Monday, March 31, 2014

Two More Kingfisher Readers

In the Rainforest by Claire Llewellyn. 2014. Kingfisher. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

In the Rainforest by Claire Llewellyn is a level two nonfiction reader published by Kingfisher. Other level two titles include: Fur and Feathers, Trucks, What Animals Eat, Where Animals Live, Where We Live, and Your Body. Level two titles feature longer sentences with familiar vocabulary, engaging pictures, a table of contents, page headings, and a simple glossary. The glossary for In The Rainforest includes these words: canopy, camouflage, equator, mine, nectar, oxygen, poison, prey, and sloth. Level two readers definitely have a different look to them compared to level one readers! They are definitely more complex and focused on sharing even more information.

I liked the page headings. I liked how the two-page spread focused on sharing specific information, and how easy it was to find exactly what you were looking for. I do believe that children need to learn how to use nonfiction books from an early age, and this one will help with that task.

The book focuses on rainforests as a whole: plants and trees, and, of course, animals. It also mentions humans and rainforests: how humans have lived in villages in-or-near rainforests, but, how some humans pose a threat to the survival of rainforests.

Firefighters by Chris Oxlade and Thea Feldman. 2014. Kingfisher. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Firefighters by Chris Oxlade and Thea Feldman is a level three nonfiction reader published by Kingfisher. Other level three titles include: Ancient Rome, Cars, Creepy-Crawlers, Dinosaur World, Record-Breakers, and Volcanoes. Level three readers feature short paragraphs with more complex sentences, introduce high-interest specialized vocabulary, include a table of contents, captions, fact boxes, glossary, and index. The glossary for Firefighters include the words: breathing apparatus, cutter, emergency, equipment, fire extinguisher, foam, hydrant, nozzle, pump, siren, smoke detector, spreader, sprinkler, wildfire, and winch. You can tell from the glossary that this will definitely be more complex and informative than any level one or two reader!

From "What is a Firefighter?"
A firefighter is someone who helps in an emergency. A firefighter's main job is to put out fires. When a fire starts, a team of firefighters rushes to the fire. The firefighters use hoses, ladders, and other equipment to put out the fire. They rescue people trapped by fire, too.
Firefighters help with other emergencies. They rescue people after accidents such as car crashes. They also help people trapped in floods or on cliffs by the sea.

I found this one to be very informative. It even includes a two page spread on firefighters in the past!

© 2014 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

No comments: