Science and Nature, Fourth-Grader Style

 Channing O’Banning and the Rainforest Rescue
By Angela Spady
Age Range: 4 - 8 years
Grade Level: 2 - 4
Lexile Measure: 620
Series: Channing O'banning
Paperback: 112 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Reprint edition (May 5, 2015)
ISBN-10: 0718032624
ISBN-13: 978-0718032623


Publisher’s Blurb:

When Channing O’Banning’s BFF goes gaga over new boy Marco, Channing wishes she could send him back to where he came from. Her wish turns into her worst nightmare when Marco tags along on her family’s dream trip to Marco’s home country of Costa Rica.


With her secret sketchbook in tow, a colored pencil stuck in her ponytail, and adorable pot-bellied pig, Teeny, by her side, Channing embarks on a high-flying adventure through the Costa Rican rainforest. But when the feisty fourth-grade artist makes a few wrong turns and gets lost in the jungle, she discovers that maybe Marco isn’t so bad after all.


Through her wild escapades, Channing learns just how important it is to keep the earth—and friendships—healthy.

Channing O’Banning and the Turquoise Trail

By Angela Spady
Age Range: 6 - 10 years
Grade Level: 2 - 4
Lexile Measure: 610
Series: Channing O'banning
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Reprint edition (May 5, 2015)
ISBN-10: 0718032365
ISBN-13: 978-0718032364


Publisher’s Blurb:


When fourth-grade artist Channing O’Banning unearths something very weird on the school playground, she’s sure it’s going to be the biggest thing ever to happen at Greenville Elementary. But things take a rocky turn, and Channing never wants to show her face at school again.

Thankfully, Channing finds lots of rocks to hide under when her family visits the American West. With her signature colored pencil stuck in her ponytail and Teeny, the coolest pig on the planet, by her side, Channing discovers that art comes in many different forms—and that God is the greatest artist of all.


My Thoughts:
Maybe I’m just getting old, but these stories did not impress me. SO MUCH is made of Channing having a pencil in her ponytail—and the color of the pencil is always specified. It goes from cute to annoying very quickly.

At the beginning, Channing comes off as rather self-centered and egotistical. Yes, I know she’s a fourth-grader and that’s normal. But there wasn’t anything really to soften this trait. She almost instantly hates Marco, just because her best friend wants to spend some time with him and not exclusively with her. She hates him, she hates his family, she hates his native country.

In true rom-com fashion, of course, they end up going on a vacation together. Luckily, this is not a rom-com, so they don’t fall in love! Channing does learn to be a little more tolerant, and that’s a good thing.

I think I liked the second book better, although Channing’s narrative voice still comes off as a little immature to me. The feelings here, of mortification after making a rather public mistake, ring true. Her constant sniping with her little sister is also true to life.

Overall, these stories are really meant to teach some science, and they do that adequately. I probably like the “Did You Know?” sections best because they aren’t told in Channing’s voice.

Possible Objectionable Material:

If you have a highly sensitive child like mine, the embarrassing situations that Channing gets into could be difficult to deal with. Really, though, this is all pretty  mild.


Who Might Like These Books:
Channing is very girly, but there are enough male characters that I think boys could enjoy these books just fine. The narrative voice, to me, skews to the younger end of the target audience. Definitely kids who are interested in science and the natural world.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing the ARCs.