Review: Imagine

Imagine by John Lennon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was a bit disappointed in this book, too. I couldn't help looking at the illustrations and thinking about the book Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!. Yes, it is a lovely song and I truly like it, but it isn't realistic to think the world, especially the animal world, could live like this. Birds eat the fish; they don't stop squabbling over it and take up an olive branch. Large birds eat smaller birds; they don't sit on telephone wires together and link wings in friendship. Somehow, instead of birds, I would rather have seen people, trying to live together in peace, building components of society together.

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Review: Animals Marco Polo Saw: An Adventure on the Silk Road

Animals Marco Polo Saw: An Adventure on the Silk Road by Sandra Markle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was actually a bit disappointed in this book, which I read because one of my GR friends liked it. I think that, had I been expecting more of a story about Marco Polo, I might have enjoyed it more, but the title and the friend's review let me to believe there would be more of the story about the animals. Instead, they seem to be mentioned, almost as an afterthought on the pages where they appear. The people and places seem to be much more a focus of the story. I do like the illustrations, though.

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Review: Animals Marco Polo Saw: An Adventure on the Silk Road

Animals Marco Polo Saw: An Adventure on the Silk Road by Sandra Markle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was actually a bit disappointed in this book, which I read because one of my GR friends liked it. I think that, had I been expecting more of a story about Marco Polo, I might have enjoyed it more, but the title and the friend's review let me to believe there would be more of the story about the animals. Instead, they seem to be mentioned, almost as an afterthought on the pages where they appear. The people and places seem to be much more a focus of the story.

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Review: Speediest!: 19 Very Fast Animals

Speediest!: 19 Very Fast Animals by Steve Jenkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Same review as for Stinkiest: It is too bad I am retired from teaching and didn't know about this book when I had students (but, given the publication date, this is impossible). This is the perfect type of book for those readers who prefer non-fiction. Great pictures; un-dumbed down text; lots of short bits of text to look at; maps. Recommended for middle and upper elementary school students.

I would get all of the books in this series for a middle to upper elementary classroom. Well worthwhile.

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Review: Stinkiest!: 20 Smelly Animals

Stinkiest!: 20 Smelly Animals by Steve Jenkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is too bad I am retired from teaching and didn't know about this book when I had students (but, given the publication date, this is impossible). This is the perfect type of book for those readers who prefer non-fiction. Great pictures; un-dumbed down text; lots of short bits of text to look at; maps. Recommended for middle and upper elementary school students.

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Review: Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women

Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book, but it would be even better if it had included more. The fly-leaf lists of women inventors were really nice.

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