Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana: Lizard Lightning! by Natalie Lunis

by Natalie Lunis
Blink of an Eye: Superfast Animals series
Bearport Publishing
978-1-936087-91-4
Review copy from publisher.

Yes, okay, it has been a while. We took a small, unplanned break - of two weeks! In between out of town guests and birthdays and relatives in the hospital, we were still reading, but we devoted some time to series we needed to catch up on - the Eldest series is great, but the internet world really doesn't need one more review of them!

Now it's time to dive into some of the shiny new books that have been beckoning to us from the corners of our desk. This first one we found fascinating because, let's face it, turtles are not thought of as terribly fast. Oh, we can scoot along pretty quickly if we want to, on land or in water, but we prefer to take our time or just hang around under the heat lamp, not moving at all. At any rate, we will never be any match for a greyhound or a cheetah!

This entry in the series is at least another reptile - the fastest reptile in the world! Black spiny-tailed iguanas can run almost 22 miles an hour; faster than most people, and much faster than the alligators they are sometimes mistaken for. They are big guys, up to four feet long! They don't need to chase their food (plants), but they do need to run to escape their predators. Personally, we think anything that big and tough-looking should need to run from anyone.

Many other interesting facts are presented in a kid-friendly (think upper elementary) manner. Each two-page spread has a few paragraphs of information with smaller pictures/charts/graphs opposite a larger, close-up photo. The photographs are very clear and attractive. The back includes an illustrated glossary, an index, and an internet link to find more information.

These look like they will be a great addition to the shelves, and we plan to order the rest of the series.

Nonfiction Monday: The Wonder Book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

A quirky, fun book by one of our favorite quirky, fun writers. Kids who giggle at Mom or Dad changing the words of songs ("Baa baa baby, have you any drool?") will love chuckling over this one with their parents. Silly poems like "The Less Famous Friends of Mary Mack" and groaners like the "Word Play (in Four Acts)" are illustrated in simple, cute line drawings by Paul Schmid. While some lines ("If oranges are oranges, I wonder why apples aren't called reds") are hardly new to adults, they may spark a child's imagination - and you may be surprised at what they then come up with on their own!

This book has plenty to inspire further creativity, and kids will want to hear some parts over and over again. Our only complaint is that it could have been longer and included more! We give it a

4 out of 5.

Nonfiction Monday: Cool Crafts recycling series from Capstone

This great series also gives fun crafts for old wrappers, cans, and bottles; old jeans; and old t-shirts. There are dozens of craft books out there advertising ways to recycle your trash. What we liked about this series is that we saw some new crafts, not just the same old make-a-purse-from-your-jeans (although that one is included as well). We might have to try the CD window wrap to brighten up the back wall of our tank. Maybe a t-shirt rug for sunning under the heat lamp?

Directions are easy to follow, probably best for older elementary to teens due to use of things like hot glue guns and sewing needles - which makes sense, because the crafts would appeal to that age range most. And of course, the books themselves are printed using post-consumer waste, so they are green inside and out. We recommend for any public or school library, or for that crafty teen in your life!

For more reviews of great nonfiction books, click here

Nonfiction Monday: Goal! The Fire and Fury of Soccer's Greatest Moment, by Mark Stewart and Mike Kennedy

Not being terribly athletic ourselves (we prefer sitting around under a heat lamp), we thought it might take a little time to get into a book about soccer. We were hooked from the very beginning, though, as we learned that Edward III out-lawed 'foot-ball', and early church leaders thought the devil was responsible for the way the ball bounced!
 
From a general history of the sport, we go into famous games and spectacular goals, famous soccer players, and a list of world records. The text is written in a fashion that makes us think of someone telling about an exciting play they saw in last night's game. Apathetic sportsters like ourselves will find themselves engaged, and sports fans will love it. Definitely one to add to the library, especially for those reluctant readers!
 
Review copy provided by publisher. Click on the picture link to order your own copy, then go here for reviews of more great nonfiction books.

Picture Book Wednesday: Who Will Plant a Tree?, by Jerry Pallotta, illustrated by Tom Leonard

Pallotta is one of the more prolific authors of children's nonfiction these days, and fortunately he is not one for whom quality drops off as time goes by. Who Will Plant a Tree is an easy, interesting read, chock full of facts. Creatures throughout the animal kingdom (ending with children in a classroom) 'plant' different types of trees as they move through their everyday lives. In addition to the different ways animals help seeds travel, we see the different shapes and sizes a seed can come in, from juniper berries to chestnut burrs to coconuts. Leonard's big, clear pictures complete the text, to make this an excellent read-aloud for any class beginning a unit on plants.
 
We received our copy from Sleeping Bear Press for review consideration. If you order one for yourself - which we highly recommend - and do so through the picture link above, we will receive a small portion of the proceeds, to buy more materials for our library.

Nonfiction Monday: Sea Creatures You Can Draw, by Nicole Brecke

Drawing books are always popular in libraries, whether public or school. They also make great gifts, even if the recipient is not an avid artist. There is something about the idea that even the most fumble-fingered (or flipper-fingered) can draw something recognizable by following a few easy steps. To test this out, we tried drawing our cousin, the sea turtle (see him on the cover there?)

Here is the result:

We said "recognizeable", not "good", so we'll call it a success! (Freaky thinks he looks like he has eaten a few too many fish).

The directions were fairly easy to follow, although some of the more vague shapes were hard to copy. It might have helped to have a small version of the finished product on the page for reference, rather than just at the end of each set of directions. Each set starts with a paragraph of factual information about that animal, and the book ends with a further reading/web site list, so kids might get away with calling this a reading book during SSR. Hey, we'd count it!

Review copy received from Lerner Publishing Group. To see more reviews of great nonfiction books, follow this link.

Nonfiction Monday: S is for Smithsonian, by Marie and Roland Smith, Illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen

While we are probably all familiar with Sleeping Bear's alphabet books by now, this one bears a slightly closer look to find some hidden fun - not unlike the Smithsonian itself.

We can start with the authors and illustrator: while the name Roland Smith isn't usually associated with nonfiction (this is his third in the alphabet series), it is certainly a familiar one to librarians and adventure fans (Cryptid Hunters and Tentacles, the I,Q. series, etc.) While the illustrator's name is not as familiar, it will certainly give you pause - and we thought Jon Scieszka's was hard to pronounce! No wonder, as his bio says, kids call him "Mr. Nick". Right there you have the making of a mini-lesson on name origins, elementary linguistics, geography, etc. His family's 20 years of wildlife rehab make us wonder if he doesn't have a story or two to tell himself (surely he has had some heartwarming success stories involving turtles!)

On to the actual book. Of course we have Sleeping Bear's usual quality in binding and print, and the now-traditional short poems with information sidebars. The Smithsonian is such an eclectic and HUGE collection of items, we don't know how the Smiths were able to decide what to include - in fact, on several pages, we get two items for that letter. At any rate, just like in the museums, there should be plenty to interest any reader. And yes, we said museums, plural - we did not realize that the Smithsonian is actually made up of 19 museums, 156 affiliate museums, and 9 research centers.

Did you know that the Hope Diamond, one of the most visited museum items in the world, was sent to the Smithsonian through the mail? Would you like to see life-sized replicas of a right whale or a 24-foot giant squid? How about Dorothy's ruby slippers, or Mr. Rogers' red sweater? (We weren't sure who Mr. Rogers was, which apparently made Miss Ami feel old. Just humor her and say that's cool.)

Once again, another excellent book from Sleeping Bear, sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike. Click here for more great nonfiction book reviews.

Nonfiction Monday: Speaking of Art by Bob Raczka, reviewed by Fegan

Raczka (some day I will learn to spell that without looking at it) has done it again. We have thoroughly enjoyed his other books, especially The Vermeer Interviews, and this may be our new favorite. A simple collection of artwork paired with quotes by various artists, this book would be a delightful way to introduce people of any age to famous works.

Some of the quotes are surprising or funny, such as, "If I didn't start painting, I would have raised chickens," from Grandma Moses. Any one of the quotations or pieces of art could spawn a whole discussion or lesson. Using this example, what would Mom/Dad have done if not for their current line of work? What paths did they choose not to take in their life? Children are often thrown for a loop when they realize Mom and Dad had a life before them. This can springboard a discussion of possible paths they will have before them, how they might choose which ones to take, and what the consequences might be of making different choices. Not feeling philosophical? Try Jasper Johns's advice to "Take an object. Do something to it. Do something else to it." What fun could you have with that?!

In addition to serving well on a library or classroom shelf, this book would make a great gift for families whose parents and kids "do things" together. I could also see a teacher using one quote and art pairing each week for discussions and activities. As always, Lerner, who provided our review copy, has done a great job with the binding and print quality.

Check out more great nonfiction books here

Nonfiction Monday: Our Four Seasons series by Sheila Anderson, reviewed by Yoda

Why yes, yes we are!



Not so much, thanks anyway.

Whatever season you are ready for, these books are a nice way to begin it, whether read aloud to a class, or sitting on the sofa with your little one. Simple vocabulary and fun phrases ("splooshy, squishy mud") will have your young readers coming back to read them again on their own. Parts of the text almost read like poems, with onomotopoeia and forms like concrete poems abounding. Great pictures, glossaries, and mini-articles (like "Why Do Leaves Change Color" in the fall version) add to the interest. A great addition to library or classroom. Excuse me now, while I go make order cards for the other two...

In the meantime, check out some other great nonfiction books at Books Together

Nonfiction Monday: Garbage helps Our Garden Grow: a Compost Story, by Linda Glaser, reviewed by Squirt

It is SUPPOSED to be Spring here in New Mexico, but it actually snowed this morning! I know some people like the white stuff, but this little turtle is a bit tired of the cold, and ready to go sit out on a rock and sun himself. I am also ready to dig my flippers into some nice WARM dirt and start some new plants. While that will have to wait a bit longer, there are some things I can do now to get ready for gardening, which made this book the perfect choice for today.

If there is one thing turtles produce, it's fertilizer - all that yucky water is chock full of nitrates. The potted plants in the library love it! This book has motivated us to branch out into composting. The conversational text is matched nicely with bright, cheerful photographs by Shelley Rotner. Just one quick read lets the reader come away with the feeling that, not only is composting something he can easily do, but that he should. Today. For those who have a few more questions, there is a concise FAQ at the end, detailing what to include and leave out, and different options for your actual bin. Reading a page further even tells you the book itself was printed on recycled paper:)

Grab this book for your favorite young gardener, and start saving those veggie scraps! review copy provided by Lerner. Check out In Need of Chocolate for today's round-up of other great nonfiction books.

Nonfiction Monday: The Best Dogs Ever, by Elaine Landau, reviewed by Freaky

Back in November we reviewed one of the first books in this series, and suggested Lerner might want to hurry and add more titles before dog lovers rioted (or something to that effect).

They have been hard at work, and today we are looking at two of their newer titles:





(I should note here, Miss Ami says she doesn't know why they didn't start off with goldens, because those obviously ARE the best dogs ever. I have never been to Miss Ami's house, but I think I can guess what would greet me at the door.)

Like the Boxer version I reviewed earlier, I found these immediately engaging, in both text and pictures (just look at that face on page 5 of Bulldogs are the Best- totally smooshable!) While each title promotes its breed as the very best one, giving all sorts of interesting facts and historical tidbits, they are also very realistic about what type of home each should have. The golden retriever edition, for example, stresses the high energy and need for space and companionship, and golden owners will chuckle at statements like;

If you need a good watchdog, don't get a golden. They usually don't bark at strangers. What if someone broke into your home? Don't count on your golden to scare off the robber. These dogs would want the thief to pet them or play with them.

The bulldog edition warns about their tendency towards...er...flatulence, saying, "You need a sense of humor to have a bulldog."

It is great to see dog breed books that present animals in a positive, yet realistic light. Each book also includes a section about preparing your home for your new dog, as well as a glossary and web sites to go to. Usually we don't advocate including specific web sites, since those can become out of date quickly. These link to the AKC and ASPCA, however: not organizations that are likely to become defunct any time soon.

A great series for reports or pleasure reading, highly recommended for schools or libraries - or individual titles to be given as gifts. Review copies received from Lerner Publishing. Check out more great nonfiction books as part of Nonfiction Monday.

Nonfiction Monday: Sir Francis Drake by Roy Gerrard, reviewed by Squirt

Miss Ami is working on our Summer Reading Program right now, and I have been reading over her shoulder. Apparently, one whole week is going to be devoted to pirates and shipwrecks, and she has unearthed some older treasures worth sharing for Nonfiction Monday:



Sir Francis Drake may have been knighted, but that just made him a legal sort of pirate! He mostly attacked and stole from the Spaniards, which made it politics and not piracy, you see. He also experienced his share of shipwrecks (and near wrecks), which puts him quite fairly into this category.

This book is a fun read because it is all in sing-songy poetry (in fact, you might challenge older readers to put it to a tune.) It does treat him as more of a hero than a pirate (who also captured and sold slaves), focusing on the adventurous spirit. The pictures have a lot of detail (including some bare bums in a couple scenes) that children will enjoy.

Nonfiction Monday: K is for Kabuki, by Gloria Whelan and Jenny Nolan, reviewed by Freaky

We love Sleeping Bear's alphabet series here at the library, and it's just an added bonus that this one is written by one of our favorite authors:



If you are not familiar with these books, they encompass everything from states and countries to animals, the military, mothers, and sports. Usually each letter gets a two-page spread, taken up mostly by illustrations, then with one short paragraph of text (often rhyming) that you would read as part of the natural flow of the book, and additional background/history on the sides. The variety of authors and illustrators keeps this basic format from getting stale.

I enjoyed the text in this particular edition, particularly the combination of "old" Japan (emperors and origami), things we Westerners think are new (manga), and the fairly modern (bullet trains and hybrid cars). I was a little disappointed in the illustrations, by Oki Han. I liked her work on the Basho books, but these seemed somehow unfinished. The colors are gorgeous, but the faces in particular are nowhere near what we have come to expect from her. The manga page confused me, too: there is familiar manga in the background, but I couldn't tell if the characters standing around were supposed to be manga (in which the faces were all wrong), or just kids dressed in manga inspired costumes.

Overall, though, a good addition to a great series. These are very popular with kids researching states, for example, because they get a good variety of information in small, entertaining chunks. We also have several adults who make it a point to pick these up whenever they spot them on our new book shelves. I recommend school and public libraries at least purchase the geographically themed ones, and look forward to seeing what subjects will be tackled next!

Nonfiction Monday: Zero is the Leaves on the Tree, by Betsy Franco, reviewed by Fegan

I'll admit, math books often make me yawn before I even open the front cover. It's not that I don't like math, I kind of do, but do I really want to read about it? This book, however:



definitely did not put me to sleep. Rather, it made me want to get up and take a walk outside, to see how many places I could find "zero" (except that I would not get very far without being stepped on or run over. Plus it's cold.)

The book is built around the premise that it's easy to show "three" by counting three things, but how do you show "zero"? Franco with her simple text, and Shino Arihara with his soft illustrations that make me think of Martha Alexander, show "zero" in some very creative ways that any child can identify with. "Zero is... the sound of snowflakes landing on your mitten." A must-have for any preschool or kinder classroom, and the natural follow-up activity would be to go for a "zero walk" around your school or neighborhood, then create your own book illustrating zero.

Review copy supplied by Tricycle Press. We are Amazon Associates, and if you purchase a copy by clicking on the book cover link, we rceeive a small portion for our library. Click here to see some other great nonfiction choices blogged about this week.

Nonfiction Monday and Christmas Suggestions

We are adamant the Christmas should not start until after Thanksgiving, but once the turkey leftovers are packed away - bring it on! For the next few weeks, we will be reviewing some old (and new) favorites that we think would make great gifts. Today we will start it off with some great nonfiction reads.

Check these previous posts first for new series we loved:
Fantasy Chronicles series from Lerner - for tweens or teens, or anyone into fantasy

Gross Body Science from Lerner - upper elementary on up, good for reluctant readers.

Rosen's Library of Intergenerational Learning - Native Americans - lower elementary

An 'older' series that is still adding new titles is the "You Wouldn't Want to Be" collection by Children's Press



Okay, it's not as if we need a book to tell us we wouldn't want to be an Aztec sacrifice...or an Inca mummy...or in a medieval prison...but these books sure make it fun to read about the horrors we are missing out on. Cartoony drawings and short bits of text make the gruesome palatable, while keeping that 'boy appeal'. Yes, we know, that's stereotyping - but we also know exactly what those moms and grandmas mean when they want a "boy book" for their reluctant reader.



We like the "Questions Children Ask" series because it gives simple, straightforward answers directly from scripture, with little to no denominational bias.



Lots of great activities for different ages. This one might be good for the moms on your list!



Not specific locales per se, but things like "a working farm", or "Mom or Dad's workplace". Sometimes we take for granted that our kids have the same background knowledge we do, but that certainly isn't always the case. The more experiences they have, the better able they are to comprehend what they are reading, and the more they can enjoy themselves. A good one ofr kids or for parents (or grandparents...or daycare providers...)

Picture Book Catch-Up, reviewed by "the new guy"

I really do need a name, folks! We've had some good suggestions so far, but I'd love to have more to choose from. Go to this post to leave your idea by November 24 - and remember, if we choose yours, you get three free books and bragging rights!

Today I'm reviewing three cool picture books that got lost in the shuffle when everyone moved and changed jobs.



We love Vaunda Nelson, and not just because she is a New Mexico librarian:) She is quite the versatile author, with picture, chapter, and nonfiction books under her belt. This latest offering is a nonfiction picture book about Bass Reeves, a widely respected lawmen in the days following the Civil War, when many people would prefer blacks didn't even have guns.

It is always good to hear about men of integrity, and this book offers a great role model for kids of any race, while offering at the same time plenty of action and excitement. Quite a remarkable man I knew nothing about - kudos to Nelson for making sure he isn't forgotten.



Kitamura is one of my favorite illustrators. His drawings look so simple and so complex at the same time. With sparse lines and simple shapes, he still manages to convey a lot of expression on his characters' faces.

In this story, Millie very much wants a fancy, feathery hat, but doesn't quite have the $500 and change it costs. Fortunately, the salesman has just the thing - a magical hat that can look like whatever you imagine it to be. This has some obvious art connections, as kids draw, or even just describe what their hats would look like - then ask them to tell you what YOUR hat looks like!



New printing of an old favorite. The cover is different from the 1979 version, but the other illustrations aren't the same - and who could not love Quentin Blake? Would Roald Dahl's books be half as much fun with a different illustrator? (And yes, we know there are some, but we choose to ignore their existence.)

Who could not love the wild washerwomen, for that matter? We have all had days, whatever our age, when the work seems to just keep piling up, and we wonder what it would be like to just chuck it all and go have fun. Unfortunately, the wild washerwomen get a little too wild, dunking people in water barrels and making a terrible ruckus with the church bells, until everyone for miles around is quite terrified of them.

Enter seven brave woodcutters, who decide to scare them back, beginning by making themselves as dirty as possible. Well, what do you suppose a wild washerwoman will do when confronted by something matted and grubby? By the time the woodcutters have been soaked and squeezed and pounded against stones, everyone has become quite attached to each other, and the final spread shows a happily ever after in true Quentin Blake style. The scruffy-looking woodsman with the kids piled in his lap reading rather reminds me of someone I know, and would make a super mural for the wall of a children's area.

Any of these books can be purchased through Amazon by clicking on the cover picture. We receive a small portion towards books for our library (which, for all you IRS auditors out there, totals a whopping $1.52 so far this year).

Nonfiction Monday...on Tuesday again!

Today's theme of sorts is geography and history. Each of these books was graciously sent to us for review by Lerner Publishing.



There is not a huge selection of children's books about ancient Babylon, and since many home schoolers do study this time period, this was a pleasant find. Written around a fourth grade reading level, it focuses mainly on the culture and daily life, with a little bit of the history and leaders. While one chapter is entitled "Present-Day Babylon", it just talks about archaeological finds, not modern-day Iraq. While I think they missed an opportunity to include a few related craft projects, making this more attractive to teachers and home schoolers, it does include a nice timeline, glossary, pronunciation guide, index, and reading/web site lists. Looking forward to other books in the series, which include the Aztecs, Egyptians, and Ancient Chinese.



and


are both new offerings (due out in 2010) in the ever-popular Visual Geography Series. These newer books offer a centralized web site (www.vgsbooks.com) with what they promise are continually updated, related internet links.

A book with "in pictures" as part of the title had better have some good photographs. The covers are striking (we loved the frogs on Suriname's), and we liked the way the text was framed by pictures at some of the chapter beginnings. Many of the photographs were a bit dull, however, and except for the sections on people and cultures, were a bit small in relation to the text. On the one hand, this series is written for middle/high school students, and has a great deal of very accessible information for research and report writing. On the other hand, the series name and book titles would make one expect a bit more to look at as well.

Overall, a good quality series, though. To order yours, click on the covers - we will receive a smallpercentage, which will go towards more materials for our public library.

Check out more nonfiction reviews at: Books Together

Nonfiction Monday, by Freaky

It's Halloween week, so we'll go with something in the fantasy realm that still qualifies as nonfiction. We LOVE Halloween, although it is hard to find little turtle costumes anywhere. Stores have whole sections for dogs and cats, but nothing for reptiles - what is up with that?

We recently received two books from Lerner from their "Fantasy Chronicles" series:



and:




Aren't those covers gorgeous? Different illustrators, both fantastic. A quick look online at the other titles in the series tells me these will fly off the shelves just on face appeal. (I could SO be a hydra, by the way - just use my shell as a base, add a few stuffed heads...I'm telling you, there is a huge, untapped market out there!)

The text is even better than the cover art. So many books of mythical creatures just go for the shock appeal and make a quick list with brief history. These give so much more history and background, including the reasons people may have started telling stories about each creature, lessons to be learned, etc. There are some great lines, like "That's when you realize that this is no Tinker Bell you are dealing with."

You'll want this series for your upper elementary, middle, or high school students!

Nonfiction Monday - geography and biography, reviewed by Yoda

I am definitely memory-challenged. I meet new people and read new books every day, and I forget names and titles about three seconds after I hear them. I use my status as the oldest as an excuse, but it is a little frustrating at times, so I was especially interested in the "Adventures in Memory" series from Millbrook Press (division of Lerner).



Lerner was kind enough to send us the above title to review. While learning the original 13 colonies might not directly help me with kids' names, studies have shown any work with mnemonics can help in other areas. According to the AMA, exercising your brain can make it stronger at any age, so there is hope for me yet!

This edition had a nice mix of mnemonic devices, from anagrams to songs to silly stories. It also gave tips on adapting some to make them easier for you to remember them personally. In some places it had a little too much information - for example, while I would certainly recommend reading Anansi stories if you were doing a unit on Africa in school, it really doesn't relate if I'm trying to memorize basic facts about the continent. I'm also not sure that word scrambles are a helpful mnemonic device, especially when the scrambled word is so unrelated, you would have a hard time remembering that one, too. Finally, they missed some simple tricks that I learned back in school a million years ago - i.e., LONGitude lines go the LONG way down, lATitude lines show how fAT the earth is. I'm not sure I would remember the banana and watermelon thing.

Then again, everyone's brain is different, so what doesn't work for one reader or student may be just the ticket for another. While it's not their best offering, it may be handy to have around the classroom.

Also received from Lerner:



We definitely do not discuss politics at work, but there is no denying the public's interest in the First Family at any given time, and it has been encouraging to see more books offered about the Presidents' wives over the last few terms. This one had more information than some others I've seen about Michelle Obama's childhood, which children may find more interesting - what types of toys she played with, what her chores were, etc.

Typical of most children's biographies, there is only one paragraph in the whole book with any negative information, summing up her "proud of her country" gaff and other tidbits reported throughout the campaign. This is, as I said, typical of children's books, and not necessarily a complaint. Overall it was very readable, both entertaining and informative. A good addition to any library.

To order either book, click on the cover above. If you order through the link, we receive a very small percentage, which is used to purchase more books or materials for our public library.

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!