Some pretty ghastly stuff in here, and language that becomes increasingly technical as the book describes oversight in the 20th and 21st centuries. Ex...moreSome pretty ghastly stuff in here, and language that becomes increasingly technical as the book describes oversight in the 20th and 21st centuries. Excellent for older readers with a taste for dramatic nonfiction, but I think too much for middle grade.(less)
And now I am checking to see if we have any fresh ginger, for the ginger lime maple Pimm's cocktail in this book. Also: carbonara for dinner tomorrow....moreAnd now I am checking to see if we have any fresh ginger, for the ginger lime maple Pimm's cocktail in this book. Also: carbonara for dinner tomorrow. Mustn't be jealous of her idyllic childhood - at least she shares!(less)
There are a multitude of books seeking to tempt the young sports fan into doing a little reading - you can spot 'em from a mile off, and this is undou...moreThere are a multitude of books seeking to tempt the young sports fan into doing a little reading - you can spot 'em from a mile off, and this is undoubtedly one of them. Why do I prefer it to many of the others? Because, first of all, it includes sports such as gymnastics, lacrosse, and skateboarding. There's even a curling question. Also, the facts and trivia are presented in sections that increase in obscurity, and each section is capped with a quiz.(less)
"Will my personality change as I get older?" "Is my voice unique?" "Does my brain stop working when I am asleep?" Older kids love learning about thems...more"Will my personality change as I get older?" "Is my voice unique?" "Does my brain stop working when I am asleep?" Older kids love learning about themselves, and this book provides concrete answers to questions they might not have even thought of.(less)
What would it be like to be buried under more than 2000 feet of solid rock... for more than two months? This book weaves the many remarkable aspects o...moreWhat would it be like to be buried under more than 2000 feet of solid rock... for more than two months? This book weaves the many remarkable aspects of this drama - the duration of the miners' confinement, their excellent morale, the resources brought to bear in order to rescue them - into a readable, compelling story. Special attention is paid to the families and children of the trapped men.(less)
This book satisfies one of the most basic and pressing needs of tweenage and teenage kids - minutely assessing how they compare to others. Right? Just...moreThis book satisfies one of the most basic and pressing needs of tweenage and teenage kids - minutely assessing how they compare to others. Right? Just take Greg Heffley, who starts out the whole Wimpy Kid oeuvre by stating that he is the "52nd most popular kid" in school.(less)
Come for the freaky pictures, stay for the entertaining text. Boy, if I could give aspiring nonfiction writers one piece of advice, it would be that....moreCome for the freaky pictures, stay for the entertaining text. Boy, if I could give aspiring nonfiction writers one piece of advice, it would be that. Michael Hearst seems to have figured it out for himself. Did you know that "baby anteaters line up the stripes on their fur exactly with their mother's stripes" while riding on mama's back? Or that the DoD funded a researcher from VA Tech to go to Asia to figure out how flying snakes fly? Yup.
And witty too: "Humans can easily approach Weddell seals. The hard part is getting to Antarctica." In an otherwise (mostly) flawlessly factual entry on the Hammer-headed bat: "Hammer-headed bats are closely related to hammer-headed sharks. Both animals take pride in their ability to easily remove old, rusty nails from lumber."
I.e.: YES. For the school library, the classroom, as a gift for your son's weirdest friend, as a gift for your son's least-likely-to-read-a-book other friend.(less)
Goats "might nibble on your things. Don't freak out!"
Guinea pigs have a vertical split between the nose and the mouth. "This helps them move their mou...moreGoats "might nibble on your things. Don't freak out!"
Guinea pigs have a vertical split between the nose and the mouth. "This helps them move their mouths easily for munching on hay and veggies."
Kiso horses have lived in Japan for 1000 years.
Everybody loves the super-high-res photos in the Life-Size books from Ten Footer. Farm brings the supersharp pictures, facts, and details to bear on familiar farm animals. Rabbits are fluffy and lovely, but that sheep on the cover is U-GLY.(less)
There's an illustration of a note pinned to a wall in the chapter about Julius Caesar (subtitled Putting the "I" in "Ides"). The note reads: Big Meeti...moreThere's an illustration of a note pinned to a wall in the chapter about Julius Caesar (subtitled Putting the "I" in "Ides"). The note reads: Big Meeting - Ides of March - Bring Daggers! --Brutus
So, I've been reading a lot about upcoming movies, because sometimes I have to do that. And it turns out 'horror comedy' is the big new genre. It stands to reason - there's been so much horror lately, with the zombies and whatnot, and zombies are actually inherently pretty funny. The word starts with a 'z' after all - the second-funniest letter of the alphabet.
Georgia Bragg is all over the horror comedy. Leeches, blister beetles, live burial, exploding bodies - all funny, if you look at them the right way. And if you're not the one with the infected gout. Teamed up with Kevin O'Malley, this is a solid win. I've been pushing it for a year, and I'm not going to stop now.(less)
Unexpectedly excellent, for series nonfiction that really LOOKS like series nonfiction. Looks at the experience of being an American or British WWII s...moreUnexpectedly excellent, for series nonfiction that really LOOKS like series nonfiction. Looks at the experience of being an American or British WWII soldier, from recruitment to demobilization. Nurses, conscientious objectors, and German soldiers are also covered. Well-chosen photos and posters keep each page lively. Plentiful sidebars, including short eyewitness testimony, lure the reader into the text. (less)
This book is possibly the DEFINITION of high-interest nonfiction for so-called 'reluctant readers.' Headings, short sections, illustrations and photos...moreThis book is possibly the DEFINITION of high-interest nonfiction for so-called 'reluctant readers.' Headings, short sections, illustrations and photos, readable 2-column format, numbered step-by-step instructions make this book browsable and eye-catching. Bonus: gives kids the feeling that they will be prepared for 70 different types of dangerous - although fairly unlikely - situations.(less)
Deserves a place in any school library, but it's going to be a tough sell. The cover's a mess, the comic book part is not super well-drawn, and the te...moreDeserves a place in any school library, but it's going to be a tough sell. The cover's a mess, the comic book part is not super well-drawn, and the text pages are very text-y. In some places, the translation feels like a translation. ON THE OTHER HAND. Readable, comprehensive, heavily illustrated with archival photos, and at least touches on Gandhiji's not-always-optimal relationship with his wife. Many references to other historic and literary figures, encouraging further exploration. And it made me queue up all the ragas I had in iTunes and listen to them all day.(less)
REALLY well-researched, REALLY ooky stories. Mostly invertebrates, but the guinea worm in the human leg is a picture I won't be able to forget any tim...moreREALLY well-researched, REALLY ooky stories. Mostly invertebrates, but the guinea worm in the human leg is a picture I won't be able to forget any time soon. Will be read to pieces.(less)
Totally browsable, great source of ideas for reports. Entries toss out hooks to other people and ideas, i.e. "He paved the way for..." "they couldn't...moreTotally browsable, great source of ideas for reports. Entries toss out hooks to other people and ideas, i.e. "He paved the way for..." "they couldn't have done it without..."(less)
A penguin who was knighted in Norway; two-legged chihuahua triplets; a bike-riding owl. Yep. 125 of these fancy beasts, all in a graphic design format...moreA penguin who was knighted in Norway; two-legged chihuahua triplets; a bike-riding owl. Yep. 125 of these fancy beasts, all in a graphic design format with excitingly chunky shapes and edges. That's from Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, right? I should look up those lines.(less)
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