Series: Young Puzzles Series.
Subject Areas: Brain Stretchers.
Ages: 4 5 6 7 8 9 10.
Type: Puzzle Story Books

These are some of the most popular Usborne books, and most kids want all of them once they've finished the first one -- my kids wanted each one as soon as they showed up in the catalog. There are lots of clues to look for and puzzles to solve, either alone or with a helper. Children learn thru deductive reasoning, elimination, matching, mazes and more. There is a humorous story line in each title, too.

Pirates are extremely popular right now, so this new Usborne title is perfectly timed. A pirate schoolboy named Joe is the main character, and he's been learning to be a pirate at school, but before he can be a REAL pirate he has to earn his cutlass. So you'll have to help him find a whole slew of hidden items, decipher treasure maps, find the way thru reefs, fight off skeletons, sail past monsters and mermaids, and discover treasure. Answers to puzzles and mazes are found in the back of the book.

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Awards: Puzzle Ocean from this series won the Lifeworks Magazine Real Life Award
Of Interest To: Parents, Teachers, Librarians and Media Specialists,

Series: Farmyard Tales Flashcards Series.
Subject Areas: Math, Reading.
Ages: 3 4 5 6 7 8.
Type: Flashcards

I wish I'd had these when my children were learning to tell time -- they're fun, very cute, and easy to understand. The first card gives complete directions on how to make the best use of the FIFTY different wipe-clean(hooray!) cards, and how to make time-telling part of your everyday routine.

On approximately two-thirds of the cards, Sam and Poppy - the kids from Farmyard Tales - are involved in various activities throughout their day. A small clock in the right top corner shows the time of that activity. After the child has looked at these and read thru them a few times, practice begins. Look at the activity and clock, turn the card over and use the enclosed pen to write the correct time, and draw hands on the clock. The remaining cards feature an analog clock showing a particular time, and the child writes in the corresponding digital time -- the flipside is the opposite -- it gives the digital and they write the analog.

One final card is a clock without any hands and you simply say a time, they draw the hands. Reverse the card and it's a digital clock with no numbers -- you give a time, they write it in. Lots of practice which is very necessary for time-telling, and the bonus of reading too. I love these! Every card practices both digital and analog time. They will learn the hour, half-hour, quarter hour and ten minute increments.

Make sure to check out all the Farmyard Tales items -- they are adorable.

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Of Interest To: Parents, Teachers, Preschools, Librarians and Media Specialists

All right, I know this is totally off the topic of Usborne Books, but I've had numerous discussions this week with other women about how to stay healthy as we age. (I'm 51 this year.)

I'd like to suggest some books my sister and I have been reading. Our family is prone to several challenging health issues -- ovarian cancer, osteoporosis, a tendency to gain extra weight -- so we both try to eat well and get the right kind of exercise to help fight off disease. If you really want to improve your quality of life later on, you need to start NOW. It's encouraging to read a book with someone else so you can discuss it and get each other motivated.

Check out:
Breaking the Rules of Aging
The Real Age Makeover
French Women Don't Get Fat This one is my younger-by-3-years sister's current favorite. She has gradually changed her way of life and lost 19 lbs so far.

Take advantage of these summer months to read a little more than usual! It's good for your brain and a great role model for your kids.


Of Interest To: Women

Series: Picture Books Series.
Subject Areas: Science, Nature.
Ages: 2 3 4 5 6 7.
Type: Picture Books, Nature Books

This latest addition to the Picture Books Series (which I adore), answers more questions that youngsters ask. The unseen kingdom beneath our feet holds all kinds of surprises and Usborne has done a superb job showing how animals and plants carry on their everyday activities in secret where we can't see them, as well as helping kids understand the myriad of manmade systems found underground, like electricity, plumbing, subways and more.

Next, children get to see caves, fossils, mines, and even the layers of the inner earth, then they imagine what would happen if they tunneled all the way to the other side of the earth, and what child has never wondered about that?

Take a look at all the books in this series if you want to give your student a well-rounded look at many topics about nature. Each of these books reads almost like a story but conveys lots of facts and information kids like.

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Of Interest To: Librarians and Media Specialists, Parents, Preschools

Series: First Picture Board Books Series.
Subject Areas: Rhymes, Songs, Fingerplays.
Ages: 9 months 1 2 3 4.
Type: Picture Book, Adult/child interaction

This is a brand new title added to a delightful series of books for the very young. All the covers have a smooth, slightly squeezable feel that makes them fun to touch; the book is large, bright, filled with Jo Litchfield's clay models, and has a variety of fingerplays or songs/rhymes to act out.

I was familiar with most of them from childhood (I'm a little teapot, The wheels on the bus go round and round, Itsy Bitsy Spider, etc.) but a few were new to me. If you don't know them already, the directions for the actions are given in smaller typeface. My favorite, probably because it was one of my childrens' favorites, will always be Five Little Monkeys, jumping on the bed.

Books like this are wonderful for creating special moments with children. They love to see us acting like kids, and the use of actions plus words and songs provides an experience that connects all the senses.

By using the Usborne Quicklinks, you and your child can hear the sound files for many of the songs in this collection. The music is charming, peaceful and light.

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Of Interest To: Librarians and Media Specialists, Parents, Day Care Providers, Preschool Teachers

No, this is not the title of a new Usborne book --- just a couple of the many strange things that have been going on with our family the past week or so that have kept me from blogging. I'll try to make up for lost time ...

One of our boys had a noteable reaction to what the doctor thinks was a spider bite, and my poor husband ended up with a memento of the missions trip he took recently. Hasn't been one of the most productive weeks at our house!