(2) K-3 Number Tours for Curious Kids series. Illustrated by Dawn DeVries Sokol. Berne's counts and measures of the cells and organs of the human body illustrate just how remarkable -- and quantifiable -- we are. "Did you know" that we are composed of "30 trillion cells," eight thousand taste buds, and "60,000 miles" of blood vessels? Or that "15 million cells in your body were replaced by new ones in the time it took you to read this sentence"? Numerous other facts about our sensory organs and digestive, skeletal, respiratory, and circulatory systems are equally impressive. The organized layouts include diagrammatic illustrations that effectively portray each system, often within a child-size human body outline, accompanied by text on scraps of lined notebook paper that appear taped onto the pages. The end notes should not be skipped, as they include noteworthy details about the various systems, additional number facts, and an important statement about the degree of certainty of some of the numbers. An interactive section at the very end of the book encourages readers to measure their own bodies and to calculate the volume of their blood, their heart rate, and number of bones in their hands.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(3) K-3 Eureka!: The Biography of an Idea series. Illustrated by Aaron Cushley. This concise history starts with German Karl Drais's 1817 invention of a wooden two-wheeled "running machine." It wasn't until 1865 that "someone in France" added pedals to the front wheel. Pedal placement improved over time; original wooden wheels evolved into wood and iron, then solid rubber, and finally rubber tubes in 1888 (developed by Irishman John Dunlop). Houran follows further design refinements and innovations, culminating with "a bicycle for just about everybody" today. The lively illustrations keep pace with the accessible and engaging text. A few more "Bike Facts" are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 1-3 Makers Make It Work series. Illustrated by Maine Diaz. In each of these early-reader stories, the main character employs a makerspace skill--chemistry, rocketry, beekeeping, and sewing--to solve a problem. If the child's first effort fails, he or she persists to achieve success. The various illustrations (by different artists) are serviceable and the stories are fairly engaging, but kids will likely be more interested in the instructions for hands-on activities. Useful for early-elementary classrooms and makerspaces. Review covers these Makers Make It Work titles: Slime King, Rocket Rivals, The Broken Bees' Nest, and The Lost and Found Weekend.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) 1-3 Makers Make It Work series. Illustrated by Tammie Lyon. In each of these early-reader stories, the main character employs a makerspace skill--chemistry, rocketry, beekeeping, and sewing--to solve a problem. If the child's first effort fails, he or she persists to achieve success. The various illustrations (by different artists) are serviceable and the stories are fairly engaging, but kids will likely be more interested in the instructions for hands-on activities. Useful for early-elementary classrooms and makerspaces. Review covers these Makers Make It Work titles: Slime King, Rocket Rivals, The Broken Bees' Nest, and The Lost and Found Weekend.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) 1-3 Makers Make It Work series. Illustrated by André Ceolin. In each of these early-reader stories, the main character employs a makerspace skill--chemistry, rocketry, beekeeping, and sewing--to solve a problem. If the child's first effort fails, he or she persists to achieve success. The various illustrations (by different artists) are serviceable and the stories are fairly engaging, but kids will likely be more interested in the instructions for hands-on activities. Useful for early-elementary classrooms and makerspaces. Review covers these Makers Make It Work titles: Slime King, Rocket Rivals, The Broken Bees' Nest, and The Lost and Found Weekend.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) 1-3 Makers Make It Work series. Illustrated by Barbara Bongini. In each of these early-reader stories, the main character employs a makerspace skill--chemistry, rocketry, beekeeping, and sewing--to solve a problem. If the child's first effort fails, he or she persists to achieve success. The various illustrations (by different artists) are serviceable and the stories are fairly engaging, but kids will likely be more interested in the instructions for hands-on activities. Useful for early-elementary classrooms and makerspaces. Review covers these Makers Make It Work titles: Slime King, Rocket Rivals, The Broken Bees' Nest, and The Lost and Found Weekend.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) 1-3 Makers Make It Work series. Illustrated by Tammie Lyon. In each of these early-reader stories, the main character learns a makerspace skill--woodworking, robotics, 3D printing, and baking--to solve a problem. If the child's first effort fails, he or she persists to achieve success. The various illustrations (by different artists) are serviceable and the stories are fairly engaging, but kids will likely be more interested in the included hands-on activities. Useful for early-elementary classrooms and makerspaces. Review covers these Makers Make It Work titles: Double or Nothing, The Color Day Coach, Robot to the Rescue, and The Runaway Chicken.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) 1-3 Makers Make It Work series. Illustrated by Anthony Lewis. In each of these early-reader stories, the main character learns a makerspace skill--woodworking, robotics, 3D printing, and baking--to solve a problem. If the child's first effort fails, he or she persists to achieve success. The various illustrations (by different artists) are serviceable and the stories are fairly engaging, but kids will likely be more interested in the included hands-on activities. Useful for early-elementary classrooms and makerspaces. Review covers these Makers Make It Work titles: Double or Nothing, The Color Day Coach, Robot to the Rescue, and The Runaway Chicken.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) 1-3 Makers Make It Work series. Illustrated by Sergio De Giorgi. In each of these early-reader stories, the main character learns a makerspace skill--woodworking, robotics, 3D printing, and baking--to solve a problem. If the child's first effort fails, he or she persists to achieve success. The various illustrations (by different artists) are serviceable and the stories are fairly engaging, but kids will likely be more interested in the included hands-on activities. Useful for early-elementary classrooms and makerspaces. Review covers these Makers Make It Work titles: Double or Nothing, The Color Day Coach, Robot to the Rescue, and The Runaway Chicken.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) 1-3 Makers Make It Work series. Illustrated by Maine Diaz. In each of these early-reader stories, the main character learns a makerspace skill--woodworking, robotics, 3D printing, and baking--to solve a problem. If the child's first effort fails, he or she persists to achieve success. The various illustrations (by different artists) are serviceable and the stories are fairly engaging, but kids will likely be more interested in the included hands-on activities. Useful for early-elementary classrooms and makerspaces. Review covers these Makers Make It Work titles: Double or Nothing, The Color Day Coach, Robot to the Rescue, and The Runaway Chicken.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 1-3 How to Be an Earthling series. Illustrated by Jessica Warrick. Lovable third-grade alien Spork is back in the continuation of this character-education series. Here Spork and classmates Trixie, Adam, Piper, and Jack learn about citizenship (May the Votes), kindness (No Place), perseverance (Alien), and self-control (Money). This funny series delivers character-building lessons without being trite or too didactic. Back matter contains a personal characteristic quiz and a space-related word problem or activity. Review covers these How to Be an Earthling titles: May the Votes Be with You, No Place like Space, Alien in the Outfield, and Money Doesn't Grow on Mars.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 How to Be an Earthling series. Illustrated by Jessica Warrick. Lovable third-grade alien Spork is back in the continuation of this character-education series. Here Spork and classmates Trixie, Adam, Piper, and Jack learn about citizenship (May the Votes), kindness (No Place), perseverance (Alien), and self-control (Money). This funny series delivers character-building lessons without being trite or too didactic. Back matter contains a personal characteristic quiz and a space-related word problem or activity. Review covers these How to Be an Earthling titles: May the Votes Be with You, No Place like Space, Alien in the Outfield, and Money Doesn't Grow on Mars.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) K-3 Mouse Math series. Illustrated by Deborah Melmon. Mouse siblings Wanda and Albert have various adventures with their friends. Each purposeful story serves to illustrate a math concept--patterns (Bravo), adding doubles (Doubles the Fun), counting money (Helps Out), and counting and skip counting (Where's Albert?); some allow more variety of examples than others. The cheerful mice are illustrated in softly colored, well-delineated art. Two pages of "fun activities" are appended. Review covers these Mouse Math titles: Bravo, Albert!, Albert Doubles the Fun, Albert Helps Out, and Where's Albert?.