Review: Historic and Lively - What Am I? by Joyce Markovics

HISTORIC AND LIVELY

WHAT AM I?

American Place Puzzlers

by Joyce Markovics

Bearport Publishing

Picture Book / Non-Fiction

ages 3 and up

What has a main street and hundreds of historic buildings? If you guessed Colonial Williamsburg, you're right! This book introduces early readers to a mystery American place by describing its features, one by one, using short simple sentences and eye-popping full-color photos. At the end of the book, the secret place is revealed across a colorful, two-page spread. Young children will love showing off their beginning reading skills as they learn about amazing American places--one clue at a time! Fast facts and maps at the end of the book provide key information about the place. Rich, colorful photos and a clever design are sure to grab and excite emergent readers.

MY TIDBITS

With lively, real life photographs, this book describes Colonial Williamsburg while offering kids interesting tidbits along the way.

This book tries to help listeners/readers puzzle together an historic site in the United States by giving hints and clues so they can 'puzzle' it together. It's a cute idea, encouraging kids to think while trying to piece together the information offered in the pages step-by-step. Each illustration/photograph follows this scheme with its puzzle-appearance on the page, where a couple pieces are missing to give it that real game feel.

The text is very simple and short, making it appropriate for even youngest listeners. There's only one piece of information on each two page spread and the photograph fits to it perfectly. While the idea is grabbing and the book does a great job an introducing an interesting historic site to listeners/readers (and will even leave them curious to go visit it themselves), the one offered in this book, Colonial Williamsburg, is so unknown that the chances younger listeners have even heard of it are slim. This leaves a hint of frustration at the end since listeners have no way of solving the puzzle and might feel a bit cheated. It does, however, offer a great addition to those who are learning about the area or who have heard of the place before.

At the end, there's a Fast Facts section with more detailed tidbits about Colonial Williamsburg, a map of where it is in the United States, and an index as well as a website address where kids can learn more. The information is well-rounded, will inform listeners in a fun way and awaken their interest to visit the site.

Young children will love showing off their beginning reading skills as they learn about amazing American places--one clue at a time! This new series introduces emergent readers to iconic American places through a fun guessing game. Each 24-page book features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple sentence construction. Vibrant photos and a clever design are sure to grab and excite young readers!

There are 8 titles in this series, all of which can be viewed here at Bearport Publishing.

Review: Eco-Disasters Series from Bearport Publishing

This is a non-fiction, picture book series for kids ages 5 and up (and was immediately a favorite of my son.)

Black blizzards. Toxic water. Killer smog. Deadly oil spills. In this compelling new narrative nonfiction series, readers will learn about the world's worst environmental disasters. Through riveting stories and first-person accounts, each book traces an ecological catastrophe from the beginning to its aftermath. Readers will uncover the truth about what caused the tragedy, the disaster's devastating toll on people and the environment, steps taken to remedy the problem, as well as what can be done to prevent another catastrophe from happening in the future. Fascinating photos of the actual events, maps, and fact boxes enrich the compelling text. The personal, and often heart-breaking, stories will grip and inspire young readers.

Eight titles are in the series, all of which you can find here.

Here are the two titles, which I've read (after prying them out of my son's fingers....seriously.)

DEADLY MINE

Libby, Montana

Eco-Disasters

by Kevin Blake

Bearport Publishing

Non-Fiction Picture Book

32 pages

In 1963, Les Skramstad came home after a hard day's work at the local mill and mine in Libby, Montana. His wife kissed him at the door and his kids playfully grabbed his legs. They didn't mind that he was covered in powdery brown dust. Little did Les and his family know that the dust was deadly. Deadly Mine: Libby, Montana traces the tragic story of a small mining town that eventually became poisoned by a deadly mineral called asbestos. Fascinating photos of the actual events, maps, and fact boxes enrich the compelling text. The personal and heart-breaking story will grip and inspire young readers. 

 MY TIDBITS

With careful explanations and descriptions, this book gives young readers a glimpse into one of the largest environmental catastrophes in United States' history.

The first pages set the mood with the tragic story of a miner and his family, who became sick from poisonous dust in the town of Libby, Montana. Young readers are emotionally pulled into the situation, which sets a perfect seen for the more historical and factual information. The next chapters explain how the mineral was discovered, what this discovery meant at the time, and how people were able to benefit from the mining during the early years. Like a mystery, the problems unfold. The information is concise but told with enough excitement and emotion to keep younger readers engaged. Everything for the chemical aspects, the medical results to the governmental policies is covered in a way readers of this age group will understand. More difficult words are highlighted and placed again in a glossary at the end of the book.

The seriousness of the situation is ever present, but never overwhelming. Readers are not talked down to, but given solid facts and arguments, which will lead them to thought. Information concerning how the situation is being taken care of is also included, allowing the book to end on a slightly higher note without undermining the horrible aspects of the occurrence. A website address at the end leads kids to a little information concerning the catastrophe and offers a crossword puzzle as well.

The real-life photographs are bright and bring clarity to the explanations found in the text. Young readers gain a greater appreciation for the event and can easily slip into the shoes of those effected by the disaster.

Children, ages six and up, who are interested in science, nature or world happenings are sure to enjoy this book and soak up the information. My own son thoroughly enjoyed this book and is determined to read through the entire series.

