staff
2,367 Articles
Last 30 days
Last 6 months
Last 12 months
Last 24 months
Specific Dates
From:
To:
Make It Yourself! Paper Pop-Up Art
The stellar titles in this attractive series are Comics & Graphic Novels and Paper Pop-Up Art, while the projects in Bots & Circuits are hard to follow and are found in other books.
This series centered on makerspaces should give middle-grade makers, crafters, and hobbyists fresh ideas to spark their creative imaginations. Framed with a boilerplate introduction to makerspaces and standard safety messages and materials lists, each volume offers stepped project directions illustrated with clear photos; useful "tip" sidebars appear throughout. Younger crafters may need some adult help, but they'll be motivated. Glos., ind.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Not recommended.
These starter biographies have fact-driven texts illustrated with uncaptioned photos (or historical art in [cf2]Washington[cf1]). The choppy writing is easy to read, but the volumes provide little in the way of substantive background about these First Ladies. Appended lists of quick stats and key dates may be helpful when writing reports. Glos., ind.
Crayola Fall Colors
A fine choice that encourages readers to both explore their creativity and learn about artistic terms and colors in nature. Useful for primary elementary collections and medium to large public libraries.
While ostensibly introducing young kids to seasons and the colors observable during each, this series' obvious marketing makes it more of an advertising campaign for the familiar crayon brand. Each volume contains vibrant, seasonal photos with a simple descriptive text. Young children might enjoy looking for all the (Crayola-brand) colors identified in the appended guide. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.
Are You Psychic?: Facts, Trivia, and Quizzes
This series is going to be very popular in middle school libraries.
These informative volumes about personality, dreams, and memory each begin with a chapter on previous beliefs and theories, followed by five or six chapters outlining current knowledge on the topic. Frequent photographs and line drawings accompany the plentiful quizzes and entertaining activities throughout, which let kids challenge themselves. A concluding activity to try with friends and family is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.
Dimes
Ideal for educators as well as those curious about money.
While the books are superficial piecemeal, collectively this series could enhance children's basic understanding of money and build an appreciation for America's monetary system. Each book provides just the slightest information on the currency's history, manufacturing, honoree(s), design, and security features. The accompanying photographs include close-ups of discussed features. There are six other fall 2017 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.
Crack the Pirate Code
Consider only where there are fervent fans of pirates.
O'Donnell provides basic insights into the world of piracy. [cf2]Code[cf1] discusses how pirates lived by a code and also covers the rules and punishments--including the means of inflicting death--used when crewmembers disobeyed. [cf2]Gear[cf1] touches on types of ships, weapons, ropes, sails, and navigational instruments necessary for operation on the high seas. Colorful illustrations enhance the abbreviated texts. Reading list. Glos., ind.
Engineering Mount Rushmore
A good choice for tweens interested in a mix of history, engineering, and geography.
Each book in this engaging engineering-focused series describes the history and construction of a famous structure, and explains how the landmark is maintained today. Sidebars (some with prompts and website links) as well as photographs, drawings, and diagrams enhance each main text's four chapters. Each book includes "Straight to the Source" pages quoting a primary source, discussion questions throughout, and additional appended facts. There are four other fall 2017 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind.
3-D Printers
A must-have addition for collections exploring the maker movement and STEM topics or with a special interest in engineering.
The high-tech vehicles and equipment discussed in these brief introductory texts are still being developed, though some are operational today. Each book briefly traces the technology's history, current uses, and future possibilities and risks in clearly written text. Unfortunately, the books' layouts are boxy and boring, with full-color stock photographs and sometimes unclear infographics that add little to the content. Timeline. Glos., ind.
Asteroids & Meteoroids
This series will circulate best in libraries in need of astronomy materials for younger elementary students.
The formation and makeup of objects in the solar system are simplistically addressed in brief sentences that do little to explain the often complicated concepts they contain. Five to eight words are repeated throughout each book and poorly defined in a glossary; some words and concepts ([cf2]gravity[cf1], [cf2]orbit[cf1]) repeat across volumes. Eye-catching images of stars and planets dominate the clean layouts. Glos., ind.
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LOG IN
We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LOG IN
Thank you for visiting.
We’ve noticed you are using a private browser. To continue, please log in or create an account.
