(4) K-3 Let's Investigate with Nate series. Illustrated by Wes Hargis. PBS host/scientist Ball (in cartoon form) and a group of adventurous children travel back in time from a science museum to the Mesozoic era to return a wayward dinosaur to its rightful period. The main text briefly describes conditions in different geologic periods while dialogue bubbles convey the slight fictional frame story; one student's journal pages provide additional facts. A fossil-dig activity is appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Let's Investigate with Nate series. Illustrated by Wes Hargis. This entry in the Magic School Bus read-alike series introduces a cartoon-illustrated version of real-life scientist Nate Ball and four children at a science museum. Shrinking as small as molecules, they travel through the water cycle (although the definition misrepresents the process). Speech-bubble dialogue accompanies the cursory facts, with pages from one child's journal reinforcing vocabulary concepts throughout. A relevant experiment is appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Let's Investigate with Nate series. Illustrated by Wes Hargis. Real-life scientist Nate Ball and four kid "Investigators" hop into a spacecraft and visit major objects in the solar system in this installment of the Magic School Bus read-alike series. Alongside cartoon illustrations, their speech-bubble dialogue accompanies superficial text about the system's formation, gravity, planets, asteroids, and more. Pages from child Braden's journal reinforce vocabulary concepts throughout. A relevant experiment is appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) YA Investigate Drugs series. Six or seven chapters about the use and abuse of each substance include descriptions, interactions with the human brain, physiology, consequences, treatment, and personal stories of addiction. "Did You Know?" sections add information but are awkwardly placed and interrupt the text. There is some repetition of text, photos, and graphics from volume to volume. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate Drugs titles: Investigate Alcohol, Investigate Cocaine and Crack, Investigate Methamphetamine, Investigate Club Drugs, and Investigate Steroids and Performance Drugs.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Investigate Drugs series. Six or seven chapters about the use and abuse of each substance include descriptions, interactions with the human brain, physiology, consequences, treatment, and personal stories of addiction. "Did You Know?" sections add information but are awkwardly placed and interrupt the text. There is some repetition of text, photos, and graphics from volume to volume. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate Drugs titles: Investigate Alcohol, Investigate Cocaine and Crack, Investigate Methamphetamine, Investigate Club Drugs, and Investigate Steroids and Performance Drugs.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Investigate Drugs series. Six or seven chapters about the use and abuse of each substance include descriptions, interactions with the human brain, physiology, consequences, treatment, and personal stories of addiction. "Did You Know?" sections add information but are awkwardly placed and interrupt the text. There is some repetition of text, photos, and graphics from volume to volume. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate Drugs titles: Investigate Alcohol, Investigate Cocaine and Crack, Investigate Methamphetamine, Investigate Club Drugs, and Investigate Steroids and Performance Drugs.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Investigate Drugs series. Six or seven chapters about the use and abuse of each substance include descriptions, interactions with the human brain, physiology, consequences, treatment, and personal stories of addiction. "Did You Know?" sections add information but are awkwardly placed and interrupt the text. There is some repetition of text, photos, and graphics from volume to volume. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate Drugs titles: Investigate Alcohol, Investigate Cocaine and Crack, Investigate Methamphetamine, Investigate Club Drugs, and Investigate Steroids and Performance Drugs.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Investigate Drugs series. Six or seven chapters about the use and abuse of each substance include descriptions, interactions with the human brain, physiology, consequences, treatment, and personal stories of addiction. "Did You Know?" sections add information but are awkwardly placed and interrupt the text. There is some repetition of text, photos, and graphics from volume to volume. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate Drugs titles: Investigate Alcohol, Investigate Cocaine and Crack, Investigate Methamphetamine, Investigate Club Drugs, and Investigate Steroids and Performance Drugs.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Investigate series. These books introduce the science behind familiar elements of nature. Some parts of each book are closer to kindergarten level and others to second or third grade. Diagrams help clarify information but can be fairly advanced for the intended audience. The question-and-answer format encourages readers to apply concepts to their own lives. Many stock photos are included. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate titles: Sunlight, Weather and Seasons, Rocks and Soil, and Water.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. In question-and-answer format, this book introduces air, water, and soil as the earth's most important resources; it also touches on natural materials and fuels. A section on "Saving Resources" delivers an environmentalist message. The book's broad topic doesn't allow for in-depth exploration, and explanations can be overly simplified or too complicated for the intended audience. Stock photos range in relevance. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. In question-and-answer format, this book delivers the basics on plants, including the ways in which humans and animals use plants. Simple explanations along with charts and diagrams cover plants' needs, parts, and life cycles, though the level varies between simpler kindergarten explanations and more complicated second- or third-grade levels. Photos are mostly plant close-ups. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. These books introduce the science behind familiar elements of nature. Some parts of each book are closer to kindergarten level and others to second or third grade. Diagrams help clarify information but can be fairly advanced for the intended audience. The question-and-answer format encourages readers to apply concepts to their own lives. Many stock photos are included. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate titles: Sunlight, Weather and Seasons, Rocks and Soil, and Water.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. Using a question-and-answer format, these books give broad pictures of what people and animals need and how their physical makeup helps them get it (e.g., fish breathing underwater with gills, beavers' sharp incisors helping them gnaw tree bark). The explanations range from age-appropriate to overly simplistic to too complicated for the target audience. Photos are mostly of animals; Teeth includes many diagrams. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate titles: Animal Characteristics, Animal Needs, Life Cycles, and Teeth.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. After giving a brief overview of the sensory system, this book discusses how each of the five senses works. The information is set up in a question-and-answer format and, though thorough, it's an awkward combination of too basic ("Your body has different parts, such as your eyes and ears") and more advanced than necessary. Many stock photos and diagrams illustrate the text. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. Using a question-and-answer format, these books give broad pictures of what people and animals need and how their physical makeup helps them get it (e.g., fish breathing underwater with gills, beavers' sharp incisors helping them gnaw tree bark). The explanations range from age-appropriate to overly simplistic to too complicated for the target audience. Photos are mostly of animals; Teeth includes many diagrams. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate titles: Animal Characteristics, Animal Needs, Life Cycles, and Teeth.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. These books introduce the science behind familiar elements of nature. Some parts of each book are closer to kindergarten level and others to second or third grade. Diagrams help clarify information but can be fairly advanced for the intended audience. The question-and-answer format encourages readers to apply concepts to their own lives. Many stock photos are included. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate titles: Sunlight, Weather and Seasons, Rocks and Soil, and Water.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. These books introduce basic physics concepts and their roles in daily life. Though many of the explanations are straightforward and some examples are relatable, they vary in reading and experience level for the intended audience. The question-and-answer format encourages engagement with the material. Large stock photos are included. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate titles: Magnets, Push and Pull, Electricity, and Sound.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. These books introduce the science behind familiar elements of nature. Some parts of each book are closer to kindergarten level and others to second or third grade. Diagrams help clarify information but can be fairly advanced for the intended audience. The question-and-answer format encourages readers to apply concepts to their own lives. Many stock photos are included. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate titles: Sunlight, Weather and Seasons, Rocks and Soil, and Water.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. These books introduce basic physics concepts and their roles in daily life. Though many of the explanations are straightforward and some examples are relatable, they vary in reading and experience level for the intended audience. The question-and-answer format encourages engagement with the material. Large stock photos are included. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate titles: Magnets, Push and Pull, Electricity, and Sound.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Investigate series. Using a question-and-answer format, these books give broad pictures of what people and animals need and how their physical makeup helps them get it (e.g., fish breathing underwater with gills, beavers' sharp incisors helping them gnaw tree bark). The explanations range from age-appropriate to overly simplistic to too complicated for the target audience. Photos are mostly of animals; Teeth includes many diagrams. Glos., ind. Review covers these Investigate titles: Animal Characteristics, Animal Needs, Life Cycles, and Teeth.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax