For the Fun of It: Mixed Categories | Series Made Simple Fall 2012

Whether intended to fill young readers in on a broad range of scientific or historical topics or simply to inspire delighted disgust, the titles below all feature mixes of bright color photos or images, easily absorbed passages of expository narrative (with some wordless exceptions), closer looks at selected incidents or facts in side boxes, and enrichment material that ranges from rudimentary lists of print and web resources to closing quizzes and corny jokes. For all the uniformity of concept and design within each series, consistency–whether of production values or in general level of detail–seems to remain an elusive goal for some series, but all are plainly making efforts to address different styles of learning, to engage readers on both emotional and intellectual levels, to promote critical thinking, and to provide a range of instructional tools.

Preschool-Grade 4

APODACA, Blanca & Michael Serwich. Behind the Canvas: An Artist’s Life. charts. illus. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4333-4826-6.
BRADLEY, Timothy J. Animal Architects. diags. illus. ISBN 978-1-4333-4822-8.
–––– . Bug Builders. diags. illus. ISBN 978-1-4333-4821-1.
–––– . Wild Cities. diags. illus. map. chron. ISBN 978-1-4333-4823-5.
DUGAN, Christine. Defying Gravity: Rock Climbing. charts. illus. map. ISBN 978-1-4333-4830-3.
–––– . Final Lap!: Go-Kart Racing. diags. illus. ISBN 978-1-4333-4832-7.
–––– . Hang Ten!: Surfing. charts. diags. illus. map. chron. ISBN 978-1-4333-4831-0.
GREATHOUSE, Lisa & Stephanie Kuligowski. Unsolved!: Mysterious Events. illus. maps. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4333-4827-3.
–––– . Unsolved!: Mysterious Places. diags. illus. maps. reprods. chron. ISBN 978-1-4333-4828-0.
HERWECK, Diana. In the Game: An Athlete’s Life. charts. diags. illus. map. ISBN 978-1-4333-4824-2.
–––– . On the Scene: A CSI’s Life. charts. diags. illus. map. ISBN 978-1-4333-4825-9.
RICE, Dona Herweck. Unsolved!: History’s Mysteries. maps. reprods. chron. ISBN 978-1-4333-4829-7.
RICE, William B. Survival!: Desert. illus. maps. ISBN 978-1-4333-4818-1.
–––– . Survival!: Jungle. diags. illus. ISBN 978-1-4333-4820-4.
–––– . Survival!: Ocean. charts. diags. illus. maps. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4333-4819-8.
ea vol: 48p. (TIME for Kids Nonfiction Readers Advanced Series). photos. bibliog. glossary. index. websites. Teacher Created Materials dist. by Shell. 2012. pap. $9.99.
BRADLEY, Timothy J. Strange but True: Bizarre Animals. illus. ISBN 978-1-4333-4861-7.
–––– . Strange but True: Gross Anatomy. chart. diags. illus. ISBN 978-1-4333-4860-0.
–––– . Strange but True: Tiny Creatures. chart. diags. illus. ISBN 978-1-4333-4862-4.
COHN, Jessica. Hand to Earth: Saving the Environment. chart. diags. map. ISBN 978-1-4333-4868-6.
–––– . Hand to Heart: Improving Communities. chart. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4333-4866-2.
–––– . Hand to Paw: Protecting Animals. diag. ISBN 978-1-4333-4867-9.
HOLLINGSWORTH, Tamara Leigh. Anne Frank: A Light in the Dark. diags. reprods. chron. ISBN 978-1-4333-4865-5.
–––– . Helen Keller: A New Vision. illus. map. reprods. chron. ISBN 978-1-4333-4863-1.
–––– . Nelson Mandela: Leading the Way. chart. illus. maps. reprods. chron. ISBN 978-1-4333-4864-8.
PARIS, Stephanie. Engineering Feats & Failures. charts. diags. illus. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4333-4871-6.
–––– . Straight Talk: Healthy Eating. charts. diags. illus. map. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4333-4857-0.
–––– . Straight Talk: Drugs and Alcohol. illus. map. ISBN 978-1-4333-4859-4.
–––– . Straight Talk: Smoking. chart. illus. map. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4333-4858-7.
–––– . Technology Feats & Failures. charts. diags. illus. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4333-4936-2.
RICE, Dona Herweck. Physical Feats & Failures. diags. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4333-4870-9.
ea vol: 48p. (TIME for Kids Nonfiction Readers Advanced Plus Series). photos. bibliog. glossary. index. websites. Teacher Created Materials dist. by Shell. 2012. pap. $9.99.
Gr 3-5–Covering a wide range of high-interest topics in science, history, sports, vocations, and avocations, these small volumes offer tight, busy-looking mixes of color photos, present-tense overview narratives, boxed facts, and captions, supplemented by various combinations of charts, tables, interviews, open-ended questions, and, where applicable, recipes. Each volume is capped by a current, annotated set of multimedia resources. The biographies present highly idealized, inspirational portraits of their subjects. Aside from Healthy, (in which the old food pyramid is replaced with the newer MyPlate recommendations), the Straight Talk titles are not quite “straight.” Both Drugs and Smoking fail to deliver enough information for readers to come to their own conclusions about the topics. More balanced alternatives to the entries in both subseries are available elsewhere. Otherwise these titles are acceptable choices for both assignment use and casual browsing.

HANSON, Anders & Elissa Mann. Biggest, Baddest Book of Beasts. ISBN 978-1-61783-404-2; ISBN 978-1-61480-101-6. LC 2011050905.
–––– . Biggest, Baddest Book of Bugs. ISBN 978-1-61783-405-9; ISBN 978-1-61480-102-3. LC 2011050903.
–––– . Biggest, Baddest Book of Dinosaurs. diags. illus. ISBN 978-1-61783-406-6; ISBN 978-1-61480-103-0. LC 2011050918.
–––– . Biggest, Baddest Book of Monsters. illus. map. ISBN 978-1-61783-407-3; ISBN 978-1-61480-104-7. LC 2011050919.
–––– . Biggest, Baddest Book of Pirates. diags. illus. map. ISBN 978-1-61783-408-0; ISBN 978-1-61480-105-4. LC 2011050920.
–––– . Biggest, Baddest Book of Warriors. illus. maps. reprods. ISBN 978-1-61783-409-7; ISBN 978-1-61480-292-1. LC 2011050910.
ea vol: 24p. (Biggest, Baddest Books for Boys Series). photos. glossary. CIP. ABDO. 2012. PLB $25.65; ebook $25.65.
Gr 2-4– The alliterative but audience-limiting series title aside, these melodramatic surveys are well designed to cater to new or reluctant readers. Each one features several rousing illustrations or (less often) photographs, which are paired with brief explanatory comments. Dinosaurs is the weakest link, as it fails to mention dino eggs or that dinosaur bones and other remnants are fossils. In other volumes, the information is accurate for all its brevity, and women do put in at least cameos in Pirates and Warriors. Some volumes end with a conundrum (Monsters with a discussion of “Are They Real?” for instance), game, or jokes, and they all have a set of true-or-false questions.

Hickory Dickory Dock. illus. by J. J. Rudisill. ISBN 978-1-4333-3493-1.
REID, Stephanie. Time. photos. ISBN 978-1-4333-3489-4.
RICE, Dona Herweck. Day and Night. illus. ISBN 978-1-4333-3491-7.
ea vol: 16p. (Early Childhood Themes: Time Series). Teacher Created Materials dist. by Shell. 2012. pap. $6.99.
If You’re Happy and You Know It. illus. by Chad Thompson. ISBN 978-1-4333-3482-5.
REID, Stephanie. Feelings. photos. ISBN 978-1-4333-3478-8.
RICE, Dona Herweck. I Wear My Feelings. illus. ISBN 978-1-4333-3480-1.
ea vol: 16p. (Early Childhood Themes: Feelings Series). Teacher Created Materials dist. by Shell. 2012. pap. $6.99.
Oh, Mr. Sun. illus. by Janelle Bell-Martin. ISBN 978-1-4333-3471-9.
REID, Stephanie. Space. photos. ISBN 978-1-4333-3467-2.
RICE, Dona Herweck. Into Space. illus. by Chad Thompson. ISBN 978-1-4333-3469-6.
ea vol: 16p. (Early Childhood Themes: Space Series). Teacher Created Materials dist. by Shell. 2012. pap. $6.99.
PreS-K–These sets include wordless galleries that are illustrated with space- and time-related photos or portraits of children expressing uncomplicated emotions; large-type song lyrics and simple rhymes paired to cartoons; and brightly illustrated stories with simple structures. These abbreviated but serviceable titles are equally suitable for sharing with small groups or individual reading (or pre-reading). The sets of children in each volume are assiduously inclusive, and the settings and items in all the pictures are designed to provoke discussion. In Time, for instance, figures are flanked by images of both face and digital clocks. Each entry closes with topic-specific suggestions for teachers or parents.

