Most of us know more about science than we think we do, but not nearly as much as we should. That semi-contradictory state is part of what makes this book such a fun, satisfying educational read. We come away from it at once affirmed and improved in our knowledge and understanding of science. After a warm, personal introduction from one of the authors, the book presents 101 concise questions spanning biology, chemistry, p...Read more

Kids enjoy having this book repeatedly read to them to a degree one might expect of a favorite bedtime story. That's because the playful, rhyming sentences that appear on each page generate fun and excitement in readers and listeners alike. The first and last pages feature the entire alphabet in upper and lower case letters. The rest of the book showcases one letter per page (written large in the upper left corner), and i...Read more

This is one fun, funny board book. Kids and parents get a huge kick out of its wordplay and big, bold illustrations and especially enjoy sticking their face in its pages. Book-o-Beards is one of several wearable books published by Capstone Young Readers and written and illustrated by Lemke and Lentz. With the book open wide, the top center of each pair of pages has a die-cut hole on which to rest your nose, forming a comi...Read more

One of this 30-page board book's many strengths is the unusually high level of interactivity it weaves into the early learning process. Every page contains colorful illustrations and characters that catch the eye and capture a child's imagination. The accompanying rhyming text is playful and brief. These short paragraphs are often embedded with information about objects on the page, bringing listening skills (or reading c...Read more

First Grade Thinking Skills & Key Concepts is part of a new standards-based series from The Critical Thinking Co. The book does an excellent job of helping kids develop essential thinking skills, academic vocabulary, and a grasp of key concepts in mathematics, social studies, and science. It is quite effective in laying a foundation that enables students to absorb, integrate, and communicate the more complex subject matte...Read more

With Fun-Time Phonics!, children are introduced to the joy of reading through a series of exercises that parents, teachers, and students find fun and engaging. The book contains 100 short activities that teach phonemic and alphabetic skills while introducing vocabulary. The initial 14 lessons make children aware of the connection between speech and print through a series of simple, playful pre-reading exercises. Special a...Read more

This much-needed book (for teachers of kids aged 3 - 6 years) provides a clear and effective approach to helping children develop the social and emotional skills so essential to their present and future success in school. It does so through a series of activities that span the entire curriculum but that focus on both the emotional and academic aspects of learning. In the first chapter, we are introduced to the Seven Cs of...Read more

Part of what makes this book such an effective means of fostering readers' curiosity and familiarity with science, technology, and a host of other topics is the naturalness with which they are woven into the story. There's never a moment where the considerable amount of educational material feels inserted. The main characters, who are bright, energetic students the same age as the intended audience, ring true. Their bante...Read more

The more engaged children are during the learning process, the greater their understanding and retention of the material. The experiments, activities, and overall approach in this book encourage a kind of 'full body learning' that brings all five senses into play, an approach that elevates kids' involvement to the highest level. The positive results are evident immediately - in the keen interest, excitement, even joy on t...Read more

One of the many delights to be had in reading this blend of fact and fiction is the caliber of the writing, which proves to be as entertaining as it is illuminating. In it, the great Leonardo da Vinci finds himself brought back to life in the year 2000 upon the condition that he must 'invent or discover something that benefits all mankind.' Through interactions between Leonardo and his young present-day companions, reader...Read more

Loose parts are everywhere. Almost anything that can be held in the hand qualifies - pebbles, acorns, gems, napkin rings, strips of paper, sticks, eggs, spoons, ping pong balls. They can be natural or synthetic, bought or found. What they have in common is their ability to be manipulated, comingled, grouped, sorted, and above all, re-imagined. Kids, left to their own devices, experience loose parts as the perfect open-end...Read more

To children, movement is not only natural, it's essential. It is a huge part of how they take in the world around them as well as their earliest form of communication and self-expression. It is how they learn. This book provides educators with a variety of classroom and outdoor activities that integrate fine and gross motor-skill development across the early childhood curriculum (language and literacy, math, science, soci...Read more

This book has a remarkable capacity to influence children's interest in math. The bite-sized nature of the mysteries, each of which is a compelling 2-page mini-story involving children who act as both sleuth and problem-solver, keeps readers hungry for more. There's nothing abstract about this book. That the mysteries present common situations kids have, and will, encounter in real life triggers a light bulb in their mind...Read more

This is one smart, enjoyable book. Not only does it expose readers to a wide range of science topics and inspire fits of deductive reasoning, but the mysteries themselves are highly enjoyable little stories, replete with fictional characters whose personalities shine through and compelling story lines. It's hard to imagine this could all be accomplished in a format as brief as two pages per mystery, but such is the case. ...Read more

The learning strategies employed in Practical Critical Thinking take into account the unique qualities of the adolescent brain. Consequently, students find the material both enjoyable and easy to absorb. It is organized and expressed in such a way as to maximize attention and encourage motivation through fun, concrete activities that create positive learning experiences. Chapters are divided into concise, digestible secti...Read more

Historically, students whose reading skills were below grade level had little choice but to read material intended for a much younger audience as a means for improvement. The resulting mismatch between reading content and student maturity level often deflates both motivation and interest. Red Rhino Books fiction series remedies that with these highly engaging short novels conceived specifically with struggling readers in ...Read more

This fine nonfiction series is well-suited to reading levels 1 - 1.9, but with characters and themes students in grades 3 - 8 find exciting and fascinating. Titles like Monsters of the Deep, Wormholes, Virtual Reality, and Witchcraft (and several others), beckon readers to explore the compelling subject matter, while each book's cover art hints at the rich array of full-color photographs and illustrations kids will find a...Read more

This exciting, entertaining, and oh-so-effective book makes it easy for parents and educators to nurture the budding scientists that all children harbor within. With science and technology permeating our lives as never before, preparing children for a successful future is essential. The hands-on activities presented in this book encourage and empower children to question and experiment as they move through life. Each chap...Read more

Children are the ultimate movers and shakers. Nothing could be more natural to them than the unbridled physicality of playing rhythm instruments. Rhythmic sound centers kids' attention in a way little else can, engendering a deep connection that allows them to learn and grow by leaps and bounds. This book provides an abundance of easy-to-do classroom activities through which young students explore making music and inventi...Read more

That this book is so effective in helping children develop and hone critical thinking skills is due, in part, to a format kids find both pleasurable and engaging. It is filled with short exercises and activities students experience as a fun detective game rather than work. It is an active, step-by-step learning process, with plenty of practice of a sort that instills in readers a growing sense of mastery and, with it, a d...Read more

Fear is a healthy emotion, and children, as they develop, need help expressing and coping with common fears they experience from day to day. The Magnificent Sprinkles are happy, friendly creatures with special powers that provide a source of comfort and strength to children. This gift set includes a plush Magnificent Sprinkle toy and a hard cover illustrated book detailing the story of where Sprinkles come from and how Gr...Read more

This boxed set contains a trio of board books whose rhythms, rhymes, illustrations, and stories are perfectly suited to the eyes and ears of young readers. The stories themselves are retellings of three popular tales - The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition, and Elf Pets: A Reindeer Tradition. The rhyming is particularly strong, with an unforced quality that energizes each ...Read more