(4) K-3 Countries We Come From series. This visually attractive but superficial introduction to Iran begins with fairly vague descriptive words ("Ancient, Beautiful, Rugged") paired with bright photos. A smattering of facts about geography, animals, history, language, jobs, culture, and food follow, accompanied by engaging photos. Although a child appears on the cover, no personalizing anecdotes are included. "Fast facts" appended. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Countries We Come From series. This visually attractive but superficial introduction to Brazil begins with fairly vague descriptive words ("Wild, Dramatic, Friendly") paired with bright photos. A smattering of facts about geography, animals, history, language, jobs, culture, and food follow, accompanied by engaging photos. Although a child appears on the cover, no personalizing anecdotes are included. "Fast facts" appended. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 See Them Grow series. Each substantive text explains, step-by-step and with important vocabulary defined, how the titular animal develops from the time of fertilization to adulthood. Though the process of fertilization in Chicken is abbreviated, illuminating close-up labeled photographs of animal embryos and developing young make both of these books informative, highly accessible reads overall. Additional facts about each animal are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these See Them Grow titles: Chicken and Dog.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) K-3 Tiptoe into Scary Places series. Rundown buildings, deserted locations, and ghost stories provide the creepy premise of this series. Each volume includes four spooky locations in a category, but some examples are a stretch and others are only indirectly related to their location. Background info, brief details on a specific haunting, and crisp photographs round out the presentation. There are four other spring 2017 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Tiptoe into Scary Places titles: Horror Hotels, Haunted Amusement Parks, Deserted Prisons, and Spooky Libraries.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) K-3 See It Grow series. Each book asks: "How did it get that way?" A very simple text then focuses on the botanical science of its subject as it grows from a seed into its various stages, each illustrated by bright, clearly labeled photographs. Kids with green thumbs will enjoy learning about these common items in their yards or on their plates. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these See It Grow titles: Cranberry, Coconut, [cf2f]Pumpkin, [cf]Oak Tree, Sunflower, and Apple.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 See It Grow series. Each book asks: "How did it get that way?" A very simple text then focuses on the botanical science of its subject as it grows from a seed into its various stages, each illustrated by bright, clearly labeled photographs. Kids with green thumbs will enjoy learning about these common items in their yards or on their plates. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these See It Grow titles: Cranberry, Coconut, [cf2f]Pumpkin, [cf]Oak Tree, Sunflower, and Apple.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Countries We Come From series. In a visually attractive but superficial introductory series, each volume begins with fairly vague descriptive words (e.g., "Colorful," "Busy," "Beautiful") paired with bright photos. A smattering of facts about geography, animals, history, language, jobs, culture, and food follow, accompanied by engaging photos. The great geographic and ethnic diversity of many of these countries is barely mentioned. "Fast facts" appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Countries We Come From titles: The Philippines, China, India, Vietnam, and South Korea.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Countries We Come From series. In a visually attractive but superficial introductory series, each volume begins with fairly vague descriptive words (e.g., "Colorful," "Busy," "Beautiful") paired with bright photos. A smattering of facts about geography, animals, history, language, jobs, culture, and food follow, accompanied by engaging photos. The great geographic and ethnic diversity of many of these countries is barely mentioned. "Fast facts" appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Countries We Come From titles: The Philippines, China, India, Vietnam, and South Korea.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Countries We Come From series. Visually attractive but superficial introductions, each volume begins with fairly vague descriptive words (e.g., "Colorful, Busy, Warm" for Guatemala) paired with bright photos. A smattering of facts about geography, animals, history, language, jobs, culture, and food follow, accompanied by engaging photos. Although a child appears on each cover, no personal anecdotes are included. "Fast facts" appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Countries We Come From titles: El Salvador and Guatemala.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Countries We Come From series. In a visually attractive but superficial introductory series, each volume begins with fairly vague descriptive words (e.g., "Colorful," "Busy," "Beautiful") paired with bright photos. A smattering of facts about geography, animals, history, language, jobs, culture, and food follow, accompanied by engaging photos. The great geographic and ethnic diversity of many of these countries is barely mentioned. "Fast facts" appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Countries We Come From titles: The Philippines, China, India, Vietnam, and South Korea.