KALZ, Jill. Christmas Chaos: Hidden Picture Puzzles. illus. by James Yamasaki. ISBN 978-1-4048-7494-7; ISBN 978-1-4048-7724-5. LC 2012005225.
–––– . Halloween Hide and Seek: Hidden Picture Puzzles. illus. by Hector Borlasca. ISBN 978-1-4048-7495-4; ISBN 978-1-4048-7728-3. LC 2012007187.
–––– . School Shake-Up: Hidden Picture Puzzles. illus. by Douglas Holgate. ISBN 978-1-4048-7496-1; ISBN 978-1-4048-7726-9. LC 2012007185.
–––– . Zoo Hideout: Hidden Picture Puzzles. illus. by Simon Smith & Moreno Chiacchiera. ISBN 978-1-4048-7497-8; ISBN 978-1-4048-7730-6. LC 2012007186 .
ea vol: 32p. (Seek It Out Series). websites. CIP. Picture Window. 2012. PLB $25.99; pap. $9.95.
Gr 1-4–Considerably more challenging than QEB’s “Puzzle Adventures” set, these “Where’s Waldo”–style volumes cram hundreds of similar-looking cartoon figures and objects into busy spreads. Each tableau comes with a visual list of items to spot: 6 in the first few scenes and 9 and then 12 in subsequent pages. Christmas not only includes spreads for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s, but also settings that range from Santa’s teeming workshop to celebrating crowds in tropical locales. Each volume ends with 10 bonus items to find.

MAIDMENT, Stella. Cowboy Puzzles. ISBN 978-1-60992-271-9. LC 2012001878.
–––– . Fairy Puzzles. ISBN 978-1-60992-273-3. LC 2012001879.
–––– . Pirate Puzzles. ISBN 978-1-60992-270-2. LC 2012005778.
–––– . Princess Puzzles. ISBN 978-1-60992-272-6. LC 2012005781.
ea vol: illus. by Daniela Dogliani. 32p. (Puzzle Adventures Series). CIP. QEB. 2012. PLB $28.50.
PreS-Gr 2–In these unusually sexist sets of visual mazes and puzzles, readers are invited to “help” a cowboy find stolen money, a pirate lead his crew to buried treasure, a princess find a friend (in the palace kitchen, not too surprisingly), and a fairy plan a party. Each volume contains a dozen full-bleed scenes with a small number of mismatched or slightly hidden objects to spot or to choose among. The level of difficulty is very low throughout; nonetheless, solutions are supplied at the end, along with a final page of crafts or other activities.

NELSON, Maria. Gross Things About Your Food. ISBN 978-1-4339-7115-0; ISBN 978-1-4339-7118-1. LC 2012008766.
–––– . Gross Things in Your House. ISBN 978-1-4339-7123-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-7126-6. LC 2012011664.
MARZOLF, Julie. Gross Things About Your Pets. diag. ISBN 978-1-4339-7119-8; ISBN 978-1-4339-7122-8. LC 2012007447.
ROZA, Greg. Gross Things on Buses, Trains, and Planes. chart. ISBN 978-1-4339-7127-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-7130-3. LC 2012011665.
–––– . Gross Things Under Your Feet. ISBN 978-1-4339-7131-0; ISBN 978-1-4339-7134-1. LC 2012012851.
SHEA, John M. Gross Things About Your Body. diags. ISBN 978-1-4339-7111-2; ISBN 978-1-4339-7114-3. LC 2011046363.
ea vol: 24p. (That’s Gross! Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2012. PLB $22.60; ebook $22.60.
Gr 2-3–Promising more than they deliver, these surveys tone down the “ick” so far that even sensitive readers are unlikely to feel anything greater than mild disgust. Though chapter headings in Body include “Earwax,” “Vomit,” and “Scabs,” none of these actually appear in the photos, and the accompanying commentary focuses most closely on health benefits. Similarly, the idea of cultivating clean habits trumps the occasional close-up of dust mites (incorrectly dubbed “insects” in House) or reference to eating live animals. All the volumes do close with print and web resources on similar topics, and, except for Buses and Feet, with recaps or safety tips.

PETERSON, Megan Cooley. Show Me Dogs: My First Picture Encyclopedia. ISBN 978-1-4296-8572-6. LC 2012002681.
–––– . Show Me Reptiles: My First Picture Encyclopedia. ISBN 978-1-4296-8571-9. LC 2012007353.
SCHUH, Mari. Show Me Insects: My First Picture Encyclopedia. ISBN 978-1-4296-8569-6. LC 2012003760.
–––– . Show Me Transportation: My First Picture Encyclopedia. ISBN 978-1-4296-8570-2. LC 2012008165.
ea vol: 32p. (A+: My First Picture Encyclopedias Series). photos. further reading. websites. CIP. Capstone. 2012. PLB $26.65.
Gr 1-2–The claim that each title provides “more than 100 facts and definitions” is a considerable understatement. Aimed at emergent readers, the books pair several color photos (generally cutouts) per spread with short but gratifyingly specific captions that are well-stocked with specifics and feature pronunciation guidelines where appropriate. Dogs, for instance, not only presents dozens of breeds along with anatomy and proper care, but also lays out all seven official American Kennel Club groups (sporting, toy, etc.) and even devotes a spread to “Designer Dogs and Mutts.” Though many of the photos in Reptiles are too dark to make out smaller details, readers will get a good sense of that class’s diversity and its common features as well. Insects is likewise broad in scope even though human bodies and homes receive no mention on the spread about habitats. Transportation covers its topic less successfully; the pictures are too small (plus, a view of the Russian Soyuz capsule is mostly shadow), and there is no mention of aerodynamics on the spread about flying vehicles.

SAVERY, Annabel. Dinosaurs. illus. maps. ISBN 978-1-59920-687-5. LC 2011032732.
–––– . Fairies. illus. ISBN 978-1-59920-688-2. LC 2011031725.
–––– . Monsters. illus. reprods. ISBN 978-1-59920-689-9. LC 2011025815.
–––– . Pirates. illus. reprods. ISBN 978-1-59920-690-5. LC 2011033717.
–––– . Supercars. ISBN 978-1-59920-691-2. LC 2011026533.
–––– . Superheroes. illus. reprods. ISBN 978-1-59920-692-9. LC 2011030545.
ea vol: 32p. (It’s Amazing! Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. websites. CIP. Smart Apple Media. 2012. PLB $28.50.
Gr 2-4–Occasional slipups aside–a reference to Superman’s “supervision” and a gallery of magical creatures in Fairies that includes an out-of-place photo of a real Brownie scout–these browsing items supply healthy doses of facts as well as fun. All are illustrated with mixtures of artwork and figures (some, in Fairies, rather buxom), reproductions, and movie or TV stills. The coverage is surprisingly broad. Monsters, for example, introduces creatures from Nessie and centaurs (the latter with a “Narnia” reference) to whale sharks and even Venus flytraps; Pirates mentions both female and modern buccaneers, along with multiple shots of Captain Jack Sparrow; and Superheroes includes prominent members of the Marvel and DC universes, but also Ben 10 and Transformers. Readers are urged to decide for themselves whether fairies exist in Fairies, though the evidence isn’t presented in a balanced way and the author never makes clear that the Cottingley photos were exposed as fakes.

