(4) YA Forgotten Youth series. This dense volume chronicles the plight of children in foster care. The book cites numerous reasons for children entering the system--including parents who cannot or will not care for their offspring--and details children's resultant fear, anger, and confusion. Varied first-person accounts are presented along with statistics about successful and failed adoptions and helpful organizations' contact information. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) YA Library of Tattoos and Body Piercings series. This dense volume presents readers with the myriad medical concerns and dangers surrounding the popular customs of piercing and tattooing, though it maintains some balance by offering the health and well-being positives (e.g., scar coverage). Blandly designed, text-heavy pages are broken up by striking (often provocative or graphic) photographs, "Did You Know?" sidebars, and inserts with primary source material. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) YA Library of Tattoos and Body Piercings series. These dense volumes offer balanced explorations of tattooing and piercing as cultural practices dating back to ancient times and as contemporary customs for self-expression; Teens delves into the trends' implications for young people. Blandly designed, text-heavy pages are broken up by striking photographs, "Did You Know?" sidebars, and inserts with primary source material. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Library of Tattoos and Body Piercings titles: Tattoos, Body Piercings, and Teens, A Cultural History of Tattoos, and A Cultural History of Body Piercings.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) YA Diseases & Disorders series. One common foreword and short introductions specific to each topic precede chapters defining the title condition, diagnosis, treatment, and current research. The writing, though dull, is straightforward. References to celebrity sufferers (though not up-to-the-minute) are meant to engage readers. Largely generic stock photos are included. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Diseases & Disorders titles: Osteoporosis, Exercise Addiction, and Tourette Syndrome

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) YA Hot Topics series. This informative and accessible survey charts the global trajectory of AIDS, from its first appearances in the early 1980s to the present day. Chapters focus on the AIDS stigma; the particular vulnerability of women, children, and poor people; the controversy surrounding abstinence-only sex-ed school programs; and scientific progress toward treatment and a cure. Many photographs and sidebars are included. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Young Heroes series. These biographies profile young adults who embody the spirit of community service, charity, and overcoming adversity. Most have founded their own charitable organizations, and all have won awards and recognition for their efforts. The writing is accessible, though it can be choppy. Photographs of the subjects at work clearly illustrate how kids can make a difference. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Young Heroes titles: Brittany and Robbie Bergquist, Mattie Stepanek, Lindsey Williams, and Ana Dodson.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Young Heroes series. These biographies profile young adults who embody the spirit of community service, charity, and overcoming adversity. Most have founded their own charitable organizations, and all have won awards and recognition for their efforts. The writing is accessible, though it can be choppy. Photographs of the subjects at work clearly illustrate how kids can make a difference. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Young Heroes titles: Brittany and Robbie Bergquist, Mattie Stepanek, Lindsey Williams, and Ana Dodson.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby