Firefighters to the Rescue (Lego City)

Firefighters to the Rescue (Lego Nonfiction) Penlope Arlon. 2018. Scholastic. 24 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Emergency! Someone needs our help. Let’s go!

Premise/plot: LEGO City: Firefighters to the Rescue is one of the books in the LEGO Nonfiction series. It blends nonfiction narrative—straightforward facts about firefighters and fire stations—with dialogue between LEGO characters. It blends photographs from the real world with illustrations from LEGO City. It also includes suggestions for how to play with LEGO.

My thoughts: I like it. I like the nonfiction narrative better than the LEGO dialogue. But I think both have their place.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Police in Action (Lego City Nonfiction)

Police in Action: A Lego Adventure in the Real World. Penelope Arlon. 2018. Scholastic. 24 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Police officers are always ready for action. Stop, crooks! I've got this! They can't outrun my speedy motorcycle.

Premise/plot: This LEGO City book is part of Lego's nonfiction series. This one is about the police. It blends a nonfiction narrative with dialogue between LEGO minifigures. The nonfiction text is straightforward facts. The dialogue, well, it tends towards silliness and bad jokes. The book does feature photographs as well as illustrations.

My thoughts: I liked it okay. I like the nonfiction bits. I do. I just am not overly crazy about the joking dialogue of the LEGO figures. I think kids might enjoy both. After all, I'm not in the intended age group!

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Lego City: Stop That Train!

Lego City: Stop That Train. Ace Landers. 2018. Scholastic. 24 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: One day a young man rushes through LEGO City to catch his train.

Premise/plot: Will the young man catch his train? If he misses it what will he do? Where is he going anyway?

My thoughts: The young man DOES miss his train. It would be a VERY short book if he didn't. In fact, if something could go wrong, it does. That's just how some days go, right?

This one isn't great literature. But. For little LEGO lovers I do think it will be an enjoyable read. It's a paperback book that comes with a small poster. This is the kind of book that is often available at school book fairs and in book catalogs. I do think those programs are good overall.

It is the young man's birthday. The book ends with him arriving at a surprise birthday party. This book might make a great inexpensive party gift. 

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

LEGO Minifigures: Mix and Match

LEGO Minifigures: Mix & Match. Michael Petranek. Illustrated by Paul Lee. 2018. Scholastic. 12 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Monster Scientist, full of silly ideas, uses an experiment to create a Monster Rocker to throw a rocking party.

Premise/plot: This book is a novelty board book that has little ones mixing and matching the heads, bodies, and legs of LEGO minifigures. The resulting stories are ridiculous--which may be just the thing for little ones who love to giggle.

My thoughts: Mix-and-match humor isn't my cup of tea. But I could see this one appealing to the intended age group.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers