(3) YA New Technology series. This up-to-date series examines how technology drives, changes, and otherwise influences the title subject areas, from exponentially increasing the accuracy and speed of forensics to enhancing sports statistics and protecting athletes. The texts are readable (at a fairly high level), with photos, charts, and drawings clarifying and extending them. Sidebars enhance the volumes and offer important ethical pros and cons. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these New Technologies titles: Forensic Technology, Robot Technology, Gaming Technology, and Sports Technology.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Stephen Biesty. This remarkable book presents fourteen historical explorations, from Pytheas the Greek's three-thousand-years-ago voyage to Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins's moon shot, with the question "how did they do that?" as focus. Detailed cross sections, often displayed in foldout segments, diagram each mode of transportation; maps abound, also within foldout pages. The text diligently differentiates between fact and opinion. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2011

(4) YA Place in History series. Archival photographs, maps, and sidebars combine with engaging texts to present thorough histories of the featured sites and landmarks. The chronological unfolding of events, interesting facts, personal accounts, and the current perspective provide well-rounded discussions of the impact and significance of these settings. The cramped design is a drawback. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Place in History titles: The Twin Towers, Hiroshima, Pearl Harbor, The Berlin Wall, Auschwitz, and The Normandy Beaches.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA Place in History series. Archival photographs, maps, and sidebars combine with engaging texts to present thorough histories of the featured sites and landmarks. The chronological unfolding of events, interesting facts, personal accounts, and the current perspective provide well-rounded discussions of the impact and significance of these settings. The cramped design is a drawback. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Place in History titles: The Twin Towers, Hiroshima, Pearl Harbor, The Berlin Wall, Auschwitz, and The Normandy Beaches.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 This book employs cutouts, sidebars, and three elaborate pop-ups to chronicle prehistoric events and animals associated with the last Ice Age. Brief paragraphs give accounts of Neanderthals, extinct animals, and fossils. Though readers may have trouble navigating the information, they will nevertheless be drawn to the colorful illustrations of ferocious beasts and Ice Age birds and the eye-catching paper engineering. Timeline. Ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Each readable but crowded double-page spread covers one of three categories of moon information: accounts of space exploration ("Moon Landing"), scientific discoveries ("Moon Facts"), and legend and arts content ("Moonstruck"). The result is a browsable if random presentation, accompanied by historical photographs, color drawings, and diagrams. Timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) 4-6 Witness to History series. After explaining the biases inherent in primary and secondary sources, this book briefly describes different aspects of the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict and then provides a primary source to illustrate those aspects. Lack of follow-up on the primary sources may leave readers wondering what happened to the individuals quoted, but this is a good introduction to how history is written. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 Witness to History series. Following an introduction that defines primary and secondary sources, left-hand pages superficially discuss historical events and right-hand pages provide firsthand accounts from a range of people (a Russian student, a Japanese pilot). The primary source material is this series's asset. Captioned photos extend the text. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Witness to History titles: Pearl Harbor and The Collapse of Communism.

Reviewer: Kate Murphy

(3) 4-6 World Watch series. This basic overview hastily presents a great deal of information but adequately conveys the UN's mission to safeguard peace, security, and human rights. The text raises issues that invite classroom discussion, such as balancing the interests of superpowers with those of developing countries. Text boxes and black-and-white and color illustrations enhance the text. Directory, reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) 4-6 Scientists Who Made History series. The books in this series capably introduce their subjects, including Marconi's experiments with wireless communication and Franklin's discovery of the structure of DNA. Short subdivisions are illustrated with photos--most relevant and some gratuitous--and other art; sidebars offer direct quotations and expanded explanations, many clear and a few insufficient. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Scientists Who Made History titles: Dian Fossey, Guglielmo Marconi, John Logie Baird, Leonardo da Vinci, Michael Faraday, and Rosalind Franklin.]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 Scientists Who Made History series. The books in this series capably introduce their subjects, including Marconi's experiments with wireless communication and Franklin's discovery of the structure of DNA. Short subdivisions are illustrated with photos--most relevant and some gratuitous--and other art; sidebars offer direct quotations and expanded explanations, many clear and a few insufficient. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Scientists Who Made History titles: Dian Fossey, Guglielmo Marconi, John Logie Baird, Leonardo da Vinci, Michael Faraday, and Rosalind Franklin.]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) YA World Wars series. Archival illustrations, maps, sidebars, and captioned black-and-white photos enhance these concise overviews of the causes of WWI, technology used in both world wars, and major WWI leaders, including Woodrow Wilson, Nicholas II, and Leon Trotsky. While generally well written, the books' small type and cramped design is off-putting. Resources, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. [Review covers these World Wars titles: The Causes of World War I, Leaders of World War I, The Technology of World War I, and The Technology of World War II.]

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(4) YA World Wars series. Archival illustrations, maps, sidebars, and captioned black-and-white photos enhance these concise overviews of the causes of WWI, technology used in both world wars, and major WWI leaders, including Woodrow Wilson, Nicholas II, and Leon Trotsky. While generally well written, the books' small type and cramped design is off-putting. Resources, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. [Review covers these World Wars titles: The Causes of World War I, Leaders of World War I, The Technology of World War I, and The Technology of World War II.]

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(4) YA World Wars series. Archival illustrations, maps, sidebars, and captioned black-and-white photos enhance these concise overviews of the causes of WWI, technology used in both world wars, and major WWI leaders, including Woodrow Wilson, Nicholas II, and Leon Trotsky. While generally well written, the books' small type and cramped design is off-putting. Resources, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. [Review covers these World Wars titles: The Causes of World War I, Leaders of World War I, The Technology of World War I, and The Technology of World War II.]

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(3) YA World Wars series. By focusing on narrower topics, these four books are able to provide detailed accounts of three aspects or battles of World War II and one offensive of World War I. Well written, with the information broken up by sidebars, maps, and period photographs, this series will help readers interested in these two wars. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. [Review covers these World War titles: The War in the Pacific, The Home Front in World War II, The Battle of the Somme, and The Battle of Britain.]

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 20th Century Perspectives series. This broad overview of the need for, development of, and history of the United Nations is broken down into busy double-page spreads. Topics include the debate over the usefulness of the United Nations and the organization's accomplishments. The pages are overcrowded with text boxes, maps, and photos--some too small. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) YA World Wars series. Though not comprehensive, these two slim volumes offer an overview of the causes, events, and leaders of World War II. Ross's profiles include such figures as Churchill, Hitler, Tojo, and Mussolini. Captioned black-and-white photographs, original documents, maps, and sidebars border the clear and engaging texts, and while informative, they are squeezed onto the page. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Mary R. Holt

(4) 4-6 Scientists Who Made History series. Each formulaic book in this series begins with a defining moment in the life of its subject, from Pasteur's impromptu use of his rabies vaccine on a young boy to Bell's first successful telephone call. The following chapters briefly chronicle the lives of these scientists. Illustrated with photos, reproductions, and maps, each book includes diagrams, boxed quotes, and a timeline. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these titles: Louis Pasteur, Marie Curie, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, Thomas A. Edison, Albert Einstein, Alexander Graham Bell, Charles Darwin.]

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) K-3 Read About series. Each book introduces basic facts of history, geography, people, civilization, and religion for new readers. Textbook-like illustrations, some photo re-enactments using models and costumes, and small color photographs of artifacts and ruins accompany the accessible texts. Report writers may need to supplement these volumes with more in-depth studies. Ind.

Reviewer: Sara Pearce

(4) 4-6 Ancient Greece series. These books are lavishly illustrated with pictures of pottery, sculpture, and coins depicting daily scenes, as well as color photographs of ruins. Long explanatory captions and boxed quotes from ancient Greek writers are helpful but sometimes disrupt the accessible, informative texts. A time line and map are included in all four books. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam