If you were...

IF YOU WERE A PANDA BEAR by Wendell and Florence Minor. Katherine Tegen, 2013.

Using the same stlye as IF YOU WERE A PENGUIN, the Minors explore the different types of bears focusing oin their color, size, and habitat. Rhyming text provides plenty of facts for young readers.

How they croaked

Catching up with my postings about the ALA YMA winners. Here is HOW THEY CROAKED: THE AWFUL ENDS OF THE AWFULLY FAMOUS by Georgia Bragg with illustrations by Kevin O'Malley (Walker 2011). How did Cleopatra die? Was it the asp? Nope, hat pin. George Washington? Too much bloodletting. How about Henry VIII? I do not think you want the details especially if you have recently eaten anything. Bragg brings the dead back to life and provides information and some speculation about cause of death for figures from ancient to more modern times. O'Malley's illustrations are a perfect accompaniment to the text which spans just a few pages per person. Kids will love all of the gory facts! <102>