by Ken Jennings ; illustrated by Mike Lowery ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 4, 2014
You don’t have to be a certified Junior Genius to enjoy this entertainingly presented introduction.
A liberally illustrated tongue-in-cheek guide to maps and geography delivers solid information and intriguing facts.
Trivia master Jennings, Jeopardy winner and writer of popular adult books including Maphead (2011), will engage his middle-grade audience with this witty, pleasingly solid introduction to geography. With humor, careful choice of facts, and a clear, familiar organization, he leads readers from the basic workings of the Earth (shape, time zones, latitude and longitude) to the geographical fascination of unusual U.S. place names. Chapters follow the arrangement of a typical school day, with a series of subject-based class periods (among them “The Earth from Space,” “Maps and Legends” and “The Watery Part of the World”) interrupted by recess, art, lunch and music. It all culminates in a final exam and follow-up homework. There are pop quizzes along the way, with coded answers and occasional informational boxes of “extra credit.” Subheads announce the topics of each short section, and sketched maps, charts and lists as well as Lowery’s cartoonlike drawings interrupt the narrative, making the reading appear totally accessible. It will delight middle-grade fact lovers, who will want to go on to learn about Greek Mythology (publishing simultaneously; 978-1-4424-9849-5), U.S. Presidents (coming in May 2014) and more.
You don’t have to be a certified Junior Genius to enjoy this entertainingly presented introduction. (Nonfiction. 8-11)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-9848-8
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Dec. 10, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
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PROFILES
by Whitney Gardner ; illustrated by Whitney Gardner ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 29, 2021
A classic story of outsiders making friends—with a little something more.
After moving to a new city, a girl attends a wilderness camp to help her make new friends.
When astronomy-obsessed 9-year-old Vega’s dad Wes gets a new job, the family moves from Portland to Seattle. Vega is not happy about this change and doesn’t want to leave her best friend behind, worrying they will grow apart. Vega’s dad Javi thinks making new friends will help her adjust, so he signs her up for Camp Very Best Friend, which is designed to help introverted local children build new friendships. Vega is not exactly eager to go but makes a deal with Wes, agreeing to try out camp as long as he tries to make a new friend too. It quickly becomes clear that this is no ordinary outdoor adventure, and Vega and her fellow campers try to figure out what is really going on. The story smoothly incorporates STEM facts with insets on the page to define and highlight terms or tools. An unexpected twist toward the end of this fast-paced adventure that reveals the truth behind the camp will surprise readers. The clean, bright artwork is enhanced by panels of varying shapes and clear, easy-to-follow speech bubbles. Race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation are not explicitly addressed; characters’ names and physical appearances indicate a broadly diverse cast starting with brown-skinned Vega and her two dads.
A classic story of outsiders making friends—with a little something more. (Graphic fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: June 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-5566-5
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 29, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
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by Stephanie Cooke ; illustrated by Whitney Gardner
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by Debbie Levy ; illustrated by Whitney Gardner
BOOK REVIEW
by Whitney Gardner ; illustrated by Whitney Gardner
by Kathy Henderson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 1999
A picture book combines the exuberance of children and the drama found in nature for a sly lesson on power-sharing. Henderson (Newborn, 1999, etc.) lands on the wide reaches of a windy beach where young Jim expansively flings wide his arms and claims “All this is mine!” So it seems until the wind blows in a gale so violent that it smashes objects and tears “through the dreams of people sleeping.” An eerie series of black-and-white paintings shows the white-capped waves breaking ever higher and crashing inland; these are so frightening that Jim cries out to his mother, “The sea! It’s coming!” Happily enough, Jim and his mother are able to run up the hill to a grandmother’s house where they weather the storm safely. The next time Jim speaks to the wind, on a much quieter beach, he whispers, “All this is yours.” Large type, appealing pastel illustrations, and a dose of proper perspective on humankind’s power over nature make this book a fine choice for story hours as well as nature collections. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-7636-0904-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1999
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