book review

Non Fiction Reviews: Brain Candy 2 and The Coolest Stuff on Earth

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Brain Candy 2 by Kelly Hargrave

Brain Candy 2
by Kelly Hargrave (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars

“Have you ever wondered how strong a spiderweb is, or what rain on other planets looks like?” This book is packed with crazy facts and wild information to satisfy even the most curious minds! There are factoids about history, science, animals, inventions, mermaid legends, outer space, food, and sports.

The Coolest Stuff on Earth by National Geographic Kids

The Coolest Stuff on Earth: A Closer Look at the Weird, Wild, and Wonderful
by National Geographic Kids
5 out of 5 stars

This book gives cool facts about animals, history, science, sports, money, and extreme phenomena on planet earth. There are pages with incredible information about Stonehenge, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Vikings, Pompeii, lightning, glaciers, hot air balloons, giant sequoia trees, robots, the Kraken, and beautiful monarch butterflies. The subjects are widely varied and wild!

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Picture Book Review: Sarah’s Solo

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Sarah's Solo by Tracy Brown

Sarah’s Solo
by Tracy Brown (Goodreads Author), Paula Wegman (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars
Sarah wishes that she could go to her ballet dance recital instead of attending her cousin’s wedding. When she hears the music at the wedding reception, she is swept into a dance with the bride and discovers that there is beauty in all types of music and dance, not just ballet.

This book teaches young readers about Jewish wedding traditions and the song Hava Nagila. The wedding guests dance the Hora, and the steps are outlined in the story. I love the rich culture and expressive traditions in this book!

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Non Fiction Reviews: Amazing Places and Incredible Animals

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Barefoot Books Amazing Places by Miralda Colombo

Barefoot Books Amazing Places
by Miralda Colombo, Beatrice Cerocchi (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

This book gives information about fifteen famous places around the world, beautifully illustrated with colorful drawings. The book includes the Taj Mahal, Stonehenge, the Colosseum, Easter Island, the Great Wall of China, and many more! Each landmark has a four-page spread with facts and history about the location, the people who built it, what to look for as a tourist, and how the structures are preserved.

Barefoot Books Incredible Animals by Dunia Rahwan

Barefoot Books Incredible Animals
by Dunia Rahwan, Paola Formica (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

This book gives information about animals around the world with unique qualities and abilities. There are sections for different types of animals like predators, expert builders, devoted parents, and animals with camouflage. There are animals that glow, animals that migrate, and animals that are small but deadly. There is even a special section for animals that become unlikely friends, like the suckerfish that hitch a ride on the back of a seaturtle and clean the turtle’s shell.

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Book Review: Timeline Science and Technology

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Timeline Science and Technology by Peter Goes

Timeline Science and Technology
by Peter Goes
4 out of 5 stars

This book gives an interesting timeline of human history, following the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, Ancient Civilizations, the Greek and Roman Empires, Chinese emperors, the Byzantine Empire, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Industrial Revolution, up to the present time. The last pages are divided into each decade of the 1900s, giving more details about each year, right up to the year 2020.

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Book Review: Borrowers Afield

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The Borrowers Afield by Mary Norton

The Borrowers Afield (The Borrowers #2)
by Mary Norton, Beth Krush (Illustrator), Joe Krush (Illustrator)
4 out of 5 stars

I love seeing how the Borrowers survive in the wild, fighting off insects, gathering nuts and berries, and finding shelter in an old boot. The plot in this book has so many interesting little twists and turns, as the Clock family meet Spiller, a Borrower who lives in the fields and hedges.

They are such funny characters with grit and determination. Pod is resourceful and serious, but cracks a joke now and then. Homily is fearful, but has a reserve of inner fortitude that comes up in a crisis. Arrietty is adorable and sweet, plucky and adventurous and playful. Spiller is mysterious and taciturn. I just love them all!

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Non Fiction Review: Space Encyclopedia

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Space Encyclopedia by David A. Aguilar

Space Encyclopedia: A Tour of Our Solar System and Beyond
by David A. Aguilar (Goodreads Author)
3 out of 5 stars

This book puts the reader into an imaginary spaceship, the Stella Nova, complete with scientists and crew. We follow the ship’s log as we travel through the solar system and learn about each planet, asteroid, moon, and dwarf planet.

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Non Fiction Review: Nerdlet Animals

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Nerdlet by T J Resler

Nerdlet: Animals
by T J Resler
5 out of 5 stars

Did you know that some frogs can grow hair? There is a lizard that can run on top of water, and moth that drinks the tears of other animals. The okapi look almost like zebras with the head of a giraffe on a short neck.

This is such an informative and interesting book! Every page is filled with amazing facts and information about each animal. There are also wild destinations around the world where you can see cool and weird animals on land and in the sea. I loved reading the short bios of famous and influential animal experts. Of course I had to take some of the quizzes to find out my animal personality and my animal super-hero name.

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Book Review: The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre

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The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre (The Two Princesses of Bamarre, #0.5)
by Gail Carson Levine (Goodreads Author)
3 out of 5 stars

Perry is the adopted daughter of Lakti noble parents, but her real parents are Bamarre servants. Her true bloodline is kept a secret, because the Bamarre people are considered inferior and cowardly. The fairy Halina visits Perry and urges her to embrace her true heritage and free the Bamarre people from Lakti tyranny. With the help of a magic tablecloth, seven-league boots, and a perfect disguise, Perry plunges into espionage and rebellion. But can she ever escape her Lakti upbringing and be accepted by the Bamarre?

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Picture Book Review: Dance Like a Leaf

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Dance Like a Leaf by A.J. Irving

Dance Like a Leaf
by A.J. Irving (Goodreads Author), Claudia Navarro (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

A little girl and her grandmother share a cup of tea, bundle up in multiple scarves, and dance with the autumn leaves. But as the months go by, the grandmother begins to decline. She can’t get out of bed, but the little girl paints the trees for her on a canvas full of autumn color. When the grandmother dies, her granddaughter still remembers how she was taught to dance with the leaves and enjoy a warm cup of tea. The moments of joy that they shared will never be lost.

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Picture Book Review: Voy a Portarme Muy Bien

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Voy a portarme muy bien by Chris Haughton

Voy a portarme muy bien
by Chris Haughton (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars

Simon has promised to be a good dog while his owner is away, but he is tempted by the delicious cake, the enticing cat chase, and digging in the dirt. He repents of his evil deeds, and learns some self-control. He is rewarded with a trip to the park, where he does NOT get into trouble. Or does he?

Simon ha prometido ser un buen perro mientras su dueño no esta en casa, pero se siente tentado por el delicioso pastel, la tentadora persecución del gato, y la excavación en la tierra. Se arrepiente de sus malas acciones y aprende algo de autocontrol. Es recompensado con un viaje al parque, donde NO se mete en problemas. ¿O si?

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