(3) 4-6 Freedom's Promise series. Cleanly designed and supported with lots of photos, these books feature clear texts that help contextualize pivotal episodes in African American history. The treatments don't shy away from the violence and hatred that the fight for civil rights unleashed in America. Bloody looks at how the U.S. civil rights movement inspired Catholic activists in Northern Ireland. There are eight other spring 2019 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Freedom's Promise titles: Daisy Bates and the Little Rock Nine, The March on Washington and Its Legacy, Ruby Bridges and the Desegregation of American Schools, and Two Bloody Sundays.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) K-3 I Like to Read series. A series of double-page spreads captures all the excitement of a gray squirrel's day in color photographs and brief action sentences: "I can jump," "I can eat"; and, when a hawk approaches: "I can run," "I can hide." The entry-level easy reader ends safely with the squirrel peeking out of his tree-trunk hidey-hole. Compelling, page-turning nonfiction for the very newest readers.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) YA Ancient Civilizations series. Each volume introduces a civilization by covering a wide variety of topics including origins, political systems, religions, and daily life. Chapters are broken into subcategories, with numerous sidebars, photos, illustrations, and maps adding detail to the main narrative. The texts themselves are accessible without dumbing down the information. There are four other spring 2015 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. This review covers the following Ancient Civilizations titles: Ancient Maya, Ancient Rome, Ancient Mesopotamia, and Ancient India.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) K-3 Let's Read and Talk About... series. Each double-page spread poses a main question, which is answered with several more targeted questions and simple responses. Full-color photos on each page show kids playing, eating, and taking care of themselves. Boxes suggest activities and topics for discussion. Subjects are basic and appropriate for the audience; the tone is upbeat and encourages personal responsibility. Glos., ind. Review covers these Let's Read and Talk About titles: Keeping Clean and Keeping Fit.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Let's Read and Talk About... series. Each double-page spread poses a main question, which is answered with several more targeted questions and simple responses. Full-color photos on each page show kids in a variety of family configurations. Boxes suggest activities and topics for discussion. The basic information is audience-appropriate, but the upbeat tone rings hollow in sections dealing with difficult topics (death, abuse, bullying, etc.). Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Let's Read and Talk About... series. Each double-page spread poses a main question, which is answered with several more targeted questions and simple responses. Full-color photos on each page show active kids and healthy, appealing foods. Boxes suggest activities and topics for discussion. Subjects are basic and appropriate for the audience; the tone is upbeat and encourages personal responsibility. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Let's Read and Talk About... series. Each double-page spread poses a main question, which is answered with several more targeted questions and simple responses. Full-color photos on each page show kids playing, eating, and taking care of themselves. Boxes suggest activities and topics for discussion. Subjects are basic and appropriate for the audience; the tone is upbeat and encourages personal responsibility. Glos., ind. Review covers these Let's Read and Talk About titles: Keeping Clean and Keeping Fit.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Pets Plus series. These books introduce common domestic animals and their wild counterparts. Plentiful photographs and text boxes surround accessible paragraphs describing how to choose a pet, how to care for it, and common health problems. Life cycles, animal communication, and natural habitats are also discussed. Useful for those considering a pet or for report writers. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Pets Plus titles: Rats and Mice, Birds, Cats, Dogs, Gerbils and Hamsters, Horses, Lizards and Snakes, and Rabbits.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(3) K-3 Word at the farm is that a fox is out to eat the animals, so the frightened critters enlist cat Warduff's help. Warduff thinks up--and everyone successfully executes--Operation Corncob. The story's crisp writing and humorous digital art (an image of the animals in a tower formation illustrates "they seemed a little tense") carry the day.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Susan Guevara & Susan Guevara. When Rosa tries to share her abuela's "mud soup" with her friend Josh, he hesitates to eat what looks like dirt mixed with worms. Although the transitions are abrupt, this book features word repetition, a linear plot, and a text flavored with Spanish words. The accompanying illustrations provide clues to help beginning readers decode the text. A short glossary of Spanish words and a recipe for black bean soup are included.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Nicholas. Each book begins by asking readers to imagine they are the baby animal featured; the text then launches into a second-person narrative describing the animal's physical attributes, behavior, development, and life cycle. Meant to help the reader identify with the animal, this narrative conceit soon wears thin. A combination of watercolor illustrations and well-chosen photos makes the books visually engaging. Ind.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Graham Rosewarne. Each book begins by asking readers to imagine they are the baby animal featured; the text then launches into a second-person narrative describing the animal's physical attributes, behavior, development, and life cycle. Meant to help the reader identify with the animal, this narrative conceit soon wears thin. A combination of watercolor illustrations and well-chosen photos makes the books visually engaging. Ind.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Nicholas. Each book begins by asking readers to imagine they are the baby animal featured; the text then launches into a second-person narrative describing the animal's physical attributes, behavior, development, and life cycle. Meant to help the reader identify with the animal, this narrative conceit soon wears thin. A combination of watercolor illustrations and well-chosen photos makes the books visually engaging. Ind.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Nicholas. Each book begins by asking readers to imagine they are the baby animal featured; the text then launches into a second-person narrative describing the animal's physical attributes, behavior, development, and life cycle. Meant to help the reader identify with the animal, this narrative conceit soon wears thin. A combination of watercolor illustrations and well-chosen photos makes the books visually engaging. Ind.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli