Friday, December 28th, 2007
I read Usborne’s biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this weekend and really enjoyed it. The book is well written, providing a great introduction of the Dr. King’s life for young readers. The pictures that accompany the text are especially helpful, giving children a glimpse into the Civil Rights Movement.
While I haven’t gotten a chance to read the other books in the “Usborne Famous Lives” series, I can definitely recommend this one. The Usborne “Quick Links” extend learning by giving readers the opportunity to view a clip of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech as well as an online photo gallery.
Posted in History and Reform, Holiday Resources, Usborne Books for Children (Reviews) | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007
Usborne makes a great line of books for beginning readers on high interest topics. Tadpoles and Frogs by Anna Milbourne is loved by both my children and serves as a great example of the series.
This book uses excellent photographs and engaging text to introduce young children to the amazing life cycle of frogs. The Table of Contents helps readers (and parents) see what’s to come and the glossary at the end of the book aids in understanding. The font is just the right size for young readers and the text is well-written, giving information in small bites rather than long paragraphs. The author has even included four recommended websites on the topic of frogs for children to explore with their parents.
My five year old boy enjoys this book as a read aloud and found it especially useful when we were raising tadpoles a few weeks ago. My little girl is only two and also likes “reading” her book about frogs!
We have two other books in the series: Sun, Moon, and Stars and Caterpillars and Butterflies. They are wonderful as well.
Posted in Book Recommendations, Usborne Books for Children (Reviews) | No Comments »
