(4) K-3 Bumba Books: A First Look at Money series. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Bumba Books: A First Look at Money series. In 1960, four black college students quietly took their seats at a Woolworth's whites-only lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. By refusing to leave, they set into motion a powerful and effective move toward ending segregation in the South. Along with other archival photos, Jack Moebes's iconic photograph of the sit-in stands at the center of this empathetic, well-researched introduction to the civil rights movement. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Bumba Books: A First Look at Money series. In 1960, four black college students quietly took their seats at a Woolworth's whites-only lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. By refusing to leave, they set into motion a powerful and effective move toward ending segregation in the South. Along with other archival photos, Jack Moebes's iconic photograph of the sit-in stands at the center of this empathetic, well-researched introduction to the civil rights movement. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Bumba Books: A First Look at Money series. Each slim volume introduces new readers to a basic concept of personal finance. Large bright pages feature a few short sentences and often a question intended to start conversation: e.g., "Do you do chores to earn money? You can save it." A diverse cast of cheerful children earn, save, and spend money in these useful if unremarkable volumes. Review covers these Bumba Books: A First Look at Money titles: Let's Explore Earning Money, Let's Explore Needs and Wants, Let's Explore Saving Money, and Let's Explore Spending Money

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Heroes of World War II series. This series provides readers with insights beyond the usual recounting of battles and politics commonly found in juvenile WWII resources, focusing instead on more personal aspects of the war and on anecdotes of heroism. Maps and archival images enrich the clear, informative texts; periodic "Hero Highlight" and "STEM Highlight" sidebars provide interesting context and detail. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: Heroes of World War II titles: D-Day Invasion, World War II Resistance Fighters, Navajo Code Talkers, World War II Spies and Secret Agents, Attack on Pearl Harbor, and Japanese American Internment Camps.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Searchlight Books: Animal Superpowers series. Each book presents four to five examples of an animal adaptation or behavior, such as wood frogs' freezing to hibernate, with additional similarly adapted animals showcased in "Compare It" inserts. Explanations of each titular behavior are quite brief, but the extended discussions of an individual animal's related habits, complete with multiple photos of each in action, provide good detail. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Searchlight Books: Animal Superpowers titles: Exploding Ants and Other Amazing Defenses, Thousand-Mile Fliers and Other Amazing Migrators, Trap-Door Spiders and Other Amazing Predators, Dancing Bees and Other Amazing Communicators, Frozen Frogs and Other Amazing Hibernators, and Walking Sticks and Other Amazing Camouflage.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries series. Each book in this series looks at a different ancient city or monument and explores unanswered questions about its construction and uses. Both historical and modern views are provided, with differences explained by recent research and technology. Plentiful photographs and illustrations bring the sites to life. "Dig Deep!" and "Myth Alert!" sidebars provide additional interesting context and detail. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries titles: Mysteries of the Egyptian Pyramids, Mysteries of the Great Wall of China, Mysteries of Easter Island, Mysteries of Pompeii, Mysteries of Machu Picchu, and Mysteries of Stonehenge.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries series. Each book in this series looks at a different ancient city or monument and explores unanswered questions about its construction and uses. Both historical and modern views are provided, with differences explained by recent research and technology. Plentiful photographs and illustrations bring the sites to life. "Dig Deep!" and "Myth Alert!" sidebars provide additional interesting context and detail. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries titles: Mysteries of the Egyptian Pyramids, Mysteries of the Great Wall of China, Mysteries of Easter Island, Mysteries of Pompeii, Mysteries of Machu Picchu, and Mysteries of Stonehenge.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) K-3 Winter Olympic Sports series. "What a rush!" This series introduces popular sports included in the Winter Olympics. Each volume looks at the sport's history through a worldwide lens and discusses the technical aspects of the individual and group events within the sport. With attention-grabbing prose, high-interest subject matter, and captivating action shots, the series should be attractive to budding athletes and Olympics fans. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Winter Olympic Sports titles: Bobsled and Luge and Figure Skating.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Winter Olympic Sports series. "What a rush!" This series introduces popular sports included in the Winter Olympics. Each volume looks at the sport's history through a worldwide lens and discusses the technical aspects of the individual and group events within the sport. With attention-grabbing prose, high-interest subject matter, and captivating action shots, the series should be attractive to budding athletes and Olympics fans. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Winter Olympic Sports titles: Bobsled and Luge and Figure Skating.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 Primary Source Explorers series. These introductory texts emphasize primary sources in the telling of history. Photographs of the modern-day locations, historical documents, maps, and paintings enhance the texts, which detail each individual's voyages, his place in the age of exploration, and broader historical context. Frequent questions encourage readers to make modern connections and question the morality of the explorer's choices. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Primary Source Explorers titles: A Journey with Christopher Columbus, A Journey with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, A Journey with Hernán Cortés, A Journey with Sieur de La Salle, A Journey with Henry Hudson, and A Journey with Juan Ponce de León.