School Library Journal Review Roundup - Spring 2025 Amicus Learning
Curious about Rodeo
These titles introduce readers to eight key rodeo events, including bareback riding, steer wrestling, and team roping. Each title explains how the event is performed, the training required, the age and gender of participants, the necessary gear, and key highlights of the sport. Information is presented clearly through a few sentences of large text per page, complemented by sidebars and information bubbles. Colorful photos with detailed captions further enhance understanding and bring the excitement of the rodeo to life. VERDICT This series provides a wealth of information and engaging visuals, making it a strong choice for young readers interested in this unique and less-covered sport. —School Library Journal
Curious about Mythical Creatures
Readers’ curiosity will be whetted and satisfied by this informative, entertaining series. Each chapter is formatted as a series of questions “curious” readers might ask, including whether the creature is real. The answer’s always no, but volumes include examples from centuries-old myths and legends. Answers are given in simple, brief sentences, stated in a conversational tone, and occasionally comparisons are made with actual creatures. The creatures’ origins in and stories about them from myths and legends are covered. New vocabulary is set in boldfaced type and defined in the glossary. The cover of each title is striking, featuring fearsome-looking creatures. Along with illustrations and images of statues, sculptures, and paintings, diagrams and maps add context to each creatures’ lore. VERDICT Recommended for schools and public libraries. Children will be glad they met these creatures. —School Library Journal
Curious about Unexplained Mysteries
Chapters in these accessible and intriguing titles are formatted as a series of questions curious students might want to raise about the mysteries presented. What is it? What does/did it look like? Where is/was it? Is it real? Is it safe to go there? The informative answers to these and other queries are expressed in simple, understandable prose. All volumes feature color and black-white photos, including statuary and paintings, along with maps and diagrams. Some visuals include informative captions. Highlights include occasional “Did You Know?” sidebars. Back matter includes critical thinking questions, a bibliography, suggestions for follow-up activities, a glossary, and an index. VERDICT Recommended for schools and public collections. This series should stimulate further exploration into the topics. —School Library Journal
Who Made My Lunch?
Lovely illustrations help tell the story of the foods we eat. Beginning with just a seed, each book follows an ingredient’s journey from planting and harvesting to storage and processing in factories. Readers will discover how different machines transform raw produce into familiar foods like chips, fruit salad, and pasta. The text also explores where these plants grow and the special care needed to keep them healthy. Detailed illustrations highlight different grain types, growth stages, farm machinery, and storage silos. A world map shows the regions where each plant thrives, adding a global perspective. The back matter includes a glossary and both online and print resources for further exploration. VERDICT This engaging series nurtures children’s natural curiosity about their everyday world. Recommended. —School Library Journal
Inspire
Overviews of the careers of ten popular celebrities are covered in these titles. Basketball fans will appreciate the record-breaking college careers of Angel Reese and Caitlyn Clark. Beyoncé released her first country music album in 2024, Ed Sheeran was discovered by Jamie Foxx, Harry Styles performed at the 2012 Olympics, and Taylor Swift began her music career in Nashville. Chris Pratt is an actor who was a lead in Jurassic World, Halle Bailey starred in the live-action version of Little Mermaid, Jojo Siwa was a YouTube pop star, and Zendaya is the youngest actor to win two Emmy awards. Colorful photographs accompany the text and will be a primary draw for young fans. The focus is on their careers, though mentions of some of the stars’ charity works are included. No mention is made of personal lives. The narratives portray the subjects in a positive, upbeat tone appropriate for the targeted audience. The titles provide current information on celebrities who have been in the news for some time. VERDICT These are suitable biographies for young readers; selectors should consider where collections need refreshing. —School Library Journal
Smart Adventures for Clever Kids
Each Smart Adventure serves as an exploratory mission with extra educational value. Each basic story offers an interactive element, training young readers in specific skills in order to progress the tale. The Mars adventure teaches interpretation of graphs and charts. The one about navigating nature presents topography and calculating data, two skills that make the math-adverse totally nervous but is presented clearly. The books cover a wide range of skills—not just math and geography, but word clues, map decoding, and critical thinking. Each one has the adorable adventure team assisted by sidekicks, from friendly dogs to helpful robots. The illustrations also integrate notebooks and phone screens to give information in realistic ways. VERDICT An educational delight, teaching basic interpretation of information. This would be fun to use in small class groups, or to entertain any data-minded kiddo. —School Library Journal