Series Made Simple

Blashfield offers readers a cursory introduction to this important event in American history. The overview describes Lewis and Clark's expedition from St. Louis to the Pacific, including encounters with Native American groups and the value of Sacagawea to the trip's success. The brief, readable text is enhanced with informative sidebars, maps, stock photographs, paintings, and appended critical thinking questions. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Chilling paranormal tales abound in this series. Each volume focuses on a specific type of paranormal activity and provides accounts from throughout history. The texts wisely ground the series in science by including debunkings and realistic explanations for the stories. Illustrations and photographs accompany the text on each page and help set the spooky mood. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

This series guides readers on a road trip through each state, unrealistically crisscrossing it to visit important locales. Maps and photographs catalog a cartoon family's visits to natural, industrial, and historical sites such as the Grand Canyon, Independence Hall, state capitals, etc. State facts (symbols, song, flag, etc.) are appended, plus a brief content quiz. There are forty-five other fall 2017 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

These books are cursory introductions to the topics of civics and economics. [cf2]Government[cf1] outlines the basic functions of American government and how its three branches operate. [cf2]Money[cf1] describes the role currency plays in American culture, briefly touching on supply and demand, interest, and savings. Informative sidebars and charts, stock photographs, and appended critical thinking questions provide additional context. Reading list. Glos., ind.

In each book, a child prepares to eat something but first learns how the food is produced by being transported to various places involved. The second-person texts cover countries of origin, growing and harvesting conditions, and processing details. Simple, engaging illustrations featuring a diverse cast of kids will appeal to young readers. Reading list, websites. Glos.

These volumes contain affordable and straightforward-seeming bedroom-makeover craft projects--such as a driftwood jewelry hanger ([cf2]Glam[cf1]) and washi tape frames ([cf2]Bright[cf1])--designed to "help you develop your own personal style and make your room into a...space that celebrates you." DIY-ers, particularly those with girly-girl tastes, are likely to find inspiration in the colorful, cleanly designed pages.

Capitalizing on the action-packed nature of football and (men's and women's) basketball, these slim volumes focus more on splashy color graphics than on information. The overly broad series theme includes "Science" titles, which are a random assortment of energy, mechanics, technology, and math discussions; "Numbers" books, which are mostly statistics-related; and "Superstars" entries, featuring brief profiles of players. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Each slim easy reader opens with a photo glossary highlighting four sport-specific vocabulary words, accompanied by instructions: "Look for these words and pictures as you read." The following spreads are organized around these keywords, with bright stock photos and a smattering of facts. The volumes lack substance but effectively reinforce the meaning of a small number of relevant terms.

Each book offers a first-person account of a refugee child's separation from family due to hardship or war: Ali leaves Afghanistan with his grandma as his parents stay behind, while Juliane endures a painful separation from her mother in Zimbabwe before they leave the country together. Despite the odd, sometimes disjointed digital images, simple storytelling makes these texts relatable to young readers.