Nonfiction Monday...on Tuesday

Honestly, first she gets sick, then our typist cracks a rib coughing and thinks that should get her out of work as well! Humans just never run out of excuses, do they? She is also behind on remodeling our tank, needed badly since somebody whose name we won't mention (Yoda) is getting a little too big and taking up all the swimming space.

That's nothing compared to these guys, though:



These cousins of ours are HUGE - as big as a walrus! This book is part of Bearport's "Super Sized" series, which also includes books about komodo dragons, anacondas, and giraffes, among other cool creatures. It is very simply written, around a 2nd or 3rd grade level, with a short photo-glossary in the back. This would be a good set for youngsters just learning to do research and write or give reports.

(Thanks to Bearport for the review copy)

A new series from Lerner that is sure to be a hit with the boys is the "Gross Body Science" set. Lerner very graciously sent us the titles Crust and Spray, Clot and Scab, and



Tell us your preteen boys (and many of the girls, let's not stereotype completely)won't snatch that up after seeing the cover! They may realize full well they are being tricked into learning some good health facts, but they probably won't care. The text will grab them just as quickly: from the beginning of Clot and Scab,

"Have you ever fallen off your bike and dragged some poor body part along the pavement? Yow! Not only does it hurt like crazy, it looks nasty too. But don't worry. While you made hamburger out of your knee or elbow, your body got busy repairing the damage."

I wish we could figure out how to change font on here, because Lerner does - making phrases like "While you made hamburger out of your knee or elbow" stand out nicely. The next page delivers salient facts about bone marrow while letting readers know what it TASTES like. We'll take their word for it!

Readers who are easily distracted may find the business of the pages...well, distracting, but these are fantastic for the kid who CAN read, he just doesn't WANT to. Just try to hide the smug grin when he starts reading parts out loud to those around him! A good glossary, index, and list for further reading round out each of the books.

Librarian alert: these books are gross. The pictures are gross. The factoids are gross. The suggested activities (like keeping a fart journal) are gross. Parents will object. Kids will read. You decide. We're ordering the rest of the series, ourselves!