, Kent Island Branch Library, Stevensville, MD

K-Gr 4–The Jade Emperor is concerned because his country does not have a calendar, and no one can tell one year from the next. He decides to hold a race across a great river, and the order in which the animals finish will determine the order of the years. The event is exciting as the creatures maneuver for position, only to be bested in the end by the clever Rat. In this retelling of the ancient legend, Casey maintains the pace well. Back matter includes information about the Chinese calendar in general, as well as the more specific Dragon Boat Festival and Moon Festival. The book is a visual treat, with illustrations in simple collage designs on acrylic and painted backgrounds placed in such a way as to keep the eye engaged and moving. The palette is a pleasing mix of intense and muted tones. An attractive addition for most collections.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

K-Gr 4–The author has used the format of his popular “Words Are CATegorical” books (Millbrook) to look at mathematical functions. Subtraction is explained in rhyming text and simple, silly cartoons with excellent examples that range from angry bulldogs, hornets, and bowling pins to pieces of birthday cake, sports time-outs, and stuffed animals. The text is actually a rap that would be fun for students to memorize and perform. The illustrations are colorful and attractive, and an explanation of the equals sign is included. Despite a bit of filler at the end, this book has value in the mathematic section of libraries and will find a place in classrooms with teachers who want to appeal to a variety of learning styles.–Erlene Bishop Killeen, Fox Prairie Elementary School, Stoughton, WI

Gr 2-4–This title presents students with yet more rhymed and seemingly random nouns than those in Cleary’s A Mink, a Fink, a Skating Rink: What Is a Noun? (Carolrhoda, 1999). Each spread contains a playful sentence elaborating on the topic, with each noun highlighted in a bright color. “Friend is a noun,/and so is your dad,/ice cream/and bagels/and Boston/and Brad.” Gable’s loose watercolor cartoons depict each noun (as well as the series’s signature big-nosed cats, of course). Unfortunately, Clearly does not use this opportunity to go much beyond the scope of his previous work on this part of speech. A reference to “bling” is fun, though likely to date the book quickly. Those seeking a more thorough picture-book introduction to noun subspecies, such as compound nouns, collective nouns, and plurals, should stick with Ruth Heller’s Merry-Go-Round: A Book about Nouns (Grosset & Dunlap, 1992). Lime would be a fun read-aloud for language-arts lessons, but those owning the other titles should consider it an additional purchase.–Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI

Gr 2-4–In this engaging entry in the series, Tomie is now in second grade, and the book’s pivotal event is the bombing of Pearl Harbor. His parents help him to cope with the uncertainty by answering questions and remaining strong as a unified family. This sensitive account provides a child’s-eye view of America in World War II not only in the text, but also in the grayscale illustrations, which depict the reactions of various characters and create a firm sense of time and place. Church, family, and friends are cornerstones in getting through troubled times, and this easy chapter book will offer some comfort and insight for today’s children who cope with their own fears and uncertainties.–Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA

Gr 2-5–In this addition to a series of informational alphabet books, Domeniconi introduces readers to the world of art. A-to-Z entries consist of brief rhyming poems paired with expository narrative. The text makes reference to a mix of artists (e.g., Michelangelo, Paul Gauguin, Frida Kahlo); artistic works (including the Mona Lisa, the moai of Easter Island, Navajo weavings, and Christo’s Running Fence); and art styles (impressionism, abstract, etc.). The letter “Q” is linked with quillwork (porcupine-quill embroidery done by Native Americans), “X” is for the X-ray-style of drawing used by the ancient people of Australia, and “Z is for Zoom/a special camera lens.” Bullas’s paintings, rich in color, are strong in shape, line, texture, and detail. They depict highlighted individuals and artworks as well as various tools of the trade. Of special note is the illustration showing a handheld magnifying glass enlarging facial features of a figure in one of Rembrandt’s portraits. Many of the pictures cover two pages and the layouts include both upper- and lowercase letters. An attractive choice for browsing, this book might inspire readers to seek more in-depth resources.–Lynn K. Vanca, Akron-Summit County Public Library, Richfield, OH

K-Gr 2–A different version of this poem initially appeared in Lee Bennett Hopkins’s Spectacular Science (S & S, 1999). Dotlich begins and ends with the line, “What is science?/So many things.” In between, she enumerates some of the areas of study–astronomy, geology, paleontology, oceanography, botany, meteorology, and zoology. Each page has just a few words, in large print, superimposed on a background of boldly colored acrylic, pastel, and collage art. The rhyming text flows nicely, but because some spreads contain only sentence fragments, a quick read-through is necessary to get the full effect of the rhyme and cadence. Pleasingly rounded shapes dominate the paintings, which feature stylized boys and girls of various ethnicities, surrounded by plants and animals, as they observe nature and use books in their research. Many children are attracted to “science,” but few youngsters realize all that the word encompasses. Although this book leaves out important categories, such as chemistry and mathematics, it does introduce a wide range of subjects. With its large illustrations, simple text, and important concepts, this title will be enjoyed by newly independent readers, or will ignite excitement in a group. A unique look at the topic.–Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ

Gr 2-4–These introductions earn high marks for visual appeal and offer information that’s well tuned to their intended audience, but their presentations are variously flawed. Each title pairs full-bleed, well-reproduced space photos (or sometimes artists’ images, but always so noted) with digestible but specific narratives in large, legible fonts, and closes with appropriate-leveled multimedia resource lists. In Galaxies, Elish opens with the Big Bang, discusses various types of galaxies and how they were discovered, then follows with a chapter on quasars with oddly one-sided arguments supporting the idea that there is no other life in the universe. Satellites lucidly surveys the past and present uses of these devices, but simplistically asserts that they are given elliptical orbits to counter Earth’s gravitational pull. Sun begins with the poorly expressed claim that people have been fascinated by the Sun “since the beginning of time,” then asserts that the hot-air balloon depicted in the accompanying photo uses helium. In addition, though it’s hardly the author’s fault, references to the nine planets in Galaxies and The Sun date both titles. Unless in desperate need of fresh material on topics astronomical, selectors should hold off in hopes of doing better when the undoubted flood of updates and revised editions hits.–John Peters, New York Public Library

PreS-Gr 4–This elegant publication includes “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “Snow White.” The illustrations are a dramatic mix of black silhouettes on white paper, often surrounded by swirls of color and silhouettes filled in with color. Large calligraphic letters on colorful backgrounds pop up throughout the book at the heads of paragraphs; the print is large and clear. Surprisingly, in such a beautifully designed book, there is no table of contents for readers who want to locate a specific story. Page numbers are provided, although their value seems somewhat diminished. A brief introduction includes information about the Grimm Brothers and Charles Perrault as well as some context for the artist’s decision to illustrate these particular tales; however, no bibliography pinpoints the exact sources for the text. While young children may primarily be interested in the stories, the beauty and quality of presentation will please older readers and book collectors.–Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA

PreS-Gr 2–In this rhyming version of the workhorse story, a black-and-white kitten, corgi pup, and shiny-eyed mouse are the reluctant friends of Little Red Hen, who seems to wink conspiratorially at readers, as if to say, “Here we go again!” While cat is distracted by a yarn ball, dog wrestles with a blue blanket, and mouse surveys a sort of scrapbook of mice of many lands (complete with tags in German, Korean, Hebrew, and French, among other languages), Hen goes about her business, planting, cutting, grinding, and baking all by herself. But here, unlike most accounts, there’s a twist: the lazy animals learn their lesson and are given a chance to redeem themselves: “For after all is said and done, working together makes working fun.” The rhyme scheme’s a bit bumpy at times and will require skilled reading aloud, but Gaber’s bold acrylic artwork and varied use of space–from full-bleed paintings to small, egg-shaped cameo vignettes–and the infectious, familiar refrain of “Not I,” and, in this telling, “My, my…” make this an appealing storytime and readers’-theater selection.–Kathy Krasniewicz, Perrot Library, Old Greenwich, CT

K-Gr 3–Young readers will feel the excitement that Cook’s TV show generates as each title opens with the phrase, “This is Daniel Cook,” along with an introduction about the things that he likes to do. With hands raised, clad in his orange T-shirt, he takes readers on four typical outings. Chock-full of fun facts and amusing, colorful photographs, each book has an activity at the end. These titles are great preparations for field trips, making them excellent for school libraries.–Tracy Bell, Eastway Elementary School, Durham, NC

Gr 2-4–Godkin provides a basic introduction to the role of fire in forest ecology. She describes the conditions that lead up to the blaze that begins during a thunderstorm. Animals flee but return shortly after rain extinguishes the flames. Plants emerge from blackened soil to start a new forest cycle. The author identifies various animals and plants in small inset illustrations that appear on each spread. In many cases, viewers can spot these same animals or plants in the larger panorama, but sometimes the smaller illustrations provide a close-up view of something that can’t otherwise be seen. The book concludes with two-page views of a wilderness forest landscape in various stages of growth and a detailed explanation of how various animals and plants contribute to forest recovery after a fire. Although the story stands alone for the youngest readers, older students will appreciate the additional information.–Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Gr 1-4–Goldstone adds another winner to the growing canon of titles that make learning math concepts both fun and interesting. Combining clear, concise language with colorful photos of countable objects, he introduces estimation, beginning with eye-training exercises to recognize groupings of 10s, 100s, and 1000s. Readers are encouraged to move the book around so they can see the items from varying perspectives. The next few spreads explain how to base an estimate on quantified groups: left-hand pages show clusters of an object (10 cherries, 100 cherries) while right-hand pages present an unidentified amount of the same thing (“About how many cherries are in a quart?”). The author then shows youngsters how to make reasonable estimates when looking at large quantities using clump counting and box counting. The real standout here is the crisp photography of objects and animals, including everything from google eyes to a penguin colony, set against stark white backgrounds that make them almost seem to leap off the page. This well-designed book will add zing to many a math lesson and attract browsers as well.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

Gr 2-5–The astonishing and often repulsive uses of urine by humans and animals are chronicled in this companion to The Truth about Poop (Viking, 2004). Packed with anecdotes and facts, this book about the importance of pee has subtle humor. With clever wordplay for chapter titles, e.g., “Urine the Army Now,” the author grabs readers’ attention and educates them with short, quick bits of information. The cartoon illustrations add humor to a subject that students will already be giggling over. Elementary-aged boys in particular will be drawn to the yucky grossness of the topic but will end up learning from the text. A book full of interesting tidbits that students will remember and love to share.–Christine Markley, Washington Elementary School, Barto, PA

Gr 1-4–Brief but serviceable introductions to notable figures in American history. Kjelle recounts the story of the U.S. national anthem’s composition and then details Key’s life from childhood through his civic offices and death. It’s a worthwhile alternative to Steven Kroll’s embellished narrative in By the Dawn’s Early Light (Scholastic, 2000). Smalley relates Hudson’s four unsuccessful voyages in search of a northern passage to Asia, culminating in abandonment by his crew. Details of the explorer’s encounters with Native Americans are sketchy. A major flaw is the lack of maps displaying his routes. Hallmarks of the series are highlighted vocabulary, glossaries, time lines, bibliographies, and indexes. Illustrations are credited and captioned, though their quality is uneven, ranging from attractive reprints of historical paintings and photos to somewhat crude diagrams. Joan Elizabeth Goodman’s Beyond the Sea of Ice (Mikaya, 1999) and Ruth Manning’s Henry Hudson (Heinemann Library, 2001) are more detailed and livelier accounts of Hudson’s voyages, though for slightly more advanced readers. With the demand for easy-reader biographies, these titles should find use in most collections.–Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI

Gr 2-4–Beautiful full-color photographs and an informative text follow the birth and development of three grizzly cubs as they live with their mother in the Alaskan wilderness. Multiple images, including amazing close-ups, appear on each spread, and the closely linked text reveals the creatures’ habits and means of survival. There is plenty of information for reports and on an appended page of “Did you know?” facts. The book is visually stimulating and a good read.–Cynde Suite, Bartow County Library System, Adairsville, GA

PreS-Gr 2–Twenty science activities help to answer questions students might have. With the assistance of adults, they can learn how much air they take in when they breathe, what makes a stomach ache, why their teeth are different shapes, and more. Abundant cartoon illustrations show kids of different races having the best time participating in the experiments. Anthropomorphic teeth, dogs, etc., convey a fun feel. This chipper title starts off with a list of safety dos and don’ts and an introduction that compares the human body to a car. Extra information is offered in “Did You Know?” paragraphs; youngsters can learn, for example, that everyone has about 25 trillion red blood cells. This title is similar to Janice VanCleave’s Play and Find Out about the Human Body (Wiley, 1998); it has fewer, but some of the same, activities and is more colorfully illustrated.–Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI

Gr 3 Up–Although organized as a conventional alphabet book, the letters here are far from ordinary. McLimans has created a black-and-white iconic representation of 26 endangered animals, and his art is striking. For example, the newt’s eyes protrude slightly from the sides of “N,” while its tongue emerges from the lower point. An accompanying box on each page includes a small, stylized red-and-white image of the animal plus information about its class, habitat, range, and threats to its survival. Back matter includes a paragraph about each creature along with a list of Web sites for organizations that help endangered animals and books for further reading. This title will serve more as a tool to raise awareness and a place to begin searching for information rather than as a source of facts. However, the arresting graphics and clean design will hold viewers’ attention and create interest in the topic. The book could also serve as a starting point for art and design projects for students well above elementary school age.–Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Gr 1-5–This picture book is a wonderful way to introduce young readers to a groundbreaking female architect. Luminescent illustrations, created using soft pastels and pencils in a golden-peach palette, appear to glow with the light of California and France, both seminal locations in Morgan’s life. Informed by architecture, the paintings evoke Cézanne’s attention to form: the folds of dresses, the curve of a mountain, a shadow over a hat. The opening spread shows a youngster constructing a geometric sandcastle while the text quietly states: “Julia Morgan loved to build.” The book highlights other significant moments: young Julia visiting construction sites with her engineer father; being the only woman in her engineering class at UC Berkeley in the 1890s; her pride at receiving a certificate in architecture from Paris’s École des Beaux-Arts; her return to San Francisco and early career. The last half of the book is devoted to the construction of William Randolph Hearst’s San Simeon. Mannis points out that Morgan’s creations are solidly built and noted for their enduring beauty. Filled with rich vocabulary, the narrative employs scrumptious architectural terms such as “Baroque,” “flying buttresses,” and “teakwood cornice.” An inspiring tale and encouragement for someday builders.–Teresa Pfeifer, Alfred Zanetti Montessori Magnet School, Springfield, MA

K-Gr 2–This picture-book biography is a gentle tribute to a martial-arts legend. The story follows Lee from his birth in San Francisco through his youth in Hong Kong. His family life, impatience with school, and legal troubles are touched upon, as is his growing passion for martial arts. The writing is clear for the most part, but can be awkward in places. Feelings and thoughts abound. For example, “Gentleness? Bruce asked himself for the hundredth time,” and, “Angry with himself, Bruce punched the water.” In an appended note, Mochizuki explains that since so little is known about his subject’s youth, “some events are extensions of the facts….” The brown-and-white illustrations, scratched through beeswax melted over acrylic on paper, are lovely and play an important role in moving the narrative along. Lee, who is often pictured wearing thick glasses, is shown interacting with family members, taking on opponents, and spending time in quiet contemplation. The book ends when Lee, at age 18, boarded a ship bound for America. The rest of his life is given a one-page summary. A fine introduction.–Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI

K-Gr 3–This witty, elegant retelling of the beloved English fairy tale, originally published in 1908 in The Old Nursery Stories, uses rich language to depict an endearing, if lazy, ne’er-do-well who turns folly into triumph. Into the traditional story Nesbit injects clever details that make the setting vivid and bring the characters to life. Jack’s cottage “had dormer windows and green shutters whose hinges were so rusty that the shutters wouldn’t shut. Jack had taken some of them to make a raft with.” The narrative is fairly true to the familiar story with the notable absence of any fee-fi-fo-fums (instead, the giant smells “fresh meat”), and includes a guiding fairy who tells Jack the story of his father who once ruled this land, only to be killed by the giant who imprisoned the faithful subjects in the trees. Tavares’s realistic pencil-and-watercolor paintings feature a muted palette of grays, greens, and browns, with a vintage look suitable to the old tale. Gold is used to particularly good effect, lighting up fairy glow, eggs, harp, and the giant’s crown, as well as suggesting sunlight on the landscape. There is great variety in the page layout. Perspective, too, changes as the giant’s head takes up one whole page; another spread features the fallen behemoth with his huge feet dominating the foreground. Front and back endpapers are stunning, panoramic views depicting the beginning and end of the story. What a treat to have Nesbit’s delightful interpretation as its own picture book.–Marie Orlando, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

K-Gr 3–Each spread in this informational picture book shows a large animal filling a page-and-a-half scene and a small one from a similar classification on the right edge. For “mammals,” an African elephant strides on the left and center, while a bumblebee bat crosses the moon to the far right. A clear line divides the adjacent scenes, but still allows the tip of a trunk to playfully cross over into the bat’s world. Sharp lines, bold colors, and careful composition of the computer-generated art successfully convey the rich variety of creatures and environments, accentuating similarities and differences. The white of the ostrich’s tail feathers, for instance, leads the eye to the tiny but distinct strip of white on the bee hummingbird. In another scene, a tiny poison dart frog is easier to spot than the much larger Chinese giant salamander because of their respective coloring and settings. Each creature shares basic facts about itself in a few brief, first-person sentences. More complex concepts such as echolocation and spawning are included in the brief glossary. Labeled illustrations at the back of the book introduce concepts of scale in a clear and inviting way. They also give readers a chance to view the intricate details of the smaller animals, which are too small to see when first introduced. This well-conceived package makes a good companion to Steve Jenkins’s Actual Size (2004) and Big and Little (1996, both Houghton).–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR

K-Gr 4–From the Dan people of northeastern Liberia comes this traditional tale of lazy Spider (a character akin to Anansi), who refuses to help his neighbors clear the land for the village farm, plant seeds, or pull weeds. Later on, when Spider decides to pick some ripe vegetables to eat with his rice, the tomatoes, cucumbers, and pumpkins turn him away. (“Why do you think you can pick me when you didn’t come to clear the land or plant my seeds or pull the weeds? Get out of here!” the tomato says.) Paschkis’s brightly colored folk-art illustrations, similar to those in Head, Body, Legs: A Story from Liberia (Holt, 2002), show the villagers to be an elephant, a hen, a crocodile, a leopard, a monkey, a snake, and a butterfly. Some of these animals are shown hiding among the talking vegetables, whose unfriendly faces convince Spider to run home and eat his rice plain. Read aloud, this simple but solid moralistic tale will delight youngsters and make them want to participate in the telling.–Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH

Gr 1-4–In this companion to The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice (Dutton, 2003), Pfeffer covers a great deal of territory. She describes the changes in the weather and the ways in which people and animals prepare for the coming winter. She provides specific information as to why seasons change and describes the way the harvest has been celebrated by different cultures throughout history. Back matter includes equinox facts, a recipe for “Equinox” corn muffins, and a craft activity. Although a substantial amount of information is presented, Pfeffer’s lively writing style will keep readers engaged. Bleck’s vibrantly hued illustrations, reminiscent of the work of Leonard Weisgard, are carefully interwoven with the text and enhance the book. A useful and attractive addition for most collections.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

PreS-Gr 4–An appealing collection of 10 fairy tales, including some of the most familiar, such as “Sleeping Beauty,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “Snow White.” A few selections are less well known, such as “Little Mouse and Lazy Cat” and “The Swans and the Brave Princess.” Pirotta writes like a storyteller, with great imagery and description, and the lively stories read aloud beautifully. They are not as severe as those by the Grimms, which makes them suitable for a younger audience. In “Snow White,” for example, in the original version, the evil queen is forced to put on red-hot iron shoes at Snow White’s wedding and dances to her death; here, her heart breaks into a thousand fragments as the mirror breaks. Pirotta also adds evocative descriptions, as in “Hansel and Gretel”: “the forest echoed with the sound of hooting owls and howling wolves,” which adds to the overall sense of fear. Clark’s dark, twisty branches in the forest enhance the mood of this story. The large typeface, generous use of white space, and overall design make this book one children can read themselves, and the artist’s expressive illustrations contribute to the appeal. No sources are listed.–Robin L. Gibson, Granville Parent Cooperative Preschool, OH

PreS-Gr 5–Raczka has a great eye–a welcome attribute in the creation of art books for children. His strength lies in selecting images high in child appeal and combining them in fresh, provocative ways. This alphabetically arranged primer on 20th-century sculpture includes Marcel Duchamp’s “Bicycle Wheel,” Constantin Brancusi’s “The Kiss” (paired with Robert Indiana’s “Love”), and Claes Oldenburg’s “Spoonbridge and Cherry.” The selections are international in scope, and the media range from scrap metal and found objects to wood and fluorescent lights. The change between exterior and interior settings adds further interest. On single pages or double spreads, Raczka includes the piece itself, a phrase highlighting its relationship to the letter, and the attribution. In brief sentences, he builds a cumulative understanding of the subject: a sculpture “can have moving parts,” “is not always something you can recognize,” “can make you look at things differently.” So can Raczka. Pair this with Camay C. Murphy and Tom Miller’s Can a Coal Scuttle Fly? (Maryland Historical Society, 1996) to move from sampling a range of works to an appreciation of one artist’s ability to transform everyday objects into three-dimensional art.–Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library

Gr 2-4–Introductory titles with an environmentalist point of view. The first book offers facts about alligators and their habitat, followed by discussions of why they began to disappear, how their environment changed, and what has been done to save American alligators. Readers are asked to think of ways to save those in China, which continue to be endangered. An activity is included. Ice Caps discusses the need for balance in nature, the greenhouse effect, and what can be done to help combat global warming. In both books, the information is detailed, but not overwhelming. However, the absence of chapters might hinder their use for reports. Colorful illustrations provide details that support the texts.–Christine Markley, Washington Elementary School, Barto, PA

K-Gr 2–An interactive guessing game about seeds and the plants they produce. Through rhyming text and clues, Roemer introduces nine different types. Lyrical language and descriptions (“angel-winged” maple seeds, “hitchhiking” burdock burrs, and “wispy-soft” dandelion tufts) paired with lush watercolor paintings perfectly express the natural transformations that take place. The repetitive question “What kind of seed is this?” is answered on the opposite page in bold font. This riddling book will be fun to share one-on-one or in a group setting. Follow-up crafts and activities are appended. A beneficial resource for lessons in nature, science, or even language, this is a fun and useful addition for most collections.–Jennifer Cogan, Bucks County Free Library, Doylestown, PA

Gr 3-5–Schanzer introduces a man whose life experiences went far beyond Colonial America. At age 16, he volunteered to go to the Netherlands and fight Catholic Spain. He traveled around Europe making stops in France, Scotland, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Transylvania, and Greece. He sailed on a pirate ship, was stranded on a desert island, and was almost drowned a few times. These adventures were all before his trips to America. Schanzer has done extensive research for both her text and her engaging cartoon illustrations. Children will be delighted by the tidbits she has included, such as some Native American men wearing live snakes in their pierced ears. The detailed drawings of Smith’s many routes provide an excellent opportunity for practicing map-reading skills, although the small size of some of the art makes the book better suited for individual reading than for group sharing. A great choice for all collections.–Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher’s School, Richmond, VA

