Copyright Date:
2011
Edition Date:
2011
Release Date:
12/22/10
Pages:
50 pages
ISBN:
Publisher: 1-616-51284-9 Perma-Bound: 0-605-49867-9
ISBN 13:
Publisher: 978-1-616-51284-2 Perma-Bound: 978-0-605-49867-9
Dewey:
Fic
Dimensions:
20 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
School Library Journal
(Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2011)
HANSEN, Ed . Dive . ISBN 978-1-61651-282-8 . HANSEN, Ed . River . ISBN 978-1-61651-281-1 . ea vol: adapt. by Mary Kate Doman. 50p. (The Heights Series). Saddleback . 2010. pap. $5.50. LC number unavailable. Gr 6 Up The Silvas have a knack for finding adventure. Whether camping, diving, or backpacking through the Amazon, harrowing escapades always seem to find them. In the first book, the brothers fight off an attacking grizzly and then escape a raging forest fire during their backwoods camping trip with their father. The second title highlights Franco Silva's first scuba-diving trip, where he is nearly eaten by a giant squid. Quick thinking and training help him return safely to The Heights. River follows the family as they become stranded on the banks of the Amazon and must evade hungry caimans, piranhas, and army ants while hiking back to a local village to be rescued. While primary-grade readers could indeed handle this series, struggling secondary readers are the target audience. Short sentences in large print make comprehension easy, and most words are easily decodable, allowing these titles to be used in ELL classrooms. Unfortunately, they look like educational readers and the covers are turnoffs. Additionally, savvy readers will question the plausibility of these situations and the likelihood of all of them happening again and again to the same family. Still, the books are more entertaining than typical intervention readers. Expect them to be a part of the prescribed curriculum rather than independent reading choices. H. H. Henderson, Heritage Middle School, Deltona, FL
Word Count:
3,693
Reading Level:
2.0
Interest Level:
5-9
Accelerated Reader:
reading level: 2.0
/ points: 0.5
/ quiz: 143397
/ grade: Middle Grades
Reading Counts!:
reading level:2.1 /
points:5.0 /
quiz:Q54995
Lexile:
HL120L
Guided Reading Level:
M
Fountas & Pinnell:
M
Themes: Family Life, Adventure, Travel, Fiction, Tween, Emergent Reader, Chapter Book, Hi-Lo, Hi-Lo Books, Hi-Lo Solutions, High-Low Books, Hi-Low Books, ELL, EL, ESL, Struggling Learner, Struggling Reader, Special Education, SPED, Newcomers, Reading, Learning, Education, Educational, Educational Books. The smell of smoke was strong. And the sky was dark. All he could see was fire. Smoke filled the air. It was hard to breathe. "Leave everything! Run!" These traditional reads are brimming with spirited characters and positive valuesbut with a little extra excitement and bite, so hold on to your hats! Written expressly for the middle grade struggling reader, the series does not contain strong language, edgy themes, or dysfunctional families. In fact, family is the main theme of these titles. And one particular Latino family is the focus with their uncanny knack for finding humor, hope, and colorful personalitieseven in unusual circumstances. Written at the lowest reading levels, the 50-page story structure is straightforward and moves the reader through the text quickly and efficiently.