(3) YA Race and Sports series. These titles expertly examine the interconnection of sports, race, and society and highlight the issues and topics that are born from these intersections. Stereotypes and Media Coverage provide the foundation for the other titles. Instructive sidebars and captioned photos accompany the crisply written, informative narratives. Useful introductions to the many-layered subjects for students writing research papers. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Race and Sports titles: Fighting Stereotypes in Sports, Gender and Race in Sports, Politics and Protest in Sports, Race and College Sports, Race and Sports Management, Race in Sports Media Coverage.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Newsmakers series. This accessibly written series is notable for its clean layouts, including color photographs, sidebars, and charts. The mostly complimentary narratives are decent overviews of their subjects' early lives as well as career successes and failures, but with living subjects, the content will soon become outdated. A "Stop and Think" feature offers discussion questions that can be used for assignments. There are four other fall 2017 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Newsmakers titles: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Julian Assange, Elon Musk, and Ellen DeGeneres.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) YA Women in Science series. These thorough biographies of pioneering women in scientific and technical fields delve deeply into their personal and professional lives. The series includes frank and balanced discussions of both the successes and challenges each woman faced, as well as the qualities and intellect that drove her significant accomplishments. Numerous photographs of the scientists and additional information about their fields are included. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Women in Science titles: Marie Curie, Jane Goodall, Mae Carol Jemison, Rosalind Franklin, Grace Hopper, and Chien-Shiung Wu.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Social Media Sensations series. In ten or eleven brief chapters, each volume covers a social network's history, features, primary audience, and uses for businesses and charitable causes. The texts are accessible if dry; sidebars and stock photos (many featuring diverse young people enjoying their devices) add visual interest. An at-a-glance guide to the network, including quick facts and safety tips, is appended. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Checkerboard Library: Social Media Sensations titles: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, Flickr, Pinterest, and Vine.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Social Media Sensations series. In ten or eleven brief chapters, each volume covers a social network's history, features, primary audience, and uses for businesses and charitable causes. The texts are accessible if dry; sidebars and stock photos (many featuring diverse young people enjoying their devices) add visual interest. An at-a-glance guide to the network, including quick facts and safety tips, is appended. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Checkerboard Library: Social Media Sensations titles: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, Flickr, Pinterest, and Vine.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Social Media Sensations series. In ten or eleven brief chapters, each volume covers a social network's history, features, primary audience, and uses for businesses and charitable causes. The texts are accessible if dry; sidebars and stock photos (many featuring diverse young people enjoying their devices) add visual interest. An at-a-glance guide to the network, including quick facts and safety tips, is appended. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Checkerboard Library: Social Media Sensations titles: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, Flickr, Pinterest, and Vine.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans series. These biographies cover the personal and professional lives of six reality-TV stars, with information ranging from the serious (Tim Gunn's teenage suicide attempt) to the superfluous ("[Rachael] Ray has a pit bull named Isaboo"). Projects/recipes "inspired by" the books' subjects are fairly uninspired, but middle-grade fans of the shows may enjoy the serviceable texts and color photos. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans titles: Fun and Food with Guy Fieri, Getting Gritty with Mike Rowe, Pioneer Practices with Ree Drummond, Simple Solutions with Rachael Ray, Tasteful Fashion with Tim Gunn, and Zany Eats with Andrew Zimmern.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans series. These biographies cover the personal and professional lives of six reality-TV stars, with information ranging from the serious (Tim Gunn's teenage suicide attempt) to the superfluous ("[Rachael] Ray has a pit bull named Isaboo"). Projects/recipes "inspired by" the books' subjects are fairly uninspired, but middle-grade fans of the shows may enjoy the serviceable texts and color photos. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans titles: Fun and Food with Guy Fieri, Getting Gritty with Mike Rowe, Pioneer Practices with Ree Drummond, Simple Solutions with Rachael Ray, Tasteful Fashion with Tim Gunn, and Zany Eats with Andrew Zimmern.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans series. These biographies cover the personal and professional lives of six reality-TV stars, with information ranging from the serious (Tim Gunn's teenage suicide attempt) to the superfluous ("[Rachael] Ray has a pit bull named Isaboo"). Projects/recipes "inspired by" the books' subjects are fairly uninspired, but middle-grade fans of the shows may enjoy the serviceable texts and color photos. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans titles: Fun and Food with Guy Fieri, Getting Gritty with Mike Rowe, Pioneer Practices with Ree Drummond, Simple Solutions with Rachael Ray, Tasteful Fashion with Tim Gunn, and Zany Eats with Andrew Zimmern.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans series. These biographies cover the personal and professional lives of six reality-TV stars, with information ranging from the serious (Tim Gunn's teenage suicide attempt) to the superfluous ("[Rachael] Ray has a pit bull named Isaboo"). Projects/recipes "inspired by" the books' subjects are fairly uninspired, but middle-grade fans of the shows may enjoy the serviceable texts and color photos. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans titles: Fun and Food with Guy Fieri, Getting Gritty with Mike Rowe, Pioneer Practices with Ree Drummond, Simple Solutions with Rachael Ray, Tasteful Fashion with Tim Gunn, and Zany Eats with Andrew Zimmern.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans series. These biographies cover the personal and professional lives of six reality-TV stars, with information ranging from the serious (Tim Gunn's teenage suicide attempt) to the superfluous ("[Rachael] Ray has a pit bull named Isaboo"). Projects/recipes "inspired by" the books' subjects are fairly uninspired, but middle-grade fans of the shows may enjoy the serviceable texts and color photos. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans titles: Fun and Food with Guy Fieri, Getting Gritty with Mike Rowe, Pioneer Practices with Ree Drummond, Simple Solutions with Rachael Ray, Tasteful Fashion with Tim Gunn, and Zany Eats with Andrew Zimmern.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans series. These biographies cover the personal and professional lives of six reality-TV stars, with information ranging from the serious (Tim Gunn's teenage suicide attempt) to the superfluous ("[Rachael] Ray has a pit bull named Isaboo"). Projects/recipes "inspired by" the books' subjects are fairly uninspired, but middle-grade fans of the shows may enjoy the serviceable texts and color photos. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Reality TV Titans titles: Fun and Food with Guy Fieri, Getting Gritty with Mike Rowe, Pioneer Practices with Ree Drummond, Simple Solutions with Rachael Ray, Tasteful Fashion with Tim Gunn, and Zany Eats with Andrew Zimmern.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Animal Library: Cats series. This series of introductions to various cat breeds features simply written text and full-color photographs that will appeal to cat lovers. Each volume presents basic information under identical chapter headings, from "qualities" to "buying a kitten." The series is repetitive, but children interested in a particular breed may find it useful for research. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Animal Library: Cats titles: American Wirehair Cats, British Shorthair Cats, Egyptian Mau Cats, and Havana Brown Cats.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Animal Library: Cats series. This series of introductions to various cat breeds features simply written text and full-color photographs that will appeal to cat lovers. Each volume presents basic information under identical chapter headings, from "qualities" to "buying a kitten." The series is repetitive, but children interested in a particular breed may find it useful for research. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Animal Library: Cats titles: American Wirehair Cats, British Shorthair Cats, Egyptian Mau Cats, and Havana Brown Cats.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Animal Library: Cats series. This series of introductions to various cat breeds features simply written text and full-color photographs that will appeal to cat lovers. Each volume presents basic information under identical chapter headings, from "qualities" to "buying a kitten." The series is repetitive, but children interested in a particular breed may find it useful for research. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Animal Library: Cats titles: American Wirehair Cats, British Shorthair Cats, Egyptian Mau Cats, and Havana Brown Cats.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Animal Library: Cats series. This series of introductions to various cat breeds features simply written text and full-color photographs that will appeal to cat lovers. Each volume presents basic information under identical chapter headings, from "qualities" to "buying a kitten." The series is repetitive, but children interested in a particular breed may find it useful for research. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Animal Library: Cats titles: American Wirehair Cats, British Shorthair Cats, Egyptian Mau Cats, and Havana Brown Cats.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Biography Library: Women in Science series. Beginning with a brief introduction and summary of accomplishments, each blandly written title presents a chronological biography of an influential female scientist. Captioned archival and stock photographs complement the superficial if accessible texts; challenges and controversies as well as successes are included. Reluctant readers may benefit from the high-interest, low-vocabulary approach. A follow-up activity encourages further study. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Biography Library: Women in Science titles: Rachel Carson, Joanne Simpson, Mae Jemison, and Antonia Novello.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Biography Library: Women in Science series. Beginning with a brief introduction and summary of accomplishments, each blandly written title presents a chronological biography of an influential female scientist. Captioned archival and stock photographs complement the superficial if accessible texts; challenges and controversies as well as successes are included. Reluctant readers may benefit from the high-interest, low-vocabulary approach. A follow-up activity encourages further study. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Biography Library: Women in Science titles: Rachel Carson, Joanne Simpson, Mae Jemison, and Antonia Novello.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Biography Library: Women in Science series. Beginning with a brief introduction and summary of accomplishments, each blandly written title presents a chronological biography of an influential female scientist. Captioned archival and stock photographs complement the superficial if accessible texts; challenges and controversies as well as successes are included. Reluctant readers may benefit from the high-interest, low-vocabulary approach. A follow-up activity encourages further study. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Biography Library: Women in Science titles: Rachel Carson, Joanne Simpson, Mae Jemison, and Antonia Novello.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Biography Library: Women in Science series. Beginning with a brief introduction and summary of accomplishments, each blandly written title presents a chronological biography of an influential female scientist. Captioned archival and stock photographs complement the superficial if accessible texts; challenges and controversies as well as successes are included. Reluctant readers may benefit from the high-interest, low-vocabulary approach. A follow-up activity encourages further study. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Biography Library: Women in Science titles: Rachel Carson, Joanne Simpson, Mae Jemison, and Antonia Novello.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale