(4) YA Natalia (Nat)'s little brother Calvino is ten, the age when people lose their ability to feel emotion. But Cal isn't "fading"--and now synthetic-emotion company RealCorp wants to test him cruelly. Nat will fight for her brother as hard as if she still loved him. While the world-building is not fully fleshed out, this intriguing dystopian premise makes for a fast-paced, thought-provoking read.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anna Raff. Light, energy, color, shadows, and reflection are all covered in this engaging, information-packed picture book. Simple activities with household objects (spoons, drinking straws, etc.) demonstrate the properties of light, such as how it travels in a straight line or how light waves can be bent. The illustrations, featuring a smiling boy and girl and (oddly) their cow professor, support the information in the text. Glos.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) K-3 Super Simple Earth Investigations series. After a brief introduction to each earth science topic, readers are provided with instructions for activities that demonstrate the concepts. The activities vary in quality: some capture the science well and prompt good questions, others are merely art projects with few connections to the underlying science. Photographs of children engaged in each step of the activities are helpful. A quiz is included. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Earth Investigations titles: Super Simple Earthquake Projects, Super Simple Fossil Projects, Super Simple Mineral Projects, Super Simple Rock Cycle Projects, Super Simple Volcano Projects, and Super Simple Weather Projects.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Super Simple Earth Investigations series. After a brief introduction to each earth science topic, readers are provided with instructions for activities that demonstrate the concepts. The activities vary in quality: some capture the science well and prompt good questions, others are merely art projects with few connections to the underlying science. Photographs of children engaged in each step of the activities are helpful. A quiz is included. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Earth Investigations titles: Super Simple Earthquake Projects, Super Simple Fossil Projects, Super Simple Mineral Projects, Super Simple Rock Cycle Projects, Super Simple Volcano Projects, and Super Simple Weather Projects.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Super Simple Earth Investigations series. After a brief introduction to each earth science topic, readers are provided with instructions for activities that demonstrate the concepts. The activities vary in quality: some capture the science well and prompt good questions, others are merely art projects with few connections to the underlying science. Photographs of children engaged in each step of the activities are helpful. A quiz is included. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Earth Investigations titles: Super Simple Earthquake Projects, Super Simple Fossil Projects, Super Simple Mineral Projects, Super Simple Rock Cycle Projects, Super Simple Volcano Projects, and Super Simple Weather Projects.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Super Simple Earth Investigations series. After a brief introduction to each earth science topic, readers are provided with instructions for activities that demonstrate the concepts. The activities vary in quality: some capture the science well and prompt good questions, others are merely art projects with few connections to the underlying science. Photographs of children engaged in each step of the activities are helpful. A quiz is included. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Earth Investigations titles: Super Simple Earthquake Projects, Super Simple Fossil Projects, Super Simple Mineral Projects, Super Simple Rock Cycle Projects, Super Simple Volcano Projects, and Super Simple Weather Projects.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Super Simple Earth Investigations series. After a brief introduction to each earth science topic, readers are provided with instructions for activities that demonstrate the concepts. The activities vary in quality: some capture the science well and prompt good questions, others are merely art projects with few connections to the underlying science. Photographs of children engaged in each step of the activities are helpful. A quiz is included. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Earth Investigations titles: Super Simple Earthquake Projects, Super Simple Fossil Projects, Super Simple Mineral Projects, Super Simple Rock Cycle Projects, Super Simple Volcano Projects, and Super Simple Weather Projects.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Super Simple Earth Investigations series. After a brief introduction to each earth science topic, readers are provided with instructions for activities that demonstrate the concepts. The activities vary in quality: some capture the science well and prompt good questions, others are merely art projects with few connections to the underlying science. Photographs of children engaged in each step of the activities are helpful. A quiz is included. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Earth Investigations titles: Super Simple Earthquake Projects, Super Simple Fossil Projects, Super Simple Mineral Projects, Super Simple Rock Cycle Projects, Super Simple Volcano Projects, and Super Simple Weather Projects.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) 4-6 Besties Sanity Jones and Tallulah Vega live on boring, isolated Wilnick SS. When Sanity's lab-grown three-headed kitten gets loose and functions on the space station stop working, the friends must find the kitten, the culprit, and a way to save their home. This graphic novel has sharp, limited-palette art, and its simple plot is elevated by charismatic protagonists and a creative sci-fi world.

Reviewer: Jessica Costello

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Cara Bean. Each of twenty familiar elements (helium, carbon, sodium, etc.) is explored in a chapter offering detailed information on its characteristics, discovery, uses, and relationships to other elements represented in the periodic table. Sidebars introduce additional general chemistry concepts, and appropriate activities allow readers to experiment. The final chapter covers a "Dirty Dozen" elements deadly to humans. Cartoonlike illustrations and a chipper narrative voice lighten the book's tone. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Holly Hatam. Amiable kid-scientist Acadia wonders about seasonal phenomena she observes: Who is eating her blueberries in summer? Why do leaves change color in the fall? She develops hypotheses, then tests them with experiments. Kids will relate to her everyday experiences and learn from her colorful lab reports and illustrations. Acadia's unanswered questions at the end of each chapter could lead readers on their own investigations. Websites. Review covers these titles: Acadia Files: Autumn Science and Acadia Files: Summer Science.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Holly Hatam. Amiable kid-scientist Acadia wonders about seasonal phenomena she observes: Who is eating her blueberries in summer? Why do leaves change color in the fall? She develops hypotheses, then tests them with experiments. Kids will relate to her everyday experiences and learn from her colorful lab reports and illustrations. Acadia's unanswered questions at the end of each chapter could lead readers on their own investigations. Websites. Review covers these titles: Acadia Files: Autumn Science and Acadia Files: Summer Science.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Vashti Harrison. Teacher Ms. Curie encourages Cece's love of science. When her class gets a research assignment, Cece and friend Isaac choose to investigate whether dogs will eat vegetables. Cece's dog Einstein refuses all veggies until Cece makes a keen observation that leads to an answer. In this kid-friendly introduction to the scientific method, data collection, and persistence, cartoony digital illustrations include the kids' science-project worksheets. Glos.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Diego Funck. Robert Goddard, who successfully launched the first liquid-fueled rocket in 1926, was a pioneer whose innovations continue to influence space exploration. Fulton's picture book biography emphasizes Goddard's perseverance and meticulous scientific documentation, which aided in his important breakthroughs. Funck's warmhearted illustrations document Goddard's growth from curious boy to scientist, the evolution of his experiments, and the technological trappings of the early-twentieth-century era. Bib.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(2) 4-6 Grandpa Melvin (The Fourteenth Goldfish), still stuck in the body of a teenager, is ready to help granddaughter Ellie devise a winning science-fair project. In between performing experiments on fruit flies, Ellie is also learning new lessons about relationships. Holm packs an impressive amount of character development into a concise story, while Ellie’s first-person narration and Melvin's scenery-chewing tendencies make for engaging reading.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) 4-6 Odds series. The Odds' (The Mighty Odds; Against the Odds) quirky superpowers are getting stronger, and none too soon: classmates who all mysteriously received high scores on a test are suddenly exhibiting out-of-control behavior, all apparently tied to Auxano Labs. In its third installment, the humorous series--punctuated as usual with cartoons, articles, and blog posts--picks up speed, and characters show welcome development.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 A+ Books: Simply Science series. James skims through basic physics principles with simple texts and large illustrative photographs. Real-life examples, such as banging a drum or pushing a shopping cart, adequately demonstrate principles for young learners. Readers are encouraged to try simple activities throughout, with a slightly more detailed experiment at the end. Final critical thinking questions seem to simply be testing reading comprehension. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these A+ Books: Simply Science titles: The Simple Science of Motion and The Simple Science of Sound.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) K-3 A+ Books: Simply Science series. James skims through basic physics principles with simple texts and large illustrative photographs. Real-life examples, such as banging a drum or pushing a shopping cart, adequately demonstrate principles for young learners. Readers are encouraged to try simple activities throughout, with a slightly more detailed experiment at the end. Final critical thinking questions seem to simply be testing reading comprehension. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these A+ Books: Simply Science titles: The Simple Science of Motion and The Simple Science of Sound.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) K-3 In this quiet story about perseverance and progress, a pig loves to watch birds fly and dreams of joining them. He ponders, experiments, "modifies," and succeeds in building a flying machine. "The world wanted to join him," and soon the sky is filled with lots of machines. As far as he flies, however, the pig still admires birds. Na's dreamy mixed-media illustrations match the contemplative text.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) 4-6 Genius Factor series. Illustrated by Thierry Lafontaine. In this third zany, laugh-out-loud installment, the villainous Red Death Tea Society is after seventh-grade genius inventor Nate's latest experiments, held in various scientific vials Nate has hidden throughout town. As usual, things do not go well--animals roaming the streets, unending lightning storms--but Nate and best friend/narrator Delphine use Nate's gadgets and teamwork to creatively outwit evil.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan