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Children's Literature

Learning about school will be fun with this informative alphabet book. The author uses full-color, close-up photographs and brief descriptions to introduce young readers to different aspects of school life. In addition to covering the basics—books, desks, homework, notebooks, and pencils, this resource also introduces newcomers to other aspects of school with which they may not be familiar—going to the office, quizzes, uniforms, and yearbooks. Not only will readers learn what school is like on a daily basis, but they will also learn what they need to bring to school, who they will meet at school, and what subjects they will study at school. Parents, preschool teachers and librarians can use this wonderful resource to effectively prepare young children for their upcoming experiences at school. This useful volume contains the following additional information: fun facts about school, a glossary, a list of books for further reading, an internet resource, and an index. This is part of the "A+ Books" series. 2005, Capstone Press, Ages 5 to 8.
—Debra Briatico

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Excellent, full-page colored photos are the highlights of these books. The letters themselves are shown (both capitals and lower case) in contrasting color to the two to three sentences on each page. Facts are very general and simple. However, the text in all cases is bland, and irritating in spots for its tendency to use words that rhyme sporadically without the structure of a two-line couplet (e.g., "A notebook holds the things you write./It's bound with wire, nice and tight,/so you don't lose your papers" (School). Homes does not identify the type of dwelling on the cover or where people live in the houses pictured in a tree (referred to obliquely in the Fun Facts) and underground. There is some inevitable stretching to use "z" for "kibbutz" (Homes) or "zoom" (School), "x" for "fix" (Farm), etc. The books do not always cover the basic facts of their subject because of format limitations. The glossary and index are for the most part superfluous and arbitrary-the index generally just repeats the words used for each letter in the body of the books. Strictly additional purchases where there is a need for very simple nonfiction material for preschoolers and primer readers.-Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.