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32 pp.
| Dutton
| March, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-0-525-47879-9$16.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
A boy talks about his father's coin collection and what he and Dad have learned in pursuit of this hobby. Friendly text discusses money's history, the U.S. mint, what coins are made of, the value of collected coins, some U.S. history, and games to play with spare change. The lively pages combine text, cartoonlike illustrations, and diagrams.
32 pp.
| Holiday
| April, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8234-1916-6$14.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
Banned from sword fighting indoors, Arthur and Lance take their jousting outside. It's a good solution, but Arthur's steed (the neighbor's cow) tramples Mom's daffodils--right before "Daffodil Days." Though the brothers can't fix the mess, Mom wins for "most room for improvement." It's all a bit random, but both text and art have some entertaining moments.
(3)
K-3
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series.
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
Hodgkins does an admirable job connecting complex ideas for an easy-to-understand explanation of flight. After a quick aerodynamics lesson, she covers such topics as people's attempts to mimic birds and how jets fly. The cheery, colorful illustrations depict movement well (though they're less helpful in portraying the difficult concepts of lift, drag, and thrust). A paper airplane experiment is appended.
32 pp.
| Holiday
| September, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-8234-1843-X$16.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
In this sci-fi, pun-filled picture book, Captain Hazel Nutt and her two-headed copilot, Igor, land on the planet Wutt, where the green Wuttites and their little lady leader offer more opportunities for wordplay ("Wutt's up?"). A giant meatball meteor, the gift of a ladder, and the departure of Hazel and Igor conclude this slight but whimsical offering, which has energetic cartoon illustrations.
48 pp.
| Houghton
| March, 2004
|
TradeISBN 0-618-30397-9$$15.00
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
A straightforward second-person narration focuses on a teddy bear's adventures while his human friend is away from home. Teddy explores the house, finds breakfast, and visits the great outdoors, while the household pets get blamed for his mobility. Colorful cartoon-style illustrations, the bear's many falls, and the creatively repetitive text in this upper-level easy reader will attract young readers.
32 pp.
| Holiday
| September, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-8234-1711-5$$16.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
Replete with visual and verbal puns, this slim story tells how Dr. Hazel Nutt deflates the suspicions of her whole village about her monster-making by entertaining them with a concert given by her creations, opera singer Dracula-la-la and accompanist Frankensteinway. Energetic cartoons appropriately illustrate Dr. Nutt's high jinks, and the humor, though occasionally forced, is accessible to most children.
(3)
K-3
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series.
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
Asserting that "you may become the first person to walk on Mars," the second-person text explains how one would travel there, describes the living conditions of the Mars Station, and discusses what an explorer would find. The simple prose is accompanied by kid-friendly illustrations; a captioned photo on the endpapers reveals names scientists gave rocks found on the surface, including Stimpy and Bamm-Bamm.
(4)
K-3
All Aboard Reading series.
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
An unrepentant cat spills milk, eats plants, and performs other acts of feline destruction to a constant but ineffective chorus of "bad, bad cat!" His family worries when he strays from home one day; when he eventually returns, they welcome back their "good, bad cat." The story describes realistic cat behavior but lacks charm. The cartoonlike illustrations provide clues to help new readers decipher the text.
48 pp.
| Houghton
| March, 2002
|
TradeISBN 0-618-11035-6$$15.00
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
Written in second person and designed to be read aloud to a pet, the three short episodes perfectly capture feline eccentricities. The cat enjoys wrapping paper more than his real presents, changes his mind about whether snow is fun, and discovers a lot of interesting--and noisy--things to do while waiting for his human friend to wake up in the morning. Humorous artwork illustrates this upper-level easy reader.
(2)
K-3
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series.
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
Branley provides detailed descriptions of the space station and the activities of its inhabitants, with many pages devoted to the station's architecture and construction. The text is straightforward yet consistently skillful at presenting scientific materials in terms that resonate with a child's fascination with space. Friendly cartoon illustrations and densely labeled diagrams accompany the text.
Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2001
32 pp.
| HarperCollins
| May, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-06-027992-3$$15.95
|
LibraryISBN 0-06-027993-1$$15.89
|
PaperISBN 0-06-445185-2$$4.95 1986
(3)
K-3
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series.
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
Beginning with what observers on Earth see in the moon (a face, a rabbit, Jack and Jill), this newly illustrated edition offers a discussion of the findings of astronauts regarding physical properties of the moon, including lack of air and of weather, surface texture, temperature range, and gravity. In addition to colorful illustrations, a few photographs from moon missions are included.
106 pp.
| Holiday
| December, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-8234-1537-6$$15.95
(4)
1-3
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
As the target of the class bully, Abbie has always dreamed of having a big, strong dog. When he cares for his aunt's Yorkshire terrier, he is disappointed with the tiny dog, named Cat. Predictably, he grows to love Cat and learns about the unimportance of size. In the end, his aunt gives him the dog. There are no surprises here; still, this is a brisk, humorous read for kids who love dog stories.
48 pp.
| Houghton
| April, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-395-92293-3$$15.00
(3)
1-3
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
This third collaboration by Miller and Kelley contains stories about a dog's adventures at the vet, finding a turtle, and getting a bath. The stories are addressed directly to the dog himself--a conceit that serves neatly enough as the raison d'être for the text's use of repetition and simply structured sentences. Illustrations on every spread extend the humor.
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
With little success, a young girl tries to teach Toby, her devoted and lovable dog, some simple tricks. Her brother thinks that Toby is dumb, which only increases her determination, and she finally achieves results. The watercolor, acrylic, and pen-and-ink illustrations in this well-designed picture book are amusing.
32 pp.
| HarperCollins
| May, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-06-027858-7$$15.95
|
LibraryISBN 0-06-027859-5$$15.89
|
PaperISBN 0-06-445179-8$$4.95 1985, Crowell
(3)
K-3
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series.
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
Branley's clear and informative explanations cover how thunderclouds form, why they produce lightning, and how sound travels. Though thunder and lightning storms may seem scary, the book--with safety tips included--will help dispel fears. Newly illustrated, this edition of the book features colorful cartoonlike pictures.
144 pp.
| Morrow
| June, 1999
|
TradeISBN 0-688-15740-8$$15.00
(3)
4-6
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
Fifty simple (and cool) experiments, tricks, and activities are presented in accessible prose and playful black-and-white illustrations. The book teaches readers how to burn a candle under water, make square-shaped hard-boiled eggs, and create a bomb from a sandwich bag. All the activities require household objects, and the scientific concepts behind each experiment are clearly explained in a section called "Insider Information." Ind.
(3)
K-3
Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series.
Descriptions of how astronauts live and work on the space shuttle include the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope as well as the basics of eating and sleeping in space. Simple yet thorough explanations of gravity and weightlessness frame the otherwise descriptive text. The color illustrations include clearly labeled diagrams of space suits, space toilets, and meal trays.
(4)
4-6
Numerous outdoor and classroom activities are described, ranging from building stink bombs to creating "lawn graffiti" to dowsing for water. The authors try too hard to appeal to the non-science crowd with pseudo-hip language and projects of very dubious scientific merit. The activities will appeal to kids, but some require hard-to-obtain items such as Van de Graaff generators. Ind.
20 pp.
| Dutton
| September, 1998
|
TradeISBN 0-525-45458-6$$7.99
(4)
PS
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
These companion books convey the cycles of weeks and years by detailing daily and seasonal activities. While the rolling text and fluid watercolors attempt to evoke the cyclical nature of time, their cadence is often interrupted by forced, arbitrary rhymes.
20 pp.
| Dutton
| September, 1998
|
TradeISBN 0-525-45457-8$$7.99
(4)
PS
Illustrated by
True Kelley.
These companion books convey the cycles of weeks and years by detailing daily and seasonal activities. While the rolling text and fluid watercolors attempt to evoke the cyclical nature of time, their cadence is often interrupted by forced, arbitrary rhymes.