Reviews
These new books in the Machines at Work series are perfect for young children interested in trucks, construction equipment, and slightly more exotic vehicles. They feature bright, colorful photos and child-friendly text. Even the books themselves are a perfect size for young children‚Äôs View →
Series Made Simple
These volumes take readers on visits to iconic U.S. monuments. The text is a mix of declaratory sentences and thought-provoking questions, which are conveniently answered on the pages where they are asked. The colorful photos reveal interesting aspects of the buildings or monuments and… View →
Series Made Simple
These bright, slight, upbeat introductions to pet ownership are designed for early readers. Basic information is shared through a collection of vignettes. The text, never more than four brief sentences per spread, always gives a name to the pet in the photo and the child, who may not… View →
Series Made Simple
Aimed at emerging readers, these simple introductions to vehicular uses and working parts each begin with useful suggestions for parents and teachers guiding students. Brief sentences (‚ÄúThe robber goes in the back seat. The doors have no handles. The robber can‚Äôt get out.‚Äù) and… View →
Using an early reader format, these entries in the My First Pet series introduce young children to basic care of common pets. Extreme cuteness with large color photos of animals and their diverse kid owners in action (highlighted by vibrant frames and occasional labels) drives the… View →
With only several sentences on every page, this entry in the Senses in My World series introduces the sense of smell to young children. How does our sense of smell work? “Tiny bits of scent float in the air. The nose breathes in the air. The brain understands the bits as… View →
Each book reviewed contains vivid, color photographs of each title animal, its habitat, and related animals. Every close-up photograph provides great detail, such as the multiple colors that make up a crab’s claws. Topics covered include parts of the body, mating and/or how babies are… View →
These books incorporate brightly-colored page layouts, numerous photographs, separated text boxes, and photo labels to help engage and encourage young readers. Each book shows various ways the title machine works in a community. Each spread has very sparse text. Vocabulary is repetitive… View →
Series Made Simple
Readers will be eager to spot colors after finishing these volumes. Parents and teachers are encouraged to introduce terms by using the covers and the picture glossaries, important nonfiction elements that are well designed in this set. The clean layout contains clearly identified photos View →
Series Made Simple
Appealing photographs are the highlight of these introductory pet books. Simple tips are woven into the text, describing what kids can do for their critters. For instance, in Snakes, ‚ÄúSnakes need to shed. Aidan [a boy] puts out rocks. Jack [a snake] rubs on them.‚Äù Names are usually… View →
Series Made Simple
Readers are made to feel a part of the story in this collection that uses variations of ‚Äúwe.‚Äù Text introduces each festival, describing historical background and religious and cultural roots in just a few sentences, followed by several examples of how it is celebrated. Pages… View →
Series Made Simple
These primers on animal classification focus on essential characteristics of six popular groups. Most pages provide one key trait, such as ‚Äúall birds have beaks.‚Äù One or two high-quality photos provide strong visual support. The fact that ‚Äúinsects have skeletons on the outside,‚Äù… View →