When Gus and Mickey go camping, Gus travels light. He plans to emulate the heroine of his favorite book, a girl who survived in the wilderness with just "three paper clips, a stick of gum, and a plastic spork." Mickey, who envisions camping with all comforts of home, hauls along an air mattress, a folding chair, a radio-controlled truck, and a TV. For food, Gus plans to catch and eat grasshoppers. When that doesn't work out, he shares Mickey's take-out pizza. Narrated by Gus, the story unfolds with humor as each boy experiences a disconnect between expectations and reality. The clash of their opposing viewpoints makes the book a good starting place for discussing the difference between needs and wants. From the Social Studies Connects series, this paperback includes small text boxes commenting on basic human needs such as water, food, shelter, and clothing. The concluding "Making Connections" page offers questions and an activity designed to spark thought and discussion.

LARSEN, Kirsten . Whoa! UFO! illus. by Barry Gott. (Science Solves It! Series). ISBN 978-1-57565-280-1 . LC 2008025645. MAY, Eleanor . Who Needs It? illus. by Blanche Sims. (Social Studies Connects Series). ISBN 978-1-57565-281-8 . LC 2008026609. ea vol: 32p. CIP. Kane . 2009. pap. $5.95. Gr 1-2 These titles painlessly interweave social studies and science lessons with lighthearted fictional narratives. Small pop-out boxes separate the lesson ideas from the story lines. The Messiest Room uses easy text and cartoon watercolor illustrations to chronicle two friends' contest entry using sequencing concepts such as "before," "during," "after," "first," "next," "then," "past," "present," and "future," and includes a plusa plug for organization. Whoa! UFO! describes Kara and Billy's sighting of a UFO and how the children use scientific techniques like interviewing and documenting to investigate. In the process, they discuss the path of the Moon, rotation of the Earth, the misnaming of meteors as shooting stars, and the deceptive size of distant objects. The children are illustrated in bright colors and look a little like clay models. In Who Needs It? , watercolor cartoons and casual text relate two friends' differing approaches to a camping trip and how needs and wants dictate their packing lists. Gus takes a survivor approach, while Mickey is more of a luxury camper. Predictably, the ideal is somewhere between the two. The books conclude with simple, engaging activities and comprehension questions. S. McClendon, Friends School of Atlanta, Decatur, GA