It’s time for our May Parent Circle reviews! Check out the excerpts below and click through for the whole post.

The Hunger Games
Available in Arrow
Reviewed by Chasing Supermom

“If you were to only read snippets, or simply watch the trailer for the movie, you might think The Hunger Games is simply a book about teenagers killing each other off for sport. What you may miss is the intensely gripping struggle Katniss faces, entirely outside of the Games. As Katniss begins surviving other tributes in the Games, she has to start making choices ‘that weigh survival against humanity, and life against love.’ The Hunger Games has a way of taking over your every thought, drawing you in in such a powerfully alluring way.” Read More

Caldecott Collection
Available in Firefly
Reviewed by No Time for Flashcards

“Swimmy by Leo Lionni has been a favorite of mine for many years. I love Lionni and how he can weave multiple layers of meaning into a simple story for children…. This is a great book for teaching children about the power of working as a group to combat challenges as well as conquer fears…. Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey is a true classic. Written in 1948, it’s a simple tale about a little girl and her mom collecting blueberries to can…. This book is chill and sweet and the black-and-white illustrations make readers feel like they are on top of the mountain gathering blueberries too.” Read More

A-Z Mysteries Complete 26-Book Set
Available in Lucky
Reviewed by She Saved

“Our thoughts? This is such a huge collection of books! At first I was a bit worried that these would be overwhelming or hard for my first grader to comprehend because after all, mysteries can get quickly complex, right? Well…my son can’t put these down. In fact, we have been having a few issues with him sneaking a flashlight into his bed!”  Read More

Guinness World Records^™ 2012
Available in Lucky & Arrow
Reviewed by 5 Minutes for Books

“The newest edition of this collection of superlatives has the usual feats of size, strength, and speed, in addition to an extended Olympics feature to commemorate London’s third time hosting the games, a newly organized sports section, and a superlative history of the world. Each page is jam-packed with pictures and additional facts about certain records, e.g. the description of the largest cream-filled cookie (over 34 lbs) is accompanied by details about how long it took to bake, as well as the odd fact that custard creams are the most dangerous cookie according to insurance companies. Who knew?” Read More

Say Hello!
Available in Club Leo
Reviewed by Spanglish Baby

“The book tells the simple story of Carmelita and all the people she meets in her neighborhood on her way to her abuelita’s home. All the people are from different countries and so they say hello to Carmelita in their own languages. There’s the lady at the French bakery, the neighbors from Kenya, the owners of a Japanese restaurant, and so on…. I think this is a perfect book for children growing up bilingual, but even more so for those who are not, so they can be introduced to the notion that there are tons of other languages spoken throughout the world.” Read More

Tags: Reviews