Vanessa Black

My nonfiction selections today are an addition to a series offered by Bullfrog books and a new series.

Birds is part of a new, six-volume series covering animal classification. It covers basic aspects of the animal - for birds it's feathers, flight or non-flight, eggs, and beaks. Back matter includes a diagram of a bird, picture glossary, and a brief index and bibliography.

Chinchillas is an addition to the My First Pet series. It previously included more traditional pets like cats, dogs, gerbils and birds but is now expanding with snakes, lizards, guinea pigs, horses, hermit crabs and chinchillas! They are very furry. Just look at the furriness! This book pictures several kids, including one in a wheelchair, holding and caring for their chinchilla pets. It also lists some basic facts about the animal and their care. It includes a page of chinchilla basic needs, picture glossary, and an index and bibliography.

Both titles have short, simple text. It works well for beginning readers as well as reading aloud to kids with short attention spans who like nonfiction. The animal classification series is superfluous; The About series by the Sills is better quality text and art and less expensive. I would recommend purchasing additional copies if more simple animal classification titles are needed.

However, the My First Pet series is a stand-out. While it doesn't offer enough information to actually teach a small child how to care for a pet (and I would hope that nobody is getting young kids a chinchilla anyways) it does meet kids' need for and interest in different kinds of pets and gets them started on researching different kinds of domestic animals. There aren't a lot of pet care titles, especially ones at this low reading level and this fills a much-needed gap. Plus, you know, furry.

Verdict: Skip Animal Classification, but My First Pet is a good addition to any section, easy reader or picture book, in your library.

Birds
ISBN: 9781620315378; Published 2016 by Bullfrog; Review copy provided by the publisher

Chinchillas
ISBN: 9781620315491; Published 2016 by Bullfrog; Review copy provided by the publisher… (plus d'informations)

Pogo is Jump!'s imprint for older readers. As I'm looking for more weather books, I welcome additions to the Disaster Zone series. These serviceable titles cover both being prepared for disasters as well as the science and causes of disasters. Heat Waves talks about what causes a heat wave and possible consequences, including fire and dehydration. It also covers ways to protect yourself and family during a heat wave. For some reason it's really hard to find current books on droughts, so I'll definitely need this one for some current units in our school district.

How is is Made? is a new series, similar to Lerner's Start to Finish series. This one includes chocolate, crayons, ice cream, paper, peanut butter, and syrup. Syrup starts with the maple trees and describes the tapping, processing and preparation of syrup. It includes a diagram of the process, activity, index and brief bibliography. I have a lot of young kids (think kindergarten) who are suddenly obsessed with processes and I think this series might appeal to them.

Verdict: These are serviceable series, the acquisition of which will depend on your library's needs. If you are looking for additional titles on weather and "how things work" both are good choices to add, as long as you already have more core titles like Lerner's Start to Finish or Gail Gibbons and Seymour Simon weather titles.

Heat Wave
ISBN: 9781620315644; Published 2016 by Jump!; Review copy provided by publisher

Syrup
ISBN: 9781620315712; Published 2016 by Jump!; Review copy provided by publisher… (plus d'informations)