Laurie Krebs

An informative introduction to beekeeping for the younger set, Laurie Krebs' The Beeman features a rhyming narrative - "Here is the beehive, where all the bees sleep, / tucked into a box called / a shallow or deep" - that will draw children in, and engaging acrylic illustrations from Argentine artist Valeria Cis that will keep their attention. Describing the various types of bee to be found in a hive - the Queen Bee, the drones, the worker bees - and what they do, as well as the process show more whereby honey is harvested, the story follows a young boy and his beekeeping grandfather from hive to table, where they enjoy grandmother's muffins (with honey, of course!)...

Originally published in 2002 by National Geographic Children's Books, with illustrations by Melissa Iwai, Krebs' tale was reprinted in 2008 with new artwork by Cis. Having not seen the original edition, I cannot compare the two, but I enjoyed this later version quite a bit, and thought that Cis' artwork was appealing, in a fun and quirky kind of way. I was impressed, moreover, by how much information about bees and beekeeping Krebs managed to work into a text that was also entertaining, and read very well. The additional information at the rear of the book was also most welcome. All in all, an engaging picture-book that I would recommend to all young bee-lovers and would-be beekeepers. show less

In this book, we go on a vacation with a family traveling to Mexico, who are celebrating Independence Day. We learn about the different sights they see, and the beautiful animals they encounter. Along the way, they dance to a Mariachi band and they even climb pyramids. Throughout the book children have the opportunity to learn different Spanish words and phrases. The book is also in a rhyming format, which is wonderful for learning fluency.

Corr did it again! Another spectacular book filled show more with brilliant illustrations. Each illustration went perfect with the words presented on the page. I also really loved the Spanish words/phrases incorporated within the book as well. I love when diversity is presented within a book, and it was so fun to learn the different words. There was also a glossary on the back of the book which I found super helpful when reading to children. Corr uses a style of painting called gouache, and this is an opaque watercolor method. It really captures the vibrant colors, and he is consistent with his art. Overall, I loved this book and would love to do a Cinco de Mayo lesson plan around it. show less

I thought Off We Go to Mexico was a good book for many reasons. First, I thought it provided a lot of useful information for readers unfamiliar with the country of Mexico. The description, travel information, social life, and customs were all described in detail. Another reason I found this book to be good, is because while it is very informative, it is written in a child-friendly way for the intended audience. For example, the entire book rhymed and used easy to understand language. For show more example, “We wandered through the capital, where there’s so much to see: the park, the zoo, museums too, and Aztec history.” I loved the author’s word choice here was much more effective than for instance stating “the capital has a zoo museum and Aztec history.” Finally, this boo contained a variety of useful features for readers who know little to no Spanish. The most noticeable feature is the list of Spanish vocabulary words that coincide with the English text. For example, for the quote stated above, the Spanish vocabulary list contained the words: capital/la capital, park/el parque, zoo/el zoologico, and museums/los museos. In addition to the useful vocabulary lists, the back of the book also contained a fact sheet about Mexico, a historical timeline, and list of basic Spanish phrases. Overall, I think this is a great book used to inform children readers about Mexican culture. show less

This informational fictitious book was a lot of fun to read. Every page was vibrant and colorful and really gave me a feel for Mexico’s culture and traditions. Written in first person, the story details the adventures of seeing and experiencing Mexico’s festivals, beaches, parades, music, and many other aspects. The rhymes in the book make the reader feel as if they are there, in Mexico, experiencing these things too. When I read, “We clap our feet to music by mariachi bands, who strum show more guitars beneath the stars and sing, as we clap our hands,” I couldn’t help but to want to tap my feet as well. The descriptive, lively text engages students which can enhance their learning and understanding of the Hispanic culture. Students can see that there is more to the world than what they view as the norm. There are also word banks at the bottom of every page that depict the meaning of key words in both Spanish and English. For example, the word ‘water’ is ‘el agua,’ and is at the bottom of the first page when the narrator describes the beach. Overall, this book provides students with a positive outlook on the Mexican culture, and they can learn Spanish along the way. show less