Review: Early Bird Stories from Lerner

Each of these represents a level in Lerner's new "Early Bird Stories" series:

9781541541610

$27.99

Stories in the 'pink' level (two per book) each start off with a beginning letter to trace, high frequency and bigger key words, tips for reading, and a related activity. Text is a bit like the old "Dick and Jane" books in its repetitive framework, but the illustrations help make for an engaging story, as well as providing visual clues to support a beginning reader. (I loved Nell's completely unrepentant expression!)

9781541541634

Red books are the next step up in reading level, but share the same features. Sentences are a tad more complex, and stories do not have the repeating framework. Most words are still easy to sound out phonetically, with a few exceptions such as "prince".

9781541541672

With the yellow series we move to one longer story per book. More consonant blends and occasional longer words like "inventions". No letter tracing or high frequency words at the beginning, but a short quiz at the end with lower-level comprehension questions. Pictures are also more intricate, and at least in this example, encourage more reading with signage that helps make sense of the contents of poor Mr. Ricket's shed!

9781541541733

Finally, we have the blue level. Definitely more complex sentences and vocabulary (I'm not entirely sure what "skidding" is, though - strange choice). Use of quotation marks and other opportunities to practice oral reading skills. Again, a quiz at the end with basic comprehension questions.

Overall I am pleased with the sampling I have seen, and plan to order the rest of the books in this series for our Junior Reader collection! While they aren't as engaging as, say, Elephant and Piggies, they also aren't as mind-numbingly boring as some of the leveled readers the schools seem to get with their reading programs. Boring a child is never a good way to turn him into a great reader! I expect these to circulate well.

Series Review: Meet a Community Helper Series from Lerner

9781541520196

$27.99

I know books about community helpers are popular, because when I tried to pull some on firefighters and police officers for a special story time in September, half of them were lost! (Side note: if you ever need a fabulous guest reader, our Chief of Police is your man. I'm still trying to convince someone we should be allowed to trade jobs for a day.)

As much as they are needed, I don't like putting out nonfiction with inaccuracies, regardless of the age level. Initial misinformation can take a long time to unlearn. Unfortunately, in the firefighter book alone, I found several issues.

Accuracies: Many firefighters perform tasks other than fighting fires, such as helping with accidents. Fires can happen in buildings or in forests. Firefighters use oxygen tanks to help them breathe in a fire.

Inaccuracies: The firefighters are shown wearing the exact same outfit (which they apparently bought at Walmart on Halloween) for every situation. On a structure fire. On a wildland fire. On a car accident. On an EMS run. IN THE WATER. And in each, they are wearing a cartoony helmet that DOES NOT COVER THEIR HEADS. Even where it says, and I quote, "Special pants and coats keep Jim safe in fires and protect him against burns." But, apparently, it's okay if Fireman Jim's hair goes up in flames, and the skin on his face melts off like the Nazis at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Don't use an ax to open a window, use your halligan. The fire hose does not carry water. Please don't store it with water in it. I could probably forgive the latter two, but the lack of proper uniform was pretty bad. There were several other kind-of-true-sometimes statements that weren't really WRONG, but needed more clarification.

The illustrations had a few oddities as well. Why were there two bricks on fire, but not the wood floor? Why were the children and teacher in the classroom reaching towards Firefighter Jim like zombies?

Overall, not a book I am going to put on the shelves, or give as a gift.

Review: Community Helper series from Millbrook

 

Millbrook Press sent us two titles from this series:

 

    

 

ISBN: 976-076-139-0251 and 978-076-139-0305 respectively

 

In each book of this series, which also includes construction workers, dentists, doctors, librarians, police officers, and teachers, and elementary school class visits/is visited by a person in that particular profession. In story form, with vocabulary sprinkled throughout, we learn about the duties, days, and tools of each one.

 

I was especially interested in the firefighter book because, in my other life, I are one. I was very pleased to see the firefighter immediately explain to the children that firefighters do more than fight fires - in fact, putting out fires may be the thing they do least often. That is certainly true in our department, where EMS calls and vehicle accidents make up most of our runs. (This may or may not remain true if we don't get some rain soon, but that's for another blog post).

 

The color and style of the illustrations put me in mind of Fisher Price toys, and as such I think will appeal to children quickly. Side bars give more information, and again, I was impressed with the very accurate details that are often left out of similar books. A page at the end gives simple instructions for making a fire escape plan. Well done!

 

Let's Meet a Veterinarian was just as fun and thorough. I have one minor quibble with an illustration - where it says a lizard can get a broken nail, the picture seems to show a broken tail. Otherwise, also very nicely done, and I am fascinated at the many ways Cale Atkinson has found to draw a human nose.

 

All of the books in this series appear to include a multicultural class, with great care taken to avoid gender stereotypes - fortunately, not in an obnoxious way. All include a glossary, index, and list of web sites and recommended books for further exploration. A solid addition to any elementary school classroom or library.

For more great titles, check out the Nonfiction Monday round-up at Booktalking.