Tom Ellen
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Celebrations and Special Days
Strong choices for early readers.
This series focuses on kid-friendly topics. Each book attempts to
introduce complex subjects--e.g., Home touches on slums and
refugee camps--but the few brief sentences fall short. Color photos
are well chosen, but the busy layouts are difficult to decipher, as
are small world maps. With adult guidance, these books could prove
useful for reports. There are four other spring 2015 books in this
series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following My
World Your World titles: A Place to Call Home,
Celebrations and Special Days, The Clothes We Wear,
and Time to Play.
Dirt or Soil: What's the Difference?
Collections in need of more resources about soil may want to add What's Soil Made Of? but won't need to invest in the entire series.
In a series that explores soil science, these accessible volumes explain how organic and inorganic substances enrich soil, how animal behavior contributes to its composition, and the differences between dirt and soil (e.g., plants can't grow in dirt). Well-labeled close-up photos and diagrams enhance the accessible texts. A "Science Lab" section at the end of each book contains a related soil experiment. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Down & Dirty: The Secrets of Soil titles: Dirt or Soil, How Do Animals Help Make Soil, and What's Soil Made Of?.
Enormous Ears and Soft Brown Hair (Moose)
Solid options, especially for educators teaching index use.
Descriptions of the habitat and physical appearance of an unnamed baby mammal and a question--"Who does this little baby belong to?"--begin these books about moose, orangutans, and giant pandas. Straightforward text explains family, diet, and growth, while large, close-up photos (all clearly labeled but some with odd graphics added) lend immediacy. "Fact file" and habitat map appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Whose Little Baby Are You? titles: Enormous Eats and Soft Brown Hair, Tiny Fingers and Fuzzy Orange Hair, and Tiny Paws and Big Black Eyes.
Mimi and Shu in I'll Race You!
In trying to be a friendship story with a moral as well as a folksy reimagining, the story ends up missing the mark on all counts.
What's Your Story, Harriet Tubman?
Though these are serviceable introductions to important historical figures, their value for research is limited.
Cub Reporter "interviews" American figures who overcame challenges to achieve their goals. Each subject responds to simplistic questions about his or her complicated life (e.g., "Were you ever afraid?" in Tubman) in a hokey first-person voice. Cartoons of a microphone-holding bear cub alternate with captioned photos or illustrations that extend information. The premise may work for reluctant readers. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Cub Reporter Meets Famous Americans titles: What's Your Story, Harriet Tubman?, What's Your Story, Abraham Lincoln?, What's Your Story, Cesar Chavez?, What's Your Story, Helen Keller?.
Groundhog's Dilemma
A nicely illustrated, satisfactory story that meets a need for Groundhog Day titles.
Wisteria Jane
An additional purchase for picture book collections needing supplemental titles about kindness to friends.
A Great Big Cuddle: Poems for the Very Young
An excellent choice for prereaders and very young children, as well as anyone with a love for nursery rhymes.
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