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Weird but Cute series. Though they offer only barebones information, these books for beginning readers are accessible introductions to standard features of nonfiction. With large close-up photos dominating the pages, each volume touches on an animal's habitat, diet, care of young, behaviors, and defenses; the "weird but cute" angle isn't a focus. Vocabulary words are printed in bold type and defined in an appended picture glossary. Reading list. Ind. Review covers the following Weird but Cute titles: Beluga Whale, Hedgehog, and Tarsier.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Weird but Cute series. Though it offers only barebones information, this book for beginning readers is an accessible introduction to standard features of nonfiction. With large close-up photos dominating the pages, the volume touches on puffer fishes' habitat, diet, behaviors, and defenses; the "weird but cute" angle isn't a focus. Vocabulary words are printed in bold type and defined in an appended picture glossary. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Weird but Cute series. Though it offers only barebones information, this book for beginning readers is an accessible introduction to standard features of nonfiction. With large close-up photos dominating the pages, the volume touches on how to care for the Angora rabbit, as well as its diet, physical characteristics, and behaviors; the "weird but cute" angle isn't a focus. Vocabulary words are printed in bold type and defined in an appended picture glossary. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Zoo Clues 2 series. In these books, each page contains a clue and a partial photograph made to look like a puzzle with pieces missing. As new photos are shown and more clues are given, the reader may start to guess what animal the book is about. A clever concept and concise language make this series highly appealing. A fact page and map are appended. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Zoo Clues 2 titles: My Body Is Tough and Gray, My Tongue Is Long and Curves, My Ears Are Huge and Fuzzy, My Mane Is Short and Spiky, and My Whiskers Are Long and White.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Zoo Clues 2 series. In these books, each page contains a clue and a partial photograph made to look like a puzzle with pieces missing. As new photos are shown and more clues are given, the reader may start to guess what animal the book is about. A clever concept and concise language make this series highly appealing. A fact page and map are appended. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Zoo Clues 2 titles: My Body Is Tough and Gray, My Tongue Is Long and Curves, My Ears Are Huge and Fuzzy, My Mane Is Short and Spiky, and My Whiskers Are Long and White.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Zoo Clues 2 series. Each page contains a clue and a partial photograph made to look like a puzzle with pieces missing. As new photos are shown and more clues are given, readers try to guess what animal the book is about; the big reveal: emperor scorpion. A clever concept and concise language make this series highly appealing. A fact page and map are appended. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Zoo Clues 2 series. Each page contains a clue and a partial photograph made to look like a puzzle with pieces missing. As new photos are shown and more clues are given, readers try to guess what animal the book is about; the big reveal: a puffin. A clever concept and concise language make this series highly appealing. A fact page and map are appended. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Bow-Wow! Dog Helpers series. Titles in this approachable series provide introductions to the lives and purposes of various working dogs. Told in simple language from the dogs' perspectives and punctuated by occasional fact boxes, the information covered ranges from particular character traits to each service dog's specific tasks. Engaging photographs of dogs in real-life situations are a highlight. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review includes these Bow-Wow! Dog Helpers titles: Sled Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Police Dogs, Guide Dogs, Search-and-Rescue Dogs, and Service Dogs.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 Bow-Wow! Dog Helpers series. Titles in this approachable series provide introductions to the lives and purposes of various working dogs. Told in simple language from the dogs' perspectives and punctuated by occasional fact boxes, the information covered ranges from particular character traits to each service dog's specific tasks. Engaging photographs of dogs in real-life situations are a highlight. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review includes these Bow-Wow! Dog Helpers titles: Sled Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Police Dogs, Guide Dogs, Search-and-Rescue Dogs, and Service Dogs.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 Zoo Clues series. In these books, each page contains a clue and a partial photograph made to look like a puzzle with pieces missing. As new photos are shown, and more clues are given, the reader may start to figure what animal the book is about. A clever concept and concise language make this series highly appealing. A fact page and map are appended. There are six other fall 2014 books in this series. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Zoo Clues titles: My Skin is Gray and Wrinkly, My Tail is Long and Striped, My Fangs are White and Sharp, and My Fur is Thick and Spotted.

Reviewer: Kari Allen