Starting Your Own Blog

Gr 4–7—Bright and attractive, these books are full of colorful photos, diagrams, and varying fonts, all enclosed between equally vivid decorative covers. All of the volumes have short, accessible chapters and are simply written, logically organized, and easy to understand, with an elementary text that provides clear definitions, directions, and explanations. Fontichiaro covers everything from choosing a blog name to creating a unique URL, to the actual writing and communicating through comments. In the second book, she explains what infographics are, where to find them, why and how they are used, how to read and interpret them, their purposes, and how to create and design them. Matteson explains the types of digital maps, how and when to use them, navigating, and using some of their special features. Truesdell presents information for using a wiki in a project, working and collaborating with others, navigating, and the structure. Chapters in all four books end with a page of suggested activities. Children will be eager to explore these sources and will be enthusiastic about developing into tech-savvy users.—Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE