(4) 4-6 Hall of Fame Sports Greats series. Originally published in the Sports Great series, these formulaic, somewhat updated biographies of players (all now retired) provide brief information about their early lives, then delve into specific games or important playing seasons. Occasional quotes from teammates and coaches (unsourced) provide some insight into the men's personalities, but the books mostly focus on on-field accomplishments. Color photos throughout enliven the chapter-book presentation for reluctant readers. Websites. Ind. Review covers these Hall of Fame Sports Greats titles: Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripkin, Jr., Deion Sanders, and Troy Aikman.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 4-6 Bizarre Science series. If readers ignore the gimmicky series title and dripping purple caption boxes, they'll find this revised book contains an informative text and engaging close-up photos. Five chapters cover the different ways carnivorous plants catch their prey--flypaper traps, pitfall traps, trigger traps--as well as adaptations these plants have made to survive in their environments. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind

Reviewer: Sarah Novogrodsky

(3) 4-6 Business Builders series. Beginning with the history of the toy and fashion industries, these volumes offer profiles of some of the most important inventors and businesspersons in the fields. Featuring both personal and professional information, the readable, pertinent profiles together provide a portrait of changes in toys and fashion over time. Black-and-white photos and reproductions illustrate the texts. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Business Builders titles: Business Builders in Toys and Games and Business Builders in Fashion.]

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA Business Builders series. After introducing the topics of wealth, investment, and real estate, Aaseng devotes a chapter each to seven prominent developers, including the Ghermezian brothers (Mall of America), Walt Disney (Disney World), and William Levitt (Levittown). Poorly reproduced black-and-white photos and text boxes contribute to the bland presentation. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 A combination of measured text and well-selected photographs of animals reveals the interest, risk, equipment, study, experience, and patience necessary to become a wildlife photographer. Authentic anecdotes of experts compose most of the book, which also treats ethical issues, such as the use of staged and computer-enhanced photography. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) YA U.S. Military Branches and Careers series. Following a nearly identical format, each book in this series introduces a branch of the military, relates its history, examines the different career paths available to its members, and discusses the roles of women and minorities. Accompanied by average-quality black-and-white photos, the volumes will be helpful to those considering a career in military service. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these U.S. Military Branches and Careers titles: The Marine Corps in Action, The Coast Guard in Action, The Navy in Action, The Army in Action.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Business Builders series. Each volume begins with a historical overview of an industry, followed by concise biographical profiles. Those featured include Bill Gates and Steve Jobs (Computers), John D. Rockefeller and J. Paul Getty (Oil), and the founders of White Castle and McDonald's (Fast Food). The wide margins contain often fuzzy black-and-white photos and boxed quotes. All but Oil contain time lines. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Endangered Animals and Habitats series. This encyclopedic treatment, illustrated with average-quality black-and-white photos, describes the characteristics and habits of wild cheetahs, with heavy emphasis on their endangered status, the difficulty of breeding them in captivity, and conservation efforts in Namibia and Tanzania. The text is poorly organized, but the information is engaging. A list of organizations is appended. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 4-6 Innovators series. These straightforward surveys deal with landmark technological and engineering successes, focusing on the lives of the innovators and their historic contributions. Aaseng includes the Brooklyn Bridge, Eiffel Tower, and Hoover Dam. Richie discusses the submarine, tank, and ballistic missile, among others. The black-and-white photos are often small and indistinct. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Great Decisions series. In this interactive history lesson, background about one of eight explorations (from Christopher Columbus's to Robert Scott's in 1911) opens each chapter. At a critical point in each journey, readers choose the next step from several options. The actual outcome follows, along with some analysis. Accompanied by average-quality reproductions, this is a great tool for social studies classes, with appeal to general readers, too. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Business Builders series. Each volume begins with a historical overview of an industry, followed by concise biographical profiles. Those featured include Bill Gates and Steve Jobs (Computers), John D. Rockefeller and J. Paul Getty (Oil), and the founders of White Castle and McDonald's (Fast Food). The wide margins contain often fuzzy black-and-white photos and boxed quotes. All but Oil contain time lines. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Business Builders series. Each volume begins with a historical overview of an industry, followed by concise biographical profiles. Those featured include Bill Gates and Steve Jobs (Computers), John D. Rockefeller and J. Paul Getty (Oil), and the founders of White Castle and McDonald's (Fast Food). The wide margins contain often fuzzy black-and-white photos and boxed quotes. All but Oil contain time lines. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) YA Lucent Overview series. Each volume addresses a social problem that affects the lives of teenagers, presenting teens' first-hand experiences, pertinent statistics, and solid information on avoiding or confronting these problems. Including charts, editorial cartoons, and poorly reproduced black-and-white photos (some repeated in more than one volume), the formats are bland and uninteresting, but the topics may draw readers. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) YA Famous Trials series. Beginning with a thorough historical grounding for each case, these books clearly explain the legal issues while using primary and secondary sources to report each trial impartially. Sidebars add dimension to the trials' major figures, and small black-and-white photos add immediacy. Credible interpretations of the trials' long-term effects make these especially valuable resources. Impeachment avoids salacious details. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) YA Famous Trials series. Beginning with a thorough historical grounding for each case, these books clearly explain the legal issues while using primary and secondary sources to report each trial impartially. Sidebars add dimension to the trials' major figures, and small black-and-white photos add immediacy. Credible interpretations of the trials' long-term effects make these especially valuable resources. Impeachment avoids salacious details. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA Building History series. A chapter dealing with the construction of the famed ocean liner provides the most interest, with the rest of the volume devoted to a familiar retelling of the disaster and its aftermath. Occasional information boxes contain background on other important ships, people associated with the Titanic, and myths and odd facts about the tragedy. The accompanying black-and-white photographs have a muddy quality. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Sports Great series. The poorly reproduced black-and-white photographs that illustrate these formulaic biographies are disappointing. However, fans will appreciate the information about each athlete's childhood, the honest discussion of personality flaws, and the detailed game descriptions. Career stats and fan mail addresses are included. Ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.