Through creativity, history, and curiosity, these series afford readers unique experiences and a lot of fun. Different titles offer ways to learn new information and skills, whether it’s fun facts, cooking, or outdoor and indoor adventure. Many of these series are great for classroom or home activities, while others offer overviews on popular topics for independent and guided reading. While offering a variety of instructions and activities to enthusiastic and reluctant readers alike, these titles also allow readers to think critically about the world.

Elementary

Bell, Helen. The Extraordinary Book of Science Experiments. illus. by Bethan Richards. ISBN 9781725396623.
Buxton, Alison & Helen Bell. The Extraordinary Book that Invents Itself. illus. by Pintachen. ISBN 9781725396685.
hayes, Susan & Penelope Anton. The Extraordinary Book that Eats Itself. illus. by Pintachen. ISBN 9781725396654.
O’Neill, Poppy. The Extraordinary Book that Makes You Happy. illus. by Caribay M. Benavides. ISBN 9781725396746.
Richards, Mary. The Extraordinary Book that Makes You an Artist. illus. by Go Suga. ISBN 9781725396715.
ea vol: 64p. (Extraordinary Activity Library). Rosen/Windmill. Aug. 2025. Tr $33.93.
Gr 2 Up–Readers looking for ways to help the planet and discover new things will find both in this activity-centric series. The opening pages have a “Dear Reader” letter and table of contents that lists the 30 activities covered in each volume. Bright illustrations of cute images correspond with the text. Activity instructions use both visual instructions and text to help readers follow directions. Each project is only about two pages long, with short sentences that occasionally address readers: “What makes you different is what makes you special. Your interests are a big part of what makes you unique.” Titles do not have to be read cover-to-cover, each project offers standalone information. No index or other back matter is included. While most of these titles are great for guided projects for all ages, many of them might be too much for younger readers to do on their own. VERDICT A fun activity guide for all ages with support. Great for educator projects or summer activities in libraries.

Bell, Samantha S. Herb Gardens. ISBN 9781098297404.
––––. Pollinator Gardens. ISBN 9781098297428.
Heck, Emily. Indoor Gardens. ISBN 9781098297411.
Lilley, Matt. Vegetable Gardens. ISBN 9781098297435.
Lim, Angela. Fruit Gardens. ISBN 9781098297398.
Wilson, Libby. Flower Gardens. ISBN 9781098297381.
ea vol: 32p. (Growing Gardens). ABDO/Kids Core. Aug. 2025. Tr $35.64.
Gr 2-4–From food to flowers, readers will discover new plants and how to take care of them in this series. Each title opens with a table of contents and a narrative describing a character’s experience in the garden: “Jack’s mom said they could start a garden. Jack would have fresh herbs to use.” Each title has three chapters with full-page color photos and diagrams followed by a full or half-page of text. Pictures are captioned throughout while each chapter engages readers with “point of view” questions, short answer prompts, and boxed facts, like: “Many people think of tomatoes and cucumbers as vegetables. But scientifically, these plants are fruits!” While the length may be intimidating for younger readers, the font is large, and pictures and diagrams break up the text. The final pages include an index, online resources, and a glossary of words that are in bold throughout. VERDICT Great for elementary readers who love plants or need research material about gardening.

Miller, Bethany. Animal Faces. ISBN 9781098296506.
––––. Clown Faces. ISBN 9781098296513.
––––. Festival Faces. ISBN 9781098296520.
––––. Monster Faces. ISBN 9781098296537.
––––. Sports Faces. ISBN 9781098296544.
––––. Stage Faces. ISBN 9781098296551.
ea vol: 32p. (Face Painting Fun). ABDO/Super SandCastle. Aug. 2025. Tr $35.64.
Gr 1-3–The opening pages of each title in this series include a table of contents, the history of face painting in Indigenous cultures, where to get inspired, a list of materials, and several pages of tips and techniques. The face painting designs include numbered instructions with pictures, a reference photo of the finished design, and additional tips. Pages have colorful borders, backgrounds, and captions that look like paint strokes, alongside photographs of relevant tools and reference art. The back matter has suggestions on ways to keep creating and a glossary of words that are bold and in color throughout. Younger readers and face painting novices may not find all the designs possible, but the series does make face painting appear easier with steps given. VERDICT Great for young audiences (and their accompanying adults) who want to learn about different styles of face paint.

Parker, Madison. Going Backpacking. ISBN 9781978574571.
––––. Going Camping. ISBN 9781978574601.
––––. Going Canoeing. ISBN 9781978574632.
––––. Going Fishing. ISBN 9781978574663.
––––. Gong Mountain Biking. ISBN 9781978574694.
––––. Gong Mountain Climbing. ISBN 9781978574724.
ea vol: 24p. (Nature Adventures). Rosen/Norwood House. Aug. 2025. Tr $25.27.
Gr 1-3–Readers will find information on various adventures in nature in this series. Each title starts with a table of contents, then introduces the activity, the supplies needed, safety tips, and location information specific to the topic: “There are many places to go canoeing. You can canoe on a river, a lake, or a canal.” The series reads quick, and action photos featuring a wide range of people provide context clues to the text, but some vocabulary is hard for early readers; “A helmet protects you if you hit your head. It protects you from falling debris.” Although the series is short, it is a helpful introduction to outdoor activities. The back matter includes a glossary of vocabulary words that appear in bold throughout the text, thinking questions, and an index. VERDICT A fast read for elementary-age kids that gives a foundation for outdoor activities.

Sazaklis, John. What Do You Know About Pets? ISBN 9798875223495.
––––. What Do You Know About Space? ISBN 9798875223655.
––––. What Do You Know About Sports? ISBN 9798875223730.
––––. What Do You Know About Wild Animals? ISBN 9798875223570.
ea vol: 24p. (Quizzlers). Capstone/Pebble. Aug. 2025. Tr $29.99.
K-Gr 3–Readers can test their knowledge about animals, space, and more in this series. Each title starts with a table of contents and then jumps right into topical quiz questions, about two per page. The answer to questions like, “How does the planet Venus turn back time?” can be found upside down at the bottom of the page; “It rotates in reverse.” The text is framed by soft colors and cute shapes that do not distract from the questions. Sometimes silly drawings are added to photographs of the subject matter, such as a monocle on a cat in What Do You Know About Pets? The titles are short but entertaining and informative. The final pages have the quiz results, a glossary of vocabulary words, more facts about the topic, and an index. VERDICT A quick read for kids who like facts. A great supplement to a lesson or a special interest.

Wilson, Sierra. Gospel. ISBN 9798874503079.
––––. K-Pop. ISBN 9798874503833.
––––. Mariachi. ISBN 9798874520441.
––––. Reggae. ISBN 9798874503789.
––––. Salsa. ISBN 9798874505899.
ea vol: 24p. (My Favorite Music). Lightbox/AV2. Sept. 2025. Tr $32.84.
Gr 1-3–The titles in this series about music genres open with a link to interactive online content and a table of contents. Full-page color photographs are accompanied by short sentences printed either directly on the images or in a contrasting text box. Each title begins with a graph displaying the most popular genres in the United States. Each book in the series follows the same structure, outlining the history of the genre, key artists, and instruments used. The stylization of the series can be overwhelming, with no break in photos, making the text boxes difficult to track for younger readers. None of the photos are captioned with information about which artists are pictured, and there is no glossary for new words. The final pages have facts about the music style and sight words found throughout the text. VERDICT An introductory series about styles of music from around the world appropriate for large collections.

Yates, Jane. Asteroids and Comets: Space-Themed Recipes. ISBN 9798895770306.
––––. Black Holes: Space-Themed Recipes. ISBN 9798895770313.
––––. Galaxies: Space-Themed Recipes. ISBN 9798895770320.
––––. The Planets: Space-Themed Recipes. ISBN 9798895770337.
––––. Space Travel: Space-Themed Recipes. ISBN 9798895770344.
––––. Stars: Space-Themed Recipes. ISBN 9798895770351.
ea vol: 24p. (SPACE-LICIOUS! Out-of-This-World Recipes). Bearport/Create! Aug. 2025. Tr $32.95.
Gr 2-5–In this fun and informative cooking series, themed recipes are paired with a paragraph about different space topics. “Black holes are space objects with matter swirled tightly together, held by strong gravity…enjoy some sushi where the filling is held together tightly by the pull of a seaweed wrap!” The recipes include a list of ingredients and equipment needed, followed by step-by-step instructions and corresponding photos, including a picture of the result. Photos and renderings of each space topic are captioned with facts. While many of these recipes require assistance from a caregiver, they pair very nicely with the science content. Back matter includes a “Meet a Hungry Astronaut” feature, a glossary, and an index. VERDICT A great mix of space facts and food for elementary and middle school readers.