KILLER SMOG

London, England

Eco-Disasters

by Joyce Markovics

Bearport Publishing

Non-Fiction Picture Book

ages 5 and up

32 pages

In December 1952, a thick layer of black smog blanketed London. The filthy air blinded people on the streets and brought traffic to a screeching halt. Worst of all, the pollution was deadly. It sickened 100,000 people and took the lives of 4,000. Killer Smog: London, England traces the devastating story of air pollution that took thousands of lives and brought London to a standstill. Fascinating photos of the actual events, maps, and fact boxes enrich the compelling text. The personal and heart-breaking story will grip and inspire young readers.

 MY TIDBITS

Natural disasters can come as unsuspecting as a fog, and this book explains how The Great Smog of 1952 occurred as well as the effects it had on all of London.

The first sentence opens like an eerie mystery and immediately draws young readers into the scene. Readers will sympathize with the little girl as she tries to make her way through the mysterious fog. The accompany photographs enrich the atmosphere, making the entire event come to life. The history behind the fog and its causes remains rooted in facts, while keeping the information from getting too dry. Quotes from people who experienced the situation as well as little bubbles of extra tidbits dabbled among the photographs make it fun to glimpse through the pages and grab up pieces of information on the way.

Although the seriousness of the catastrophe is never down-played, the ending offers a ray of hope and explains what has been done to hinder a future occurrence, and what is still being done to improve air quality in general. A glossary at the end offers definitions to the more difficult, high-lighted words in the book. There's also a link to a website, where kids can discover more about the smog and play a crossword puzzle.


You can find out more about the series as well as the rest of the books at. . .

http://bearportpublishing.com/shop/show/12209

Review: New York City by Joyce Markovics

NEW YORK CITY

Citified! 

by Joyce Markovics

Bearport Publishing

Picture Book

Welcome to New York City: The City that Never Sleeps! Explore the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, and other iconic places around the city. Plus, learn fascinating factoids. You'll quickly see why millions of tourists visit this amazing city each year. Each 24-page book features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple sentence construction. The playful text, colorful design, and captivating photos and map are sure to entice and excite beginning readers.

MY TIDBITS

This is a great first-glance for younger readers to learn more about a vibrant, diverse city.

New York City is the theme of this book, one of eight titles in the Citified! series. Young readers are introduced to various aspects of New York City—everything from well-known sites to typical food to geographic basics. After a quick introduction, New York's location is illustrated on a world map and the break-down of the city is explained. Then, it's all about people. The diversity, subways, parks and exciting features are presented with quick glimpses of important information. Each page only presents a sentence or two, making it a glance that even a younger audience will appreciate.

Accompanying each important tidbit is a very bright photograph. It fills each two-page spread and brings across the energetic rhythm of New York. Young readers see exactly how the city is and get a good feeling for each scene. At the end, there's a glossary, an index, a suggestion of where to discover more about the city as well as a website address, where readers can discover several more interesting facts about the city and dive into a crossword puzzle.

This is a wonderful picture book for ages 4 and up to learn a little bit about New York. The information is interesting without getting too heavy. The quick glances here and there are enough to get a good taste of the city and a basic knowledge.

Tall buildings. Shimmering lights. Honking horns. In this colorful introduction to the world's greatest cities, children will discover all the things that make cities--both near and far--unforgettable destinations. Each 24-page book features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple sentence construction. The playful text, colorful design, and captivating photos and map are sure to entice and excite beginning readers.

http://bearportpublishing.com/shop/show/12218

Review: Chicken (See Them Grow) by Joyce Markovics

CHICKEN

A See Them Grow Book

by Joyce Markovics

Bearport Publishing

Children's Non-Fiction

24 pages

ages 4 - 8

A chicken pecks the ground looking for food. It was once a tiny embryo inside an egg. So how did it develop? Beginning readers will discover how an embryo inside an egg grows into an adult chicken in this basic introduction to animal development. Each 24-page book features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple sentence construction. The clear text, fresh design, and colorful, eye-catching photos are sure to capture the interest of emergent readers.

BEARPORT PUBLISHING

MY TIDBITS

Sticking to the facts, this book explains exactly how a chicken develops from an egg in a way young listeners can easily understand.

This book is chicken information pure--starting with what a chicken is to how an egg is formed and what happens from there. The information is brought across in simple to understand sentences, great for kids ages 4 and up, and gives step to step insight on the stages of egg and embryo development. Terms which might not be known to young listeners are placed in bold letters and explained in a glossary at the end of the book.

Real life photographs cover every two-page spread, letting kids see things for what they really are. The chickens are presented in full color and with such liveliness that it's hard not to smile while flipping through. Especially the pictures of the little chicks are super adorable. The text is placed in colorful boxes on each page in large, easy to read writing. Little dabs of extra information are offered on the spreads to help answer any questions, which might pop up: for example, it's explained what the difference is between a rooster and a hen along with a visual to make it clear.

At the end of the book, there's not only a glossary but an index, suggestions where to find out more about chickens as well as several, interesting chicken facts.

Summed up, this is a lovely book which not only informs kids on how a chicken comes from an egg, but dabbles in little facts to make becoming a young chicken expert fun.

This series has six books about everything from dragonflies to dogs and more.

How does a tiny tadpole turn into a huge frog? How does a chicken egg form and eventually become a chick? Beginning readers will learn through simple steps and fascinating, informative photos how different kinds of animals grow from embryos to adults. With just the right amount of detail, this series is a perfect introduction to animal development. Each 24-page book features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple, clear sentences. A fresh, colorful design and eye-catching photos closely align with the descriptive text. These beautiful, informative books are sure to surprise and delight young readers.

Find the entire series here.