Let’s Look at Dinosaurs, by Frances Barry, has an interesting format featuring a large dinosaur on each page and flaps that lift where more information can be discovered.  Some pages even have parts of the dinosaur that pops out. Each page asks a simple question directed to a particular dinosaur and by lifting the flap you’ll discover the answer in both illustration and text. Be sure to check out the end-pages that showcase the sizes and shapes of the dinosaurs featured in the book.

Dinosaur Dig!, by Penny Dale, is a brightly painted book that begins with one dinosaur digging what eventually becomes a very large swimming pool. With each turn of the page, another dinosaur joins in until 10 dinosaurs are busy at work. The pages are filled with vibrant watercolor and pencil and the front end-pages identify the names of the dinosaurs at work and the final end- pages showcase modern machines now used for excavation.

Dinosoaring, by Deb Lund, and vividly painted with gouache and watercolors by Howard Fine, is an adventure in the air.  When the Dinos take off in their giant plane, they are equipped with “dinogoggles, scarves and gear, / They board the airplane from the rear. / The crew’s so squished inside that space,/ They can’t fit one more foot or face.” The double-page spread on every page pulls you into the flight as these massive reptiles seem to jump off the page. Introductions of each dinosaur are made on the front end-pages.

Revenge of the Dinotrux, by Chris Gall, is a rip-roaring, crawler-crashing, mega-moving book as dino machines escape the museum after a Kindergarten class visit. The Tyrannosaurus Trux climbs a skyscraper and the Septisaurus guzzles down a swimming pool to name a few activities. The mayor gets involved to calm down the mayhem and ultimately the dinotrux’s and the community come up with a brilliant solution making all happy.  The illustrations of over-large tires and expressions on these machines are brilliant!

Chalk, by Bill Thomson, is an extraordinary story told in pictures only. Three kids find some magical chalk that seems to make what they draw come to life. One girl draws a sun that makes the rainy day become sunny. Another draws butterflies that begin to fly everywhere. Trouble begins when the boy draws a dinosaur and suddenly a giant mean dinosaur goes after them. Only after he draws rain does the dinosaur become erased.  The wordless story is wonderfully creative, but it’s the amazingly beautiful illustrations that take your breath away. These were done the old fashioned way: by hand – with no computer graphics involved.

Dinosaur Discovery (Everything You Need to Be a Paleontologist), by Chris McGowan, and painted by Erica Lyn Schmidt, is an in-depth look into the body structure and anatomy of 13 extinct animals. There are activities and experiments found throughout the book that help teach the concepts presented. The book is well-written and easy to understand and follows the directions given. This is an excellent book for children, ages eight through twelve, interested in this subject.  In-depth facts about 13 dinosaurs are interspersed with activities that teach readers about anatomy and how paleontologists understand body structure.

Dinosaur World (Kingfisher Readers Level 3), by Claire Lewellyn, is a smallish sized reader geared for those with the ability to read short paragraphs, but with more complex sentence structure.  However, this book is so interesting and is filled with facts and pictures which will entice kids ages four through nine. The large text, bright pictures and placement of facts are all kid-friendly.

I Am a Tyrannosaurus, by Anna Grossnickle Hines, shows a boy as he acts out a particular dinosaur and after turning a few pages you discover what type of dinosaur he’s describing.  Each page has a solid color backdrop with just two sentences in large text making this geared for ages three to six. The last page has a pronunciation key for each dinosaur covered in this smallish sized book.

Dinosaurs, by Judy Allen and Tudor Humphries, helps children answer questions that they may have such as when dinosaurs lived, what they ate and what happened to them. The lay-out has simple questions posed, and by lifting the flaps the answers are found. There’s also a pronunciation page found in the front of the book.

How Do Dinosaurs Go UP and Down?, by Jane Yolen, and brilliantly illustrated by Mark Teague, is a board book of opposites that feature colorful dinosaurs and a rhyming text as youngsters learn about the concept of opposites. Each page features a flap that shows the opposite of the concept learned. Some include fast-slow and quiet-loud. This book is best for ages two to five.

And lastly, this subject wouldn’t be complete without a book about reptiles. Reptiles (Explorers series), by Claire Lewellyn, easily explains what a reptile is while breaking this wonderfully photographed book into sections that include describing a reptile, where it lives and how it survives. Each page showcases an outside scene with several reptiles living in their particular habitats.

Ocean and Sea (Scholastic “Discover More” series), by Steve Parker, is part of a wonderful new series of non-fiction books that link hard copy books with interactive free digital books that help keep the interest and excitement of learning expanding. This book encompasses beautiful full page photos, maps and paintings and sections them into information about oceans, oceans in the world, ocean life, oceans and people, and threatened oceans.

Undersea Creatures (Extreme Encounters with Aquatic Beasts), by Nam Nguyan, is an amazing book filled with familiar and not-so-familiar animals in the deep.  The cover with a giant open-mouth shark will initially draw in the reader.  The lay-out alone will draw the reader in with the full-spread colorful pictures. But the information and labeling of interesting details about each animal will keep the reader interested throughout the book.  There are open flaps found throughout that help teach about the habitat as well as a special fold-out section featuring a giant squid and whale.

Shark-tastic, by Lori Stein, is all about this fascinating beast that seems to constantly draw kids in. This short book has all the elements for a quick and easy book to digest and contains full page photos and text that is limited. The cover has a shark with an open mouth but in the mouth it contains a pouch of real shark’s teeth. There is no glossary in this book.

Whales and Dolphins, by Judy Allen and Mike Bostock, is a “Flip the Flaps” book and an easy read to learn about the most intelligent and adaptable mammals on earth. By flipping the flaps, you find answers to questions posed. There is no glossary in this book.

Incredible Journeys: Amazing Animal Migrations (Animal Planet) has to be a most inventive way to draw readers into non-fiction because the way migrating animals are hard-wired is amazing and miraculous. It covers the thousands of miles the monarch butterfly travels, the Pacific blue fin tuna as it navigates to find food, and the African elephant as it searches for food and water. The book is divided into animals found on land, air and water. There is no glossary in this book.

Talk, Talk, Squawk!, by Nicola Davies, and illustrated by Neal Layton, is a most interesting book assembled by the same inventive team that has written and illustrated other clever books with the same format about animals. This expressive book is all about how all animals communicate to other animals to either “stay away” or “come to me”.  The markings on their bodies, the sounds they make or the smell they emit accomplish both of these communication expressions. This book is extremely kid-friendly, entertaining, humorous and enlightening!  And, don’t forget to check out the end pages.

Living Color, by award winning Steve Jenkins, is just out in paperback. This is one of my favorite books (in picture book format) about animals. Jenkins categorized animals according to their color. So in the red section, the color establishes that the color signifies that the scarlet percher dragonfly is completely mature and the hooded seal marks its territory by blowing up a red sac from its nostrils. This is a beautifully illustrated and informative book!

Animal Babies, by Andrea Pinnington and Tory Gordon-Harris, is a colorful book full of out-standing photos and quick-to-read text about young animals. The chapters include animals that hatch, animals that utilize others to help them look after their babies and some of the journeys young animals take after they are born. This book is part of the Scholastic “Discover More” series. “Farm” and “See Me Grow” are also part of this series which is geared for younger kids (ages 4 to 8), but the layout will draw in all ages. The “Farm” book features farm animals as well as machines and food products grown. “See Me Grow” features life cycles of animals such as frogs and butterflies. The last two books are by Penelope Arlon and Tory Gordon-Harris. All three have a free digital book to read and learn more about the subject of each book.

The Kingfisher Illustrated Horse & Pony Encyclopedia, by Sandy Ransford, is a most extensive reference that discusses just about every aspect and breed of these animals. The photos are captivating and the information is kid-friendly. This over-sized book includes grooming, health care and even saddlery.

882 1/2 Amazing Answers to your Questions About the Titanic, by Hugh Brewster and Laurie Coulter, answers many questions concerning the building, launching and ultimately sinking of this largest ship of its day. The layout is most interesting with pictures, drawings, actual photographs, graphs and statistics found throughout, along with a kid friendly text that has just enough information to draw the reader in. This 96 page picture-book sized book takes you through many of the events, and the back of the book concludes with the aftermath – what happened to some of the survivors, exploration of the wreck and a glossary.

Titanic:  Voices From the Disaster, by Deborah Hopkinson, reads like a novel as you follow the memories and writings of some of the survivors. The “voices” include crew members as well as passengers, from children to stewards. There are black and white photos, and documents are sprinkled throughout, as you become involved in the stories of these people and the tragedy that awaited them. The book is well written and designed, and will surely entice and involve even the reluctant reader!  There is also statistical information found at the back of the book.

Titanic:  Disaster at Sea, by Martin Jenkins, and illustrated by Brian Sanders, is a shorter and more condensed book with just 31 pages and is written with a documentary flair. The presentation of this book has more information with each example or illustration even though there are fewer pages. The timeline of the final events of the sinking is especially interesting and most dramatic.

Extreme Weather, by Margaret Hynes, is part of an outstanding new “Navigators” series published by Kingfisher. Every page in this extraordinary book is filled with kid friendly information, incredible photos and colorful drawings illustrating the fascinating variety of weather that we experience. This book could just be the beginning of a future meteorologist.

Planet Earth (Explorers Series), by Daniel Gilpin, is wonderfully illustrated with bright photos and drawings that fill the pages, along with kid-friendly information that will surely draw readers into the entire 31 pages.  Some of the eight sections include Earth and its position in space, volcanic eruptions, deep into the sea and rainforests.

Planet Earth (Discover Science Series), by Deborah Chancellor, is another excellent book rich with color and information kids will glean and learn. There are also fun projects to make, like a volcano and a windmill, found at the back of the book.

The Elements (Scholastic Discover More Series), by Dan Green, answers the question of what an element is with the simplicity of extracting the definitions with amazing illustrations. The vivid drawings and photos bring what could be boring elements to life by making them very interesting. The book is divided into five sections beginning with meeting the elements and moving on to the main metals and gases and ending with the history of how the elements were discovered.  Every concept discussed on the double-pages helps create a brilliant image. This book could invite a new scientist in your family!

My Body (Scholastic Discover More Series), by Andrea Pinnington, and designed by Penny Lamprell, has an inviting lay-out that invites kids to learn about the internal workings of their bodies. The pages are thicker card stock, the font is large and the illustrations are bright, making this book an invitation to all who open it. The glossary found at the back is also easy to grasp.

Human Body:  A Book with Guts!, created by Basher, and written by Dan Green, covers the basic parts of the human body from cells to blood to bones and muscles.  This smallish sized book is easy to flip through and read sections of interest as each subject is written about on one side of the open-page spread and the other side has the illustration. There is a poster of the circulatory system found at the back of the book. This is part of a series of scientific books which includes biology and planet earth.

Everything You Need to Know:  An Encyclopedia for Inquiring Young Minds, published by Kingfisher, is quite a thick book (with over 300 pages) but each category is easy to grasp and is brightly illustrated. The sections span from history, science and living organisms. It’s also an easy reference book to help children locate subjects of interest.

8 Spinning Planets, by Brian James, and uniquely illustrated by Russell Benfanti, has the eight planets protruding out from the board pages with die-cut holes showcasing where they fit in our solar system. (I must admit, however, I still miss Pluto – as the now defunct 9th planet.)

Stars and Planets, by Carole Stott, and Planets, by Penelope Arlon and Tory Gordon-Harris, will give the reader a much more in-depth look at space, travel, the planetary system and the many moons near some of the planets.

Kingfisher Publications has two new insect books. Insects and Creepy-Crawlies, by Jinny Johnson, is a well-executed and colorful book for kids who are interested in these small animals.  The eight brief chapters include “From egg to adult”, “Insect nests” and “Fast fliers”. The double-page illustrations are captivating and have small numbers on details pertaining to the insect and the life cycle or information dealing about it. There are also two sections teaching about insects that can be dangerous. This is an easy access book that everyone will enjoy and learn from.

Insects, by Barbara Taylor, is part of an excellent series called “Discover Science. This book is a bit more involved with many more chapters concerning the subject. But each chapter is similar to the previous book in that the chapters are just the two open-page spreads. This book features actual brightly colored photographs of each insect. There are also fun projects to make, as well as a glossary found in the back of the book.

Butterflies, by Seymour Simon, is visual ecstasy of these beautiful insects, as well as easy to read information, as the author has used larger font. The marriage between the information and the photos is a perfect fit as you quickly begin to understand the difference between moths and butterflies, the amazing long migration of the monarch and the major types of butterflies found in the United States.

Insects:  Biggest! Smallest!, by Sandra Markle, is a picture book with extraordinary information about the size of the insect and how it affects its competitors for the prey it consumes. The photos, by Dr. Simon Pollard, are gripping, the lay-out is kid-friendly, and the information is rich with interest. Be sure to check out the large world map detailing where the insects discussed live, as well as a glossary found at the back of the book.

Spiders:  Biggest! Smallest!, by Sandra Markle, has a similar format as her “Insect” book and utilizes amazing camera shots to depict webs, fangs, eggs and the many eyes on these arachnids. Once again, Dr. Pollard provides close-up images to showcase particular characteristics unique to spiders.

Silk & Venom: Searching for a Dangerous Spider, by the acclaimed Kathryn Lasky, and photographed by Christopher G. Knight, goes into depth of studying the spider world with zoologist Greta Binford.  She has been studying the origins of the brown recluse spider by traveling to the Dominican Republic where she feels the spider began on this side of the world. Lasky writes about the researcher’s discoveries and investigations with the expertness of drawing the reader into this extraordinary spider world. The photos are full blown, beginning with the beginning and ending pages. But beware – as this book just might ignite a new scientist in the family.

Reptiles, by Mark Hutchinson, is part of the outstanding “Insiders” series that investigates different aspects of our earth. It’s divided into “Reptiles Past and Present”, “Shared Features”, “Crocodilians”, “Lizards”, “Snakes” and ending with “Tortoises and Turtles”. The brilliant paintings and photographs found on every page and double-pages are amazing, and provide motivation to read everything throughout the book. Be sure to check out the fascinating Reptile Family Tree as well as the glossary found at the back.

Discover Science:  Reptiles, by Belinda Weber, is another in this outstanding series that teaches all the many interesting aspects of reptiles beginning with the definition and then discussing the many different types of creatures.  Like all books in this series, there are several projects and a glossary found at the back. The pictures are all wonderful close-up photos.

3-D Thrillers! Snakes and Other Extraordinary Reptiles, by Samantha Hilton, has a pair of paper made 3-D glasses on the inside cover that helps make the snakes and lizards pop-out. The information is relatively short and the size of the book is smallish making this a quick read.

Snake-A-Phobia, by Grace Norwich, is filled with colorful pages and close-up photos of some pretty interesting looking snakes. The lay-out makes learning about these snakes interesting as there is larger font, yellow highlighted words marking possible unknown words and the text held in smaller columns. The glossary found at the back of the book is even color-coded for meaningful understanding.

There’s also Snakes: Biggest! Smallest! by Markle, with a similar format as her other books previously mentioned in this review.  In this book, you learn about the giant snakes like the python and the tiny blind snake.

