Editorials
School Library Journal
Gr 2-4
Stacey's class is putting on a play about the Colonial era and the child is worried because she has terrible stage fright. Aunt Kiki, an actress, shares her experiences with her niece and takes her to Colonial Village to research the life of a 10-year-old girl so that she can get into the part. As the performance begins, her aunt brings a live sheep to join the cast and although it wreaks havoc, it's just what Stacey needs to give her courage. Colorful cartoon illustrations show the busy classroom and Colonial life as replicated at the museum, and text boxes offer facts about the period. Ty has been assigned to work on a volunteer project. As he tries to decide what he'll do, he interacts with his classmates, who tell him about their projects. Meanwhile, he spends his time skateboarding, and readers learn about the necessary equipment and different kinds of moves. The book actually serves two purposes. Children learn about the value of volunteering and various aspects of skateboarding. In the end, Ty takes on too many projects, resulting in disaster. Text boxes throughout give information about volunteering. Colorful cartoons show the boy's skateboarding activities and the chaos caused by taking on more than he can handle. Both books end with suggestions for extending the focus of the stories. Useful readers for extending social-studies units.
—Gina PowellCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.