Tomas Rivera

Gr 1-2 -At first glance, these beginning readers appear to be typical of the genre with pleasant stories, controlled vocabulary, lots of white space, and colorful illustrations. What makes them special are the extra features designed to enhance the reading experience: open-ended questions relating to the stories, activities with clear directions, photos of the authors and illustrators that personalize the books for young children, and tips for parents on raising readers. In Lucy's Quiet Book, a girl goes to the library when her six brothers get too noisy and, in Best Friends, two boys explore and play. Toms Rivera is an inspiring biography of the Mexican-American author, while the other two titles are about ordinary childhood happenings. The pictures complement the stories; Rivera is illustrated with paintings that reflect the period while a more playful, cartoon style of art is used to convey the fun in the fiction. Solid additions for beginning reader collections.-Doris Losey, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library, Tampa, FL Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.