Grades 5 & Up

AXELROD-CONTRADA, Joan. This or That Animal Debate: A Rip-Roaring Game of Either/Or Questions. ISBN 978-1-4296-8593-1; ISBN 978-1-4296-9272-4. LC 2012006494.
HEINRICH, Erik. This or That Survival Debate: A Rip-Roaring Game of Either/Or Questions. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4296-8594-8; ISBN 978-1-4296-9278-6. LC 2012008004.
O’HEARN, Michael. This or That History Debate: A Rip-Roaring Game of Either/Or Questions. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4296-8414-9; ISBN 978-1-4296-9274-8. LC 2012002218.
SCHAUB, Michelle. This or That Sports Debate: A Rip-Roaring Game of Either/Or Questions. ISBN 978-1-4296-8592-4; ISBN 978-1-4296-9276-2. LC 2011053148.
ea vol: 32p. (Edge Books: This or That? Series). photos. further reading. websites. CIP. Capstone. 2012. PLB $27.32; pap. $7.95.
Gr 3-6–Designed as exercises in decision-making, these riveting titles each offer 13 choices, such as whether it would be better to be raised by wild dogs or by monkeys, to eat haggis or to hunt and eat woolly mammoth, or to swim like Michael Phelps or run like Usain Bolt. Each pairing features large, relevant, color photos and text boxes that highlight facts about both options and several pro or con observations (e.g., “Bolt trains up to five hours a day.”). Cranking up both the value and the fun, each volume ends with two pages of “Lightning Round” dilemmas (“Would you choose to be eaten by your mother like a scorpion or by your mate like a praying mantis?”).

Artistic License . reprods. ISBN 978-1-4222-2561-5; ISBN 978-1-4222-9236-5. LC 2012019869.
Curious Exploits . ISBN 978-1-4222-2566-0; ISBN 978-1-4222-9241-9. LC 2012020338.
Eating Habits . illus. ISBN 978-1-4222-2567-7; ISBN 978-1-4222-9242-6. LC 2012020339.
Fun Animals . ISBN 978-1-4222- 2569-1; ISBN 978-1-4222-9244-0. LC 2012020341.
Incredible Feats . ISBN 978-1-4222-2570-7; ISBN 978-1-4222-9245-7. LC 2012020342.
Strange but True . reprods. ISBN 978-1-4222-2573-8; ISBN 978-1-4222-9248-8. LC 2012020380.
ea vol: 36p. (Ripley’s Disbelief and Shock! Series). photos. index. CIP. Mason Crest. 2012. PLB $19.95; ebook $24.95.
Gr 4-7–”The spiders are fried until the legs are stiff and the abdomen is not too runny, giving a crispy exterior and soft center said to resemble the taste of chicken.” Definitely living up to their series title, these dense gatherings of bizarre facts, actions, and sometimes disturbing color photographs will prompt a range of varied but intense responses, even from hardened or pre-warned browsers. Each volume contains hundreds of pithy print entries in random order, photos of unexceptional but adequate quality, and a helpful index. From a gallery of the exotic in Eating Habits to the deceptively titled Fun Animals, which features views of veterinary surgery, two-faced creatures, and a heron chowing down on a baby bunny, this set is not for the squeamish.

Of this season’s crop, Capstone’s “Edge Books: This or That?” is a headliner, closely followed by Smart Apple’s “It’s Amazing!” and (despite the series title) ABDO’s “Biggest, Baddest Books for Boys.” Conversely, QEB’s “Puzzle Adventures” lags in both conception and execution—particularly next to the similar but more inclusive and better designed “Seek It Out” volumes by Picture Window. Gareth Stevens’s “That’s Gross!” disappoints by not really going for the gusto; paradoxically, Mason Crest’s “Ripley’s Disbelief and Shock!” goes too far in the other direction and turns one-dimensional, making the set more likely to excite ephemeral emotional responses and less likely to teach readers anything. All but one of the entries in Capstone’s “A+: My First Picture Encyclopedias” offer solid treatments of their topics for fledgling readers. Finally, the two series from Teacher Created Materials, “Early Childhood Themes” and “TIME for Kids Nonfiction Readers,” make acceptable, if utilitarian, choices for either library or classroom collections.