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 4-6 Primary Source Explorers series. These introductory texts emphasize primary sources in the telling of history. Photographs of the modern-day locations, historical documents, maps, and paintings enhance the texts, which detail each individual's voyages, his place in the age of exploration, and broader historical context. Frequent questions encourage readers to make modern connections and question the morality of the explorer's choices. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Primary Source Explorers titles: A Journey with Christopher Columbus, A Journey with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, A Journey with Hernán Cortés, A Journey with Sieur de La Salle, A Journey with Henry Hudson, and A Journey with Juan Ponce de León.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) K-3 Comparing Animal Traits series. Each presentation covers appearance, habitat, skills, and traits for its subject while also comparing and contrasting the focal animal with other birds by text, photos, and charts. Some comparisons are natural, some surprisingly revealing; however, others--such as ruby-throated hummingbirds and Adélie penguins--feel random, without relevant comparative features. There are four other spring 2016 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Comparing Animal Traits titles: Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, Snowy Owls, Ostriches, and Toco Toucans.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) K-3 Comparing Animal Traits series. Each presentation covers appearance, habitat, skills, and traits for its subject while also comparing and contrasting the focal animal with other birds by text, photos, and charts. Some comparisons are natural, some surprisingly revealing; however, others--such as ruby-throated hummingbirds and Adélie penguins--feel random, without relevant comparative features. There are four other spring 2016 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Comparing Animal Traits titles: Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, Snowy Owls, Ostriches, and Toco Toucans.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) K-3 Sharks series. Dynamic underwater photographs combine with simple but choppy texts to explore different shark species. Brief descriptions and clear images introduce readers to each shark's appearance, behavior, habitat, and challenges for survival. Additional question-and-answer sidebars, captions, and boldfaced science terms reinforce the main text and encourage further exploration. There are four other fall 2016 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Sharks titles: Hammerhead Sharks, Whale Sharks, Bull Sharks, and Great White Sharks.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) K-3 Sharks series. Dynamic underwater photographs combine with simple but choppy texts to explore different shark species. Brief descriptions and clear images introduce readers to each shark's appearance, behavior, habitat, and challenges for survival. Additional question-and-answer sidebars, captions, and boldfaced science terms reinforce the main text and encourage further exploration. There are four other fall 2016 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Sharks titles: Hammerhead Sharks, Whale Sharks, Bull Sharks, and Great White Sharks.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) K-3 First Step Nonfiction: Backyard Critters series. New readers get an introduction to nonfiction with this attractive series about common backyard creepy-crawlies. The trim size is great for small hands, and every page includes a color photo and a short, clear sentence. The level-appropriate facts focus on creature essentials, including habitat, behavior, and food; a simple labeled diagram concludes each book. There are four other fall 2016 books in this series. Glos., ind. Review covers these First Step Nonfiction: Backyard Critters titles: Darting Dragonflies, Speedy Centipedes, Flashing Fireflies, and Slimy Snails.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 First Step Nonfiction: Backyard Critters series. New readers get an introduction to nonfiction with this attractive series about common backyard creepy-crawlies. The trim size is great for small hands, and every page includes a color photo and a short, clear sentence. The level-appropriate facts focus on creature essentials, including habitat, behavior, and food; a simple labeled diagram concludes each book. There are four other fall 2016 books in this series. Glos., ind. Review covers these First Step Nonfiction: Backyard Critters titles: Darting Dragonflies, Speedy Centipedes, Flashing Fireflies, and Slimy Snails.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 STEM Trailblazer Bios series. Six (three women and three men) contemporary scientists, engineers, and inventors are featured in this set that capitalizes on the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics objective of today's curriculums. Superficial overviews touch on childhood, education, and the subjects' breakthrough accomplishments. A colorful, easy-to-read format features photos and "tech talk" sidebars with quotes from the "trailblazers" themselves. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following STEM Trailblazer Bios titles: GoPro Inventor Nick Woodman, SpaceX and Tesla Motors Engineer Elon Musk, Theoretical Physicist Brian Greene, Aerospace Engineer Aprille Ericsson, Computer Engineer Ruchi Sanghvi, and Genetics Expert Joanna L. Kelley.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 4-6 STEM Trailblazer Bios series. Six (three women and three men) contemporary scientists, engineers, and inventors are featured in this set that capitalizes on the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics objective of today's curriculums. Superficial overviews touch on childhood, education, and the subjects' breakthrough accomplishments. A colorful, easy-to-read format features photos and "tech talk" sidebars with quotes from the "trailblazers" themselves. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following STEM Trailblazer Bios titles: GoPro Inventor Nick Woodman, SpaceX and Tesla Motors Engineer Elon Musk, Theoretical Physicist Brian Greene, Aerospace Engineer Aprille Ericsson, Computer Engineer Ruchi Sanghvi, and Genetics Expert Joanna L. Kelley.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan