Informational+Book+Annotations

Informational Book Annotations
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//Pat's picks://

**__The AFC East__** **by K.C. Kelley, Childs World, 2008, grades 4-8.**

Short histories of the four teams of the AFC East: New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, and Buffalo Bills. Includes information about coaches, strengths, players, and statistics.

Great overview of four teams for the budding football enthusiast (plus Tom Brady is on the cover for Patriots fans). This book provides team histories, rivalries, and general football knowledge, which gives the reader a broader view of the sport than just one team. The reading level is for upper elementary, but is popular with 3rd and 4th grades for the photos. This book is part of the series titled, Inside the NFL, which also includes AFC South, AFC North, AFC West, NFC East, NFC South, NFC North, and NFC West. **__Caribbean: a World of Recipes (2nd edition)__ by Julie McCulloch, Heinemann, 2009, grades 3-8.**

Overview of Caribbean food, written for beginner cooks. Each recipe features large colorful photographs, ingredients, “before you begin” preparation steps, and complete instructions for recipe.

It’s easy to get excited about cooking when you see this book; the photos are so visually appealing and the text and arrangement of the book are engaging. Easy to read preparation steps and lists of ingredients help the reader with menu planning. Features recipes for appetizers (Red, Yellow, and Green Salad), soups (Pumpkin soup), dinner dishes (Chicken and Banana skewers), breakfast/lunch dishes (Pancakes with Mangoes), and desserts (Coconut custard). One book in the series called World of Recipes – other titles are for China, Italy, Mexico, Germany, France, Greece, Thailand, Egypt, Russia, India, and Japan.

__ **Haiti: the Caribbean Today** __ **by Bob Temple, Mason Crest, 2009, grades 5-8.**

Overview of the geography, history, economy, and culture of Haiti, including a brief description of the current political and economic conditions. Features table of contents and index for student research, and a bibliography with books and websites.

This book does a very good job of pairing the usual facts (geography, history, culture) with the deeper facts (poverty, political climate, emigration). The changing economics of this island nation means this book will become outdated rapidly, but it is a valuable resource for a school with any significant Haitian population. The text is written at elementary-to-middle school level, and may be difficult for English language learners.

This informational book has a simple, straight forward text in large type that makes it accessible for the easy reader set, but it’s about a carnivorous predator and it’s search for food, an unlikely subject for younger children. There are many younger children who will “eat this up” though and older children who will appreciate the accessibility of the text. Also, it has extraordinary close-up photography that documents how the wolf snail finds and consumes its prey. Wolfsnail facts – scientific name, size, habitat, predators, etc. – are given in detail in the back of the book, and a glossary (e.g., mucus, prey, radula) provides further accessibility.
 * Audrey's Picks **
 * Wolfsnail: A Backkyard Predator by Sarah C. Campbell. (Boyds Mills Press: 2008).** -- I see that this is a double with Marcia's, - sorry.

This book focuses on a single location, starting in present-day New York City, and provides periodic snapshots of the same area back through time. “This is New York City…” The text describes what you would see on any given day in recent years. “But on this spot… 175 years ago…” 350 years ago, 400 years ago, 15,000 years ago, 20,000 years ago, 190 million years ago, 220 million years ago, 300 million years ago, etc. I think this is a fascinating journey with full-bleed illustrations that convey the essence of each period. A one-page timeline at the back helps to clarify the book’s progression with an at-a-glance view.
 * On This Spot: An Expedition Back Through Time by Susan E. Goodman (Greenwillow Books: 2004).**

Die-cut perfectly square pages illustrate the concept of opposites -- front and back, day and night, etc. – with a lift-the-flap presentation that has one of the pair reveal the other; for instance, when the reader lifts the flap of a “tiny” fleait becomes the eye of a “huge” elephant. The way in which each part of every pair participates in the making of the other is clever commentary, I think, on the way in which opposites can be the flip side of the same coin and as closely linked as they are far apart.
 * Black? White! Day? Night! : A Book of Opposites by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Roaring Brook Press: 2006).**

** This is a fascinating, well-organized informational book. Photographs illustrate the manufacturing process of a range of products, while illustrated sidebars add additional information. The overall appearance is bright, appealing and interesting. A table of contents, index, and uniform four-page spread per topic make it easy to navigate. Each page is jam-packed with interesting facts and trivia. The topic and presentation of the material, which highlights how 20 common items are manufactured including Legos, drinking glasses, T-shirts, electric guitars and cheese will surely engage children and drive them to explore further. I think this book would be attractive to reluctant readers especially. An excellent choice for the elementary school library. **//It’s NOT the Stork: A book about Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families, and Friends//** **by Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Michael Emberley. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2006.** A surprisingly interesting story about a little known pest. This book uses brilliant photography to trace the day of a wolfsnail (or cannibal snail) and highlights his habitat as it teaches readers about the food chain. Following the snail’s mucus trail as it looks for its next meal is just gross enough to capture a young reader’s attention. A glossary is included. It is the up-close photography that really makes this book a winner. Suggested for grades 1-4.
 * Marcia's Picks!
 * //See How It’s Made//** **by Penny Smith, New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2007.**
 * A bird and a bee guide the reader through this book which seeks to answer the question on every child’s mind at one time or another: Where do babies come from and how do they get there? This book gives just the right amount of information in a kid-friendly, factual way. The drawings illustrate body parts and highlight the similarities and differences between boys and girls. Cutaways show the baby growing inside the mother’s womb. This is a book where the soft colored-pencil drawings work very well to convey information. This book will answer many questions and diminish fear. Well organized, authoritative, accurate, with the perfect tone for the audience. This is a must have for the school library. **
 * //Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator//** **by Sarah C. Campbell. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 2008.**

This informational book is wonderful for students in younger grades who want to learn about parakeets, or who have parakeets for a pet. The text is concise and there are bright photographs, pictures, and diagrams. Students will learn how to keep pet parakeets safe and healthy. They will learn about parakeet food, setting up a parakeet cage, proper handling of these pet birds, baby parakeets, and keeping parakeets clean. I love that there is a whole series of Pet Care books for students, such as “Puppies,” “Cocker Spaniels,” “Ponies,” “Hamsters,” Gerbils,” “Kittens,” and more. Furthermore, they have Spanish versions of the stories as well, which is helpful for English Language Learners. Students really enjoy books about pets, and this series is wonderful for younger students.
 * Tessa’s Pick! **
 * “Parakeets (Pet Care)” by Kelley Macaulay and Bobbie Kalman. (Crabtree Publishing Company, 2005). **

“**Eyewitness Astronomy” by Kristen Lippincott. (DK Publishing, 2004).** Who doesn’t love an eyewitness book? Students will be exposed to a brief overview of various astronomical elements and connections. The chapters include photographs with captions to visually display the information discussed. The book begins with two-page interview of the history of astronomy, early instruments used in both astronomy and navigation, and astrology. There are also double-page spreads on optical and radio telescopes, observatories, spectroscopy, the solar system, the sun and moon, and each planet follow. The book concludes with a discussion of meteors and cosmetology.
 * Tessa’s Pick! **

This is one of my personal favorites, and male students will love flipping through this book. As usual, the book begins with a brief introduction to prehistoric weapons. Some of the topics and photographs include: missile weapons, the first warriors, weapons from the dark ages, a suit of armor, helmets, Indian weapons, a Japanese samurai, and many more. The well captured photographs help construct a museum feel for the reader. This book is especially great for students interested in knights or medieval times.
 * Tessa’s Pick! **
 * “Eyewitness Arms and Armor,” by Michele Byam. (DK Publishing, 2004). **

//Sun, Moon and Stars//. Written by Stephanie Turnbull. Designed by Zöe Wray. Illustrated by Kuo Kang Chen and Uwe Mayer. London: Usborne Publishing, 2003. Ages 6-8. Sun, Moon and Stars offers a great first look at the wonders of space for beginning readers. I love recommending this book to first and second graders. The information is written using the features of nonfiction such as captions, headings, an index and table of contents. There are wonderful, colorful illustrations, diagrams and photographs throughout that catch the reader’s attention. The text is short, but of high interest and is written in a way that early readers can connect with. For example each page has an interesting fact such as, “The Moon looks small, but it would take about four days to drive all the way around it.” The size of the Moon is explained in a way that young children can understand. This title is part of the Usborne Beginners series which includes over 40 titles for young readers. //The Kid Who Invented the Trampoline and More Surprising Stories about Inventions//. Don L. Wulffson. New York: Dutton Children’s Books, 2003. All ages. The book is packed with interesting stories about how some of our common, everyday items we take for granted were invented. For example, did you know that the first pencil erasers were made out of bread? Or that snowboarding was invented by an eighth grade boy in a New Jersey middle school wood shop class? These are just two of the many stories Wulffson discloses in this high interest book. There is also an earlier version, //The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle and Other Surprising Stories about Inventions//, which explains how everything from the band-aid to the yo-yo was invented. Since each entry is short, these books will appeal to a wide audience. //Exploding Ants: Amazing Facts About How Animals Adapt//. Joanne Settel, Ph.D. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1999. This is a book that is bound to catch the interest of even the most reluctant readers. It explains the special qualities that some animals have that help them survive in their environments. The author seems to have chosen the most disgusting, unusual examples of adaptations possible. For example, what child can resist reading about the butterfly larva that looks like bird droppings, or, as the title hints at, the ant that will explode to thwart its enemies. Who knew nature could be so icky?
 * Laurie’s Favorites! **

Helen's Picks Complete with illustrations galore, many of them computer generated "photographs" of dinosaurs, this book is very appealing for the young dinosaur enthusiast. Each page has a number of questions such as, "Did plant eaters live in trees?" "What were Stegosuarus's plates for?" "How ancient are Arachnids?" The book is organized chronologically and has an extensive index. This is a book of the high quality I expect from DK books, visually appealing and factually dense without being verbose. Grades 3-5 to read, younger to browse. A simple "how to" book with ideas that use paper cups to make a number of different things. Simple enough for young crafters with ideas to embellish or change the creation. Easy to follow directions and clear illustrations both of the steps and the finished product. Younger children would probably need help but older elementary could follow along alone.
 * Scott, Carey. //Dangerous Dinosaurs Q&A.// New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2008.**
 * Irvin, Christine M. //Paper Cup Mania//. New York, Children's Press, 2002.**

All the details of ice hockey, equipment, rules and gameplay are in this book. It discusses injuries and the history of the game. Concise yet comprehensive it would be possible for a complete novice to understand a game and sound knowledgable after reading this book. The detail is sufficient to entertain and inform a hockey enthusiast. Older elementary, 3-6 grade. Megan's Picks : **// Chameleon, Chameleon. //**** Written by Joy Cowley. Photographs by Nic Bishop. New York: Scholastic Press, 2005. (K-Gr.1) ** The reader joins a chameleon on his search for food and a new home. Along the way, he meets a gecko, a tiny chameleon and a little frog. While they are not dangerous to the chameleon, he must carefully get by the scorpion whose stinger is poisonous. In his new home, the chameleon meets a lady chameleon whose color changes to show her anger at his arrival. He changes to bright colors to charm her and the two become friends. The photographs in this book were taken while the chameleons were captive. The photographer was limited to photographing for less than thirty minutes a day. The other time he spent gathering food for the chameleon. The photographs in this book are magnificent and really capture the attention of the reader. It is very interesting to read about how the photographs were taken. I loved the bright colors of the chameleon. My favorite picture was of the chameleon sticking out his tongue to catch the caterpillar. The “Did you know?” section at the end of the book provides additional facts about chameleons. For instance, many people believe that chameleons change color to blend in with their surroundings. In reality, only a few types of chameleons can change color, and when they do it’s based on their mood. For example, males (like in the book) turn bright colors to impress females!
 * Thomas, Keltie. //How Hockey Works//. Ontario, Owl Books, 2002**

** The fifty physics experiments in this book all have something in common; kids will have fun doing them! The reader will learn about everything from energy, to the laws of gravity, to Newton in these fun experiments. I think this would be a great book for reluctant science students. The funny illustrations include cartoon-style drawings and sketches. These experiments are fun but do teach a lesson. The “What’s Going On?” segment at the end of each experiment explains the concept behind each silly experiment.
 * // Smash it! Crash it! Launch it! : 50 Mind-blowing, Eye-popping, Science Experiments. //**** Written by Rain Newcomb and Bobby Mercer. Illustrated by Tom LaBaff. New York: Lark Books, 2006. (Gr. 4-8)

** This book is chock full of ideas for science fair projects. The fifty projects are divided into the categories of Biology, Physical Science, and Chemistry. A step-by-step plan of action for doing a great science fair project serves as an introduction. The illustrations jump out at the reader, and include photographs of real kids and dogs. Many of the ideas are original; like comparing the rate of bacteria in dog saliva to human saliva! I like the layout of the book. The author provides the reader with a summary of the experiment, what is needed, the procedure, and a conclusion. The “Take a Closer Look” and “What Else you Can Do” sections at the end of each experiment give the reader more information about the concept and other ideas to try.
 * // Prize-Winning Science Fair Projects for Curious Kids. //**** Written by Joe Rhatigan & Rain Newcomb. Illustrated by Orrin Lundgren. New York: Lark Books, 2004. (Gr. 5-8)

Mary's Picks: //Hello Bumblebee Bat// written by Darrin Lunde. Illus. by Patricia J. Wynne. Charlesbridge, MA. 2007. Grade Level: K-2. Hello Bumblebee Bat is a great informational book written and illustrated in picture book fashion. Darrin Lunde does a superb job keeping the audience interested in the story all the while teaching you all about these tiny creatures. Patricia J. Wynne’s illustrations are realistic and inviting.

//Nature’s Deadliest Animals// written by Frankie Stout. Rosen Publishing Group. New York. 2008. Grade Level: K-5. Nature’s Deadliest Animals shares with readers the deadliest creatures both large and small, on land and in water. From the blue poison dart frog to the saltwater crocodile these creatures can kill not just animals but people as well. As frightening as these animals maybe, children find them fascinating to learn about. The photographs capture the essence of the text making this a great book to gather information on such dangerous animals.

//Mia Hamm Soccer Star// written by Rob Kirkpatrick. Rosen Publishing Group. New York. 2001. Grade Level: K-5 Known as one of the most popular female athletes in the United States, Mia Hamm has put girls soccer on the map. This book shares all the great accomplishments and records she established during her successful career in the sport of soccer.

Added by Tarah



// 101 Places You Gotta See Before you’re 12! // by Joanne O’Sullivan. New York: Lark Books, 2006. Adventure and excitement await children (and adults) in this awesome book that is a younger version of //101 Places to See Before You Die.// O’Sullivan sets the tone of this book by telling the reader that they are explorers set to go on a scavenger hunt for cool places and amazing experiences. Instead of visiting specific famous sites, there are general places to visit in order to give children everywhere the chance to find something near where they live. Some of the places to visit are lighthouses, caves, a stargazing spot, a newsroom, a battlefield, a subway, a green house, or even your parents’ workplace or childhood home. The book is filled with color photographs, a short explanatory paragraph about each place to visit, fun fact boxes, and a list of places to visit around the country in each category, many with internet sites and information. Great for elementary children or anyone with a taste for adventure.



//The Dollar Bill in Translation; What it Really Means,// by Christopher Forest. Mankato, MN: Capstone Press, 2009. Everything you ever wanted to know about the mysterious dollar bill is here in this one short book. One of Capstone Press’ Kids’ Translation series, this book gives a lot of interesting history and information about how the dollar bill came to be and what changes it has gone through over the years. It explains about all of the little numbers, symbols, and Latin sayings on the bill and includes a time line, a Why do I care? page, translation guide, glossary, internet sites, bibliography, and index. As the book jacket says, these books make historical documents more meaningful and translate them into a language children can understand. The format makes it easy to read and fun to look at. Grades 3-6.



// Animals and Habitats of the United States, // by Jeff Corwin. New York: Puffin Books, 2009. Upper elementary age. Naturalist and TV host Jeff Corwin brings young readers an exciting look at four important ecosystems of the United States- Yellowstone, Monterey Bay, the Sonoran desert, and the Everglades. With clear and easy to understand language, Corwin gives readers a thorough look at each of these fascinating places and explains how it’s all about animals and plants working together. The book is full of color photographs, fact boxes, and interesting photo captions. Children will be drawn to the book because of Corwin (I don’t usually consider TV personalities to be good authors), but I think Corwin does a great job explaining what he obviously loves so much- our world and the plants and animals in it. I had a hard time putting the book down because it was fun to read and interesting to look at.


 * Meg's Picks**

//Brooklyn// //Bridge// By Lynn Curlee Atheneum Books, 2001.

This book describes the fascinating history and construction of the “Eight Wonder of the World”. Illustrations show cross sections of the bridge which detail how each support was constructed as well as how the cable system works. The book details the tragedies in building the bridge as well, several workers died while digging the supports which took seven years to complete. The book also describes the “travelers” rope which was driven by a steam engine and used to move supplies and cables across the river. To signify the joining of the two cities a man E.F. Farrington, the bridge’s master mechanic was the first to make the trip which lasted 22 minutes. Students will enjoy this wonderfully illustrated book which includes many little known facts about the making of one of our historic landmarks.

//Subtraction Action// by Loreen Leedy Holiday House, 2000 Mrs. Prime and her class are using subtraction to solve problems in real life. Ginger and Sadie try to figure out how many more people are in line for face painting at the school fair while Fay and Chester calculate how many seconds they need to break the school record in the obstacle course. This fun picture book incorporates eight separate stories and real life situations which introduce the concept of subtraction. Students who are not big fans of math or have trouble understanding concepts will enjoy having material presented in this new and fun way. The book will also be helpful in answering that ever present question of “When am I going to use this?” //Beachcombing: Exploring the Seashore// by Jim Arnosky Dutton Books, 2004.

This nicely illustrated guide is in picture book format and describes all of the treasure you can find on the beach. Starting with shells each two page spread illustrates the different varieties you can find. The books then moves on to crabs, coral, man of war, birds and shark teeth. The book includes interesting articles such as “Where do Coconuts Come From?” These coconuts if left untouched will sprout into new trees on the beach they wash ashore on. The book also includes a great authors note which details how he searched over 26 beaches along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts in writing this book and of course a detailed list of the supplies you need to be a complete beachcomber is included so, don’t forget the sunscreen!

Kathi's Picks:

**// What Puppies Teach Us.. //** Written by Glenn Dromgoole. (Willow Creek Press: 2003) This is a great book for students in Kindergarten and first grade. It is based on life lessons that we learn from animals. The photographs are adorable and the reading is very simple. It teaches kids lessons like friendship means caring and sharing and try new things, and when you fall, get back up again. I know that my students love this book. Every time it comes back, another student is waiting to check it out. **// The Life Cycle of a Salmon //****. Written by Lisa Trumbauer. (Pebble Books: 2003) ** This book is great for children in Kindergarten and first grade. The photographs are great and kids will learn all about how a salmon grows from an egg to an adult fish. It is a beginners’ chapter book which is complete with a table of contents, glossary, and index. Students will enjoy learning about these fish in a sentence or two per page. Kids love this book and will also like reading some of the other titles in this series which include, bees, butterflies, cats, chickens, cows, dogs, frogs, kangaroos, and whales. **// Science Experiments with Color //****. Written by Sally Nankivell-Aston and Dorothy Jackson. (Franklin Watts: 2000) ** This book is one of many in the Science Experiments series of books. Other titles in this series include, water, magnets, light, sound, forces, simple machines, and electricity. Students in grades two, three, and four will enjoy learning about color by doing simple experiments. The book includes a table of contents and glossary and is written in a child friendly format with tons of photographs. Each page has about a paragraph or two to read which will not overwhelm beginning or struggling readers.