English

Two lovable teddy bears serve as readers' guides to this very early vocabulary builder for ages two and up. Familiar situations and activities are depicted in the cheerful illustrations. The English word appears on the lefthand page; the Spanish word (along with its pronunciation guide) appears on the right. The pronunciation guide is geared toward native English speakers and is actually helpful. Weather shows outdoor scenes and showcases words such as lluvia/ rain, sol/ sun, niebla/ fog, nieve/ snow, etc. At Home presents interior domestic scenes and names items of furniture and fixtures such as puerta/ door, ventana/ window, silla/ chair, mesa/ table, cama/ bed, etc. Although the illustrations are definitely geared toward toddlers, the side-by-side bilingual vocabulary is an effective teaching tool for beginning readers of most ages. Other titles in this series are Los animales/ Animals, Los colores/ Colors, Los contrarios/ Opposites, La familia/ The Family, and La ropa/ Clothing. Recommended for school libraries, public libraries, and bookstores. M.O.B. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

equally

Eat your heart out, tooth fairy. According to the informal research of the author, the world is full of other, equally fascinating myths and traditions about what happens, or should be done, when those milk choppers part company with childish gums. If you come from Chile or Costa Rica, your parents will have the tooth made into a charm. If you're Venezuelan, you put the tooth under your pillow and hope that a mouse brings you money. (Oddly enough, mice, milk teeth, and money are associated all over the world.) Playful illustrations by G. Brian Karas include a world map, plus lots of fun depictions of the world's dentally challenged junior inhabitants. (Ages 4 to 8) --Richard Farr

chapters

Grade 3-5–In each of these titles, 13 one- or two-page chapters begin with questions such as What Is a 'Living Fossil'? (River), followed by brief, clear answers. Additional intriguing facts (Anteaters have no teeth in Soil) are included in small Did You Know? bubbles. Text is accompanied on every page by clear, captioned photographs; colorful, well-labeled illustrations; or realistic paintings. Each book contains two see-through pages that must be held up to a strong light for viewers to see the complete painting. Though the material is appealing, the inclusion of some animals is questionable. City, for example, highlights raccoons, dingoes, alligators, and polar bears. These volumes have high visual appeal but are not well organized.–Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the   edition.