The Frog Scientist, by Pamela S. Turner, and photographs by Andy Comins, showcases the study of these amphibians and attempts to explore why so many of them are dying. What the reader will discover is the process of a scientist as Dr. Tyrone Hayes must get up before dawn in order to be at the pond when the frogs awake. This study will surely be an eye-opener to many who are curious about possibly becoming scientists.

Lizards, by Nic Bishop, is another book from this outstanding photographer and children’s author where he features fantastic photos of some of the most intriguing lizards.  Photos include the Komodo dragon, the dwarf gecko and the flying dragon. Be sure to read the final pages where Bishop explains how he obtained some of the most extraordinary photos, a list of books and a short glossary.

Inside Out & Back Again, by Thanhha Lai, is a story told in free-verse of a family emigrating from Vietnam in 1975. From the eyes of ten-year-old Ha, this book details the huge difficulties that this family faces as it flees a war-torn country.  Traveling over the ocean, ending up in Alabama and needing a sponsor family to help Ha’s family become U.S. citizens, learning the culture and language are all brought out in the expressive yet sparse words on each page. This book won the Newbery Honor award this year and after reading the power it holds, it’s easy to see why!

Pearl Verses The World, by Sally Murphy, and drawn in black-and-white by Heather Potter, is a sad, poetic story about young Pearl’s navigating through life and school.  But, ultimately, when her dear Granny dies, she’s able to look at her life with a better perspective and rise above her loneliness and discover the joy that surrounds her.

Take Two!  A Celebration of Twins, by J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen, and painted with splashes of watercolor by Sophie Blackall, is a collection of fun and imaginative twin poems by Poet Laureate Lewis who is a twin, and the famous poet Yolen who has grand-twins. The collaboration of these two celebrated poets infuses a collection of poems that include “Womb Mate”, “How Twins Talk” and “Eating with Twins”. Check out the interesting anecdotal twin facts found at the bottom of some of the poems. This is the perfect “twin” book for that awaiting mom. I can’t wait to give this book to my daughter-in-law and mother of 1-year-old twin girls!

A Little Bitty Man and Other Poems for the Very Young, by Halfdan Rasmussen, translated by Marilyn Nelson and Pamela Espleland, and beautifully illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, is a collection of perfect poems for toddlers. Mr. Rasmussen passed away several years ago but was a very well known and liked Danish poet. These thirteen poems are a delight to read and youngsters will adore the contents of each one. Some of the illustrations take up the entire page and some are much smaller, but each characterizes the poem perfectly!

A Meal of the Stars: Poems Up and Down, by Dana Jensen, and painted with full-page water-color and ink illustrations by Tricia Tusa, encompasses tall skinny single word poems that ingeniously describe the likes of a balloon, giraffe, a zipper and even a Ferris Wheel.

The Hound Dog’s Haiku and Other Poems for Dog Lovers, by Michael J. Rosen, and created with woodcuts and painted with acrylic by Mary Azarian, examines twenty breeds of dogs with the perfection of limiting the wordage by using Haiku. The pictures take up the entire open spread of each dog and the colors are vibrant. But the best illustrations in this book are how quickly and easily you learn and understand each breed by the use of this type of poetic form. More information about each dog is found at the back of the book.

Boy Wonders, by one of my favorite children’s poets: Calef Brown, is a most creative look at our language as Mr. Brown twists, turns and capitulates word usage into an ever wonderment of questions. Here’s one of my favorites: “Would a banister / on a ladder / make it better? Could the former / improve the latter? Make it safer?? Would it matter?” The open-spread color of acrylic helps creates this world of wordplay.

Outside Your Window:  A First Book of Nature, by Nicola Davis, and painted with mixed-media by Mark Hearld, is an over-sized book full of poetry that sweeps the year of nature. Beginning with Spring, poems include “Migration” and “Planting Seeds”. Each season carries the weather topics of life outside and the marriage of poems and the beauty of the illustrations will not be lost on the beholder.

In the Sea, by David Elliott, and illustrated with woodblock prints and watercolor by Holly Meade, explores animal and plant life deep in the ocean with the brevity of rhyme. These cleverly worded poems include “The Octopus,”, “The Sea Horse” and “Coral”. The swirls of color create an illusion of underwater movement and the regal drawings of our largest mammal gives the impression of peaking into this underwater world!

Edgar Allan Poe’s Pie:  Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems, by J. Patrick Lewis (Children’s Poet Laureate), and digitally painted and collaged by Michael Slack, parodies fourteen famous poets with poems that may require solutions, problem-solving and having a knowledge of fractions, money, percentages and more. The parody of poems that come from famous poets are tackled with great fun and humor. “Edgar Allan Poe’s Apple Pie” is the title of a poem inspired by “The Raven”. It begins “Once upon a midnight rotten, / Cold, and rainy, I’d forgotten” and so on.  Some of the famous poets parodied include Emily Dickinson, Ogden Nash and Walt Whitman. More information about each poet is found at the back of the book. These poems are fun, ingenious and beg to be solved.