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 1-3 How to Be an Earthling series. Illustrated by Jessica Warrick. Lovable third-grade alien Spork is back in the continuation of this character-education series. Here Spork and classmates Trixie, Adam, Piper, and Jack learn about citizenship (May the Votes), kindness (No Place), perseverance (Alien), and self-control (Money). This funny series delivers character-building lessons without being trite or too didactic. Back matter contains a personal characteristic quiz and a space-related word problem or activity. Review covers these How to Be an Earthling titles: May the Votes Be with You, No Place like Space, Alien in the Outfield, and Money Doesn't Grow on Mars.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 How to Be an Earthling series. Illustrated by Jessica Warrick. Lovable third-grade alien Spork is back in the continuation of this character-education series. Here Spork and classmates Trixie, Adam, Piper, and Jack learn about citizenship (May the Votes), kindness (No Place), perseverance (Alien), and self-control (Money). This funny series delivers character-building lessons without being trite or too didactic. Back matter contains a personal characteristic quiz and a space-related word problem or activity. Review covers these How to Be an Earthling titles: May the Votes Be with You, No Place like Space, Alien in the Outfield, and Money Doesn't Grow on Mars.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) K-3 Mouse Math series. Illustrated by Deborah Melmon. Mouse siblings Wanda and Albert have various adventures with their friends. Each purposeful story serves to illustrate a math concept--patterns (Bravo), adding doubles (Doubles the Fun), counting money (Helps Out), and counting and skip counting (Where's Albert?); some allow more variety of examples than others. The cheerful mice are illustrated in softly colored, well-delineated art. Two pages of "fun activities" are appended. Review covers these Mouse Math titles: Bravo, Albert!, Albert Doubles the Fun, Albert Helps Out, and Where's Albert?.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Mouse Math series. Illustrated by Deborah Melmon. Mouse siblings Wanda and Albert have various adventures with their friends. Each purposeful story serves to illustrate a math concept--patterns (Bravo), adding doubles (Doubles the Fun), counting money (Helps Out), and counting and skip counting (Where's Albert?); some allow more variety of examples than others. The cheerful mice are illustrated in softly colored, well-delineated art. Two pages of "fun activities" are appended. Review covers these Mouse Math titles: Bravo, Albert!, Albert Doubles the Fun, Albert Helps Out, and Where's Albert?.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Mouse Math series. Illustrated by Deborah Melmon. Mouse siblings Wanda and Albert have various adventures with their friends. Each purposeful story serves to illustrate a math concept--patterns (Bravo), adding doubles (Doubles the Fun), counting money (Helps Out), and counting and skip counting (Where's Albert?); some allow more variety of examples than others. The cheerful mice are illustrated in softly colored, well-delineated art. Two pages of "fun activities" are appended. Review covers these Mouse Math titles: Bravo, Albert!, Albert Doubles the Fun, Albert Helps Out, and Where's Albert?.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 1-3 How to Be an Earthling series. Illustrated by Jessica Warrick. Spork, an Amelia Bedelia–like extraterrestrial, joins Mrs. Buckle's third-grade class to learn all he can about Earth. Along the way, the class learns character-building lessons that help both them and Spork grow. Accompanied by fuzzy black-and-white illustrations, these easy-to-read chapter books deliver their messages with a light touch. An activity reinforcing the lesson and a true/false space-fact quiz are appended. Review covers these How to Be an Earthling titles: Earth's Got Talent, Greetings, Sharklings, Take Me to Your Weeder, and Spork Out of Orbit.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 How to Be an Earthling series. Illustrated by Jessica Warrick. Spork, an Amelia Bedelia–like extraterrestrial, joins Mrs. Buckle's third-grade class to learn all he can about Earth. Along the way, the class learns character-building lessons that help both them and Spork grow. Accompanied by fuzzy black-and-white illustrations, these easy-to-read chapter books deliver their messages with a light touch. An activity reinforcing the lesson and a true/false space-fact quiz are appended. Review covers these How to Be an Earthling titles: Earth's Got Talent, Greetings, Sharklings, Take Me to Your Weeder, and Spork Out of Orbit.

Reviewer: Kari Allen