This season, publishers are producing series with greater varieties of topics than we have recently been seeing. The perennial favorites are present: international holidays, media literacy, and behavior management. But now we also have series about America’s gun culture, how things are made, and dogs. These selections seem to represent the current state of American’s minds, including children. They are ready to focus on something other than the pandemic. These series will help with that.

Elementary

Alikhan, Salima. Leaders in the Community. ISBN 9781087605067.
Amin, Anita Nahta M.S. Every Drop Counts. ISBN 9781087604992.
Kassebaum, Danica. Every Dollar Makes a Difference. ISBN 9781087605036.
Nussbaum, Ben. Changing Our Community. ISBN 9781087604985.
Rhatigan, Joe. O Say Can You See. ISBN 9781087605005.
––––. See Something, Say Something. ISBN 9781087605029.
Rice, Dona Herweck. Follow the Dollar. ISBN 9781087605012.
Sacre, Antonio M.A. Solving Problems Together. ISBN 9781087605043.
Slepian, Curtis. Dwight D. Eisenhower: American Leader. ISBN 9781087605074.
Wallace, Elise. Your Vote, Your Voice. ISBN 9781087605050.
ea vol: 28p. (iCivics). Teacher Created Materials. Aug. 2021. pap. $9.99.
Gr 2-3 –Young readers get an introduction to citizenship and civic action in this series that addresses topics such as how to fundraise, being a voter, community problem-solving, and community leaders. The books assume that children are capable of making change, even spelling out steps to take to start their own fundraising efforts and learn about voting issues. Real-world issues are addressed, including the water crisis and wildfires. In each title, a short story helps introduce the topic. This section includes the very useful indicator “jump into fiction.” At the end of the story, readers are directed “back to nonfiction.” Readers are asked to make inferences from a political cartoon, make connections between the text and images, and brainstorm and discuss ideas with classmates. After reading the book, students are given an opportunity to see civics in action. In Every Drop Counts, that means understanding the water shortage, listing ways individuals can help, and sharing those ideas with friends. Back matter includes comprehension questions, a glossary, and an index. VERDICT Highly recommended for classrooms and libraries. Kids will feel empowered to be active members of their communities.

Anthony, William. The Blue Book: What to Do When You’re Sad. ISBN 9781647475789.
––––. The Purple Book: What to Do When You’re Nervous. ISBN 9781647475796.
––––. The Red Book: What to Do When You’re Angry. ISBN 9781647475802.
––––. The Yellow Book: What to Do When You’re Excited. ISBN 9781647475819.
ea vol: 24p. (Colorful Minds: Tips for Managing Your Emotions). Bearport/Fusion. Aug. 2021. Tr. $26.99.
K-Gr 3 –This series is like a comforting hug. For young children who might have trouble verbally expressing their feelings or controlling their emotions, this series provides interactive activities to help them understand what they are feeling and how to cope. Each emotion is associated with a color: blue is sad, purple is nervous, etc. In The Red Book, the author supplies a target page to throw paper at and a shout hole as alternative ways to release anger. Breathing and exercise are recommended in a number of the titles, and children are guided through their breathing sessions with tasks such as tracing shapes and blowing away clouds. Parents will appreciate The Yellow Book, which helps kids manage their excitement by doing a scavenger hunt or creating a calming zone. VERDICT Highly recommended. This series finds so many ways for kids to express themselves in comforting and accepting language.

Carlson-Berne, Emma. The Story of an Oak Tree. ISBN 9781728428260.
Mitchell, Melanie. The Story of Syrup. ISBN 9781728428215.
Nelson, Robin. The Story of a Football. ISBN 9781728428239.
Owings, Lisa. The Story of a Ladybug. ISBN 9781728428253.
––––. The Story of a Tulip. ISBN 9781728428246.
Taus-Bolstad, Stacy. The Story of Bread. ISBN 9781728428222.
ea vol: 24p. (Step by Step). Lerner. Aug. 2021. Tr. $26.65.
K-Gr 2 –This series taps into the natural curiosity of young children with simple explanations of how some plants, animals, and foods are made. Kids will see familiar objects and animals become part of the lifecycle of an oak tree. They will read that people and machines work together to make bread and footballs. They will see images of the life stages of ladybugs and tulips. Each step in the process is described with one sentence on a bright yellow page and accompanied by a large photo. The back matter includes a visual glossary, resources, and an index. ­VERDICT These books will be a hit among young readers with curious minds. Recommended for school and public libraries.

Graves, Sue. Croc Needs to Wait. ISBN 9781338758047.
––––. Elephant Learns to Share. ISBN 9781338758078.
––––. Flamingo is Brave. ISBN 9781338758108.
––––. Lion is Nervous. ISBN 9781338758177.
––––. Tiger Has a Tantrum. ISBN 9781338758207.
––––. Turtle Comes Out of Her Shell. ISBN 9781338758146.
ea vol: illus. by Trevor Dunton. 32p. (Behavior Matters). Scholastic/Franklin Watts. Sept. 2021. Tr. $25.00.
K-Gr 2 –This series approaches the subject of children’s behavior and its impact on others using a bold graphic style. Each book features an animal and an emotion. In Tiger Has a Tantrum, Tiger exhibits frequent bursts of anger at school that upset his friends and get him in trouble. In Croc Has to Wait, Croc’s impatience ruins her group work and her crafts. In each case, the animals must confront their behavior and determine the appropriate response to smooth over their relationships, such as apologizing to friends and cleaning up after a tantrum. Dunton’s illustrations make the behaviors very identifiable while also providing fun, attention-grabbing cartoons. Graves uses familiar situations, including speaking in front of the class, going to the library, and sharing toys. While focusing on behavior, repetitive language also aids in reading comprehension. Back matter includes discussion questions and tips for parents before reading the book. VERDICT This is a not-so-serious way to address behavior issues with young children and help them reach their own conclusions. Recommended for schools and public libraries.

Heinrichs, Ann. Celebrating Chinese New Year. illus. by Benrei Huang. ISBN 9781503853829.
––––. Celebrating Cinco de Mayo. ­illus. by ­Kathleen Petelinsek. ISBN 9781503853812.
––––. Celebrating Día de los Muertos. ­illus. by Mernie Gallagher-Cole. ISBN 9781503853805.
––––. Celebrating Father’s Day. illus. by R.W. Alley. ISBN 9781503853836.
––––. Celebrating Halloween. illus. by Teri Weidner. ISBN 9781503853843.
––––. Celebrating Independence Day. illus. by Robert Squier. ISBN 9781503853850.
––––. Celebrating Mardi Gras. illus. by Jan Bryan-Hunt. ISBN 9781503853867.
––––. Celebrating Mother’s Day. illus. by R.W. Alley. ISBN 9781503853874.
––––. Celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day. illus. by Joel Snyder. ISBN 9781503853881.
––––. Celebrating Thanksgiving. illus. by Charles Jordan. ISBN 9781503853904.
––––. Celebrating Valentine’s Day. illus. by Sharon Holm. ISBN 9781503853911.
Jensen Shaffer, Jody. Celebrating Juneteenth. illus. by Kathleen Petelinsek. ISBN 9781503853898.
Trudi Strain Trueit. Celebrating Christmas. illus. by Jan Bryan-Hunt. ISBN 9781503853928.
––––. Celebrating Easter. illus. by Benrei Huang. ISBN 9781503853935.
––––. Celebrating Hanukkah. illus. by Rebecca Thornburgh. ISBN 9781503853942.
––––. Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day. illus. by Joel Snyder. ISBN 9781503853959.
––––. Celebrating Memorial Day. illus. by Ronnie Rooney. ISBN 9781503853966.
––––. Celebrating President’s Day. illus. by Michelle Dorenkamp. ISBN 9781503853973.
ea vol: 32p. (Celebrating Holidays!). The Child’s World. Aug. 2021. Tr. $28.50.
K-Gr 3 –This series captures the sights and sounds of holidays around the world. Young readers are introduced to new holidays and learn the histories of familiar celebrations. Each title reproduces the excitement with descriptive language and engaging illustrations. Modern-day practices are traced back to their origins and the cultural significance of foods and colors is explained, but the books also convey the sheer joy of time spent with friends and family. Included in the books are recipes, traditional songs, poetry, crafts, and ideas for joining the spirit of the celebration. Back matter includes a glossary with pronunciation, index, and additional resources. VERDICT This beautiful series should be a go-to resource for each holiday season.

Upper Middle School to High School

Buckey, A. W. Legitimate News Sources. ISBN 9781678202026.
Gagne, Tammy. How Social Media Impacts News. ISBN 9781678201968.
––––. Identifying Media Bias. ISBN 9781678202002.
Van, R. L. Identifying Fake News. ISBN 9781678201982.
Ventura, Marne. Distinguishing Fact from Opinion. ISBN 9781678201944.
ea vol: 80p. (Media Literacy). ReferencePoint/BrightPoint. Oct. 2021. Tr. $31.95.
Gr 6 Up –Researchers get an introduction to news and media in this reference collection written for struggling and ELL readers. Each title opens with an anecdotal story of a teen interacting with information on the internet. Instead of taking it at face value, they dig deeper to determine if they can trust their source before sharing it or using it for an assignment. Readers learn about the history of journalistic ethics, the difference between a news article and a social media post, and how to spot bias in the news. Real-life examples like Pizzagate and the New York Times coverage of the justification for the Iraq War provide historical context. Stock images are included throughout, as is a chart from the organization AllSides that is used to illustrate where some news sources fall on the political spectrum with CNN on the left, The Hill in the middle, and Fox News as leaning right. No more information is provided and students might take this as the authority on journalistic bias rather than opinion. The books feature a glossary, resources, and index. VERDICT This is an important topic that is covered in an easy-to-read format. Struggling readers will come away with a deeper understanding of the modern media landscape.

Pidcock-Reed, Heather. Dog Heroes. ISBN 9781422245125.
––––. Dog Ownership & Training. ISBN 9781422245118.
––––. Rescue & Adoption. ISBN 9781422245132.
––––. Service Dogs. ISBN 9781422245149.
––––. Therapy Dogs. ISBN 9781422245156.
ea vol: 80p. (Living with Dogs). National Highlights/Mason Crest. Sept. 2021. Tr. $34.60.
Gr 6 Up –This series provides information for prospective dog owners and research assignments. Readers learn about the history of dogs used in warfare, search and rescue operations, and policing; how to identify a reputable dog breeder; and how to adopt and care for a dog. The series includes vocabulary words at the beginning of each chapter and content-based questions and research projects at the conclusion. Throughout the book, readers will find QR codes linked to third-party videos. Full-page text boxes feature profiles of famous dogs, information on purebreds, and tips on caring for dogs. Back matter includes a glossary for the series, an index, organizations, and books and websites for further reading. VERDICT This series does not dive too deeply into any topic, but does provide some thoughtful questions for potential dog owners to ask themselves. ­Recommended for larger collections.

Wilson, David. Assault Weapons. ISBN 9781422244586.
––––. The Business of Guns. ISBN 9781422244593.
––––. Gun Culture Facts and Figures. ISBN 9781422244609.
––––. Gun for Sport. ISBN 9781422244616.
––––. Handguns. ISBN 9781422244623.
––––. The Right to Bear Arms? ISBN 9781422244630.
ea vol: 96p. (Gun Country). National Highlights/Mason Crest. Sept. 2021. Tr. $34.60.
Gr 9 Up –Each book in this series begins with a foreword by a self-described pragmatic gun advocate who has served as a marine, police officer, Homeland Security officer, and disaster preparedness consultant. He lays out his position on guns overall and the importance of the series in a straightforward, even-keeled manner. He carries that tone through the rest of the content, delivering information in a matter-of-fact way and letting readers reach their own conclusions. Each chapter is prefaced with a list of words to know and concludes with content questions and research projects. Text boxes and QR codes linked to news videos are interspersed throughout the chapters. Back matter includes a series glossary, sources, and index. An annotated bibliography of books and websites helpfully details the viewpoints of selected organizations and writers but also mentions why those sites are useful. Full- and half-page images are included, but overall the pages are full-text and packed with information. A few more breaks in the pages would have been helpful given the amount of information being relayed. VERDICT An excellent research resource that gives readers everything they need to create their own informed opinion.