(3) K-3 Illustrated by Karen Ritz. On Sadie's family's vacation in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, she projects her own fears onto her carefree younger brother Benjamin. As Sadie gains confidence, a thunderstorm provides her an opportunity to comfort Benjamin when he truly becomes scared. Warm watercolor illustrations capture regional wildlife and flora, as well as the family enjoying simple outdoorsy pastimes together.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) 4-6 True Stories, Real People series. Integrating objective, fact-based narration and primary source quotations, this title communicates the hardships and applauds the fortitude of the Chilean men who were trapped in the San José Mine for sixty-nine days. Simple layouts use call-out boxes, photos, and a helpful color scheme to assist readers' navigation of the five short chapters. Attractive for leisure or homework reading. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) K-3 Playing with Words series. Each book opens with a brief definition of the focal word type, then provides occasionally substantive but often bland sample sentences with the relevant words called out in bold (e.g., "I take a ride in a plain plane" in Homophones). Bright, relevant stock photos accompany the texts and occasionally aid in decoding. There are six other fall 2016 books in this series. Reading list. Review covers the following Playing with Words titles: Cupcakes for My Birthday, I See the Sea, Mom, Pop, and Tot, Doctor by Day, Ninja by Night, In and Out, and Smelly, Stinky Skunk.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) K-3 Playing with Words series. Each book opens with a brief definition of the focal word type, then provides occasionally substantive but often bland sample sentences with the relevant words called out in bold (e.g., "I take a ride in a plain plane" in Homophones). Bright, relevant stock photos accompany the texts and occasionally aid in decoding. There are six other fall 2016 books in this series. Reading list. Review covers the following Playing with Words titles: Cupcakes for My Birthday, I See the Sea, Mom, Pop, and Tot, Doctor by Day, Ninja by Night, In and Out, and Smelly, Stinky Skunk.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) 4-6 Rev Up Your Writing series. Illustrated by Mernie Gallagher-Cole. Each book defines the titular writing form; highlights key elements (such as salutation and signature in Letters or characters and setting in Fictional); and suggests tips for planning, finding inspiration, and writing form-appropriate pieces. The titles covering nonfiction unfortunately do not discuss citation strategies. Sample writing passages with associated questions reinforce the serviceable instruction; cartoonish illustrations break up the text. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Rev Up Your Writing titles: Rev Up Your Writing in Informational Texts, Rev Up Your Writing in Nonfiction Narratives, Rev Up Your Writing in Blogs, Rev Up Your Writing in Fictional Stories, Rev Up Your Writing in Letters and E-mails, Rev Up Your Writing in Opinion Pieces, and Rev Up Your Writing in Procedural Texts.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox