Review: Hack Your Backyard by Niki Ahrens

978-1-5415-3915-0

$27.99

The great outdoors is calling! Explore science in your own backyard through this wild collection of projects. Make your own compass, learn to tell the temperature from crickets, count the stars, and more! Simple instructions and clear photos ensure projects will be successful, and QR codes lead to supplemental content. This book was created in partnership with Science Buddies®, an organization focused on fostering STEM discovery through hands-on explorations.

Oh look, a book written for my children!

School is now under way here, but we have enjoyed a summer spent in the dirt and the forests. We even discovered a species of millipede none of us has ever seen, right in our own back yard! 

This title contains 8 simple outdoor experiments, some of which may be familiar from elementary school science fairs (watching how water travels through a flower's stem by adding food coloring). All are a great way for adults who feel uncomfortable with their science knowledge to begin exploring together with their children. A "science takeaway" for each experiment gives an easy-to-understand explanation of the science involved.

Most of these can be done any time of year, and in city or country locations. A few involve live animals (ants, pill bugs, worms), so make sure your kids are treating them gently and letting them go afterward. My kids aren't going to believe their ears when I tell them I actually WANT them to collect more roly-polies!

Series Review: Pollination Junior Readers by Jennifer Boothroyd

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I love finding good nonfiction to add to our Junior Readers (books for kids just learning to read). Long before any Common Core nonsense came out, librarians anywhere could tell you that younger kids, especially, want to know what is REAL. Plants are also a staple of every home school science curriculum, so these killed two birds with one stone.

This series also includes the titles Insect Pollinators, Parts of a Flower, and Self-Pollination. The format is very friendly to early readers who like a predictable framework: brightly colored photograph taking up most of the page, one or two sentences in clear font (ITC Avant Garde Gothic Std Medium if anyone cares) at the bottom.

Animal Pollinators gives a very, VERY basic explanation of how pollen is used to make seeds - some children may want more of an answer, so be prepared. Several animals that help spread pollen are them mentioned, along with how the pollen sticks to them (bees and butterflies are not included, but I will assume they are in Insect Pollinators, which I have not yet seen.) Two photographs show, close up, how humans can spread pollen, which could lead to a fun experiment and a walk outside.

Cross-Pollination mentions different pollinators (including the wind), how plants attract pollinators, how plants help the pollinators, and points out that plants need pollen from like plants. A simple glossary and index at the back of each may seem excessive, but they can help young children learn the parts of a book early on.

The only issue I saw with these is that children would really need to read the whole series to get a clear picture of what is going on in pollination. Guess that means I better get some order cards made for the rest!

Review: An Ambush of Tigers, by Betsy R. Rosenthal and Jago

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Have you ever heard of a prickle of porcupines? Or a tower of giraffes? What about a parcel of penguins? 

Oh, fun! I have seen several picture books on the subject of collective nouns, but they never seem terrible kid-friendly; the rhythm is off, or the text is just plain dull. Rosenthal's offering, by contrast, makes use of the double meaning many collective nouns have, illustrated quite handily by Jago. The entire book is a delightful mnemonic device: once you have seen the tower of giraffes watching the raft of otters (complete with swords and eye patches), I defy you to forget either noun.

Each two-page spread has one or two four-line rhymes, such as

Who cleans up

when a clutter of cats

gets fooled by the pranks

of a mischief of rats?

These are begging to be read aloud, and sure to be greeted by giggles. Some of the vocabulary might be beyond younger readers (what is a parcel? an intrusion?), which makes the handy-dandy glossary in the back just perfect. 

The definitions are accessible (intrusion means forcing your way into a place or situation where you are not wanted or invited), and if I was teaching a class of, say, second graders, I would probably start by reading the story out loud and having fun with it. Then I would ask if there were any words they weren't sure about, and write them on a chart. A second reading, asking students to motion whenever there was another word they weren't sure of. Bingo, there's our vocabulary list for the week! After having fun with those words for a while, we would look at other collective nouns - what are some used for people? - and maybe end with our own book, each person in the class illustrating a different term literally (what would a babble of barbers look like?)

This would work for a single home schooled child, or for a whole class. Remind me of this one when I win the lottery and can stay home all day! Of course, there's that annoying detail of having to buy a ticket first...

44 Shopping Days Left! Review of Chernobyl's Wild Kingdom: Life in the Dead Zone, by Rebecca L. Johnson

I lived in Ukraine in 1993 and 1994, as a Peace Corps Volunteer. My station was in Dnepropetrovsk (say THAT three times fast), in the southern part of the country, but our initial training was held in Kiev. There were times when one volunteer would look at the other and wonder aloud how the cold war ever happened - when we saw a soldier bent over a short-handled broom, sweeping the dirt (not sweeping dirt off of something, sweeping the actual dirt); or when the phones, as usual, were useful only as fishing weights; or when Ukrainians told us, in all seriousness, that sitting on cold cement would cause us to become infertile.

Much of the former Soviet Union was what I would call a mix of advanced technology and redneck rigging.

So, a nuclear reactor in a place where you fix leaking plumping by wrapping an old rag around a wooden block and hammering it into place...well...by the time I arrived, I don't think it was the cold cement causing infertility (or drinking Pepsi that caused kidney disease.)

All that to say, the fallout and later effects of the Chernobyl disaster hold a place of special interest for me. I remember watching military personnel waving a Geiger counter around the back door of our kitchen area, smiling and telling us there was nothing to be concerned about, as if we couldn't hear the device beeping wildly. 

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While much has been written about the initial disaster, scientists are still studying the effects on plants and wildlife in the 'Dead Zone', as it is commonly called. That very name illustrates the belief most people had, that nothing would survive in that 30km radius. As you can see from the cover photo, however, wild boar - once scarce in the area - are thriving. Lush vegetation is pushing through the abandoned streets. There are more moose in the Dead Zone than anywhere else in Ukraine. Stray dogs, beavers, wolves - even a herd of endangered Przewalski's horses, released into the zone as a - get the irony, here - safe place to live and breed.

How are these plants and animals doing so well in the face of radiation? Or, are they doing well after all? What of the people who have defied the law and moved back into their homes? Even the scientists studying the area don't have definitive answers yet.

At a time when post-apocalyptic novels are quite popular, this could be an interesting nonfiction companion - sort of the YA version of the Magic Treehouse companion books. Rather than giving a gift with this book, it could be the gift that goes with a novel such as The Line by Teri Hall, or Enclave, by Ann Aguirre. Then again, it is an interesting read all by itself!

51 Shopping days Left! Review: A Timeline History of Early American Indian Peoples by Diane Marczely Gimpel

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Having grown up with very stereotyped (read: wildly inaccurate) teachings about Native Americans in school, I tend to approach any material about them these days with a great deal of wariness. I don't know enough myself to be sure I will catch any and all mistakes, but there are certain things I do know to look for - assigning the same cultural traits to all of them is a big one. Writing as if they are a part of history, and not a living breathing cultural group today, is another.

With that in mind, I'm not going to claim this is the only review you need to look to on this book, but here is my take on it!

At the very beginning, Gimpel acknowledges that there are different theories as to how the very first humans arrived in North America, and that they didn't exactly keep calendars. A small sidebar also explains the basics of timelines, which many readers may find useful. She also differentiates between native groups and tribes,  which I have not seen anyone else do.

For the most part, each two-page spread has text at the top, giving cultural information and explaining events that caused the movement of different groups. At the middle we have both photographs and illustrations, often a side bar with more information. At the bottom is the time line, with a few particular events highlighted. Somehow, this does not seem too crowded or busy, and the whole thing flows remarkably well!

Covering such a huge time span (20,000 BC to almost the present day) and hundreds of separate cultures in 48 pages is not an easy assignment. One can forgive an occasional mistake (psst - in the side bar on page 15, "Pocahontas" is spelled wrong. But, thank-you for not giving the Disney version of who she was!) (Oh, and the Apache didn't just use wickiups, some used tipis - and still do!) I was amazed to find no blatant editorializing of events - the "doctrine of discovery" is explained very matter-of-factly, as are multiple massacres committed by just about everybody.

I'm not sure who the best audience for this would be. Too much info for a single report, but good basic background to lead off an in-depth study of Native American cultures. I think I will hand this to home schoolers who want to do more than the 'obligatory' one-week unit in November.

***Edited because I totally forgot the gift guide! Please. PLEASE. Do not give this with a fake headdress and tomahawk, or something equally 1950's ignorant. Do a little research about local Native American people groups, and plan a trip. Visit Chaco Canyon, or the Serpent Mounds, learn a little history AND show your children that Native Americans a) still exist, and b) dress, learn, talk, live, for the most part, just like them. I highly recommend this series as well:

72 Shopping Days Left! Review: Party Time Series

Okay, look, we can't all be the queen of Pinterest. Most of us aren't ridiculously rich, either. Our kids' birthday parties can't all involve pony rides and bouncy houses and rock bands. Fortunately, my kids and their friends all being mountain kids means I can put out a cake, fill a trash can outside with water, and say, "Have a ball. Don't bite the mountain lion."

As kids get older, though, they start to want something a bit different. Fortunately, at that stage they can start doing some of the planning themselves! This series from Lerner, aimed at teens/preteens, gives some great ideas to start the brainstorming and get the creative juices flowing.

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In "Plan a Birthday Party", Stephanie Watson gives suggestions for locations (from mundane to unusual), cake alternatives (sundae bar!), and entertainment (henna!). A simple checklist helps really put the responsibility on the party planner. A few etiquette tips are mentioned gently, but can't go amiss. 

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I was hoping this one would have ideas for all seasons, but it focuses on summer time. Again, there are suggestions for food (to BBQ or not to BBQ?), creating a guest list without drama, and the helpful checklist. Pest control (including pets and siblings) is addressed, as well as house rules, and not overscheduling - things that might not be first on a teen's mind, but which can help things run SO much more smoothly!

Other titles in the series include Holiday and Sleepover parties, and we will be purchasing those as well. My only concern is that I may have to hand sell them at first, simply because it's not a section teens think to look at. A good collection for a special display!

Gift accompaniment? A party, of course! If you have a birthday coming up, you are all set (Shane's and Sheridan's are both around Christmas, but so far they are in the earlier, easy to please category!). Or, plan a party together for Christmas break - something to beat the post-holiday, miss-my-friends doldrums. And make sure to invite me!

93 Shopping Days Left! Review: When Lunch Fights Back, by Rebecca Johnson

*Please check out my post from 9/12/14

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Sometimes, it's really good to be a human. Unless you want to try some really exotic quisine, your food is relatively harmless. Well, except for all the chemicals, GMOs, preservatives, hidden fats...hmm...

Well, at least our food doesn't poke its own bones through its skin and rake them across our mouths as we try to eat it.

Yeah, I'm not hungry now, either. This is definitely one of those highly sensational, extremely disgusting, gory and gross books that...what's that? You already know who you are going to give it to? That's what I thought. My problem is, will my kids take turns with it, or will they fight over it?

Fortunately, along with the exciting/disgusting stories of animals defending themselves from would-be predators, there is quite a bit of science. Equal space is given to "the science behind the story", introducing various scientists who have spent time studying the creatures in question. The last few pages include copious resources for more information, as well as glossary and index. This is actually a pretty good book, definitely worth the shelf space in a library, classroom, or home.

Should you choose to give it as a gift this holiday season, you can pair it with a gift certificate to any ethnic restaurant near you, to try out some foods that might be new to your child (but which hopefully won't try to kill him). If you are lucky enough to be near an aquarium or zoo, you could give them a pass, along with a promise to go check out the animals there and see what you can learn about their defenses.

Book Review: Cold, Crunchy, Colorful - Using Our Senses, by Jane Brocket

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I think every elementary science curriculum has a unit on the five senses, and we've done our share of story times with the theme, as well. Why not? So many fun projects you can do! Reading the same books over and over can get old, however. Fortunately, Brocket offers a fresh title to add to the mix. 

While the text follows the basic formula of looking at each of the senses individually, it goes into more detail with them. "Our eyes tell us about colors, patterns, and shapes," for example. The sense of touch is not just limited to hands (one of my pet peeves), but "Our feet also tell us how things feel. If the water is cold. If grass is springy. If socks are cozy." A great springboard for a lesson on adjectives or descriptive writing, as well!

Beautiful, bright photographs complement the text exactly, and make you feel as if you could reach through and touch or taste them for yourself. A great addition to a school or classroom library.

Book Review: Handle with Care, an Unusual Butterfly Journey - by Loree Griffin Burns

We have hatched butterflies here at the library many times, which is always popular with both kids and adults. Our next hatching display will definitely have to include this book, although I don't think it will stay there for long.

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We have many books about butterflies - any children's librarian can tell you bug books are always popular! - but I think our readers will especially enjoy the conversational style, and the fantastic imagery: "If you stood next to this tree with your eyes closed, you would hear the caterpillars chewing!"

A great deal of information is packed into short bits of text, on or around large, bright photographs. I love that when it says, "It begins 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) away, in the country of Costa Rica..." the text is superimposed onto a map of North and Central America - so that kids can get an immediate sense of perspective as to how far away from them that might be.

Wonderfully accessible, painlessly educational. Perfect for either a classroom library or at-home reading. This one will be spending some time at our house before it is catalogued for the library!

Mini-Reviews: New Nonfiction

Okay, so here's the deal. In order to get the children's room recarpeted, my desk has to be moved. In order for my desk to be moved, it has to be cleared off. In order for it to be cleared off, I have to catalog this pile of books. Before I can catalog them, I need to review them.

So, in the interest of turning this dingy aqua-covered floor a pretty dark blue, here are some quick impressions of a few nonfiction series that have come out this year!

     

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Obvious cover and subject appeal. Inside graphics match the style and 'attitude', for lack of a better term, nicely. Each title starts off narrating an exciting event in that sport, then goes into the history, important names, rules, techniques, etc. Written around a fifth grade reading level, but fast-paced and engaging. Recommend highly, especially for reluctant readers who have the skills, just not the interest. Other titles in the series include Mud Truck Racing, Rally Car Racing, Rock Crawling, and Tractor Pulling.

     

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Again, obvious cover and subject appeal, but do they also provide useful information?

Written around a 4th grade level, each chapter tells a different story of survival. While the tone definitely leans towards the sensational, there is a clear understanding of what each person did right or wrong, and what helped them to survive. Tips either throughout the book, or sometimes at the end, give good advice (you know, in case you ever meet an enraged hippo).

Other titles in the series include: Surviving Accidents and Crashes, Surviving in Cold Places, Surviving in Wild Waters, and Surviving Natural Disasters.

Thank-you to Lerner for the review copies!

Review: Galapagos George, by Jean Craighead George

Did you know that tortoises don't die of old age? Actually, that's one of those legends that's mostly true but not 100% - many species of tortoises stop aging, or age very slowly, once they reach adulthood, so theoretically they COULD live forever. So far, though, the oldest on record was a tortoise from the Galapagos Islands named Harriet, who lived to be 179. Another famous tortoise from the same islands was:

 

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George lived to be at least 100 years old, and died within weeks of one of my favorite authors, Jean Craighead George. Just last week I handed her Summer of the Falcons off to a young lady who reminded me a bit of myself at that age, and I predict by now she is firmly hooked on George's writings. In this nonfiction account, published posthumously, George's passion for animals shines through her description of this species' journey through time and geography, along with a simple understanding of adaptation within a species. (I'll overlook the horribly inaccurate definition of 'evolution' in the endnotes.) Wendell Minor's soft watercolor illustrations are the perfect companion. A rich selection for any library, from elementary to even high school.



Lerner's What Is a Food Web? series, by Pal Fleisher

The area I live in is unique in that it is

 

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surrounded by

 

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so, when I had a chance to take a look at this series from Lerner, I chose these two titles, as areas I am most familiar with. Others in the series exlores grasslands, lakes and ponds, oceans, and tundra.

 

The stated age range for these is upper elementary. I had to look to see what age group was listed, because I couldn't tell by reading them. Some of the captions seem to have been written for primary or even preschool readers. Other parts of the text seemed to assume the reader had more background knowledge of terms and concepts than you would expect from the average 9-year-old. For example,

 

"When plants and animals die, they break down into chemicals. The chemicals become part of the soil."

 

Chemicals? Like the stuff in bottles under my kitchen sink? How do they become dirt? Food chains are mentioned but not explained. Some things are simplified too much to be accurate, especially for older kids - for example, yes, turkeys eat plants, but they will also eat insects, or even salamanders.

 

Both books do contain a great deal of information in short segments. A child who likes to move quickly from one idea to the next would probably enjoy this series, and would come away with a good basic understanding of each particular ecosystem. Those who find a specific aspect interesting could then hopefully find something more in depth.

 

The photographs are an excellent addition, well-placed and varied. As each of these ecosystems occurs throughout the world, it would be helpful to have the location included in the captions - so that readers don't assume all deserts include camels, and all forests have black bears.

 

Appropriate for upper elementary ages, good for basic information and overview reports.

JFK by Jonah Winter

9780061768071

 

Books about John F. Kennedy abound in both children's and adult literature. There aren't very many titles for the primary grades, which may be the biggest reason for buying this one.

 

As adults, we know JFK did many great things, but he was hardly the godlike figure that this book hints at. While small children don't necessarily need to read about his womanizing, making political figures sound better than they were is more indoctrination than education. Winter's book may serve as an introduction into the events of JFK's life, but teachers might do well to add other information and explanation as is suitable. Children may have questions of their own while reading - such as, who ARE all these people in the pictures?

Founding Mothers, by Cokie Roberts

9780060780029

 

Ah, yes, celebrities as authors. Another sub-genre of books that librarians have a love-hate relationship with. If a child likes Madonna or Will Smith, and picks up a book because it has their name on it, that's good, right? Except, so often, talent in singing or acting does not necessarily translate to talent in writing. (Hint: In the former, it definitely doesn't.)

 

Fortunately, Cokie Roberts can join Will Smith in the list of celebrity authors that don't make us cringe. Her writing style is friendly and fast-paced, and Diane Goode's flowing illustrations are a perfect match.

 

Roberts begins her book with a lengthy 'letter of introduction' explaining her interest in/research into the lives of our 'founding mothers'. Next comes an illutrated timeline with a few tantalizing tidbits - while I knew about each of the events, most young readers wouldn't, and even knowing about them did not stop me from wanting to turn the pages and read more.

 

Each woman is given two pages of details about her life and accomplishments. Two seperate spreads, "Women Writers" and "Women Warriors" give quick descriptions of the contributions other women made to America's early years. This book could serve either as a gift meant to inspire a young lady in your life, or as a good book to leave around the classroom and let kids discover on their own.

 

Thank-you to HarperCollins for the review copy.



Lerner's Map it Out Series, by Jennifer Boothroyd

It's always fun to check out the new books as they come across my desk. I'm especially happy when I see books that I immediately know will be a hit at home.

 

Our family is planning a trip from New Mexico to Ohio this fall, and is still debating whether we will drive or fly. Either way, these two titles in the "Map It Out" series will easily lend themselves to activities that should get the kids excited and involved in the planning.

 

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Simple text describes the basic parts of a map, and shows how a young boy marks the places he wants to visit on a family trip. I think this will be just right for my preschool-through-second-graders (and will help Mommy keep straight in her head all the places she wants to show them!) The second:

 

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has its own key, but thankfully doesn't repeat anything from the state title other than the compass rose. In this, another boy marks the states he has been to, and the ones he wants to visit - another easy activity for my kids to do! As a former teacher, I appreciated the way Boothroyd explains why Alaska and Hawaii aren't pictured in their actual locations.

 

Other titles in the series, which we will be ordering soon, include:

Map My Continent

Map My Home

Map My Neighborhood

Map My Room

 

I look forward to incorporating whatever activities they suggest into our home 'school' times. I would recommend the series for any classroom/home library that serves younger children.

Nonfiction Monday: For the Good of Mankind? by Vicki Oransky Wittenstein

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Definitely not one for story time, or light reading before bed (unless you care to feed your nightmares), a fascinating and informative read nonetheless.

 

The subtitle, "The Shameful History of Human Medical Experimentation", pretty much sums it up. Some older readers may have heard of experiments performed by Nazis on people they considered subhuman, but will be shocked to learn of cases sanctioned by our own government, even conducted by American military doctors.

 

For the most part, the people who conducted these experiments felt they were completely justified, and many important discoveries were made as a result. Appendices include abundant source notes and sources for further study, but it is the section of critical analysis questions that set this apart from similar books that may just seek to shock the reader. I can see this being used in high school programs for teens interested in entering the medical field, or in a higher level English class where the teacher wants to encourage critical thinking and debate.

 

Not a fun read, but one with a definite place on high school library shelves. Thank-you to Twenty-First century Books for the review copy.

 

 



Nonfiction Monday: The Dolphins of Shark Bay, by Pamela Turner

Last week we commented on the popularity of dinosaur books. Dolphins aren't quite at that level, but there is no denying the interest humans have in these smiling, playful creatures. Most people know dolphins are considered highly intelligent - but, why? What about a dolphin's life in the wild requires more brain power than many other animals?

 

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In this book, Turner follows scientist Janet Mann and others as they study and get to know a large community of dolphins over the course of decades. I've read a fair bit on dolphins, but learned a dozen things I hadn't known in just the first few pages (did you know young female dolphins will steal anotherdolphin's newborn, just for kicks?). Turner's quick-paced, storytelling style make up for the small print that may throw off reluctant readers at first.