Gr 2-8–Shah first published this version of an 18th-century Turkish tale in his Tales of the Dervishes (Penguin, 1993). It is the story of Fatima, daughter of a prosperous spinner, who is involved in three disasters. When a shipwreck leaves her washed up on a beach, she is taken in by a family of weavers. She learns their trade, only to be captured by slavers, who sell her to a mast-builder. Entrusted to accompany a cargo to market, the girl survives another shipwreck off the coast of China, where she is welcomed by townspeople as the female stranger of legend who would make a tent for the Emperor. She is delivered to the palace, where she uses her skills to complete the task by spinning flax into ropes; weaving some sturdy cloth; and carving tent poles, finally realizing her wish for happiness. The story fulfills the requisites of a folktale–a strong main character, three misfortunes, the completion of a seemingly impossible task, and the granting of a wish. Delmar’s finely detailed paintings incorporate a variety of Middle Eastern and Chinese designs, both within the pictures and in borders surrounding text boxes. Several spreads are panoramas that have amazing depth. An endpaper map shows the path of Fatima’s travels. Although some aspects of the plot are weaker than the protagonist’s strength of character, children will relate to the positive lesson about making the best of one’s misfortunes.–Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH

K-Gr 4–Shakespeare’s Love’s Labor’s Lost is perhaps most notable for its sprightly wordplay and poetry; the comedy concludes with two poems, “Spring Song” and “Winter Song.” In this picture book, Hall interprets the latter with colorful mixed-media illustrations. Double-page scenes of an Elizabethan winter bring to life each line of the poem, and a brief glossary explains such phrases as “roasted crabs hiss in the bowl” and “keel the pot.” Cozy indoor and outdoor scenes pulse with swirls of color and flowing lines, confirming that even during the bleakest days, one can find hope and merriment. Alice Provensen’s brief introduction helps relate Shakespeare’s words to today’s young readers. Larger collections will want to consider this book for its notable artwork and general introduction to the Bard.–Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

Gr 1-3–Working for the American Museum of Natural History, Brown became a leading paleontologist during the late 1800s, eventually discovering the first nearly complete Tyrannosaurus Rex specimen. Moving from his childhood through his career, the narrative conveys the excitement of dinosaur discoveries, along with some of the hard work involved. The focus is more on the man’s work than on his personality, but readers learn about his preference for dressing stylishly, even in the field, and get a sense of his energy and commitment. Ink, gouache, and acrylic illustrations effectively support the text. Evocative images of dinosaurs in the background complement the sharply drawn foreground figures on several spreads. A couple of these dinosaurs cleverly mirror the posture of Brown at work, and one particularly effective scene shows the paleontologist examining T. Rex fossil teeth while an imagined version of the dinosaur peeks mischievously over his shoulder. An author’s note fills in some of the details of the work of Brown and other early dinosaur hunters. More informative than Jane Kurtz’s Mister Bones: Dinosaur Hunter (S & S, 2004) and more engaging than Brooke Hartzog’s Tyrannosaurus Rex and Barnum Brown (Rosen, 1998), this is a fun picture-book biography of a historical figure with strong child appeal.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR

PreS-K–This is a sweet story to be shared with young children again and again. Soft watercolor art and pleasant rhymes make it a good choice for bedtime sharing, and the repetitive questions and patterned replies enable youngsters to “read” along. For example, “What do the stars do?/Twinkle bright./What does your daddy do?/Kiss good night.” While the concept is nothing new or groundbreaking, this title will be an appealing addition to most collections.–Anne L. Tormohlen, Deerfield Elementary School, Lawrence, KS

Gr 1-4–“Lift! Turn! Pull! Learn!” proclaims the cover of this concept book, and by the time readers have finished lifting flaps and pulling tabs, they have received an excellent education about Jewish time. “Thousands of years ago,” says the author, “when the Hebrew calendar was invented, time followed nature. The sun, the moon, and the stars were the clocks and calendars.” The information about the months and days of the week (along with various observances) is delivered through bold, colorful graphics and narration designed to appeal to kids. Although most likely to be used in Jewish schools, this book could find a place in units on time and calendars.–Lisa Silverman, Sinai Temple Library, Los Angeles

Gr 1-3–Beginning with a concise summary of the 1621 Massachusetts harvest festival with English colonists and Native Americans and the larger celebration that followed two years later, this picture book presents an alphabet of words inspired by events, people, and places related to the holiday. From the obvious (P is for Pilgrim) to the more difficult (W is for Wampanoag), the few sentences on each page define the term and its relationship to Thanksgiving as it was celebrated historically and in the present. Icons for each letter reduced to a wallpaper effect fill in behind larger painted illustrations, topped with oversized black, capital letters in script. The alphabetic format informs with unusual words and names (S is for Samoset and Squanto), creating a useful teaching tool all the way to “Z is for zea” (a family of tall grass that makes large ears of corn).–Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX

Gr 3-5–Each book gives instructions for approximately 10 activities or crafts. A short introductory paragraph and a supply list accompany each one. Bits of trivia, a map, and a time line offer some background on the culture. The projects are varied, but most are made of cardboard and paper. Some of them are underwhelming, such as the two-and-one-half-inch-tall model of a Roman fort. Directions are mostly clear, although there is a measurement mistake on the first craft in Roman. Some phrases and attempts at humor in these titles may give American readers difficulty, e.g., “stoned dates” versus pitted. In some cases, a subtitle or heading is misleading, and the accompanying text never delivers the anticipated information. The colorful cartoon illustrations are pleasing but lack necessary detail and perspective in several places. Each back cover includes a fold-out, removable sheet of stencils. Safety notes are included. Laurie Carlson’s Classical Kids (Chicago Review, 1998) has similar activities with more cultural information.–Carol S. Surges, McKinley Elementary School, Wauwatosa, WI

K-Gr 3–Dazzling artistry and a spare but poetically perceptive text combine to create a unique vision of the mystical allure of horses. Illustrations resembling traditional clothing of the Native peoples of the Great Plains are the backdrop for depicting the multicolored horses galloping across the grasslands, sometimes alone, sometimes in herds, “carrying man,” and “chasing the buffalo.” The stylized animals appear on different areas of the fringed dresses and shirts. The colors capture the beauty of the deep blue, starry, and moonlit nights and sky-blue days on the vast land. The horses freely move across the pages as if there were no boundaries. The gouache-and-watercolor spreads and full-page illustrations have a dynamic quality because the background shapes constantly change in size, angle, and detail, with feathers subtly integrated throughout. This free-verse celebration of wild horses will appeal to those who want to feast their eyes on imaginative and vibrant art.–Carol Schene, formerly at Taunton Public Schools, MA

PreS-Gr 5–This collection of 20 fairy tales, each accompanied by at least one recipe, is an oversized, glossy concoction. Most of the stories are European, told in a conversational tone mixing tradition with a dash of the modern (in “Cinderella,” for instance, “…a fairy–with wings and a wand and who knew a wish when she heard it–appeared before her, wrapped in stars.”) Toddlers will enjoy “The Runaway Pancake,” while fourth and fifth graders will appreciate Yolen’s “Snow White” (this heroine doesn’t pull any punches). The recipes include tasty-sounding dishes like Very French Toast (to go with the French folktale “Diamonds and Toads”). Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert are all represented. The dishes will be best for experienced cooks, as some judgment calls are in order (“serves a family” is stated several times). Sidebars throughout give interesting facts about the stories and the recipes. Yolen’s knowledge of folklore shows in her tidbits about the tales and their origins. Many of the food facts are intriguing, too. For instance, alongside the “Stone Soup” recipe is a note that Al Capone set up Chicago’s first soup kitchen. Beha’s illustrations, with bright colors and bold, simple lines, are set off by lots of white space, adding to the appealing and accessible look. This is similar to Carol MacGregor’s The Fairy Tale Cookbook (Macmillan, 1982; o.p.), but that book does not include complete stories. A fun book for family sharing.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL

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