I’ll begin with books for light reading for teens though adults. Edenbrooke, by Julianne Donaldson, is a wonderfully written book about a young woman who is about to experience life and love in the early 1800’s. The story is set in England and centers around Marianne as she leaves her grandmother’s large home in Bath to visit another much grander and larger estate in the country.  While enroute, her carriage is robbed and her coachman is injured in the fray. The demands on her life, and others in her party, along with discovering more about her strong character became obvious as she took charge of the sudden dilemma and drove the horses and carriage to an inn whilst helping the injured coachman. This exceptionally written book will whisk you back to Marianne’s time as she constantly attempts to fit into the unwritten rules obeyed by the higher echelon in society.  I’m looking forward to more from this gifted author!

Invaluable, by Holly J. Wood, is a unique blend of storytelling and utilizing and appreciating all the blessings and gifts given to each of us during our life on earth.  Eliza is a sophomore in her high school and she is attempting to navigate through each day while finding happiness, peace and fulfillment. But she has the typical frustrations many teens have of not relating to her sister, not being the best friend to her best friend and of finding herself liking a certain cute guy while now discovering she doesn’t want to go to prom with Jason. All through her frustrations and anxieties, she comes up with righteous answers in her dreams. Her sweet great-grandmother visits her in her dreams and showcases exceptional women who demonstrate eight strong moral character traits. Each trait is highlighted with a scripture that goes perfectly with that trait. For instance, Virtue is connected to Proverbs 31:10 that states “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”

Banana Split, by Josi S. Kilpack, is another of the author’s Culinary Mysteries and this book is as mysterious and fun to read as her other eight in this series. The protagonist, Sadie, has decided to take a much needed vacation from all her adventures and mysteries she’s solved over the past year and a half. So she’s visiting the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Of course, she can’t ever truly leave the perils of mystery behind and so, alas, it finds her once more.  She becomes entangled in a body while snorkeling and so begins her next mystery quest to solve. Ms. Kilpack has a talented ability to surround the story with interesting red herrings and fabulous surroundings to compel you all the way to the end.  However, reader beware: you may find yourself buying a ticket to this island of great beauty and possible mystery. The recipes found sprinkled throughout are all Hawaii related.

The rest of the books are non-fiction and inspire families to be, and do, better. Why I’m a Mormon, edited by Joseph A. Cannon, is full of true autobiographical stories answering the question, “Why I’m a Mormon”. There is a collection of some 53 famous, and not so famous, members of the church answering this question with powerful, testimony building statements. Some include inspiring experiences where the Lord has interviened or helped them in their lives. But all expound on the many blessings the Lord has poured into their lives. Each person’s essay is short and with easy access. Some of these great people include Steve Young, Jon M. Huntsman, Sr. and Valerie M. Hudson.

Falling to Heaven: The Surprising Path to Happiness, by James L. Ferrell, is an amazing prescription to finding and keeping happiness in our lives. Mr. Ferrell divulges insightful gospel truths by looking at our problems from a different perspective. Such as what if happiness depends less on forgiving ourselves and more on pursuing the journey? The stories of the author’s own experiences found throughout the book will hit home. This book could just be the ticket to your happiness!

Increase in Learning: Spiritual Patterns for Obtaining Your Own Answers, by David A. Bednar, conceptualizes what each of us must do to learn on our own about achieving the great plan of eternal happiness. The process must be found out individually and this book helps discover the process and how to act on that process. There are extra-wide margins found on every page enabling us to write our thoughts, goals and impressions as we are enlightened. There is also a DVD which includes more learning tools as well as an edifying interview with both Elder and Sister Bednar.

Look Up, My Soul: The Divine Promise of Hope, by Gerald N. Lund, is the quintessential book for striving and enduring to the end. It’s also the perfect book for those who are discouraged and seem to need something to hold onto. Mr. Lund has gathered more hope in this beautifully bound golden book than many who seek hope for a lifetime and seem to let it slip away. He begins with the section defining The Importance of Hope including “Faith, Hope and Charity” and “A Hope in Christ”. The next section is about The Need For Alignment which includes “Trust in the Lord” and “A Personal Witness”. The third section is about The Value of Perspective which discusses “The Hand of the Lord” and “Developing Spiritual Mastery”. The last section is about Fulfillment which has a culminating message in “A Sustaining Hand in the Midst of Tragedy”.

And finally, LDS Beliefs: A Doctrinal Reference, by Robert L. Millet, Camille Fronk Olson, Andrew C. Skinner and Brent L. Top, is a reference book that should be on the living room table of all LDS families. This is much like Bruce R. McConkie’s Mormon Doctrine, but updated with entries for nearly 400 topics with a wide variety of subjects. The subjects are all alphabetized and easy to navigate.  The information is rich, full and annotated.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, by Frank Cottrell Boyce, reflects back to the classic Disney movie, but with its own ingenious storyline and unique humor. The Tootings have just figured out that the cool old camper van that he just fixed up can fly. And so the adventures begin! They fly high over Paris and then land on top of the Eiffel Tower. It’s not long after that they realize their beat-up van has a mind of its own and it takes them to Egypt where the children and their van are separated from their parents and now must become inventive to locate their mom and dad. There are some fun and funny black and white pictures sprinkled throughout by Joe Berger making this story a wonderful read-aloud for all ages!

Same Sun Here, by Silas House & Neela Vaswani, is a rich story of hope, friendship and diversity and is told through a series of letters via the old-fashioned pen-pal correspondence method. Twelve-year-old Meena has emigrated from India to New York City. River lives with his grandmother in rural Kentucky. They both have many similarities. Both live in the poor part of town, both have fathers who work far away in order to provide for their families and both have mothers who yearn for their husbands. The stark honest dialogue between these two preteens brings about a friendship that’s strong and true even without ever meeting each other.

A Year Without Autumn, by Liz Kessler, is a time-travel story that twelve-year-old Jenni discovers when she takes an elevator ride up to visit her friend who lives in a condo. What she soon discovers is that this elevator will take her a year into the future and that’s where she learns that her younger brother will have an accident from falling off a horse and will be in a coma. Jenni can go back and forth from the future to the present, so she’s setting out to stop her brother from falling.  This is a very inventive story.

Sammy Keyes and the Night of Skulls, by Wendelin Van Draanen, is a mystery and this series is one of my favorite mystery series involving Sammy Keyes. Thirteen-year-old Sammy and her friends are cutting through the cemetery on Halloween and see something mysterious. They see two shadowy figures carrying lifelike skulls.  As they begin to solve this mystery, they are about to become entangled into something much more complex. There is humor along the way, which helps to lighten the mystery. This whole series is a great introduction to well-written mysteries.

Daniel X Game Over, by James Patterson, is the fourth book in this series about Daniel X: Alien Hunter.  Some very evil aliens have figured out a way to brainwash children all around the world through the use of video games.  Daniel X has just discovered this horrible plan and intends on stopping it even against all odds. Here’s a book for your reluctant reader as he/she won’t stop reading until the very end.

How To Train Your Dragon:  How To Break a Dragon’s Heart, by Cressida Cowell, is another fun and humorous book about that funny Viking Hiccup. When he finds himself alone on an island, he must figure out how to survive and he faces a most daunting task. The drawings, by the author, found throughout will surely bring a smile to the reader and help move this adventure along.

Ravenwood, by Andrew Peters, is a story that is breathtaking and will take you to a world of life high up in the trees. Arborium lives in this leafy kingdom when he finds himself involved in life or death as he attempts to save the King. This story of make-believe is beautifully written with a lyrical majesty but with subplots that will whisk you away into an unknown world!

Vanished, by Sheela Chari, is a mystery about a most unusual and coveted instrument: a veena. Neela’s revered grandmother sent this Indian instrument for Neela to learn and appreciate her heritage while living in America. But when it goes missing, Neela ends up traveling to her native country to help solve the history of this beautiful veena.  Her passion and love of playing it keeps her motivated as she attempts to solve this mystery. You’ll learn more about this instrument in the back of the book.

I’m going to end with Circus Galacticus, by Deva Fagan. I considered whether or not to review this book because there are some mild swear words, along with inappropriate usage of the Lord’s name a couple of times. I continue to be amazed that authors feel they need to make their work more “genuine” by including these types of words when in fact the story is much better without them. So I chose to write about this book because the storyline is terrific. Fifteen-year-old Beatrix is an orphan after her astronaut parents were killed in a launching accident. But just before her parents leave for the launch, her father gives her a meteor rock and tells her to guard it with her life and tell no one about it. She’s living in a boarding school and is constantly teased and bullied. But her life on earth is about to take-off (literally) when she and her classmates visit a circus. This fast-paced story is full of ingenious latitudes, hyperboles and metaphors that will almost make your head spin.

Breaking Stalin’s Nose, by Eugene Velchin, is this year’s Newbery Honor book and after finishing this historical fiction quick read, it was obvious why it won the most coveted award in children’s books! The author, who was born in Russia, and lived under the influence of Stalin’s rule, even though the cruel ruler had long been dead, invokes emotions full of ironies. The story is told through the eyes of ten-year-old Sasha as he prepares to become the coveted “Young Pioneer” after reaching age 10. But the night before this event is to take place at his school, his Secret Police father is suddenly arrested, leaving him alone and in the care of no one. His view of the political system and the revered leader, Stalin, is about to reverse itself when he accidentally breaks off the plaster nose on Stalin’s bust that stands in the center of the school. The trepidation and fear that students and adults felt surrounds the story and the graphite drawn pictures sprinkled throughout evoke the darkened era experienced by all in the story. The most amazing thing about this richly told story is that it all takes place in just two days!

The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen, is a story filled with magical complexities that invite the reader on a thrilling adventure that doesn’t seem to stop! Fifteen-year-old Sage has left the orphanage in the kingdom of Carthya and is to now serve Connor. But Sage soon discovers that Connor is much more than he seems. He is attempting to find the best orphan to imitate and act like the missing Prince Jaron. Connor has rescued four orphans as he puts them to test to discover which one he’ll utilize.  The story is clever and is filled with adventures that will make the pages fly. There’s even a detailed map in the front of the book showing locations and destinations that Sage and his fellow orphans take in this imaginary land. Luckily, there are more books planned in this series.

The Son of Neptune, (The Heroes of Olympus Series Book 2), by Rick Riordan, continues the adventures of Percy Jackson in this Roman demigod camp. (The previous series, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians”, was about the Greek gods.).  Percy has two horrific gorgons hunting him down as he arrives at Camp Jupiter. That’s when he learns about the huge dilemma that faces mankind.  Death is encased in prison and the titan Gaea is about to release escaped souls and monsters upon the earth.  Percy is on a race with time to release Death before this horrible event can take place. His two friends, Hazel and Frank, are complex and have secrets they are attempting to hide making the entire story exciting, well written and inviting even for the most reluctant reader.

The Moon Over High Street, by Natalie Babbit, is a sweet story that soon becomes much more than a twelve-year-old boy who has gone to spend the summer at his aunt’s house. It soon becomes a moral tale of making the right choices when faced with a chance to inherit power and money. The book is a fast read with only 148 pages.

Chronicles of the Red King: The Secret Kingdom, by Jenny Nimmo, is a new series following the popular “Charlie Bone” series. Timoken is a prince who has been given magical gifts that enable him to fly, stay the same age forever and with a magical cloak. His mother sends both he and his sister off to live far away from their land that’s now under attack. Their adventures and the problems that follow them make this a riveting tale from beginning to end.

The Unforgotten Coat, by Frank Cottrell Boyce, is my favorite book of this year – so far!  If the author lived in America, he would have surely won the Newbery Award! The clever format is written in first-person by Julie, who is reflecting on her experiences back in sixth grade during the time two Mongolian brothers came to be in her class. She has been chosen by the older brother, Chingis, to be their “Good Guide” and help them navigate through British school life. What she learns and begins to appreciate about them and their culture will surely bring about an appreciation for all who bring ethnicities and unique differences to our personal awareness and appreciation. The few photos found throughout fit into the story with perfection. There is one mild swear word found in the book.

Storm Runners #2 The Surge and #3 Eruption, both by Roland Smith, continue the adventure and page turner of Book One with Book Two having the two stranded teens leaving the safety of the circus barn to fix their generator from the water left by the hurricane. They come into contact with a lion and a leopard which seem very anxious. Now they face not just weather challenges, but dangers unlike they’ve ever experienced before. The third and last book in this series deals with their challenges with another natural disaster: an erupting volcano in Mexico. All three books are page-turners and are great for reluctant readers.

Kingfisher First Encyclopedia is the perfect introduction for kids at this reading level to begin their research into facts of interest to them. It’s full of bright pictures, photos and maps, and the lay-out of information is kid-friendly making learning and enticing.

And while I’m in non-fiction, here are two more books that kids will enjoy learning about.  I Survived is a series that introduces young chapter readers to some of the biggest disasters in history and they are all geared for young chapter book readers. The San Francisco Earthquake, 1906, by Lauren Tarshis, is the newest publication in the series and it deals with the catastrophe back at the turn of the last century.

Magic Tree House has a “Fact Tracker” series that is non-fiction for young readers to learn about.

Dog Heroes, by Mary Pope Osborn and Natalie Pope Boyce, and illustrated by Sal Murdocca, actually gives interesting background to the story “Dogs in the Dead of Night”, also by Osborn.

Toys Come Home, by Emily Jenkins, and wonderfully illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, is actually a follow-up from two previously published stories (“Toys Go Out” and “Toy Dance Party”). How-ever, you don’t need to read the other two stories to enjoy the adventures of these delightful and engaging toys as you learn about how they came alive.

Muncle Trogg: Small Giant. Big Adventure!, by Janet Foxley, and illustrated by O’Kif, is a great story that will surely draw young readers into the magic of reading. Muncle Troggg is the world’s tiniest giant that ends up having a giant heart. When he meets a young school girl, the surprises and action begin.  It’s amazing so much can be packed into 224 pages.

Beast Quest is a great reading series that many boys love reading. My favorite book in this series is by Tony Abbot, but Adam Blade is also good. Here are a few of the newest books in this series: When Monsters Escape, Amulet of Avantia, The Battle Begins and Blaze the Ice Dragon. Many of the pictures are action drawings which help navigate the action!

The Faeries’ Promise: The Full Moon, by Kathleen Duey, and illustrated by Sandara Tang, is the fourth book in a series and it is the perfect story for those young readers who love magic, fairies and adventure.  The black and white pictures are richly drawn and help move the story along.

No Room for Dessert, by Hallie Durand, and nicely drawn by Christine Davenier, is the perfect book for that chef entrepreneur. Eight-year-old Dessert (yes that’s her name), is sure to win the invention contest at school with her “Vending Dresser”, but ends up losing to the two-headed lemonade shooter. But her dream is about to become real when her family heads to a fondue restaurant. Check out the yummy recipes found at the back of the book.

Gooney Bird on the Map, by Lois Lowry, and delightfully illustrated by Middy Thomas, is a continuation of stories about 2nd grader, Gooney, and the shenanigans of what takes place when most of the rest of the class is going on a vacation during break. Gooney makes some adventurous plans using the U.S. map in a unique and educational way.

Clementine and the Family Meeting, by Sara Pennypacker, and drawings rich with expression by Marla Frazee, is another great story about this engaging heroine. Clementine is quite nervous about the sign she just saw on the fridge: “family meeting”. In the meeting, she learns that her family is about to grow. Clementine isn’t thrilled with this information. She doesn’t think she needs another sibling, but she has a lot to learn by the end of this most enjoyable book.

Roland Wright: at the Joust, by Tony Davis, and drawn with much humor by Gregory Rogers, is the third book in this series about Roland who is just a young page in this circle of knights in armor. But he’s just heard that there is to be an actual tournament with jousting – and the winner will be crowned king.  He is about to learn many life lessons in this very charming story.

Duck for a Day, by Meg McKinlay, and sweetly drawn by Leila Rudge, showcases strong determination and friendship when Abby is sure she’ll get selected to tend the class duck overnight. But she must first make her home perfect for Max the duck. But her neighbor and classmate also want the duck and are also preparing to have him spend the night. This hilarious story will keep you reading to the very end.

The Deadlies: Spiders on the Case, by Kathryn Lasky, and illustrated by Stephen Gilpin, is the second book about these very poisonous spiders. But they are actually very nice and helpful, if only others will give them a chance. They are now living in the Boston Public Library and are attempting to help their new spider friend help save some rare books that might be cut from the shelves.

Cork & Fuzz, by Dori Chaconas, and delightfully painted by Lisa McCue, is a series of books with key elements that children at this stage of reading enjoy and can relate to: humor and friendship. Both animals (a muskrat and an opossum) are unique in the type of animal which helps make the story more interesting. The newest book in this series is “Finders Keepers”.

Zelda and Ivy, by Laura McGee Kvasnosky, is another series at this same reading level with easy chapters that youngsters will relate to.  Each chapter has the fox siblings experiencing different adventures and drawing the reading into their lives. The newest book is “The Big Picture”.

Mercy Watson, by Kate DiCamillo, and wonderfully illustrated by Chris Van Dusen, is a popular series with the newest edition, “Thinks Like a Pig”, as funny, and fun to read, as the older books. This rascally pig is domesticated and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Watson, and decidedly becomes a problem when caught eating the neighbor’s plants. Now Mercy must think like a pig and solve this problem before animal control takes over!

Andy Shane:  Hero At Last, by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, and illustrated in black and white by Abby Carter, is the newest book in this adored series.  Andy is always in search of adventure and he now decides he wants to be a hero.  But how he achieves this goal surprises even him!

Stink and the Ultimate Thumb-Wrestling Smackdown, by Megan McDonald, and illustrated in black and white by Peter H. Reynolds, is the latest book in this fun and humorous series that has Stink Moody taking on the achievement of thumb-wrestling. He’s disturbed with some of his report card marks and he’s about to do something to change it all.

There is a series of books published by Candlewick Press, under the heading of “Toon Books”, that presents stories in a comic strip venue. These books are good for children that need some prodding to capture the joys of reading.  But be cautious since these books have several pictures on each page that push the story along.  So be wary that kids don’t become dependent on these types of books. The newest books include Patrick in A Teddy Bear’s Picnic and other Stories and Benny and Penny in Just Pretend, both by Geoffrey Hayes.

Geronimo Stilton:  Ghost Pirate Treasure is the latest adventure in this exciting series, but this story features Creepella Von Cacklefur. Someone has been digging holes near the mansion at night and it appears they’re looking for long-lost treasure. The colorful text and variety of the size of different words doesn’t distract, but helps move the story along.

Little Wings:  Willa Bean’s Cloud Dreams, by Cecilia Galante, and illustrated by Kristi Valiant, is a new series and this book proves to be a winner!  Willa has fortitude, spunk and is down-right funny making this heroine a lovable character!

Martha Speaks:  Secret Agent Dog, adapted by Jamie White, and based on Susan Meddaugh’s characters, is a great introduction to mysteries. This hilarious dog is a secret agent and is about to solve the mystery of the soup thieves.

Frankie Pickle and the Land of the Lost Recess, by Eric Wight, is a series especially enjoyed by boys as Frankie’s interest in subjects such the local natural history museum where he learns about dinosaurs is discussed.  Now, all he wants to do is dig for dinosaur bones during recess and that’s when the trouble begins.

Bad to the Bone, by Lucy Nolan, and illustrated in black and white by Mike Reed, is the third book in this series about a dog who is attempting to train her master. If only her owner would understand that cats are bad and dogs are good. This is an invitingly funny tale.

Marty McGuire, by Kate Messner, and illustrated in black and white by Brian Floca, is the first in a planned series that has Marty at the center of her third grade experience while she struggles with having to be a princess in a play. She’d prefer learning about bugs and animals compared to acting like a girly-girl. Soon her class and teacher learn much more.

Jack Gets a Clue:  The Case of the Loose-Toothed Shark, by Nancy Krulick, is another funny book from this series. Jack and his partner, Elizabeth, are about to discover what happened to a giant shark tooth fossil that went missing during a birthday party at the local aquarium.