 

fascinating information throughout, presented very accessibly to the non-scientifically-minded (i.e., me). Oh, and if you are curious as to the answer to the original question, a lot of it seems to boil down to this passage:

 

"Perhaps you've heard the saying, 'Necessity is the mother of invention." Among dolphins, invention is sometimes a necessity of motherhood." (pg. 32)

 

(or, for the male dolphins, it boils down to posturing and alliances that make any season of Survivor look like child's play).

 

The end pages include plenty of web sites to offer more information, including the official site for the Shark Bay Project, as well as an update on some of the humans and dolphins we met. (I will admit to feeling much relief about Fin.) Librarians may have to hand-sell this a bit because of the afore-mentioned small print, but I think readers who take them up on it will not be disappointed. Definitely one to add to your collection!

Nonfiction Monday: Dinosaur Look-Alikes by Buffy Silverman

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I don't have to tell anyone that dinosaur books are popular, right? When I run a weeding list, and there is anything at 567.9 that has not checked out in the last 6 months, I automatically know it's lost.We are continually buying dinosaur books to replace those that wear out, and while I know kids will pick up virtually anything on the subject, it's nice to find something with a little bit 'more'.

 

This series may be just as popular with the adults trying to keep up with the inquisitive little minds in their lives. After a certain point, you can't get away with calling them all "long-necks" or "three-horns"! Each of these six books starts off with a description of a particular group - raptors or sauropods, for example - and gives a few commonalities. From there, we get some simple ways to tell the two featured dinosaurs apart. What I really liked is that each detail includes a "why" - brachiosaurus's front legs were longer, and it held its head upwards, so it could eat plants that were much higher up. A comparison is drawn to giraffes, and how they eat. Lots of critical thinking skills, here!

 

I appreciated that Silverman was not afraid to say occasionally, "scientists do not know...but many think...". It is good for kids to realize that there are still discoveries to be made (perhaps by them!), and to have the chance to discuss the evidence one way or another.

 

The books are chock full of photographs (of skeletons, of course) and colorful drawings (with a little bit of blood and guts to keep certain young men happy). Side-by-side diagrams at the end help sum up the similarities and differences.

 

Overall, a solid addition to any library or home collection - and who couldn't use more dino books? Thank-you to Lerner for the review copies!

Nonfiction Monday: Pope Francis, First Pope from the Americas by Stephanie Watson

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I remember when I first realized that TV networks often have 'specials' worked up about famous people to be aired in the event of their death, long before that actually happens. While it makes good business sense, I felt gypped somehow.

 

Somewhat similarly, when there is a new face in the news, you see a scramble to be the first book publisher to come out with a biography. Sometimes astute publishers and authors have had an inkling that an individual's time was coming - at other times, you can see it came down to grabbing any accessible information and putting it into print in time to beat a deadline.

 

This biography, published about 8 months after Pope Frances started making the headlines, leans toward the latter. Anyone who has had half an eye on news stories will not learn anything new about this very popular leader. The text, while mostly flowing and accessible, does seem rushed in places. It also shows a bit of whitewashing that I would hope we are getting away from in children's books - the accusations related to Argentina's "dirty war", for example, are mentioned, but quickly dismissed.

 

For children who are not as familiar with Pope Francis's childhood and history, or the surprising changes he made beginning from his very first day, this would be a good introduction. It will also likely be popular with those who are just plain fans of his. Worth adding to a collection, but if you have limited funds, you may want to wait on one with more meat to it.

Nonfiction Monday: Military Special Ops series from Lerner

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While military operations are not on my top ten list of most exciting topics, they sure rank highly with many of my patrons. I'm always looking for a new series to point them to that will have the right balance of information and readability.

 

For this series I read the above title about Navy Seals, and this one about the U.S. Air Commandos:

 

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The tiny print may scare some kids away, and the reading level (about 5th grade) will keep me searching for something for the younger crowd, but for older readers I think these will do the trick. Both books held my interest, and I learned quite a bit with each - although in some cases, it was because I was curious enough to do some internet searching (I really would have liked to see a picture of the bone phones.) I think I will add these two to the collection and see how they do before deciding whether to add the rest of the series.

 

Thank-you to Lerner for the review copies!