What Does a Level Do?

November 1, 2012

K-Gr 2-Using very simple language and only a few sentences per page, these titles introduce common tools. Each book shows the parts of the subject (which are easy to identify in close-up photos) and explains how the item is used and by whom. All the volumes include a list of safety tips at the end. Color photos show a multicultural cast of boys, girls, and adults using wrenches, hammers, etc, most wearing the necessary safety equipment. A page at the back of each title explains how the tools are simple machines or why they are important. Unfortunately, though this section is written in simple language and would likely be relevant to school curriculum, the sheer amount of text might deter early readers. These books have more information than Anne Rockwell's The Toolbox (Walker, 2004), but will appeal to a slightly younger audience than the "Tools of the Trade" series (ABDO, 2009).

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