(2) 4-6 American Story series. Illustrated by Giulio Maestro. Betsy Maestro explains how the newly independent American states learned to work together, becoming a country able to govern and support itself while extending its territory; the text also makes note of the continuing discrimination against Native Americans. Smooth writing is complemented by Giulio Maestro's detailed illustrations, maps, and occasional full-page backgrounds. End matter includes relevant quotations. Timeline. Ind.

Reviewer: Kathleen Isaacs | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2009

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Giulio Maestro. The Maestros clarify the interrelated political and economic complexities of the French and Indian Wars in America. They also discuss how the wars helped the colonies become more cohesive and able to fight successfully against the British in the Revolutionary War. Two pages of information about colonial America are appended. The text is accompanied by detailed watercolor and colored pencil illustrations. Ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Giulio Maestro. Geared specifically for the advent of the new millennium, this overview of timekeeping begins with prehistoric "calendar sticks" and stone structures, and continues through today's ultra-precise atomic clocks. The text takes a broad multicultural approach, showing how science, history, and societal differences have influenced the calendar; the color illustrations are executed in styles that match the eras and cultures discussed in the volume. Ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Giulio Maestro. Simple, rhyming words in bold typeface aid the reading process in this easy reader. Each answer begins on one page and is completed on the next, allowing readers time to guess the rhyming word. ("Where can you read lots of words? Take a look in a . . . / book.") Also providing clues are the colorful, clear illustrations of animal students engaged in music, snacktime, naptime, recess, and other familiar school activities.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 Although no sources are provided, this is a comprehensive summary accompanied by detailed watercolor and pencil illustrations. Maestro presents the complex relationships between the European colonists, who sought to exploit the land, and the Native Americans, who tried to preserve it. Ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.