(4) YA USA Today's Debate: Voices and Perspectives series. This dry but thorough text presents a balanced discussion of the death penalty by placing it in historical, legal, social, and moral contexts. Photographs, personal anecdotes, newspaper articles, graphs, and archival drawings provide additional information and perspectives, making the volume's small font and two-column, textbooklike design appear more approachable. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 A & E Biography series. With an engaging conversational style, each biography captures the highlights of an intriguing modern figure. Both books include interesting details, especially from childhood, and do not shy away from discussing the role the person played in controversial events. The bland layout, which includes a smattering of archival photos, does nothing for the text. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these A & E Biography titles: Fidel Castro and Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) YA Focusing mostly on racial prejudice against blacks and gender discrimination against women, the text provides a succinct history of affirmative action and neatly explains the legal and philosophical conflicts of the issue. Specific references to the 'Bakke' decision and California's Proposition 209 help keep the text concrete and accessible. The book's dull cover and dark photos are off-putting. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.