Molly Blaisdell

I liked this book for a variety of reasons. This is an informational children's book that teaches children about quadrilaterals and the types of polygons that are considered quadrilaterals (squares, rectangles, etc.). The first reason I really like this book is the interactive aspect his has for readers. At the end of the book there is an activity entitled, "Drawing Quadrilaterals", where it gives readers directions on how to make their own shapes out of paper and test friends on the show more qualifications of individual quadrilaterals or non-quadrilaterals. The second part of the book that I love is the colorful and eye-popping illustrations. The book uses a double spread technique to illustrate pictures over two paged. The illustrations depict vibrantly colored animals playing games and activities that go along with the information/text on the page. For example, on a page that is talking about squares, the illustration depicts two funny looking cats playing checkers in the jungle. The final reason that I really like this book is the last page that has a glossary, "to learn more" section, index, and more math books that readers can read about math. The glossary helps readers get a better understanding of terms mentioned throughout the text. The "To Learn More" section gives internet sites that kids can go to in order to obtain more math facts and play games. And the finally it gives readers a list of math books by the same publisher that are about different math subjects and topics. All in all a great book. show less

Grades 1-3

This insubstantive series has cover appeal and bright computer-generated illustrations, but the text falls short. In the two titles reviewed (Unicorns and Elves), the narrative is choppy and jumps from one subject to another sporadically. While the backmatter includes a glossary, not all of the words that might confuse young readers are defined, and the words that will appear in the glossary are not highlighted in the main body of the text. An additional purchase if you have a big show more crowd that likes books with pictures of various fairy tale creatures; however, don't buy these for the informational value. show less

This is a kid-friendly intro to the famous painter Rembrandt van Rijn, in Amsterdam in the 1650s. Blaisdell built a father-son story from the historical fact that Rembrandt’s son Titus sketched as a child. In this fictional version, Titus wants to imitate his father, but Rembrandt thinks he is too young. Titus must prove himself. It’s a warmhearted story against the lovely backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland. An extensive author’s note adds value. (Ages 4–8)

This is a cute children's book about all of the shapes with four straight sides. It opens a world of wonder and how a square can be more than a square. I found this book to be informational for students who need more help understanding different quadrilaterals. I gave it 4 stars because it was hard to find online, making it easier to use in a classroom.