(4) 4-6 LifeViews series. These series books are illustrated with striking stock color photos and make use of appealing layouts. Unfortunately, the illustrations are underexplained and don't always match the text, words in bold print aren't always defined in the text, and the appended activity in each book is unoriginal. Nevertheless, the essays are well written and informative. Ind. [Review covers these LifeViews titles: Lakes, Hurricanes, and Mountains.]

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) YA Great Outdoors series. Flat prose designed for low-level readers introduces each activity, describing the equipment needed, explaining techniques, and providing tips on safety and conservation. Illustrated with dark photos that are sometimes poorly focused, each book in this series includes a recipe (e.g., venison meatballs, gorp), diagrams, and list of animal and plant species. The information is helpful, but the books aren't all that engaging. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Great Outdoors titles: Deer Hunting, Duck Hunting, Fly Fishing, Freshwater Fishing, Camping, Hiking.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) YA Great Outdoors series. Flat prose designed for low-level readers introduces each activity, describing the equipment needed, explaining techniques, and providing tips on safety and conservation. Illustrated with dark photos that are sometimes poorly focused, each book in this series includes a recipe (e.g., venison meatballs, gorp), diagrams, and list of animal and plant species. The information is helpful, but the books aren't all that engaging. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Great Outdoors titles: Deer Hunting, Duck Hunting, Fly Fishing, Freshwater Fishing, Camping, Hiking.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Large double-page color photographs, often containing aerial shots, are the centerpiece of this series. However, while most of the photos are well reproduced, others are fuzzy. The texts clearly describe the subjects' key physical characteristics and briefly examine how they are formed. The overall impact is lessened by an awkward design that places boxes of text over the photos. Ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) 4-6 Large double-page color photographs, often containing aerial shots, are the centerpiece of this series. However, while most of the photos are well reproduced, others are fuzzy. The texts clearly describe the subjects' key physical characteristics and briefly examine how they are formed. The overall impact is lessened by an awkward design that places boxes of text over the photos. Ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) 4-6 Large double-page color photographs, often containing aerial shots, are the centerpiece of this series. However, while most of the photos are well reproduced, others are fuzzy. The texts clearly describe the subjects' key physical characteristics and briefly examine how they are formed. The overall impact is lessened by an awkward design that places boxes of text over the photos. Ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) 4-6 Large double-page color photographs, often containing aerial shots, are the centerpiece of this series. However, while most of the photos are well reproduced, others are fuzzy. The texts clearly describe the subjects' key physical characteristics and briefly examine how they are formed. The overall impact is lessened by an awkward design that places boxes of text over the photos. Ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) 4-6 Large double-page color photographs, often containing aerial shots, are the centerpiece of this series. However, while most of the photos are well reproduced, others are fuzzy. The texts clearly describe the subjects' key physical characteristics and briefly examine how they are formed. The overall impact is lessened by an awkward design that places boxes of text over the photos. Ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.