Reviews
Last modified: January 15, 2008

Today’s Books, Public News Service, February 2001

86 Points ! ! ! ! ! Must Read

Author: Jane Chisholm. Author: Anne Millard. Illustrator: Ian Jackson. Non Fiction/History: Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greeks, Roman Empire, China, India, Asia Minor. Readers: Adult. Media Note: Profusely illustrated mapped survey of ancient cultures and civilizations.

Oklahoma Today Magazine, January-February 2001

In October 2000, this Tulsa children’s books publisher, in business since 1965, was named one of the best growth companies in the state by the Daily Oklahoman. An estimated 12,000 retail outlets including Barnes & Noble and Borders) and approximately 5,000 nationwide independent sales consultants market EDC’s United Kingdom-produced line, Usborne Books. Usborne is known for nonfiction and educational selections, with titles like Animal Babies, Sam Sheep Can’t Sleep, and The Ogs Discover Fire. Consultant’s earning potential can range between $500 a month and $100,000 a year.

Publishers Weekly, January 22

Educational Development Corp., the US distributor for books produced by the U.K.-based Usborne Publishing, has started offering a new line of titles that are linked to the Internet. The new books are the result of a research effort by Usborne that identified 1,000 educational and child-friendly Web sites. Each new title lists specific sites where children can go to learn more about the book’s topic. In addition, users can go to Usborne’s master site (www.usborne.com) to find links to appropriate sites. The new series launches this month with five books – two 450-page encyclopedias, plus books on sharks, birds and music. "It’s a new way to use the Internet," said Randall White, EDC president. The new titles will be sold through all of EDC’s marketing channels including its home business division. With the demise of Dorling Kindersley’s family learning division, EDC has added more than 1000 for former DKFL sales consultants to its rank, giving the company approximately 5,000 home sales people. "I’m very excited about the potential in our home unit," White told PW.

Island Family Magazine, December 2000

Children of all ages will have hours of fun transforming this colorful book into a 3-D nativity scene. The pieces are die-cut to make them easy to push out, and with care can be slotted together to make a lasting Christmas decoration for everyone to enjoy.

Ethiopian fringed umbrellas; star-shaped Filipino parol lanterns; candlelit Swedish St. Lucia crowns; Mexican posadas – Mary Lankford brings together Christmas traditions from twelve different lands, like decorations on a splendid tree.

Carolina Parent, December 2000

Animals, 1-2-3, a-b-c, and Things that Go

Usborne Books recently introduced a new series of delightful baby board books designed to introduce very young children to important concepts, including letters, numbers, colors, and things that go. Each bright, friendly picture has a familiar object to point to, name and talk about. These great books will entertain babies and toddlers, as well as adults.

The Washington Post, December 2000

A how-to chock-full of games, art projects and experiments for days when inclement weather keeps kids indoors.

Puget Sound Council For the Review of Children’s Media, December 2000

Exactly what the title says: a book in encyclopedia format about various earth topics including planets, weather, climate, plants and animals, rivers and oceans. There is also a section devoted to volcanoes, hurricanes, tornadoes and other natural disasters. The pictures outnumber the writing but there is enough text to answer the basic kinds of questions that bring someone to an encyclopedia and to stimulate the more curious readers to find out more. One complaint about the format: If a topic is covered elsewhere in the book in more detail, there is an asterisk by the word with a page reference in the lower right or left hand corner. That footnote is so small and hard to see that it took me three chapters to even figure out what the asterisk was for.

Great binding, layout and information. Enough information to practice effects without being overwhelming. Covers morphing, 3-D modeling, imparting and animation. This field changes quickly but this looks like a good introduction to the field.

This "search and find" book of double page spreads depicts 18 stops along a world tour covering all the continents. At each destination the reader searches for Great Aunt Marigold (who is taking the tour), a present for a friend or relation (who gets what is specified, but where it’s bought is not), items (specified in the margins) hidden in the picture, and an item needed for the next destination. A good, if not deep, introduction to places/cultures in a format extremely popular with children. Answer key provided; paperback – would not bind without loss of picture content.

La Voz Newspaper, November 2000

"It isn’t life-like!", "A child of five could do it" "It’s not worth that much!", These are just some of the common criticisms of modern art.

This book takes a fresh lok at the subject, dealing sympathetically with charges such as these, but encouraging a greater understanding of modern art by putting it in a wider context. Instead of looking at each artistic movement in turn, as most books do, this book takes a thematic approach. It compares and contrasts very different works under heading such as "Emotions", "War", "City Life" and "Religion", showing how works of art relate to people’s everyday lives, as well as to each other.

This guide to music theory will tell you all you need to know about how music words. Based around extracts from well-known pieces, it explains clearly and simply how music is put together and written down.

The extracts have been carefully selected and graded to help you progress steadily.

From the most basic concepts, such as note lengths, to the more complex topics of harmony and ornamentation, you will find all the essential background to instrumental lessons, and more.

Test questions give you practice in key skills, and there are useful charts and a glossary of musical terms for quick reference.

When Cassy the clumsy crocodile gets a job at Everglades Department Store, she certainly makes things happen – but not in the way she hopes.

Togs, food, china… she leaves a trail of destructions behind her in every department she visits. But in the end, Cassy’s clumsiness saves the day and turns her into a hero.

This charming new series is designed for young children who are just beginning to read alone and are looking for lively stories to tackle.

Each book combines an exciting plot with simple puzzles to guarantee great page-turning entertainment.

This lively activity book provides Parents and children with lots of simple things to make together to get themselves in the festive mood. There are simple picture instructions for parents and children to follow together, with written instructions, tips and hints addressed to adults. Some of the materials needed can be found around the house, others are readily available in supermarkets and hobby shops. Besides introducing children to some Christmas traditions and giving them a role in the preparations, the activities in this book provide the context for a wealth of learning opportunities.

The Usborne First Book of the Recorder is a simple guide to playing the descant recorder for absolute beginners. Clear text and straightforward exercises allow young children to advance at a steady pace. The tunes have been carefully selected and graded to help players develop their technical and musical skills gradually.

Lively cartoon characters explain how to play each note and provide an entertaining introduction to reading and understanding music.

There are games and puzzles throughout the book, as well as fascinating facts about the recorder.

Math Skills – Fractions & Decimals, Charts and Graphs, Times Tables

This lively series is designed to help you with basic and essential skills. Enter the eccentric "Stone Age" world of the Og family and have fun helping them play their games, solve their problems and correct their mistakes.

This book is paced with ideas that will help children and their parents make the most of the school holidays.

There are lots and lots of things to do, things to make and things to play; things for parents and children to do together and for children to do on their own; things to do outdoors and things to do inside; quick ideas and long projects.

Aimed primarily at parents of five to eleven year olds, this book provides a rich source of starting points for a variety of different activities and hobbies, which may well outlast the holidays.

Titles in this series: Entertaining and Educating Young Children, Entertaining and Educating Babies & Toddlers, Teach Your Child to Swim, Help Your Child Learning to Read and Help your Child Learn Number Skills.

This lively series is designed to help you with basic and essential skills. Enter the eccentric "Stone Age" world of the Og family and have fun helping them play their games, solve their problems and correct their mistakes.

Fogg.com, October 2000

Juegos Con Numeros is an interesting little book that gives you an opportunity to play games with your child so that they learn a little Spanish and also get to work with numbers.

All of the games in this book require just a few items to play. To play any of the games, you simply need to have a few pieces of paper, several colored crayons or markers, several drinking straws, and a little tape. The rest of each game is printed on the page you are working on. Each activity is a little different so that the child gets to develop the basic concepts of addition and subtraction in various ways. Most of the activities involve colorful animal pictures such as butterflies, dogs and fish that children always enjoy.

The games are entirely interactive. Some of the activities include a race across a garden of flowers by three different bees, helping a frog jump across a pond, and loading cargo onto trucks. These games encourage a young mind to solve simple math problems while having fun. All of the instructions for the games are in Spanish, so you may wish to read the instructions to your child, assisting them to translate the game into your language. A few of the words may not be familiar to those who don’t have Spanish as a first language, but the instructions mostly consist of cutting, placing, taping, adding and subtracting. Several quick looks in the dictionary should make the parent fully capable of understanding any new words.

This work is nicely illustrated with pictures that your child will enjoy. The games are fun and they don’t take very much time, so that a young child can finish the game before losing attention. Because all of the loose pieces are made from scraps of paper, there are no small pieces to lose and the games can be played time and time again by simply cutting new pieces. These games are challenging for children from toddler age to early primary school, and there are enough games in the book to keep a child from getting bored.

The Usborne Introduction To French book and cassette package provides a radical and refreshing change of pace in foreign language study courses, and uses a novel concept that is different from many other study programs.

The heart of this program is the book. Like any traditional self-paced foreign language course, the book covers basic pronunciation and notes about the use of French in everyday situations. What sets this course apart from most is that the entire dialog on the cassette tape is presented inside the manual as one long comic strip that flows from page to page. The listener is introduced to the main story characters at the beginning and then follows them along as they encounter everyday situations during their trip to France.

Each portion of the story is read slowly on the accompanying cassette tape along with the English translation, then the entire section is read again at normal conversational speed. The story quickly gets past the basics of the language and involves the listener in more complicated dialogs. The voices on the tape are clear and lively, and do an excellent job of acting out their parts of the characters in the story.

The illustrations in this work are excellent, and the cartoons, pictures and text are colorful and keep your attention. Additional information is provided in the margins of every page so the student can improve their mastery while reviewing sections that have already been covered on the tape. The book is formatted so that the cartoon story can be easily followed while listening to the cassette, and the marginal information closely follows the student’s progress through the course.

Another important divergence from traditional programs is the actual content of the course. The dialogs are not designed as common tourist book style phrases but instead cover a much broader range of situations. They frequently jump from first person to second and third person, thus avoiding a common trap of teaching the user a number of first person only situations. This course succeeds by immersing the student into French to get the desired results.

This program may be a little difficult for an absolute beginner to master because of the conversational speed of the dialogs and rapid pace of learning, but is an excellent program for those that have already mastered the elementary concepts of French and want to move pas the basic content of most self-study courses and into more advanced topics. The teaching method used by this program aids retention of the material by presenting the information in both a listening and visual format at the same time. This is one of the best programs in this price range.

Today’s Books, Public News Service, October 2000

News/Review Rating:

Topic: Exceptional

Content: Exceptional

Style: Exceptional

Production: Exceptional

Author: Good

Description: Building your own website instruction book covers page design, computer code, costs, graphics, sound, html, special effects, links, useful software.

News/Review Rating:

Production: Must Read

Content: Exceptional

Topic: Very Good

Style: Very Good

Author: Good

Descriptions: How the earth was born and life evolved into early and later forms of plants, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Prehistoric humans studied through the beginnings of agriculture.

Cryptologia, October 2000

Designed for ages 12 years and older (and even some adults), this imaginatively illustrated book in dazzling colors and designs is really three books: Map and Maze Puzzles, codes and Ciphers, and Logic Puzzles. Each section has more than 20 different problems ranging from moderately tricky to fiendishly difficult and it is best to try to solve them in order rather than picking a puzzle to solve at random. The reason is that each section has several stories emerging with a recurring cast of character and a final mystery to solve at the end with information discovered along the way. Should you need help there are pages with clues and if you are really stumped, there is another page for answers with detailed explanations.

The map and maze puzzles include treasure charts, classic labyrinths, old plans, coded maps and more; the codes and ciphers feather secret messages, coded diaries, cryptic inscriptions, mysterious symbols and other challenges; and the logic puzzles contain baffling brainteasers, cryptic sequences, strange conundrums, complex board games and more.

The book is a delightful and excellent gift idea to stretch the mind of a youngster or perhaps frustrate some adults.

La Voz Newspaper, October 2000

The Usborne Piano Course is for young beginners ages five and up. Clear text and straightforward exercises allow readers to advance at a steady page. The tunes have been carefully selected and graded to balance new challenges with opportunities to practice skills.

Lively cartoon characters explain musical terms and symbols, and give helpful hints about how to play.

Book One starts with very simple tunes for separate hands.

Notes are introduced one at a time, with identification puzzles to encourage learning. By the end of Book One, beginners will have acquired skills enabling them to play easy tunes for both hands together.

Book Two begins with easy tunes for both hands.

Introduces new notes, simple sharps and flats, and new hand positions. Familiar tunes and original compositions help to consolidate skills and build confidence.

This popular series of full color puzzle books now has a new cover design. The books contain all kinds of fun and thought-provoking problems, including mazes, magic numbers, mixed-up pictures and brain-teasers. Some of the puzzles are quite easy; others will probably make you think a bit. There are clues near the end of each book to help you with some of the more difficult puzzles. These give a hint without telling you the answer and spoiling the fun. There are, of course, answers to al the puzzles at the end of each book.

All the classic kinds of brain-teasers are here, well-expressed and amusingly pictured… I think this is almost certainly the best book of its kind available.

The First Book of Music is a fascinating introduction to music for young children.

Stimulating but simple activities encourage active involvement in al aspects of music from listening to sounds and making simple instruments to dancing, performing and composing. These are supported by clear explanations of how instruments work, and by information about music and musicians past and present, from all around the world.

There is also an introduction to musical notation and practical advice about choosing an instrument to learn.

The Usborne First Book of the Keyboard is a dynamic, colorful beginner’s guide to playing electronic keyboard instruments. The approach to reading music and learning theory is fresh and easy to understand. As soon as the first notes have been mastered there are simple tunes to play, with guidance from friendly cartoon creatures. Each new concept is accompanied by a practice tune and there are many pages of music to play later in the book.

These contain well-known tunes, folk songs and Christmas carols. There are also hints on using the various features of the keyboard, as well as interesting facts about the history of electronic instruments.

The Usborne First Book of the Keyboard is based on the highly successful First Book of the Piano. While it has been revised and rewritten with electronic keyboard in mind, it is still suitable for the young pianist. Other Usborne music titles include: First Book of the Piano, First Book of the Recorder, Easy Piano Tunes, Easy Keyboard Tunes, Easy Recorder Tunes, Easy Piano Classics, Learn to Play Mozart and Learn to Play Beethoven.

Full of games to play and puzzles to solve. Fun activities make even the most boring trips lots of fun.

This book is for ages 7 years and up.

In this colorful books the passengers and crew of Mugsair Airlines help make even the longest wait at an airport amusing and fun – and keep armchair travelers happy for hours with lots of games, puzzles and activities.

There are also ideas for keeping a journey log, hints for keeping scores along the way and a super stunt paper plane to make.

This densely illustrated reference book covers the span of world History, from the earliest settlements of about 9000 BC right up to the present.

Illustrated date charts provide quick and easy reference, backed up by fascinating features on important themes in history. With over 3,500 dates, World History Dates is an incredibly comprehensive guide to what happened when and where.

This book is a fascinating introduction to the life and music of Mozart. It contains more than 25 excerpts from the composer’s most famous pieces, all carefully simplified with the elementary pianist in mind. The arrangements have been made faithfully from the full range of Mozart’s work – opera, church and vocal music, and pieces for orchestra, chamber group and solo keyboard.

The music is set in historical context by means of vivid, highly illustrated pages about Mozart’s career, musical life in the eighteenth century, and the development of instruments and the orchestra. In addition there are accessible, clear explanations of musical terms and technical details vital to a full understanding of Mozart’s work.

Although it is written chiefly for the young pianist, Learn to Play Mozart is also perfectly suitable for the electronic keyboard. Other titles in the series include Easy Piano Classics, More Easy Piano Classics and Learn to play Beethoven

Learn to Play Blues is a complete introduction to blues for young musicians, tracing the fascinating history of one of the world’s most popular styles of music. Words, archive photographs, detailed illustrations and over 30 tunes chart the development of blues from the work songs of African American slaves through to the present day.

The tunes cover a wide range of blues styles, and are suitable for playing on a piano or electronic keyboard. Many also have additional parts for melody instruments, as well as guitar chords, lyrics, percussion ideas and suggestions for group performance. Specific blues techniques, such as piano stride, slide guitar and the "cross-harp" harmonica style are carefully explained, as are more general ideas like blues harmony and improvisation.

This book is a lively and accessible introduction to Beethoven’s life and music.

It contains more than 25 excerpts from his most famous pieces, faithfully arranged and carefully simplified for young pianists. The pieces represent a wide range of Beethoven’s music, from piano and vocal words to music for chamber groups and orchestra.

Highly illustrated pages set the pieces in historical context. These contain lots of information about Beethoven’s career, musical forms in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and the development of the piano and the orchestra. Musical terms are clearly explained, and there is plenty of practical advice about playing the pieces.

Although the music in Learn to Play Beethoven has been arranged for piano, it is also perfectly suitable for electronic keyboard. Other titles in the series include Learn to Play Mozart, Easy Piano Classics, Easy Piano Tunes and Easy Keyboard Tunes.

This book is a delightful introduction to the world of opera. It contains more than 25 tunes selected from a wide variety of operas, specially arranged to be simple yet rewarding for young pianists to play. Most of the tunes are very famous, but there are also some less well-known ones to discover.

Detailed information about the development of opera, together with beautiful illustrations and photographs, help to set the pieces in historical context. In addition there are features on famous opera singers, past and present, and a section explaining the stories of the operas from which the tunes are taken.

Although the music in this book has been arranged for piano, it is also suitable for electronic keyboards, and most of the tunes can be played on the flute or violin. Other titles in this series include Learn to Play Mozart, Learn to Play Beethoven, Piano Classics and Learn to Play Blues.

You can become a champion chess player with this Usborne Kid Kit. All of the basic rules of chess are included along with simple diagrams that make the examples and puzzles clear and easy to follow. The lively illustrations show step-by-step moves along with cunning tricks and tactics. The magnetic chess games comes with 1 ¼ inch tall game pieces. Open, the game has 5 ½ inch square playing surface. Whether at home or traveling, grab an opponent and start learning this challenging game of skill.

Recommended for ages 5 years and up.

This charming story about Polly and Jack Dot, who live in Littletown, has been especially written o help young children who are just learning to read.

The richly detailed photographs of delightful, handmade models provide plenty for pre-readers to look at and talk about, too.

Other books in this series include, The Missing Cat and The Runaway Orange.

Over 50 carefully graded tunes for players using either acoustic or electric guitars have been arranged for this book. This music ranges from faithful version of early lute tunes and classical guitar music to specially composed pieces in a wide variety of styles including blues, Jazz, flamenco, country, heavy metal and reggae.

Musical and technical skills are explained clearly, with accurate photographs showing hand and finger positions. This systematic teaching approach is combined with exciting introductions to specialist techniques. The book is illustrated throughout with photographs of popular and classic guitars from the 17^th century to the present day.

Contains over 20 pieces in a variety of styles, including many arrangements specially composed for this book. The first few duets are fairly simple, to help young players get used to playing together. After this, the tunes gradually get more difficult as the book progresses.

Information about composers and musical styles helps to set the music in context, and lively cartoon characters explain musical terms and symbols.

Helpful hints about playing duets appear throughout the book.

This book contains over 40 simply arranged excerpts from the words of well-known classical composers, including such favorites as the Moonlight Sonata and the Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. The tunes span four great musical periods: Baroque, Classical, Romantic and turn of the century are arranged chronologically to give a feeling of progression through the styles. Each of the four sections begins with a special feature, which explains the musical styles of the time and their place in the development of music. A brief biography of each of the composers whose works are featured is also included.

This book of easy, color illustrated tunes is for beginner piano players. Friendly "jelly people" provide helpful hints and reminders about playing techniques and the meaning of music symbols and terms. The tunes are carefully graded throughout the book, introducing appropriate new skills as the reader progresses. There are many types of music including folk, classical and jazz – some arranged as duets and rounds. There are also some original tunes specially composed for this book. Fun facts and "amazing pianos" give young musicians lots of interesting background information about the piano and its music.

The Usborne First Book of the Piano is a simple guide to playing the piano for absolute beginners of any age. Lively cartoon characters provide an entertaining introduction to reading and understanding music.

The tunes have been carefully graded to help players develop their musical skills gradually. Each new concept is accompanied by a practice tune, and there are games and puzzles throughout, along with interesting facts about the piano.

First Encyclopedia of Our World and First Encyclopedia of Animals

"Why do Zebras have stripes?", "How do earthquakes happen?", "How does a snake see in the dark?".

Find answers to these questions and many more in this exhilarating new series.

Amazing photographs and illustrations combine with lively text to illustrate the basics of our planet’s geography or its animals.

Animal has separate sections on: mammals, birds, water-life and creepy-crawlies.

Our World covers: the Earth, it’s geography, weather, climates and ecology.

Recommended for ages 4 years and up.

This lively new series is designed to help you with basic and essential skills. Enter the eccentric "Stone Age" world of the Og family and have fun helping them play their games, solve their problems and correct their mistakes.

Washington Parent, September 2000

Learning to use the toilet is an important milestone in a child’s developing sense of independence. Fiona Watt’s Potty Time (Usborne, 1999, ages 18 months to 3 years, $4.95) helps acquaint little ones with the process. While Rachel Watts’s brightly colored cartoons set a cheery tone. Parents will reach for this book often as they support youngsters eager to accomplish this goal.

Today’s Books, Public News Service, September 2000

News/Review Rating:

Content: Exceptional

Style: Exceptional

Production: Exceptional

Topic: Good

Author: Good

Description: Basic topics include the planet, natural life, history, cultures and nations, science.

 

Fogg.com, September 2000

Introduction To Robotics

The Usborne Introduction To Robotics is a book about what robots are and how they work. It provides examples of existing robot designs and includes several small projects to assist in learning how robots function. A list of special robotic words along with their meanings is included near the end of the book.

Although this book is nor particularly long at 48 pages, it is extensively illustrated and this makes it easy to follow along throughout the entire text. Almost every page has at least three illustrations, many of which are in full color. The book attempts to provide the reader with a solid background of how robots function by giving enough information so that the major concepts can be understood, yet does not get bogged down in arcane terms or small details.

Most of the book is dedicated to the industrial uses of robots, including extensive coverage of arm-type robots. The relationship of the design to the range of motion and working area, and electrical, mechanical and pneumatic arm propulsion systems are also described along with diagrams of how each design operates. One section discusses the difficulty of designing a gripping mechanism and sensing the strength of grasp, and how sensors can be used to solve this basic problem.

Another section inside this book focuses on computer control of robots and the different types of sensors that can be added to robots to provide information about external conditions. Touch and vision sensor designs are used to assist robots to interpret the outside world. Computer controls help the robot "learn" based on prior experience, by following the actions of a human teacher, or by using the information provided by the sensor systems to make adjustments in the robot’s operation. Examples are also provided to show how things can go wrong when robots have no ability to sense the results of their actions.

A number of existing robot applications are highlighted including robot trains, cleaning and personal service robots, robots in space, and walking robots. Work that humans would find hazardous or fatal can be easily accomplished by fire-fighting and bomb disposal robots. Several pages near the end of the book are dedicated to the latest developments in and applications for robotics including medical, agricultural, and industrial.

The Usborne Introduction To Robotics is a nicely illustrated book about robots that is appropriate for those wanting to learn the basic concepts behind robot design. There is enough technical information to create a firm understanding about robots without too many small details getting in the way. The book is easy enough for a young teenager to read, yet has material that an adult will find interesting. This is a great starting point to investigate the field of robotics.

KidsLikeOurs.com, September 2000

Private detective, Jack Molloy, was close to unmasking a murderer and tracking down the stolen gold from the Bush Street Bullion robbery – but now it’s up to the reader to take up the case. All the answers lie within documents, photographs, newspaper articles and other clues Jack gathered, before being framed for murder!

The older Kids and their father and I solved this mystery together. It is set in October of 1949 and if you were alive then, or watched as many classic movies as I have, you are sure to appreciate how authentic all of the items seem. We really had so much fun working together because it seemed that if one of us wouldn’t get a clue right the others would (OK we did peak at the answer on one question). We all have different skills like Brandon (9) is wonderful at noticing details, I am good at remembering who’s who, Megan (12) is good at calculating, and Allan is great at figuring out maps and keeping it all straight.

The characters in this kit are great. They have names like "Baby-Face" Hanson, Candi Barr, and my favorite Howard Huge. I also just loved the newspaper (one of the clues), It was so fun to read and the clues relating to it were so clever. One great thing about this Puzzle Adventure Kit is that it is totally reusable (give to other family members to solve).

A Must Buy!! For way less than the price of a night at the movies this kit will be a sure fire hit at your next family night. And remember as you solve this mystery you will be creating a memory. FUN!!! FUN!!! FUN!!!

You need only a tube of glue and a pair of scissors or a craft knife to turn this book into a superb model of a medieval village. The model is historically accurate and crammed with details, including over 50 cut0out figures to help you create scenes of everyday village life. The figures include the Lord of the Manor, the blacksmith, the innkeeper and even a dancing bear. Also included are the tents, stalls and peddlars for a village fair. The completed model measures 24" x 18" along the base and is compatible with OO/HO scale models which means you can buy extra models to use with your village if you like.

First of all I just have to say that the paper is extremely durable and even the cheapest glue will bond it together real well. My husband built most of this (I did a few things) with our son Brandon (9) and they seemed to really enjoy their time together as they did.

Everyone who has seen the finished model has agreed that it looks really cool (or neat, take your pick). Not only are there so many buildings (and a few tents) to look at but there is also so many different villagers to move around. One thing that Megan (12) liked about it was that on the inside cover of the book it tells you whom each of the figures is (example Figure 14 is Eric the Pig).

It has been finished for a while now and even though Brandon and his friends have played with it, it still looks nice. I attribute that too keeping it away from my youngest (2) and only letting the younger kids (4, 4 and 5) play with it supervised.

Building this model with your child is a great way to spend quality time with them. It would be a wonderful educational aid when teaching about communities or medieval times. Or you can get it just for the enjoyment of it. FUN!!! FUN!!! FUN!!!

This beautifully-illustrated picture word book is a fascinating look at and talk about book for very young children just beginning to talk, an entertaining word book for children just learning to read their first words, and a stimulating source of ideas and spelling for those just beginning to write.

As well as the hundred named objects to find in the bit, detailed pictures, there are masses of other familiar things to find and name, situations to talk about, and incidents to guess what is about to happen or what has just happened.

There are many opportunities for counting the number of objects as well as counting objects of the same color, of different colors or in a group, and of finding matching pairs. There is also a little yellow duck to find in every picture. This book is also available in French, German, and Spanish. Each foreign language edition contains a translation and an easy pronunciation guide.

This sticker book is a great activity for children just starting to read. Each double page shows a familiar scene with the names of objects from the scene printed along the bottom. Matching the stickers to the words on the pages is fun and helps teach pre-reading skills. All the stickers are reusable and can be used again and again.

If you want to teach your child to read that I HIGHLY suggest that you buy both these books. My plan is below but you might want to make up your own.

1. Purchase the book and Sticker Book.
2. Take out the book (I recommend that you work on one page a day) and point to the first picture (it is in a row below the main picture). Read the word to your child (example: the first picture in the row is a man sitting in a chair with the word daddy under it).
3. Have your child point to the picture and repeat the word.
4. Let your child find the picture above (example: have them find the daddy sitting in the chair in the main picture above) and repeat the word.
5. Repeat for each of the words on the first page.
6. Take out the sticker book and point to the word (that has an empty space above for the sticker) and let your child try to guess it. Show him/her the picture in the book if they need help.
7. Let your child find and put on the sticker. You can also write the words on index cards and see if your child can guess which word it is.
8. After you have gone through the whole book put the reusable stickers back and repeat the whole thing.

You will be amazed at how much young children can retain. I would only take it one page at a time and remember when your child starts to show signs of tiredness it is time to stop.

My four-year-old daughter has honestly learned to read many words with these books. She LOVES doing her "work" (what she calls it). She is the one who urges me to work on her words.

I believe this book would be perfect for home schoolers, ESL students, or anyone learning to read or spell. Very Well Done!!!!

La Voz Newspaper, September 2000

Our plush teddy bear finger puppet helps tell the charming story of how a young boy searching high and low for his lost friend in the fun place where lost teddies like to go. This Young Puzzle Adventures book has "find-its" all along the way to encourage interaction and problem solving between adult and child as they read together. For ages 3-7 years.

Stephen Cartwright’s charming characters come to life in these five cute Kid Kits. The pictures in these delightful board books show a duck, teddy, puppy, kitten or piglet hidden in everyday environments. The books have been specially designed to provide very young children with the challenge of something to look for and familiar objects to name. The plush pile puppets help act out each scene and will provide plenty of enjoyment for very young children. For ages 9 months and up.

Sit down together and read this story from Usborne’s Farmyard Tales Readers series. Encourage the child to read the basic text at the top of each page, while an adult or older child participate reading the higher level text at the bottom. Share train stories and snap together a rolling choo-choo, Snappit’s brightly colored and very durable take-apart train. Lots of play, guaranteed! Train assembly diagram included. For Ages 3 years and up.

This delightful new series of board books based on the beloved Farmyard Tales characters, are for adults and young children to share.

Each bright and friendly picture introduces a baby animal or an animal noise and offers a lot to point to, name and talk about – providing lots of fun!

That’s not my train… it’s windows re too shiny!

This delightful series of board books is aimed at very young children.

The colorful pictures with their patches of different textures are designed to develop sensory and language awareness.

For ages 9 months and up, 12 pages.

"Babies and toddlers will love turning the pages and touching the ‘feely’ parts of the train!"

These charming stories about Polly and Jack Dot, who live in Littletown, have been especially written to help beginning readers.

The richly detailed photographs of delightful, hand-made models provide plenty for beginning readers to look at and talk about.

The stories in this book are also available as three separate titles: The Birthday Surprise, The Missing Cat and The Runaway Orange.

For ages 3 years and up.

Metrowest Daily News, Arts Section, August 2000

The dog days are always an interesting time for our family – we want to be lazy, lazy, lazy – while at the same time we begin thinking about fall projects and prospects. With that in mind, I want to give special thanks to the folks at Usborne Publishing, whose catalog is extensive and packed with useful and fun things for parents and children.

Usborne has so many wonderful categories. I’m only going to be able to identify a few here. You should go to www.edcpub.com to check out the full list. For little ones, they have Usborne Easy Reading. My favorite is "Tales from Littletown" by Felicity Brooks. The stories in this book (and the incredibly engaging illustrations of handmade models) have been written in a special way to help younger children succeed in their first reading efforts with parental help. There is lots to talk about, and the cadence of the writing makes it easy for children to recognize first words. On every page, there is a hidden bluebird to find together.

The Usborne Parents’ Guides are well researched and thoughtful. I particularly liked "Entertaining and Educating Babies and Toddlers" (by Robyn Gee and Susan Meredith) and "Help Your Child Learn Number Skills" (by Frances Mosley and Susan Meredith). Both were packed with inexpensive and thoughtful ideas for helping your child enjoy forays into interactive play, counting, sorting, music, outings, swimming, etc. – with tips for adult interactions and explanations about physiological and psychological background.

"Holiday Activities for Your Children" provides information on crafts, picnics, growing things, treasure hunts, making your own newspaper, ideas for presents, modeling and sculpting, and organizing competitions. For older kids, "Stencil Fun" and "The Usborne Book of Printing" (by Ray Gibson) give detailed project instructions for fabric art, gift wrap, candles, cushions, window decorating, and body stencils. I can say that we can’t wait to put some of the projects into action here and at our library. Usborne has tons of choices for brain benders and puzzles. These are particularly good candidates for reluctant readers, since they are akin to graphics novels. Packed with great challenges, illustrations, and vocabulary, they are geared to varying age groups. There is really something for every child among these selections. We liked "The Time Warp Virus", "Agent Arthur’s Island of Adventure" and "The Emerald Conspiracy".

GreenLeafPress.com, August 2000

Usborne’s design teams are finally venturing beyond illustration and are now incorporating color photography! This is the first volume of a new series that will rival the Cultural Atlas series from Facts on File. The contents are arranged chronologically with major sections on Early Greece, Archaic Greece, Classical Greece, Everyday Life, Macedonia and the Hellenistic World, and a final "Factfinder" section that focuses on Greek mythology, philosophy, and literature. The text and pictures are nicely integrated

and well chosen for a target audience of upper elementary grades (approximately 4^th-8^th grade)

KidsLikeOurs.com, August 2000

Usborne’s 32-page book is paired with 8 rocks and minerals, which are boxed, mounted and clearly labeled for quick and easy reference, along with a handy pocket sized magnifying glass ready to take on a field expedition. Many discoveries await the next generation of young geologists; Usborne’s Rocks and Fossils Kid Kit leads the way.

When my son Brandon (9) received this kit he thought he had stuck gold. He loved the rocks and minerals that came in a box with the book. He called some of them "rare gems". He immediately showed them to all his friends who also thought they were "cool". Megan (12) said she loves the amethyst (her birthstone). I really like how they have put them in a see through case and labeled them. The great thing is that your child can open the case to touch and feel and look at them with the magnifying glass but that each rock is glued down so they won’t get lose.

The book is big and filled to the brim with illustrations and information. My son and I have been reading it together about once a day or so (he also occasionally looks through it on his own). Brandon thought that it was "real neat" how we can find out about the earth from studying rocks and fossils. He also likes learning about the fossils and the stories they tell. He has started a rock collection and wants to bring the book with him on his camping trip that he will leave for tomorrow. He hopes to identify many rocks and hopefully a fossil or two. He has really taken a liking to this subject and even asked for some of the tools for Christmas so that he could "really collect some good rocks". It is great to see the spark in his eyes when learning about this subject.

Megan said that she would "like to do the experiments but I am not really into reading about rocks".

Mary Jo (4) LOVES looking at the rocks through the magnifying glass and always says "Wow it’s magic!".

This is the perfect book for the child who is always bringing home rocks. It also would make a wonderful edition to any home schooler’s library, as it seems to cover everything of what elementary aged children are required to learn on this subject and it provides a great backdrop for many other subjects.

Contains a popular Usborne sticker book, teamed with a complementary full-length interactive CD-ROM and foam puzzle. The First Learning Sticker Books are filled with lots of colorful stickers designed for adult and child to use together. Child-friendly foam puzzles reinforce character recognition while providing tactile stimulation and increasing manual dexterity. They are approximately ½-inch thick, so the pieces fit snugly in place until they are removed. The durable puzzle matrix and characters come in assorted bright colors. The CD-ROM’s are a wonderful collection of interactive learning games set in colorful animated screens. Lively music with voices and sounds appear occasionally to promote exploration of the topics. Through this entertaining medium, children will identify sounds and learn matching, memorization and reading. Players may select their individual level of difficulty and change it easily. Successful answers are congratulated enthusiastically and missed answers receive kind coaching as well. Programs include PC Pig Savings, which demonstrates the value of saving money, showing how money grows at a given rate of interest over time. System requirements for the CD: Windows 3.1 or Windows ’95; 486 or higher; 256 color monitor; 8 megs RAM; 2x CD-ROM or faster; 16-bit sound card. Recommended system: 486/66 mhz., or faster 4x CD-ROM or faster 16 megs RAM.

There is a lot to this package so I will take each one piece by piece.

1. The foam puzzle pieces were a big hit with MaryJo (4). When I first showed them to her she wanted to play with them right away. There are four rows of letters, each row a different color (a good idea). Before taking any letter out MaryJo made sure that she knew what color each row was (she really wanted to make sure she had it right). After that she pushed all of the letters out and she would say out loud "This is pink so it goes in this row…" and so on. It really made it easy for her to find each letter. Later we sang the alphabet song and pointed to each letter. I also used the letters to occasionally give her small quizzes (like "what is this letter? What sound does it make?"). In the week or so that she has had the puzzle she must have put it together at least 30 times.

2. The workbook is something MaryJo (4) thoroughly enjoys. We take it out at least once a day (when she asks to do her "homework") and do a little of it until she shows signs of tiredness. I believe it is important to always start work with children when they are excited for learning and always stop when they start to show signs of getting tired. The colorful workbook is filled with different ways to teach letter recognition (like matching letters or making an alphabet path) while also entertaining them with cute animal pictures.

When I read that all the stickers are re-usable I thought "Yeah right". I had used so called reusable stickers in the past and they either tore or wouldn’t stick a second time. Well I have to say that I was amazed. I unstuck and re-stuck those stickers many times (to test them) and they still work like new. I feel like I have finally seen everything. Now when MaryJo is done with this book (she almost is) then I can give her cousins Jake and Lacey a turn at it.

3. The CD-ROM reminded me of the games I used to download off the local BBS about six years ago or so. While the opening screen is cute there is not a lot of hoopla like in some of the children’s games out there today. But by watching the children play the games on it what I realized is that they don’t need the hoopla. They have a great time playing the set of games because they are fun. They also don’t even realize how much they are learning. The games include favorites like putting together a jigsaw and concentration but also games that I haven’t seen like what’s different. The children also liked the fat that kids talk to them on the game. The CD also includes a card maker and a coloring book. It also can be put in an audio CD and has 30 minutes of music (the kids like singing the ABC song) and a storybook.

This Kit is a fun, educational package filled with many ways to keep your child happy and learning all the day through. If you want your child to get excited about learning their ABC’s then this is a MUST BUY!!!

A three-week riding vacation in Kentucky should be just perfect for Izzy Paterson and Kate Hardy. But when the two girls get to Graytops Farm, they find themselves spending more time cleaning out stalls and grooming then actually riding. A week later, things haven’t gotten any better, and Izzy has had enough. She doesn’t mind helping out, but she wants some answers… This is the ninth book in the series following the exciting adventures of the children and horse from Sandy Lane Stables.

My daughter Megan (12) loves to read and because she does it all the time she has become a very fast reader. That said, I have to share with you how after less than 40 minutes after beginning this book she was done with it. Her first words after finishing it were "That was a great book!" She has read it since and says she will definitely read it "a whole bunch more". Here is what else she has to say about it:

"I liked this book because one of the girls in it was named Megan. I also liked it because it was suspenseful and the person who did the one thing (I won’t say what it is, you’ll just have to read the book) isn’t who it seems it is. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes horses or mysteries."

Since Megan has tested at college level for reading and has read hundreds of books at her level and above, I trust her when she said "That was a great book!". I know your child will enjoy it.

This delightful new series of board books is aimed at very young children. The colorful pictures, with their patches of different textures, are designed to develop sensory and language awareness. Babies and toddlers will love turning the pages and touching the feely parts of the train. Other books in this series: That’s not my teddy, That’s not my puppy.

When my youngest Eric (2) saw this book he went nuts. He just loves trains. At first I just let him hold it for a while and look at it (which he did over and over).

Later I sat him on my lap and took his finger and ran it across the different textures in the book as I read it. He giggled and let out squeals of delight each time.

It wasn’t long before I realized that I had created a monster. Over and over again he wanted me to guide his finger over the textures.

It has been about a week since he received this book and it is the one that he keeps bringing to me to read to him. His favorite page was the one with the bumpy sidecar. He repeats the words for each texture.

My four-year-old also likes this book. She says that she likes the pages with the shiny windows the most.

A fun book that babies will love!

Pretend play is a healthy way for young children to externalize and understand what their minds absorb through everyday life experiences. Empower them in the doctor-patient relationship!

This medical kit provides just the right tools. In it, Going to the Doctor (from Usborne’s First Experiences series) typifies a family’s busy trip to the doctor. The kit’s brightly colored, durable plastic toys help children familiarize themselves with many of the instruments doctors employ during routine medical examinations.

Kit contains stethoscope, thermometer, reflex hammer, mouth mirror, otoscope, syringe, glasses and prescription pad. Now preschoolers may want to visit their doctors, to impress them with their newfound medical expertise!

There is no denying it, this book and the toy package was a BIG hit with the children. Here is what they loved about it.

Jake (5) He liked playing with the toys. Like all children, he liked finding the yellow duck that was hidden on each page of the book.

MaryJo (4) When she first received this kid kit the first thing that she wanted to do was play with the toys (she asked what each one was for). Next she had me read her the story (which she asked many questions about) and then afterwards took about 10 stuffed animals from her room into the living room and gave them all examinations. Then she asked me to give her an examination. So I checked her ears, eyes and so on, and she giggled the whole time. Finally after her cousins came over the next day she gave them each an exam. She keeps the toys with her always (well, almost always, she does share them when asked) and loves looking through the book alone (or having it read to her). All I can say is the name "Dr. MaryJo" comes to mind a lot these days.

Lacey (3) After seeing the stethoscope she fell in love with it. I am not sure what her older brother said to her but while I was folding laundry she came up to me (stethoscope in hand) and asked "Seesa (short for auntie Lisa) can girls be doctors?" I said, "You bet they can be Lacey." After that she went into MaryJo’s room and said, "See I told you girls can be doctors so there". And then she came out and asked me to help her put the stethoscope on her ears. Hum – Now I see two doctors in the family. My older daughter Megan (2) says that Lacey loves it when Megan is the doctor and she is the patient. She always asks her "Will you be the doctor again?"

My View The book Going to the Doctor gives an accurate view of a family’s (of three children) trip to the doctor. The illustrations do a great job of showing what a busy trip can be lick. I especially like the one at the end of the book of the mom who is sitting in a chair totally exhausted. The toys are well made basic "Doctor’s Tools" and the kids just love them.

While not every child who plays "Doctor" will become one, I do believe it takes the fear out of going to visit the doctor and beyond that I believe (and have noticed) that it helps children practice being kind, considerate and gentle. That is something that will only benefit them, as they grow older. Wonderful!!!!

Young children become aware of airplanes as they learn to identify things around them, yet it may be years before they see a real plane up close. Familiarize them now with these fascinating flying machines through the realistic images contained within Usborne’s Planes board book. Then, by following a simple diagram, show them how to assemble the brightly colored Snappit biplane. It rolls with two rubber front wheels and one small back wheel. The plastic pieces are particularly durable and the plane is rugged enough to takes lots of play. Encourage kids to snap it apart and back together by themselves, as much as they wish!

This book was a BIG hit with the kids. Here is what they loved about it.

Jake (5) He loves putting together the airplane. He says that the plane is "super cool".

MaryJo (4) She has always loved airplanes (the higher up the better, as far as she is concerned), so she was very excited when she received this Kid Kit. I put the plane together for her at first and then after showing her, she was able to put it together herself. She liked the book and said, "I want to go on that" with each plane shown.

Lacey (3) She likes putting little toys inside the cockpit so that they can ride.

Eric (2) Her really enjoys the book (with the big colorful pictures). Whenever I take it out to read to him he will get so excited that I have a hard time reading the page before he turns it. In the end he will usually just sit with the book on his lap and turn every page and point to the planes and squeal "Plane, Plane". It is really cute and reminds me of watching Tattoo on Fantasy Island (you remember "The plane, the plane").

I say Please keep in mind that the reason it says 3 and up is because the planes small parts present a choking hazard to a younger child. I have let Eric play with the plane but only under close supervision. Another thing to keep in mind is that some children over three still put small things in their mouths so if that is your child please supervise them.

FUN, FUN, FUN!!! I can’t imagine any young child not liking this kit. If your child is not "into" planes now, they probably will be after receiving this from you.

Follow the pages of Usborne’s Baby’s Bathtime, as Baby has fun making a mess through dinner, bathing and brushing his teeth. Floating Funny Face Octopus will be your baby’s play companion during bath time. Disguised under a cheery yellow duck print the inflatable tub spout cover provided in this kit will fit any standard spout to protect the child from possible spout-caused boo boos. An American Dental Association-approved child’s toothbrush completes this set of products selected to help care for your precious child.

First I have to say that the inflatable tub spout cover works great. It fits perfectly and now I don’t have to worry about the young ones hitting their head on the spout.

Eric loves the octopus and likes to make it swim. The toothbrush that is included is just the right size.

The full color pages of the book are bright and cheery. Here is what the kids think about the book:

MaryJo (4): "The baby is cute. I like when he is in the bathtub and his hair is sticking up. That’s funny."

Lacey (3): First she showed me the page with the picture of the baby in the towel and said that she liked that best. She also liked pointing to the pictures of the bunny and the dog and said they were silly. She had me read this book to her three times.

Eric (2): Eric liked the book. The text on each page was about a sentence long, which made it just right for Eric. He also liked the baby and would point to it and scream "Baby!" with every page turn. He also started quacking when he saw the duck in the bathtub. It was really cute. This is another book that he likes to look through on his own. One more thing, after reading this book for the first time he sated saying "Bath bath" and started pushing me toward the bathroom. He did get his bath, by the way.

The drawings in the book are just adorable (I love the picture at the beginning of the book when the baby has just finished eating). The text is just right for baby’s short attention spans. The book along with the toothbrush, toy, and spout cover, make this a great gift to get your young child interested in bath time.

In this kit, aspiring magicians will find the props they need to perform many of the tricks in the book. The magic wand, deck of cards, silk scarf and dice will enable young magicians to conjure up amazing tricks and illusions. A fake thumb holds the secret of the disappearing scarf trick. By following the 64-page book’s step-by-step instructions, youngsters can perform like a pro.

From the complete beginner to the practiced young magician, the Usborne Book of Magic Tricks has something for everyone. It is packed with tricks to do, from easy jokes and puzzles to some really difficult effects. The ticks use playing cards, dice, coins and many other readily available props. Every tick is explained in step-by-step detail, with clear easy-to-follow illustrations. There are even handy cartoon hints to help young magicians make the best of every trick. All the tricks can be performed for a small audience, or just one or two people: magic can be done anywhere.

I bought my two older children a magic book about three years ago. They never even mastered one trick. There were two reasons first because although the book was written for children, the instructions were hard to understand. Secondly, there were none of the supplies needed to accomplish the tricks included. That is why I love this kit, because not only are there many supplies included to get you started but also the instructions are very easy to follow. Plus the book includes many tips to make sure the tricks work.

Brandon has chosen this as his all time favorite book and has learned to do a few of the tricks in front of others (like me and his dad) surprisingly well. He says that he wants to learn a lot of tricks and put on a show and makes lots of money. When asked what his favorite thing in this kit is he (without hesitation) said "the wand." I wasn’t surprised, as he has spent a lot of time carrying it around.

This is a very easy to understand magic book that will have any budding magician ready to put on a show in no time.

You need only a tube of glue and a pair of scissors or a craft knife to turn this book into an amazing classic doll’s house. Doors, walls and windows open to reveal a model crammed with exciting details, from the toy room at the top of the house to the kitchen at the bottom. Every room is filled with a variety of people with their pets and possessions. As the figures and furniture can be re-arranged, the fun continues well after the model is completed. The complete model is 12 ½" x 14 ½" x 5 ½".

All three of the girls (12, 4, and 3) were extremely excited at the arrival of this book. My eldest daughter and I spent a lot of time putting this dollhouse together. She did most of the cutting out while I did most of the putting together of the house. The younger girls helped a little bit (putting glue on things) I have to say that I was very surprised at how well the pieces fit (and stayed together). To be honest we only had very inexpensive school glue and I really didn’t think that would hold it together all that well but once the glue dried the pieces were COMPLETELY BONDED TOGETHER. The paper is nice and thick so I see it lasting a long time. When it came to cutting around the windows and doors I found that using the tip of a knife (adults only please) worked extremely well.

The finished product really turned out nice which was surprising because I am not usually all that good at putting things together. The house took a few weeks or so to put together (that was doing it a little at a time) and once it was complete we put it on top of Megan’s (12) dresser. She really likes rearranging the people and furniture. The younger girls have played with it (with Megan’s permission) a few times but were watched and told that they had to be very gentle.

This is a very fun project to do with the girl in your life. If your daughter is older she will like because of the memories of making it together. If you daughter is younger it will make a nice decorative piece to add to her room. Both types of girls will love it for all the hours of play that it will provide.

Starting to Write is a fun-filled activity book based on the characters from the best-selling Farmyard Tales stories. Lots of simple drawing activities introduce the skills that young children need when they are learning to write, and there are other 30 stickers to make the activities more fun. There are also simple wipe-clean letters to draw over and notes for parents.

This is a great workbook. Although it is only 16 pages there is a lot to it like:

1. Wipe Clean activity pages on the inside front cover and back cover. The front one has pre-writing activities such as drawing loops, and circles. The back on MaryJo uses her markers to trace and then wipes it totally clean with a paper towel.

2. The stickers make it fun. Not only are there stickers for her to put over the various black and white drawings throughout the book but also there are also 7 stickers that she places on the pages where she found the duck that hides.

3. The pages. Not only do I like the fact that there are a lot of pre-writing activities included in this book but I also like the fact that they tie that in with actually practicing letters. Example: on a page where you are practicing zigzags at the top, they have you practicing the letters v, w, and x, at the bottom.

I have MaryJo use a pencil to do the pages and plan on erasing them when she is done so that she can do them over. The stickers seem to be reusable.

MaryJo has a lot of fun working in this workbook. About 5 times a day she asks me if she can "Do her project" (which of course means to work in this book). She never seems to tire of working in it. In fact it is always me who ways it is time to stop. She says her favorite thing to do is "write the letters".

This is the perfect workbook for those old enough to start writing.

There are eighty different soccer skills inside this sticker book. Each one has a black and white picture and a simple description, and they range from how to juggle the ball to how to take a penalty or a goal kick. Each skill has a full color sticker for you to find and match to the black and white picture. Each Usborne sticker book provides a wealth of information, as well as hours of fun. Not suitable for children under 36 months.

Brandon has been a fan of soccer for a while now but never really knew how to do any of the moves, so this book was perfect for him. He is learning the moves one at a time. He puts the sticker in the correct place as he learns them.

Brandon says some of his favorite things that he has learned from his book are how to keep his body soft when he gets the ball and how to dribble.

He says that his friends called him "lucky" when he showed them this book and they all said that they wanted one.

Whether your son or daughter has just started to play soccer or is an old pro there is much for them to learn from this book.

Message in the Mirror Kit contains a file of ten different documents left for you by explorer Ranulf Twyning. Explorer Ranulf Twyning, has received a death threat and fled in terror, leaving behind his file of documents and a plea that the reader find the mysterious Silver Serpent and save him. This kit is packed with documents, photographs, newspaper articles and all the clue and evidence needed to solve this thrilling mystery. Will you accept the challenge?

Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Not only did my daughter enjoy solving this mystery with her friend but I also enjoyed solving it myself. The Kit is set up so that first you read the diary and then the clue book of Ranulf Twyning. The clue book asks you questions and tells you which items to look at to solve the puzzles. When asked what they thought of this Kit my daughter Megan (12) and her friend said that they liked all the things that came with it like the "newspaper and pictures and stuff". They also said that some of it was hard and they had to look on the answer sheet (provided in a sealed envelope), but that a lot of it they figured out on their own. Megan also said that she thought the suspects were kind of funny and interesting.

I also solved this mystery and I have to admit that I needed to look on the answer sheet from time to time. The real criminal did surprise me.

This is an extremely fun and challenging mystery that everyone aged 9 to 90 will enjoy. I plan on giving this kit for my mother to solve next. I think that it would make a good classroom project. It really gets your brain working in a variety of ways (figuring out maps, reading house plans, studying pictures, etc…). FUN, FUN, FUN!

This kit has everything young scientists need to perform the simple experiments from the 24-page book. Complete with 3 magnets, a compass, 5 feet of coated wire, corks, clay and paper clips, the kit will provide hours of experimentation and fun. Children can easily explore the mysteries of magnets with these safe projects.

All of the kids loved to do the experiments from this book; pretty much everything that you need (except maybe things like tape) is included in this kit.

Here is what the kids have to say:

Megan (12) "I liked making the needle in the cork things (Traveling needle) that was fun, I also liked learning how to make a compass."

Brandon (9) "I liked the compass that came with it (in the kit) and I like making the butterfly fly."

MaryJo (4) "I liked the fishing game (you use a magnet to fish for matching socks) the best."

The book has made the science of magnets extremely easy to understand and very fun to learn about. It is packed full of fun experiments to try. Any child six and older would love to own this kit. This is a MUST BUY for any home schooler.

55 sheets of multi-colored origami paper in three different sizes allow creative minds to explore the fascinating ancient Japanese art of paper folding. Step-by-step instructions in the 32-page book show exactly how to create such wonders as jumping frogs, fluttering butterflies and snapping dragons.

The kids and I had (and are still having) a blast making the things from this book.

Megan (12) did know how to make paper cranes before we received this kit (a friend taught her) but that was the only Origami thing that she knew how to make. She was sure she wouldn’t be able to make anything (she had an origami book in the past but found it hard to understand) and was very proud of herself when by the end of the first day she had made three different things successfully (a box, frog, and snapping mouth). She says, "This book is real easy to understand and I think anyone my age would like it."

Brandon (9) had never made origami before but with my help has made a frog, a plane, and box and his all time favorite is the thing that makes a loud sound when snapped.

I learned how to make Origami boxes when I was younger and made them all the time. At the time I just thought that I was making paper balls and was surprised to learn that they were origami. As I have mentioned in the past, I am not a very skilled person when it comes to any form of art, but even I can make the things in this book.

Easy to follow directions (so easy that even I could follow them), great pictures, and wonderful creative projects make this one of my top picks ever. This is a great "together time" project pack. FUN, fun, fun!!!!!!!!!

In a lively and informal way, this entertaining book explains how our senses work and how we use them to survive. Colorful diagrams and clear, informative text describe how the ear and eye work, and how we taste and feel and smell. Fascinating information shows how babies’ senses develop, and the highly developed senses of animals. Other sections of the book reveal the trickery of optical illusions, explain the unreal world of virtual reality and look at machines that can sense things for themselves.

Last year, I home schooled my son Brandon (9), he was in third grade and one of the things that he needed to learn was about the senses. Well I scoured encyclopedias, and the Internet and I am not lying when I say that nothing I found even came close to comparing to this book. This book has all the humor and fascinating facts mixed in with great information that will help kids retain it all.

This book has a lot of little experiments (most of them you don’t need anything besides you to do). My kids (12 and 9) really had a lot of fun doing all of them. They also shared this book with their friends.

I have to admit that I also learned much from this book and I too had a great time reading it.

A must buy for home schoolers or teachers (teach it to your classroom)! This book is packed (and I mean PACKED) with informative text and funny and wonderful drawings that really make learning about the senses FUN. Kids will love this book!

Fantasy Folklore & Fairytales, August 2000

It came to an abrupt end over 2000 years ago, yet to date, no other civilization has had any great impact on the modern world, as did Ancient Greece. Its once-buried secrets have revealed the earth’s ancient past, and its myths are the roots of modern literature.

Written at approximately a mid-grade reader lever (8 – 12 and specifically Grade Six), The Usborne Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece is invaluable for any child and/or adult trying to get a brad overview of all important aspects of Greek civilization.

Archaic Greece, Classical Greece, Everyday Life, Macedonia and the Hellenistic World, an extremely fascinating Factfinder, maps, photographs, diagrams, drawings and an Index.

The Usborne Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece is a fairly quick and easy stuffy of Ancient Greece, yet provides all the essential information on this culture, including religion, palaces, invasions, death, city states, wars and warships, literacy, the golden age, women and the home, housing, clothing, farming shopping, building, and architecture, pottery, sculpture and other art forms, travel, games, temples and worship, gods/goddesses, theatre and ruling kingdoms, among other facts.

The Factfinder delves into explanation, pronunciation and background of the Gods of Greek Mythology, outlines the most favorite of Greek myths, discusses the theories involved in Greek Philosophy, lists popular Greek plays, mentions battles and battle formations, includes an extensive Who’s Who in Ancient Greece, puts Greek history 8in clear order with a time chart AND provides a glossary and informs the reader of great re-sources and websites for further exploration of Greece, its history and culture.

Whether you are a child learning about Ancient Greece in school, a person interested in Greek culture, or a writer looking for a good piece of history or myth upon which to base a story, the foundations are all here in The Usborne Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece.

Washington Parent, July 2000

Preschools are often intrigued by sights close to home. In The Missing Cat (Usborne, 1999, ages 2 to 6, $5.95) Polly and Jack range over their neighborhood, through grocery stores and outdoor cafes, hoping to find the butcher’s lost cat. The book, designed by Non Figg, has a simple, repetitive text great for early readers. Handmade models by Jo Litchfield have been posed and photographed by Howard Allman to create whimsical, detailed illustrations that little ones will love poring over

Parenting Plus, June/July 2000

With colorful illustrations and a simplified text, this informative book and plaster critter catcher/viewer is a perfect introduction to the fascinating world of bugs and other creepy crawlers. Older children will find the information a useful tool for more serious and independent nature studies while younger children can have great fun with help from an adventurous adult. Other titles in the Usborne First Nature series: Trees, Birds, Wild Animals, Flowers, Butterflies & Moths, and Fish

Summer vacation is the perfect time to plant a garden and watch its progress from week to week. This kit comes with an informative book and everything needed to begin a beautiful garden of your very own including: gardening shovel, seeds and markers. Plant salad fixings, spring bulbs, or create a topiary indoors or out. This fun kid kit will bring out lots of tiny green thumbs.

Who wants to be a Naturalist? Every kid does. It’s fun to explore, observe and collect some of Mother Nature’s coolest surprises. This books, packaged with binoculars, sun sensitive paper and pad & pencil, provides beginner level information, pictures, activities, experiments and projects that may well plant the seeds of a lifelong hobby in every child. Topics include plants, flowers, trees, small animals, birds, ponds, rivers, oceans, ecosystems and more. Other titles in the Usborne Guide series: The Young Astronomer and Rocks and Fossils.

Mystery Lovers Bookshop News, June 2000

Kids will love feeling the different textures in That’s Not My Train by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells, a colorful touchy-feely book (EDC, $7.95) that’s bound to be a favorite. Easy to hold, Animal Noises and Animal Babies by Stephen Cartwright (EDC, $4.95) are both full of friendly pictures for family sharing.

The Microscope, Volume 48, 2000

Complete Book of the Microscope

Buy this book.  This reviewer has seldom seen a book of such quality and coverage of a subject as this one is.  This is the best young people's book I can recall reading in a very long time.

What makes this book receive such high accolades is the quality of photomicrography, diversity of subject matter and lots of "hands-on" examples scattered throughout the short chapters.  The book succeeds where most young people's books fail.  There are great visuals, concise explanations and the author uses several different kinds of microscopic techniques.  

So what's is in the book among the short, lucid and to-the-point sentences?  The chapter headings are as follows: 1) The Microworld, 2) The Human Body, 3) Plants and Fungi, 4) The insect World, 5) Rocks to Robots, 6) Past and Present, and 7) Practical Points.  Loaded into these chapters are stunning and informative pictures, how to polish rocks, make and mount thin-sections, make crystals for viewing under polarized light, finding microfossils suitable for study with the light microscope, dust detective work, and softening insects to be able to mount them under a coverslip.  The practical, step-by-step instructions that can be done with the reader's own microscope go on to include, drawing stain under the coverslip, making gelatin, making wet mounts, making fungal spore prints, and making a polarized light microscope with Polaroid sheets.  I could go on, but the rest is better found out by reading the book.

In summary, "The Compete Book of the Microscope" belongs on every child's bookshelf and certainly every public library and middle to high school in the country.  This book is truly a breathtaking, and sometimes startling, journey into the world of the small everyday objects.  Buy this book for all of the children you know that have the slightest inclination toward science.  They will love the book and you will be satisfied that you have done your good science deed.

John D. Shane
McCrone Research Institute

Children's Bookwatch, May 2000

A Visitor's Guide To Ancient Rome

Written, illustrated and designed as a kind of travel guide for young readers ages 12 and older.  Lesley Sims' A Visitor's Guide To Ancient Rome portrays a time when ancient Rome was at its height of power, influence and culture.  This lively, exciting accurate, and highly recommended "Usborne Time Tour" offers a wealth of information on everyday Roman life ranging from religion and fashion to schools and the army, included are suggestions for where to stay and what to see on a virtual tour, even advice on how to behave at a banquet!  A Visitor's Guide to Ancient Rome is enhanced with a detailed map of Rome for finding one's way around the queen city of the empire.

Children's Literature, March, 2000

Book of Magic Tricks Kid Kit

I would think that magic tricks might be a popular gift in light of the popularity of the Harry Potter books at the moment.  Most children have the urge to be an accomplished magician at some time in their lives.  This kit, which comes complete with wand, scarf, deck of cards, dice, plastic thumb and a great book of tricks to practice, is a fabulous way to enter the profession.  The directions are well illustrated and detailed.  Most tricks can be executed with items found around the house.  A bibliography is included, along with shops that sell supplies and societies to join that provide further support.

Barbara Youngblood

Puget Sound Council, March, 2000

King Arthur's Knight Quest

Beautiful pictures - packed with images depicting scenes of enchantment in Arthurian England.  The quest, a Where's Waldo with edge, in which you must locate various images in the pictures. 

Nelson Spickard

1001 Things to Spot Long Ago

An I-Spy with a historical twist.  Each double-page drawing has a scene from long ago with nearly 100 things for young readers to find.  At the end of the book the readers find a "museum" of items, and are challenged to identify the time period of each item.  All in all, a very enjoyable book for a young reader.

Janet Lamont

Puzzle Journey Around the World

Move over Waldo, here are Em, Su, and Eli in a puzzle adventure that was cleverly crafted to engage young sharp-eyed sleuths of puzzle-pages with clues and directions to follow.  Great blend of fiction and interesting geography facts.  Could be used by younger students with assistance.  (Reviewer was thankful for answers in the back).

Karen Williams

Understanding Muscles & Bones

Cartoons, diagrams, photos, bits of information, and slices of trivia fill this selection about muscles and bones together as a "guide to what keeps you up and about."  An Usborne science for beginners has two-page spreads for the sections named skeletal muscles, joints, muscle trouble, prehistoric bones, and amazing facts.  Quiz questions are included with answers.

Karen Williams

Washington Parent (newspaper), March, 2000

Famous Women Kid Kit

Why not mark National Women's History Month by reading The Usborne Book of Famous Women written by Richard Dungworth and Philippa Wingate and illustrated by Nicholas Hewetson?  Once familiar with the tales in the book, your family can assemble the accompanying jigsaw puzzle and play a fill-in-the-blank game testing knowledge of successful (and sometimes notorious) figures, from Nefertiti, Queen of Egypt, to Diana, Princess of Wales.

Mary Quattlebaum
Washington Parent

School Library Journal, February, 2000

Everyday Words

This book deserves a second look just for the unique figures and scenes.  They are formed from a modeling material and have minute details that keep the eyes busy scanning and re-scanning each page.  Double-page spreads of town, house, yard, family, etc. feature about 20 clearly labeled pictures of such objects as bridges, bathtubs, barbecues, and brothers.  Each spread has a word search tie-in, e.g., "Find six cassettes" in "The living room"; for "The bedroom," "Find four spiders."  The pages are busy but have a remarkable attention to detail, such as magnets on the refrigerator and a stopper in the bathroom sink.  Over 500 words are indexed for quick searches.

Melanie S. Wible
Jackson Elementary School
Lawrenceville, GA

Greenleaf Press, January, 2000

Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece

Usborne's design teams are finally venturing beyond illustration and are now incorporating color photography!  This is the first volume of a new series that will rival the Cultural Atlas series from Facts on File.   The contents are arranged chronologically with major sections on Early Greece, Archaic Greece, Classical Greece, Everyday Life, Macedonia and the Hellenistic World, and a final "Factfiner" section that focuses on Greek mythology, philosophy, and literature.  The text and pictures are nicely intertrated and well chosen for a target audience of upper elementary grades (approximately 4th-8th grade).

*EDC was informed of this review by Patti Stephen a UBAH Supervisor from Acworth, GA.

Learning Magazine, January, 2000

Complete Book of the Microscope

Investigate a fly's eye, the flu virus, and more in photos thousands of times larger than life.  Also includes step-by-step instructions for using microscopes to get amazing views of everyday objects.

Complete Book of the Microscope
was recently awarded a "Teachers' Choice Award"
for excellence in the classroom.

Midwest Book Review, December, 1999

Fun With Numbers

Fun With Numbers is part of the Usborne Playtime series and filled with easy activities involving counting, adding, subtracting, and sharing.  All of the activities are designed to entertain and educate children ages 3 to 6 with their understanding of numbers.  Quick and easy ideas give great results and immediately boost a child's confidence with basic number identification and manipulation.  Fun With Numbers is particularly ideal for home schooling.

Parenting Plus, December, 1999

You and Your Child: Christmas

This little book/activity kit is filled with some of the most wonderful ideas for parents and children to create together to share in the fun of holiday preparations.  From decorations and ornaments to advent calendars, cards, presents and yummy recipes, plus many of the supplies necessary to create all of these holiday creations come in this book/kit.  (All other needed supplies are already in your home!)

Education Souse e-newsletter, December 20, 1999

Top Ten Art Products for the Year 2000
Art Ideas

This beautiful book has over 200 ideas for things to do with acrylic paints, chalk pastels, inks, poster paints, tissue paper, oil pastels, wax crayons and watercolors.  The projects are easy-to-follow and the results are stunning!

School Library Journal, December, 1999

Ted in a Red Bed

A pleasing story for the earliest readers.   A bear goes into a store and buys a bed, falls asleep, and awakens to find himself home in his new bed presumably by magic.  However, the illustrations reveal that a penguin, a cat, and a pig actually move the bed to his house with him in it.  Two entertaining flaps are cleverly worked into the story.  Each page has only one or two simple sentences, many of which rhyme.  The characters are cartoon-like and the bear is a cuddly teddy.  Cartwright's use of bright primary colors work well with the story.  The front and back covers provide an introduction to phonics and a phonetic listing of the words in the book.  Although there are a few points at which the choice of words is a bit overdone (" ' I need this bed, Fred!'  grins Ted.   'It is a nice price,' smiles Fred"), for the most part the language flows fairly well despite the controlled vocabulary.  Children' will enjoy finding the yellow duck that is hidden on every page.  Librarians in search of beginning readers will find that this helps fill a need.

Amy Lilien- Harper
Ferguson Library
Stamford, CT

Parenting Plus, November 1999

How Are Babies Made?

A lift-the-flaps book designed to introduce young children to the greatest miracle of life.

Understanding the Facts of Life

For children aged 10 and over, this book explains important aspects of the human body in a straightforward way.  Also covers some "tricky" topics that today's teens and parents must address such as sex, contraception, drugs, HIV, as well as food, exercise and hygiene.

Growing Up

A shorter version of Understanding the Facts of Life.  This version, also for children approaching puberty, clearly discusses many of the changes their bodies will go through along with many other subjects to assist them through all these changes.

Today's Books, November 29, 1999

Ancient World
A Must Read!!!!!

Humanity from 10,000 BC to 500 AD.  From the Agricultural Age to the Fall of the Roman Empire.  Includes Egypt, Crete, Hittites, Hebrews, Assyrians, Persia, Greece, China, Japan, Arabia, Africa, India, the Americas, Rome and Christianity.

Medieval World
A Must Read!!!!!

One thousand years of world history from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance, from 500 to 1500 AD.  Covers Byzantium, the Barbarians, Christianity, Islam, Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Charlemagne, the Papacy, Crusaders, the Plague, Celts, Wars of the Roses, Turks, Russia, Spain, Africa, India, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Exploration, Native Americans, Italian art, and discovery voyages.

Parenting Plus, October 1999

Editor's Choice of Perfect Party Products
Dressing Up, Make This Life Size Model Skeleton,
Make This Haunted House, Haunted World

Hosting a frightfully delightful Halloween party for tiny goblins is not as spooky as you though with a little ghoulish guidance from Usborne Books.  Dressing Up is a bubbling cauldron of creative ideas and how-to-instructions that will cover all your party activity needs including face painting, mask and costume making, games and projects.  Devilish decorations are a cinch with Make This Life Size Model Skeleton and Make This Haunted House.  Each will provide hours of pre-party fun for the whole family with step-by-step instructions and all you need to construct spine-chilling intricately detailed models.  Don't be left in the dark without a terrifying tale to read to the creepy little guests.  Haunted World is a ghastly voyage of ancient spirits and ghostly galleons.  With these titles on hand, Your Monster Mash will be a Graveyard Smash!

Parenting Plus, August, September 1999

Editor's Choice of Great Arts and Crafts Kits for Kids
Calligraphy Kid Kit

Usborne makes it easy for beginners to learn this ancient writing art developed by Medieval scribes.  Fifteen popular calligraphy styles are included in the step-by-step instruction book along with more detailed and advanced techniques.  The imaginative ideas are endless once your little calligrapher masters this traditional art.  Also includes three colored calligraphy pens.

Booklovers, August, September, October 1999

Duck Books Box Set

Do you have a new baby or small child in the family?  Usborne Publishing has a delightful board book collection guaranteed to occupy a little mind for hours.  There are three titles in the "Duck Books" series.  In Duck and His Friends, Duck finds Cat in the bushes, they chase butterflies together, and then they collect friends and go on adventures throughout the morning until, finally, Duck, Cat, Frog, Piglet and Monkey find Dog and they all have a picnic.  Duck in Trouble show just how much trouble one little duck can get himself into.  First he finds a balloon which lifts him up into the air.  He falls on a bird's nest, the nest falls from the tree, and Duck falls into a bucket full of green paint.  Duck, of course, needs to be washed.  But, alas, after he is hung out to dry Duck falls in the mud.  Poor Duck!  When will it all end?

Finally, in Duck on Holiday, Duck gets a much-deserved rest.  The illustrations, in the tradition of the series, beautifully depict his day on the beach, the placid rock pool he discovers, and all of his remaining beach fun.  These books can be read to the infant, toddler, or with the aid of the simple, bright illustrations, the preschooler can read the stories "all by themselves."  So many concepts can be taught with this series, from colors to story sequencing to counting to labeling of animals and more, that three little board books turn into a learning adventure with a good friend named Duck.

Tracy Walczak

Farmyard Tales, Pop-Up Carousel Book

Another of Cartright's creations, Farmyard Tales shows the change of season at Apple Tree Farm.  If you've never experienced a carousel book before, this one is a must-see.  The first page turned erupts into a beautiful spring day on Apple Tree Farm.  The goat in the 3-D barn (whose door really opens!) is grooming her kid; two lambs are drinking from a trough.   A pulltab reveals a farmer riding a tractor; a flap on the scarecrow's chest reveals a cat and her kittens.  Included in the springtime picture are two paper dolls so that children can play interactively in the barnyard scene.  The book also includes a smaller companion book that tells a story of the farm and its inhabitants.

The second page shows the summer scene.   The apple blossoms are gone from the tree, leaving vivid, green leaves.  Now the cow peeks around the tree when a tab is pulled and a pig and her piglet snooze in the little barn.  The cat rests atop the barn, and a flap in the tree reveals a beehive.   The farmer reclines on a bale of hay.  Summer clothes can be placed on the paper dolls to enhance the summer theme.

The next season on page three is, of course, autumn.  Fall brings apples from the tree, beautiful colors in the leaves, and in the little barn we find bales of hay with the chickens perched on top of them.  One of the chickens can be lifted to reveal a nest full of eggs.  The farmer is picking the apples and his wife is offering cider.  A flap in the tree reveals a squirrel storing nuts, and the paper children need to be dressed in their sweaters!

Winter brings a beautiful, snowy play land for the paper kids.  The dog stays warm in his doghouse, the sheep, in his thick, warm wool hides behind the apple tree, and the owl is hiding within the tree's protective trunk.  Instead of us seeing the animals in the barn, we find the farmer and his wife inside their house in perfect winter contentment.  The farmer has brought in wood from the outside and his wife has made a pie from the apples.

Aside from the obvious lessons this book teaches about the seasons and their physical changes, a child gets to experience a bit of life on the farm.  Animal identification, each animal's special function on a farm, colors, counting, and sequencing can also be taught.  Children can explore the life cycle not only of a tree, but also can explore the fruit that a tree grows while learning a little about harvesting.  Children can also practice their dressing skills as they dress the two dolls correctly for the seasons.  What a delightful book to explore!

For Kids Only!, (For kids by kids) September, October 1999

Science Experiments

I had lots of fun with the Usborne Book of Science Experiments.  It was a very nice book.  It was fun to see what happened.  I rubbed a balloon against the wall like in one of the pictures.  It stuck to my hair!  I would recommend the book to everyone over the age of 9   unless parents help out.  I would especially recommend this book to teachers because there are a lot of experiments kids would love to try.  Most of the experiments that I tried worked.  The pictures were just perfect and showed every step of the way.  I think our author Jane Bingham did a wonderful job.  So, next time you are bored in school or you have a stomach ache you can refer to this book.

Carleigh Beriont
"Cub Columnist"

101 Things to Do on the Internet

I loved 101 Things to Do on the Internet.   It was appealing and pretty interesting.  I especially like how the websites that were shown varied.  Here's an example: htpp:/www.nick.com which of course has to do with TV.  Soooo, I'm sure you'll be visiting that one shortly.  I have.   I truly would recommend this book to families ages 1-1,000,000, girls or boys, ladies or gentlemen.  Simply because it tells you how to get on, how to chat, what equipment to use, shortcuts to websites, how to find things and a lot more!  Trust me. . . I have gone to a lot of websites and they are great.  The author Mark Wallace put some great work into this book.  So, if I were you, I'd definitely read it!

Carliegh Beriont
"Cub Columnist"

Insect World, August 1999

Bugs and Slugs

Although there has been an increase in "bug" books for beginning readers in past years, it's nice to see a new title that offers young readers a chance to explore common minibeast animals through words, color illustrations and flaps to lift.  This book provides a good introduction to common insects, spiders, worms, slugs and snails, and millipedes and centipedes for 4 to 6 year old children.

Gary A Dunn
Y.E.S. Education Director
Insect World Editor

King Features Weekly Wire Service, August 16 1999

Time Traveler Series

This series introduces a family and follows them through a series of experiences that includes work, school, festivals, shopping for food and more.  Each culture is fully described, along with a map and other illustrations that help your child gain a great deal of new information.  The EDC books include over 900 titles including history, science, nature, foreign language, and hobbies.  You may also want to obtain the First Thousand Word Series for children from 2-12 years.  These 64-page books are available in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.

Stevanne Auerback, PH.D.
aka Dr. Toy

Metrowest Daily News (Hudson, Mass),   Date N/A

Famous Women

Books about women
A stimulating, eclectic grouping of notable women, including: modern leaders, female fighters, robbers and rogues, caregivers, all at sea, aviators and astronauts, great businesswomen, and media stars.

Kings and Queens

Real people from history
A well-rounded look at royalty from Tutankhamun to Elizabeth II.  Chapter headings include: Life at a royal court, warrior queens, tragic monarchs, royal scandals, royal romances, mad monarchs, unsolved mysteries, pretenders, and burying a monarch (among others).  Lots of photos of jewels, and finally, an explanation (with diagrams) of how those ladies got their hairstyles to rise two feet above their heads!  There are fascinating stories of royal intrigue, betrayal, and madness.

- Allyson Button Stone
News Correspondent

Metrowest Daily News (Hudson, Mass),   Date N/A

Understanding Modern Art

This book demystifies the frequently bewildering world of modern art, and helps children judge that art from a more informed viewpoint.

Double page spreads consider major themes, such as nature, or city life.  There are, on each page, suggestions for other paintings or sculptures to look for, and also addresses are given for the museums that house the works profiled.  The author encourages the reader to go to museums and "see the real thing."

One of my favorite parts is a section called "Modern Art on Trial"  where three typical responses to the art are given and then debated by the authors.  "It isn't lifelike," "Anyone can do it," and "I can't understand it."  I have said all these things, and the explanations were very helpful and informative.  This book was an eye-opening learning experience, one I was delighted to share with my children.

Story of Painting

"The Usborne Story of Painting" by Anthea Peppin is noteworthy because it is essentially a textbook that looks almost like a graphic novel - each piece of text has an accompanying illustration to keep the material from ever getting dry or boring.

The book traces man's entire painting history, from cave paintings onward.  There are chapters on Egypt, the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Rococo and Neoclassical painting, Romantics and Realists, Impressions, modern painting, India, Far East, and primitive art  The author, who works in the Education Department of the National Gallery in London, seems to know just what will be interesting and useful to know.  There is also a very helpful index in this paperback.

- Allyson Button Stone
News Correspondent

Metrowest Daily News (Hudson, Mass),  Date N/A

Inventors, Scientist, Explorers

Hats off to Usborne for this rich look at the men and women whose ideas and creations have changed our lives.   "Inventors" profiles inventors from the earliest weapon chiselers to the inventors of the computer.  "Scientists" includes not only western scientific advancements, but early Oriental, Indian and Middle Eastern ideas, often overlooked.  Some long-neglected women scientists are given their due, as well.   "Explorers" includes dramatic accounts of famous and lesser-known explorers alike.  All the books are full of drawings, step-by-step guides, maps, reconstructions and detailed cutaway diagrams.

- Allyson Button Stone
News Correspondent

Metrowest Daily News (Hudson, Mass), June 1999

Plant it, water it, watch it grow!
Gardening books with kids in mind

Usborne Books takes a unique approach to children's nonfiction.  Their books are very engaging and full of humor and captivating illustrations.  Usborne writes for the child, not the parent, in the belief that nobody can learn unless the material is attractive and interesting.  In our own family, we discovered that Usborne books were read again and again, and that really helped expand vocabulary and hone problem solving and reasoning skills.

Usborne's line of gardening resources is no exception.  For the youngest gardeners, they offer "Starting Gardening Kid Kits," which comes with a small trow and seeds - enough to start a windowsill garden with flowers and herbs.  Also for younger children is the "Starting Gardening" book with beginners' techniques and step-by-step instructions.

"What Shall I Grow?" has clear instructions for starting a garden, as well as suggestions for taking basic projects a step further.  I loved the do-it-yourself sock "animals" with grass "hair."

Note: Usborne's "The Young Naturalist," while not a gardening book, is a practical guide that makes the back yard a magical place.  It is chock full of ideas for enjoying nature in your own back yard, and is designed specifically for the novice.

- Allyson Button Stone
News Correspondent

Aleene's Creative Living, June 1999

"Another fantastic way to introduce your kids to a variety of hobbies and fields is with Kid Kits from EDC Publishing that feature Usborne Books.

EDC (Educational Development Corporation) is the U.S. distributor of Usborne Books.  There are over 900 titles on subjects like hobbies, history, science, nature, foreign language, parent's guides and more.  Thanks to exceptional graphics, more pictures than text, etc., these books really draw the young readers in. . ."
                                                                                                                           - Kim Brawn
                                         

*** We encourage everyone to check out the complete story featuring
EDC Publishing and Usborne Books in the June issue (pgs 23-24) of Aleene's Creative Living.***

Dallas Public Schools, Received June 1, 1999

Understanding Your Muscles & Bones
2-8-98

Cultural Groups or Groups Represented: African American, Asian American, European American, Hispanic American and the Physically Challenged

Potential Use: Highly recommended for (and by!) 4th grade muscular/skeletal focus.

Critique:  The Science teachers called the extraordinarily descriptive drawings "collages."  From the muscular hand represented on the introductory page, through vessel growth from baby to old lady (pp 24-25), all the way to "the largest recorded human bone" of "Amazing Facts" (p. 31), clarification of our muscles & bones is finally available!

Usborne Soccer School
12-15-97

Potential Use: Sports, Soccer Techniques

Critique:  Excellent illustrations and organization make this a worthwhile sports reference.  Especially worthwhile for middle school boys with limited English or reading skills.

First Dictionary
10-8-97

Potential Use: Will be checked out by younger students who love books of words.  Will also be used by non-English speaking older students who are learning English.

Critique:  This book introduces children to the dictionary; very simply presented.  About 1/3 of the entries on each page are illustrated.  Features include guide words, opposites, forms of a word and definitions using complete sentences.

School Library Journal, June, 1999

Build Your Own Web Site
101 Things to Do on the Internet

These series entries will fly off the shelves where Internet books are in demand.  Web Site focuses not only on how's but also on the why's, when's and where's of creating Web pages.  It explains how to create a Web site with a text editor, but the aesthetic and content advice hold true no matter what program is being used.  It is more detailed and thorough than Christopher Lampton's Home Page (Watts, 1997).  Internet delivers exactly what it claims.  Each double-page spread focuses on activities surrounding a theme, such as space, sports, music, games, movies, or weather.  While there are several other books of thematic Web sites for kids, this one provides a sampling of a wide variety of topics.  Both books have safety and security information, as well as the splashy, full-color pictures and chunked text that kids have grown to love.

Los Angeles Times, Sunday, May, 2, 1999

Expanded Spanish-Language Titles Entertain and Educate

The University of Houston's Arte Publico Press has, for years, billed itself as the largest and most established itself as the largest and most established publisher of contemporary and recovered literature by U.S. Latino authors.  But in recent years a number of other publishers are stepping up to challenge Piñata Books, flooding the market with a wide array of original Spanish works, translations and bilingual books.

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