Upper Elementary to Middle School

Andrews, Elizabeth. Aquarius. ISBN 9781098247867.
––––. Aries. ISBN 9781098247874.
––––. Cancer. ISBN 9781098247881.
––––. Capricorn. ISBN 9781098247898.
––––. Gemini. ISBN 9781098247904.
––––. Leo. ISBN 9781098247911.
––––. Libra. ISBN 9781098247928.
––––. Pisces. ISBN 9781098247935.
––––. Sagittarius. ISBN 9781098247942.
––––. Scorpio. ISBN 9781098247959.
––––. Taurus. ISBN 9781098247966.
––––. Virgo. ISBN 9781098247973.
ea vol: 32p. (Zodiac Signs). ABDO/DiscoveRoo. Aug. 2025. Tr $34.22.
Gr 3-6–This series explores the nuances of the 12 zodiac signs. Each book opens with a table of contents and follows a smiliar format, with sections introducing the zodiac sign, the history of astrology, and key characteristics. Captioned illustrations and photos correspond with the text. QR codes that link to videos with more information about each sign are provided. Vocabulary words appear in bold, contrasting colors, with additional facts pulled out into text boxes. Although the titles are short, this series provides a good foundation for understanding a popular topic. The back matter includes a section about making connections, a glossary, an index, and online resources. VERDICT An introductory series about zodiac signs for late elementary, early middle school.

Morall-Baker, Dr. Monica B. Hip-Hop and Social Justice: Rhymes of Resistance. ISBN 9798765659861.
––––. Hip-Hop Around the World: Beats Without Borders. ISBN 9798765659885.
––––. Hip-Hop Style: Fashion Forward. ISBN 9798765659847.
Shepherd, Crown. Hip-Hop Dance: Urban Movement. ISBN 9798765659854.
––––. Hip-Hop Music: Songs That Changed the World. ISBN 9798765659830.
––––. Women in Hip-Hop: Queens of the Mic. ISBN 9798765659878.
ea vol: 32p. (Hip-Hop Culture (Read Woke™ Books)). Lerner. Aug. 2025. Tr $30.65.
Gr 4-8–Dive into hip-hop music’s rich history, global sound, and relevant activism in this series. The chapters in each volume follow a chronological order for the most part, from the inception of hip-hop to current artists and events. Photographs are captioned and each chapter includes quotes from famous artists, additional facts, and reflection questions designed to spark classroom discussions, such as: “Many schools view hip-hop as a helpful tool in education. How would you like to see hip-hop used in the classroom?” While a general timeline would have enhanced the text, each topic is engaging and the page design is eye-catching. The end pages include a glossary, source notes, a reading list, and an index. VERDICT A well-rounded series for middle school readers. Great for projects.

Upper Middle School toHigh School

Caldwell, Stella. Escape the Medieval Castle. ISBN 9781499479737.
Potter, Joe. Escape the Pirate Ship. ISBN 9781499479799.
Steele, Philip. Escape the Mummy’s Tomb. ISBN 9781499479768.
ea vol: 72p. (Escape!). Rosen Young Adult. Aug. 2025. Tr $36.13.
Gr 8 Up–Readers will escape into history in this choose-your-own-adventure puzzle series. The opening pages set the historical scene as the characters prepare to escape from either a pirate ship, medieval castle, or mummy’s tomb. After a character profile and some instruction for readers, the adventure begins. Each step is followed by a list of choices the character can make and then where to go for the outcomes. Some pages are styled to look like old scrolls and include captioned photographs, maps, recreations of artwork, and symbols to enhance the experience. While the instructions may be difficult to follow for newcomers to the genre, the background information and exciting escape from each location will enlighten readers about history. Back matter includes a correct way to escape and key symbols that can be used to help navigate. VERDICT Great for those who enjoy tabletop role-playing games, and other choose-your-own-adventure stories.

Young readers who love exploring different activities outdoors will like “Nature Adventures” (Norwood House) and those who love silly questions with true answers will enjoy “Quizzlers” (Capstone/Pebble). Middle school hip-hop fans, or those working on a project will learn from “Hip-Hop Culture” (Lerner) and younger listeners may like learning about music from around the world with the “My Favorite Music” series (Lightbox/AV2.) Another special interest series is “Zodiac Signs” (ABDO/DiscoverRoo). Activity-based series, like “Space-licious!” (Bearport/Create!), “Face Painting Fun” (ABDO/Super Sandcastle), and “Growing Gardens” (ABDO/Kids Core) may require supervision from an adult.

FALL 2025 SERIES MADE SIMPLE REVIEWS