Sam Taplin

If you love history, suspense, and crazy fun facts this book is for you. This book talks about early Rome, the founding of Rome, all that. Also the Roman republic, with the conquest and the government. It talks about the empire as a whole, the citizens classifications, the army, to water systems and punishment. Everyday life is another subject, quite interesting actually, seeing how your life would be then in Rome. In detail, the endings of Rome are described as well.

I didn't particularly show more care for this book because I'm not a big fan of history. However it was informative and helpful. Especially since we are currently studying Rome. If you like history this is definitely something you should read. It did a good job of giving information. I rate it two and a half stars. show less

The combination of humor, touch, and sound makes Don't Tickle the Unicorn a standout choice for both parents and educators looking to engage and entertain young readers. The book's whimsical concept and vibrant illustrations contribute to its overall appeal, making it an excellent addition to any child's library. For a magical and laughter-filled journey, Don't Tickle the Unicorn is a delightful choice that promises to tickle the senses and ignite the imaginations of its audience.

Various animals fall asleep in this board book, which is explicitly intended to put children to sleep. This shimmering board book features soft illustrations with delicate hues, curved shapes, and darling animal characters. The metallic decorations within each illustration illuminate the boards in a somewhat ethereal manner. Tabs marking each page provide easier page turning and some tactile interest. However, the text of this board book leads it somewhat astray. There are too many words per show more page for this board book to be entirely successful as a story read out loud. While each one focuses on the concept of bedtime, they are too drawn out and repetitive for the ideal audience. Perhaps a short sentence instead of paragraphs would have better presented these miniature stories, or maybe each story could become its own board book instead of being crammed on a single spread in fourteen point font. Ignoring all text, this book could be attractive for a very young audience and might make a good gift book. However, it is only marginally recommended for libraries and collections that serve children under three. show less

The Usborne Book of Poetry is a collection of new and old poems for children with beautiful illustrations. It’s not an overly big book but there are a lot of poems inside. The poems cross a very wide range of ages, with witty, little poems to read to pre-schoolers to poems like ‘The Lady of Shalott’ for older readers. I didn’t really know what to expect with a book of poetry since I’m not much of a poetry reader, but I was pleasantly surprised to find names that even I knew like show more Dylan Thomas, Charlotte Bronte and Lewis Carroll. The illustrations are very basic but painted beautifully and really give a sense of mood and tone for the poems. I love the fact that along with the table of contents in the front, there is an index in the back both by author and the first line of the poem. The only thing that would have made it better would be an index for children age categories but I guess the book never says it is specifically for children.

A great book for a young child to get them interested in poetry or for a school if you are doing a poetry units. The mix of classic poems and new ones is unbeatable and really makes for a good introduction to the world of poetry. show less