PRESIDENTS' DAY By Meredith Dash. Audiences who read this book will be introduced to the Presidents’ Day holiday, the reason for celebrating it, the day it is celebrated, and how it is celebrated. The information Dash gives her readers is written using comprehensible basic sentence structure. There is a combination of illustrations and photographs in this book, which give it a historical and modern-day feel. This book can be used for an array of instructional lessons. On a scale of 1 – 5 stars, I rate the book 4 stars. Recommended by Linda Gomez
BENNY AND PENNY IN THE BIG NO-NO! by Geoffrey Hayes. (K-2) Benny and Penny are on another adventure in The Big No-No! Each is curious about a new neighbor, and when Benny's pail goes missing, they are sure it's the monster next door. What ensues is a mud fight between the three of them. But then Penny realizes that the monster did not take Benny's pail after all. They climb the fence to return it and find that the monster is Melina, a friendly mole who is amusing and entertaining, sure to become a great neighbor to spend time with. Recommended for fans of Benny and Penny and anyone looking for simple graphic novels. Recommended by Martha Rico
MY DOG IS THE BEST by Laurie Ann Thompson. (K-2). Here's another irresistible title featuring a dog and a baby, perfect for emerging readers. A cute toddler tells the reader why his dog is the best. "My dog is the best. He is fun. He plays ball. He plays tug." Little does he know that his dog is just being a sleepy dog and not really doing those fun things. The illustrations are simple and clean and done in soft pastels. Recommended by Martha Rico
MY LIFE AS A GAMER by Janet Tashijian. (3-6) What could be better than testing out video games? That's exactly what Derek and his friends get to do, thanks to Derek's dad. The kids will be playing video games after school for Global Games; the company will use their feedback to improve the gaming experience. Derek is also dealing with his new reading tutor, Hannah. Is she the one posting gaming secrets online? That is strictly forbidden by anyone who is testing out the new game! And who is the mysterious El Cid? He or she is the best player of all! Fans of Tashijian's previous novels will not be disappointed with this additional title to the series. Recommended by Martha Rico
SPRING / WINTER by Julie Murray. (PK-2) Here are two nonfiction titles in ABDO's Seasons Kids Series. Simple sentences tell of what will happen during the seasons. In Spring, "Plants begin to grow. Flowers bloom." In Winter, "Winter can be fun. Sam builds a snowman." Each uses attractive color photographs that correlate with the simple text. These titles are a superb introduction to a unit on seasons. Both include a table of contents, glossary, index and a code to use on abdokids.com where students can learn more about the seasons through activities and videos and visit other kid-friendly internet sites. Recommended by Martha Rico
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