Book Review: "Lives of" series by Kathleen Krull

What:Short and colorful biography for young readers age from 6 to 10. A gentle way to introduce kids to biography

Include:

• Lives of the athletes : thrills, spills (and what the neighbors thought)
• Lives of the writers : comedies, tragedies (and what the neighbors thought)
• They saw the future : oracles, psychics, scientists, great thinkers, and pretty good guessers
• Lives of the musicians : good times, bad times (and what the neighbors thought)
• Lives of extraordinary women : rulers, rebels (and what the neighbors thought)
• Lives of the presidents : fame, shame (and what the neighbors thought)
• Lives of the scientists : experiments, explosions (and what the neighbors thought)
• The book of rock stars : 24 musical icons that shine through history
• Lives of the artists : masterpieces, messes (and what the neighbors thought)

Book Review: A weave of words by Robert D. San Souci ISBN 0531300536

Armenian tale of king Vachagan and Queen Anait

Book Review: Pearl Moscowitz's Last Stand by Arthur A. Levine, pictures by Robert Roth ISBN0688107532

How a grandmother preserved the last Gingko tree on Gngko Street. Funny and warm story.

Book Review: Brush of the gods by Lenore Look & Meilo So ISBN 9780375870019

The legend of Chinese artist Wu Daozi in a beautiful picture book, oriental style.

画圣吴道子的传说

Book Review: Three Strong Women A Tall Tale from Japan By Claus Stamm, Jean and Mou-sien Tseng

Great story telling with fun and beautiful illustration. Great for staring reader age 6+.

Book Review: Amy for short by Laura Joffe Numeroff (ISBN 0027681807)

Amy is the tallest girl in the class, and best friend of Mark, the tallest boy. After summer of 2nd grade, she grew one inch taller than Mark, and the friendship seems to strain.Would Mark come to Amy's birthday? As the backcover of the book said: "... all youngsters who are beginning to read will enjoy Amy's ingenuous story of her bumpy romance and the key to its happy resolution". Funny and touching, a great book for both young and old.

[UPDATE12/03/14]Laura Numeroff's other books are also great choices for young readers

• If You Give a Pig a Pancake
• If You Give a Moose a Muffin
• If You Give a Dog a Donut
• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
• If You Take a Mouse to the Movies
• If You Give a Cat a Cupcake
• If You Give a Pig a Party
• If You Take a Mouse to School

Best books for kindergartner and 1st graders to enjoy reading.

Book Review: Joha makes a wish, story by Eric A.Kimmel, illustrated by Omar Rayyan

A great picture book with excellent story telling and wonderful pictures, best for 5 to 8 years old and definitely a treat for the whole family

Book review: The cod's tale by Mark Kurlansky and illustrated by S.D.Schindler, ISBN0399234764

What: A picture book about history of cod fishing and cod trade and its contribution to the sea voyage and discovery of America
Best for: Intermediate reader grade 3 to 5
Rating: 5 of 5
Review: A enchanting history of cod and cod fishing and cod trade masterfully told and illustrated. And the author threads the information about cod and its impact on history is subtle and brilliant. If all history and trade book can be written this beautifully ...

Book review: One witch by Laura Leuck and illustrated by S.D.Schindler ISBN0802788602

What: A beautiful picture book
Best for: Beginner reader Pre-K to 2nd grade
Rating: 5 of 5
Review: Crispy color, beautiful illustration, simple and rhymed Halloween themed stories. Any young reader will fall in love instantly.

Book review: The discovery of the Americas by Betsy and Giulio Maestro, ISBN 0688068375

What: A picture book about the discovery of America
Best for: Intermediate reader (grade 3 to 5)
Rating: 4 out of 5
Review: Beautiful illustrations and clear simple languages make this saga of discovery as fascinating to six-year-olds as it will be to older readers. Very informative material.