(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

(3) YA Big Business series. Each volume chronicles a major industry's history, its importance to and impact on the economy, principal players, strategic actions, and status in the twenty-first century. The insightful and informative series uses well-chosen photos, advertisements, illustrations, and related sidebars to extend the texts. A world production map is included. There are four other spring 2017 books in this series. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Big Business titles: Inside the Gold Industry, Inside the Cotton Industry, Inside the Oil Industry, and Inside the Tobacco Industry.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) YA Famous Ships series. Streissguth details the history of the iconic Mayflower, from its construction as a merchant ship in 1600 England to its perilous 1620 voyage to New England and its lasting legacy. The Pilgrims' journey, with all its uncertainties, miscues, and human suffering, is especially vivid in the readable narrative. Illustrations, archival images, diagrams, and maps provide additional insight. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(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

(3) YA Essential Library of World War I series. This series spotlights significant events or personnel of World War I, many of which were overshadowed by World War II. Christmas presents a broad overview of the 1914–17 struggle between the Central Powers and Allies, while the other books provide more focused approaches. A wealth of archival photographs enhances the series. "Essential Facts" are appended. There are five other spring 2016 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these World War I titles: Women in World War I, Harlem Hellfighters, The Christmas Truce of 1914, World War I Aftermath, and World War I Battles.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) YA Essential Library of World War I series. This series spotlights significant events or personnel of World War I, many of which were overshadowed by World War II. Christmas presents a broad overview of the 1914–17 struggle between the Central Powers and Allies, while the other books provide more focused approaches. A wealth of archival photographs enhances the series. "Essential Facts" are appended. There are five other spring 2016 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these World War I titles: Women in World War I, Harlem Hellfighters, The Christmas Truce of 1914, World War I Aftermath, and World War I Battles.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Constitution and the United States Government series. This retitled and updated series provides insight into the three branches of U.S. government, other agencies, and the documents that guide them. The dry texts are well researched and informative. While the photographs add interest, some are poorly reproduced. Executive includes a list of presidents; Security and Legislative include timelines. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Constitution and the United States Government titles: The Constitution of the United States, The President and the Executive Branch, The Security Agencies of the United States, The Supreme Court and the Judicial Branch, The United States Congress and the Legislative Branch.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) YA Confronting Global Warming series. These books consider the current and potential future consequences of global warming on the human, animal, and plant populations and the resources we need to survive. Individual provides detailed recommendations for changes that readers and their families can make now to reduce their carbon footprints and potentially mitigate future problems. Color photographs and diagrams adequately illustrate the concepts. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Confronting Global Warming titles: The Role of the Individual, Nature and Wildlife, Population, Resources, and Conflict, Farming and the Food Supply, and The Role of Industry.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) YA Life: A How-To Guide series. This volume takes a casual, cursory look at fashion from a supposedly teen-friendly point of view. The text provides superficial treatment of the history of fashion, marketing, labor practices, and school dress codes. Personal stories interspersed throughout add a human face but often sound canned; stock photos are similarly hit-or-miss. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Brittany Schlorff

(4) YA Landmark Supreme Court Cases, Gold Edition series. These volumes (some are revised editions) detail the genesis of each case, related Supreme Court decisions, and the arguments presented by the lawyers for each side. Color photographs and archival illustrations accompany the dry texts, which will best be appreciated by report writers researching the workings of the U.S.'s highest court. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Landmark Supreme Court Cases, Gold Edition titles: The Dred Scott Case, Furman v. Georgia, New York Times v. United States, and District of Columbia v. Heller.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) YA Confronting Global Warming series. After useful introductions to climate change science and background information on related atmospheric and oceanic sciences, the volumes examine the rise of average global and ocean temperatures. Evidence for and against causal relationships between these increases and extreme weather events such as hurricanes, droughts, and heat waves are then thoughtfully discussed. Some color photographs and diagrams are included. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Confronting Global Warming titles: Water and Ice and Extreme Weather.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) 4-6 Americans--The Spirit of a Nation series. Archival photographs, maps, primary sources, and sidebars combine with dry but informative texts to provide well-documented biographies of two American icons. These balanced titles successfully sort fact from fiction and demonstrate the passion and determination that established both Douglass's and Barnum's places in history. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Americans--The Spirit of a Nation titles: Frederick Douglass and P. T. Barnum.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Issues in Focus Today series. Short chapters trace the history of China, giving some background information but focusing mostly on events after the 1976 death of Mao Zedong. Issues include changes in government structure, political unrest and reform, human rights, and environmental challenges. Maps, photographs (some only marginally applicable), and occasional sidebars show the transformation of this superpower. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(4) 4-6 Federal Government series. This series provides insight into operations of the three major branches of U.S. government plus other lesser-known agencies. The texts, though dry, are well researched and informative. While the photographs add interest, some are fuzzy or otherwise of poor quality. Reproductions of screen shots are too small for easy reading, but web addresses will be useful for those who want additional information. Websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Federal Government titles: Independent Government Agencies, The Judicial Branch, America's Security Agencies, The Executive Branch, and The Legislative Branch.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) YA Issues in Focus Today series. Eight brief chapters explore the history of U.S. immigration and the increasingly contentious political debate over immigration reform, tackling such topics as the rise in illegal immigration, how immigration affects the global economy, and proposed changes in government policy. The short, accessible chapters are accompanied by stock and archival photographs and occasional sidebars in an uninspired design. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(4) K-3 Country Explorers series. Bright illustrations depict aspects of contemporary Mexican culture--family, food, religion, school, art, music, recreation--including a passing mention of historical events. The text is accessible for its target audience, but the quality of writing is inconsistent; many sentences are choppy or vague. A brief retelling of an Aztec tale and a map quiz (made difficult due to poor design) are also included. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) YA Rulers of the Middle Ages series. These volumes introduce four personalities of the Middle Ages, each of whom had a profound impact on his or her own time and on history. Decorative borders and some papers, maps, and reproductions reinforce the particular nature of the historical period. Plenty of subheads break the narrative into manageable chunks. The writing, though clear, is unexciting. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Rulers of the Middle Ages titles: William the Conqueror, Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc, and Saladin.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) 4-6 Just the Facts Biographies series. Although Winfrey suffers from wooden prose, all four of these biographies offer some insight into their subjects' lives, inadvertently giving lie to the series' title. Occasional sidebars share useful historical perspectives, but disruptive "It's a Fact!" boxes contain information that should have been integrated into the texts. Black-and-white photos appear throughout. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Just the Facts Biographies tiles: J. R. R. Tolkien, Oprah Winfrey, Benjamin Franklin, and John Glenn.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Visual Geography series. Color photographs, maps, and sidebars combine with a dry but informative text to provide a comprehensive study of the geography, history, government, people, culture, and economy of Costa Rica. A website maintained by the publisher provides additional up-to-date information for the report-driven reader. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Just the Facts Biographies series. Although Winfrey suffers from wooden prose, all four of these biographies offer some insight into their subjects' lives, inadvertently giving lie to the series' title. Occasional sidebars share useful historical perspectives, but disruptive "It's a Fact!" boxes contain information that should have been integrated into the texts. Black-and-white photos appear throughout. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Just the Facts Biographies tiles: J. R. R. Tolkien, Oprah Winfrey, Benjamin Franklin, and John Glenn.

Reviewer: Nell Beram