Gear them up for back-to-school

Not long from now, kids will be headed back to the classroom for another rigorous academic year. With that in mind, a little prep work before the first bell rings would be a really good idea. An easy way to gear the brain up for the work that's soon to come is to read awesome books together that fascinate while they teach.

That's precisely what you'll find in today's reviewed books. Give the kids in your life a head start on a successful school year. You might not be able to accurately measure the fruits of the collective effort, but there's a very good chance that by not doing anything, a child could struggle more than necessary.

Books to Borrow

The following book is available at many public libraries.

"Dig Wait Listen: A Desert Toad's Tale" by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Barbara Bash, Greenwillow, 32 pages

Read aloud: age 5 and older

Read yourself: age 7 — 8 and older

"Deep in the desert, under the sand, the spadefoot toad waits. She waits ... for the sound of rain."

The Southwest desert is full of sounds, and the toad must be able to distinguish the sound of the rain from many other sounds she hears above her. Scorpions, woodpeckers, a snake and a park ranger's boots are among what she hears. Finally, at long last, she hears the plip-plop of raindrops, and she begins to dig her way up to the open air.

A fascinating book about the spadefoot toad, this little gem teaches readers lots of facts in a quick-paced, highly interesting way. Be sure to look for other books by April Pulley Sayre in your library. She is a prolific nonfiction writer for younger kids, and her books will never disappoint.

Librarian's Choice

Library: Biggs Branch, Butte County Library, 464-A B St., Biggs

Library Director: Linda Mielke

Branch Librarian: Cynthia Pustejovsky

Choices this week: "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" by Laura Numeroff; "Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type" by Doreen Cronin; "How to Train Your Dragon" by Cressida Cowell

Books to Buy

The following books are available at your favorite bookstores.

"Scholastic Discover More: Planets" by Penelope Arlon and Tory Gordon-Harris, Scholastic, 2012, 80 pages, $12.99 soft cover

Read aloud: age 7 — 8 and older

Read yourself: age 8 — 9 and older

In January, Scholastic launched an awesome new nonfiction series, Scholastic Discover More. Boasting numerous books for all reading levels from age 3 — 13, each book also contains a corresponding free digital companion "book" to further understanding of the subject.

In "Scholastic Discover More: Planets," readers are treated to an incredible tour of our solar system. Learn fascinating facts about the planets, space exploration, moons, galaxies far away, some of the people and machines that have helped us learn what we know and much, much more. Written in an engaging, fast-paced way and loaded with fantastic photographs and illustrations, readers will emerge with a fuller understanding of our solar system.

To check out other books in the series, go to scholastic.com/discovermore.

"Kingfisher Readers Level 5: Ancient Egyptians" by Philip Steele, illustrations and photographs various sources, Kingfisher, 2012, 48 pages, $3.99 paperback/$12.99 paper over board

Read aloud: age 5 and older

Read yourself: age 8 — 9 and older

In March, Kingfisher launched its new nonfiction beginning-reader series, Kingfisher Readers. Created by early literacy experts, each book is leveled according to degree of reading ability, and all of the titles feature terrific photographs/illustrations that further enhance the reading experience.

In "Kingfisher Readers Level 5: Ancient Egyptians," readers learn important, fascinating facts about ancient Egypt, including Egyptian gods and goddesses, ways of writing, everyday life and Egyptian pharaohs, to name just a few.

To learn more about the titles in this series, the supplemental activities and the free audio download for each book, visit kingfisherreaders.com.

Kendal A. Rautzhan writes and lectures about children's literature. She can be reached at her website: greatestbooksforkids.com.