Fall 2025 School Library Journal Review - Amicus & Brown Bear Books
Brief facts about racing and show vehicles are interspersed with color photographs in this uneven series. The narratives are simple and straightforward, and children are encouraged to extend their reading by looking for tires, engines, and places these vehicles would be seen, such as drag strips. However, the brevity of information means that readers will be left with more questions than answers. Those only interested in photographs will find them attractive, but there are many other books on these vehicles that are more informative. VERDICT Though the pictures are appealing, the scant information provided makes these volumes of little value to those interested in these motor vehicles.
Like previous titles in this ongoing series, these shark profiles use an engaging question-and-answer format to provide information. Each spread includes a question, such as “How do bull sharks hunt?” followed by a few sentences in response. Some topics, such as hunting, diet, and birth, appear in most of the titles. Other examples target the unique qualities of the featured species, such as the blacktip reef shark’s distinctive fins. Large photographs depict the sharks’ physical features and environment effectively, though the images about hunting usually show only the shark and not its prey. Spot photos and diagrams focus on specific qualities like the great white shark’s tooth size and the hammerhead’s swimming technique. Each book includes a range map. VERDICT Useful and appealing choices for an always-popular subject area.
This series introduces readers to the history of popular brands they encounter in everyday life. Each book explores the origins of an iconic American brand, highlighting its founder and original product. A visual timeline of logo and product evolution illustrates how the brand has transformed over time, offering a clear snapshot of its growth and adaptation. Fun facts spotlight entertaining tidbits, such as the evolution of Barbie and Ken’s appearance, the story behind McDonald’s first drive-thru, and the origins of Roblox. Large images and straightforward language make the information accessible and engaging for young readers. Each book concludes with questions to encourage further investigation, a list of additional resources, search tips, and a hands-on activity. An index and glossary are also included. VERDICT A visually engaging introduction to the history of well-known American brands that encourages further exploration.
In this unusual take on fairy tales, familiar stories are delivered simply, with the addition of a “Truth Time” sidebar that adds a factual detail as a counterpoint to something mentioned in the tale. These are generally helpful and don’t detract from the tale’s overall fantasy appeal. Occasionally, “truths” define words, and some are obvious, confirming what readers already know (animals can’t turn into humans.) Illustrations are cartoony and cheerful, with notable examples of racial and ethnic diversity. At the end of each volume, a fairy tale element is compared to the real thing. For example, in Beauty and the Beast, a magic castle is likened to an actual one. On the facing page, a list of elements most fairy tales share is provided, and readers must decide which appeared in the story. Students are also asked to consider other versions of the same tales. All tales end happily in “true” fairy-tale fashion. VERDICT Although not an essential approach, these titles may broaden readers’ knowledge and appreciation of familiar tales and provide some critical-thinking opportunities.
This Spanish-language early reader series on community helpers focuses on familiar careers. A list of vocabulary words kicks off the books by highlighting four terms and prompting readers to search for them within the pages. Each word relays an example of what the featured helper does and is recounted in the concluding ¿Lo encontraste? section. The stock photos offer diverse representations of people of different genders and skin tones working within these fields, performing varied non-stereotypical tasks. The title on police references an officer making an arrest, while it does not depict an arrest, it features an officer brandishing a badge. The titles on construction workers, mechanics, and farmers offer insight into less frequently covered community members. VERDICT A suitable primer for the introduction of community helpers or vocabulary.
Covering sports figures from NASCAR to gymnastics, this biography series features four men and four women, providing background for each. Their early careers, current accolades, and personal lives, including how they give back through charitable organizations or personal causes, are explored. While some athletes like Simone Biles and Lionel Messi, have wide notoriety, some stars may not be as familiar to readers, such as New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart or stock car racer Kyle Busch. Back matter includes a stats section (Superestadisticas) with basic information like birthdate, hometown, and accolades. A glossary features terms highlighted in bold within the text. VERDICT A solid series for sports enthusiasts.
This engaging narrative series chronicles migratory journeys of different creatures. While each journey—across oceans, skies, and land—is distinct, each creature is motivated by their need to nest, mate, or feed. Their migrations are defined by long distances and include the perils that each faces, such as predators and environmental dangers. Amstutz’s detailed text makes for strong read-alouds, ripe for conversation about these tireless and impressive creatures, while the seasonality of migratory patterns provides opportunity for programming or curriculum ties. Digital illustrations pair well with the text and shift between spreads and close-ups to capture details or scope. Back matter includes a map of migrations for each animal, a How to Help section with tips on being responsible stewards of the environment, and a glossary. VERDICT This selection of impressive migratory animals features strong content that offers numerous uses.
Well-known fairy tales are retold with small doses of reality. Digital illustrations depict beloved protagonists from Snow White to Little Mermaid, with an effort made to depict them and secondary characters with varying skin tones. Each retelling sticks to the most familiar plot points, with occasional asides (La hora de la verdad), that offer facts or context relating to the occurrences in the story. While some asides provide interesting connections, others are odd, such as a warning about trespassing in the Cinderella volume (“Si un desconocido aparece en tu casa, eso se llama allanamiento/If a stranger appears in your home, this is called trespassing.”) Each book concludes with a “Rasgos de los cuentos de hadas” which outlines the defining features of fairy tales, like moral (moraleja/leccion) and heroes and villains (heroes y villanos). VERDICT With uneven success across fairy tales, a secondary purchase for most libraries.
Key Concepts in STEM: Engineering and Technology & Key Concepts in STEM: Physics
Colorful photos and diagrams explore inventions throughout history from drive belts on potter’s wheels to maglev trains to space tourism. Many of the books are arranged chronologically with advances in various areas such as flight traced from early kites to the space age, or healthcare from the prehistoric trepanning of skulls to cloning and gene therapy. Along with the main text there are plentiful sidebars: “Society and Inventions” discusses trends like cycling lanes in urban environments, “Facts and Figures” shares details like how much the biggest crane in the world can lift, and “Science Words” defines key terms like atmospheric pressure. Back matter includes a glossary, suggested books and websites for further research, an index, and many of the titles also have a timeline. VERDICT This series covers a wide variety of STEM topics and teachers looking for materials to demonstrate the relationship between society and technology may find it very helpful.
These six volumes focus on artificial intelligence. AI Good or Bad explains the advantages of AI. It can do dangerous jobs for humans, such as space exploration, while pointing out it can also make mistakes. Humans vs AI explores how AI is different from human brains, emphasizing its inability to understand emotion. What Is AI focuses on the complex nature of AI and how it can analyze data faster than the human brain. Colorful pages and accompanying photographs complement the straightforward text, making these volumes easily digestible. Artificial intelligence is more and more a part of everyday life; these titles are valuable additions to most collections. VERDICT These current accounts of different aspects of artificial intelligence should be considered by selectors in school and public libraries.