National Geographic Readers

May 1, 2016

Gr 1-3-This slim volume about Ellis Island fills a need for basic, early-elementary materials. The introduction, which tells the story of Annie Moore and her two little brothers-the first immigrants to pass through Ellis Island-serves to personalize the material and draw in its intended audience of newly fluent readers, while an abundance of primary source photographs and a "Cool Facts" spread spark further interest. Divided into short, easy-to-digest mini-chapters, the text packs a large amount of high-interest information into a small space without being overwhelming. Sentences are mostly short and declarative, and the narrative flows evenly, with no disruptive sentence or paragraph breaks across pages. An illustrated glossary further aids comprehension. Where the book falters, however, is in its design. There is an overabundance of visual elements (changing background colors, text boxes, insets, and photos all within a single spread). These are distracting and tend to overwhelm the more subtle black-and-white photos that are this book's strength. Another negative for the library market is the inclusion of a multiple-choice quiz; many young patrons will be inclined to circle their answers. Finally, while the lack of sources in what is ultimately meant as an easy reader is perhaps understandable, the overall package would nonetheless have been stronger with their inclusion.

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