Levelled Reader: S-S-Snakes

Penner. L.R. (2009). S-S-Snakes.(Barret, P. Illus.). New York: Random house.

This is a level three reader all about snakes, the closest comparable subject the library had to dinosaurs. This book talks not only about 24 different snakes, but details some of their family histories, how to protect oneself from them, and how to keep them as pets. The set up is a similar style to the previous levelled reader where the text and detailed, hand painted pictures intertwine across the page spread. I am a disappointed that the book has neither a table of contents nor a glossary, as these are staples of non-fiction works regardless of the level. This book has almost twenty pages more than the last level. It is an interesting book, but probably a guys read more than anything else.

Levelled Reader: Beyond the Dinosaurs: Monsters of the Sea and Air

Brown, C. L. (2007). Beyond the Dinosaurs: Monsters of the Sea and Air. (Wilson, P.Illus.). New York: Harper Collins.

This is a level two reader about the prehistoric creatures of the water and air. Whereas the level one reader dealt with only five dinosaurs this next level deals with eleven. The illustrations in this book are done by hand and span both pages when the book is open. The text is strategically placed around the dinosaurs in the pictures so that image and text become a single experience. There is more fine detail in these illustrations and there is double the number of sentences per page as the previous level, the font is smaller and each dinosaurs name is now accompanied by a syllabic breakdown of pronunciation. The number of pages is comparable to the previous level, but there are more words.

Levelled Reader: Snack Time, Tyrannosaurous Rex!

Bentley, D. (2004). Snack Time, Tyrannosaurus Rex! (Carr, K. Illus.) Norwalk, CT: Trudy Corporation.

This is a level one reader about a female Tyrannosaurus Rex’s daily routine to get food. The book is a good size for a “hopper” (preschool to grade 1, as defined by the publisher’s criteria). It is large enough to appear big to a 5 year old and the pages while thin, are sturdy. the book is comprised of alternating full page pictures, detailed computer generated graphics, and large print text, usually no more than two sentences per page, and size twenty-six font. After the story there is a fact page and a glossary of the difficult dinosaur names. I would like to see how a preschooler handled pronouncing “Quetzalcoatlus” the first time they saw it, as it was a tongue twister for myself. However, pronouncing big words is one thing young readers take pride in, so this is a good choice I feel.

Nonfiction: Hoaxes

Herbst, J. (2005). Hoaxes. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Co.

Judith Herbst's book, Hoaxes is a great introduction to the subject of weird things. She does a good job of discussing some of history's major hoaxes, without splitting hairs over the religious or political angles. She touches on crop circles, fairies, extra-terrestrial life, and uncontacted tribes. The book is written in a conversational tone that sounds close to gossip, a great medium for talking about hoaxes! There are lots of illustrations and old grainy photos that add authenticity and appeal to each story. In a world where kids are often told what to do all day long it can be a relief for them to find out that:
a) Adults be wrong!
b) Adults can fall for something so silly even a kid wouldn't believe it!
There’s not a lot of depth in the book and if a child was interested my next recommendation would be the World of the Unknown series of books.

Biography: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Venezia, M. (1995). Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Chicago: Children' Press.

I chose to include this particular biography because it involves both enormous childhood talent and obsessive parental control. Every kid should have a role model like Mozart to remind them that being a child doesn't restrict one from being the best in the world at something, and these days parental control has risen to Star Wars defence status (just watch the documentary Living Dolls if you doubt my statement).
Venezia's variety of illustrations is also a notable feature of the book. These range from personally drawn cartoons that anachronistically bridge the gaps between the 16th C. and modernity, in one cartoon Mozart is pictured wearing a powdered wig asking his father for some roller blades. These are contrasted by traditional oil portraits of Mozart, and some photos of Mozart's opera's being performed in real life.
The book is textually heavy and so would be better for kids 6-10, also a glossary in the back would be beneficial.

Picture Book: Martin’s Big Words

Rapport, D. (2001). Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. New York & Toronto: Scholastic.

This is a superb book for children, but one that should be read with an adult the first few times. The big words of Dr.Martin’s aren’t big in the sense that they are long and hard to pronounce. They are big words because they are concepts, like peace, love and freedom that have big, powerful meanings. As with most good picture books the story is told as eloquently in the illustrations as in the text. The illustrations are truly unique and captivating, formed from a hybrid of watercolour painting and collage. Each page of text contains Doreen Rapports story of Dr. Kings life with supporting excerpts from Dr. Martin Luther Kings sermons and speeches. This book has won 11 awards of distinction since it's publishing in 2001!

Nonfiction: North Amreican Indian Sign Language

Liptak, K. (1990). North American Indian Sign Language. New York & Toronto: Scholastic Inc.

It is difficult to cover a subject as physically and visually based as that of sign language in a printed medium. This book does well to balance with a pictorial representation, however small, beside each described action and a very colorful, graphic oriented introduction the book can maintain its appeal. Given the fluctuation of acceptable terminology I found the term North American Indian to be a little outdated. As can be noted by the cover the words North American are in a different font colour, seeming to indicate that this might be one book from a series of sign languages from South American, or South Asian "Indians"...however, I have yet to find any of these books.