Books for children - Jan. 29

Fiction books are fun, nonfiction can be fascinating, and combining the two into a great book can be sensational. That's exactly what you'll find in today's reviewed books.

BOOKS TO BORROW

The following book is available at many public libraries.

"George Washington's Teeth" by Deborah Chandra & Madeleine Comora, illustrated by Brock Cole, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 40 pages

Read aloud: age 5 and older.

Read yourself: age 8 and older.

George Washington had problems with his teeth all of his adult life. Every time George had a sore tooth, it didn't last for long - the dentist either yanked the rotten tooth out or it popped out on its own.

By the time George was crossing the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War, he only had nine teeth left in his mouth. When he reached the other side and made his way to Valley Forge, he was down to seven. The day he was elected president of the United States, George Washington was left with only two teeth.

Embarrassed of his toothless mouth, George was determined to find an answer to his plight. Despite the suggestions of a portrait artist and the efforts of his dentist, it was George who finally arrived at a solution: false teeth that would hold and look as natural as possible (and no, they weren't made of wood).

LIBRARIAN'S CHOICE

Library: Salem Free Public Library, 264 Hartford Road, Salem

Library Director: Jackie Hemond

Children and Teen Services: Pat Aldrich

Choices this week: "The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle; "Kindergarten Rocks" by Katie Davis; "Walter Wick's Optical Tricks" by Walter Wick

BOOKS TO BUY

The following books are available at bookstores.

"Coral Reefs" written and illustrated by Jason Chin, Roaring Brook Press, 2011, 40 pages, $16.99 hardcover

Read aloud: age 7, 8 and older.

Read yourself: age 8, 9 and older.

On a regular trip to the library, a girl chooses a book on coral reefs. From the moment she begins reading, she is swept up into the fascinating world of coral reefs, the incredible animals and plants that live, hunt and hide there, and the delicate balance of life under the sea.

Jason Chin has created an exceptional, accessible exploration of coral reefs. Detailed illustrations combine with the expertly researched text, including an important two-page endnote. Excellent in every regard, this selection makes clear that reading is a powerful, essential tool to understanding life and our world.

"When Anju Loved Being an Elephant" by Wendy Henrichs, illustrated by John Butler, Sleeping Bear Press, 2011, 32 pages, $16.95 hardcover

Read aloud: age 5 and older.

Read yourself: age 8 and older.

When Anju was born on the island of Sumatra, she loved being an elephant. There, Anju was free to roam with her mother and her herd. But when Anju was only 5 years old, she was captured and sold to an American circus where she spent the next 35 years, traveling from one performance to another, shackled and lonely. Then Anju was sold to a small zoo where she spent the next 15 years as the only elephant, and life was even lonelier.

Now, at age 55, Anju is on the move again. Her caretaker assures her this move will be different - to a place she will love, a place where Anju will love being an elephant once again after all of these sad years.

www.greatestbooksforkids.com