(3) YA Hip-Hop Artists series. Each standalone biography highlights a (male) hip-hop artist's artistic influences, childhood experiences, and professional challenges and successes, all supported by healthy source notes; narratives touch on (but don't delve deeply into) controversial aspects. Attractive layouts include colorful sidebars, bolded quotes, and plentiful photos. Though the content will date quickly, this is a well-curated and visually appealing series. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Hip-Hop Artists titles: Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper, Drake, Future, J. Cole, and Kanye West.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) 4-6 Snap Books: Build Your Business series. These volumes offer aspiring young entrepreneurs tips for starting successful pet- and babysitting businesses. Topics addressed include marketing; managing money; problem solving; recommended training or certification; and the importance of reliability, communication, and professionalism. Busily decorated with extraneous stock photos and doodles, the texts are nowhere near comprehensive but serve as encouraging and effective introductions. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Snap Books: Build Your Business titles: Start Your Pet-Sitting Business and Start Your Babysitting Business.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) YA Special Reports series. These volumes offer balanced explorations of social problems facing American citizens today. Each book examines the topic's past and current history, outlines the issues involved, and discusses possible solutions. Statistical data is included when relevant, but much of the information will be quickly dated; photographs and sidebars (many with tiny type) extend the texts. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Special Reports titles: Hate Crimes in America, Gun Control and the Second Amendment, The Gender Wage Gap, and The War on Poverty.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) YA Special Reports series. The authors describe the history of the internet, major security breaches (e.g., Target's customer data hack), and efforts to curb cyber crime. Although the fast-changing topic means the book will be quickly dated, the volume provides serviceable if dry background for report writers. Stock photographs and frequent sidebars contribute to the choppy layout. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) YA Essential Library of the Information Age series. Who owns and can regulate the internet? How has social networking affected privacy? How can kids evaluate the legitimacy of what they read? These questions and more are examined in this series that addresses weighty issues raised by internet technologies of our information age. Color photos and informative sidebars complement the straightforward and balanced narratives. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers the following Essential Library of the Information Age titles: Big Data and Privacy Rights, Net Neutrality, Content Ownership and Copyright, Book Banning and Other Forms of Censorship, Information Literacy in the Digital Age, and Online Identity.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 4-6 Ecosystems of the World series. An anecdote followed by an accessible definition begins each book; subsequent chapters cover each ecosystem's special features, plants, animals, relation to people, and future. Despite a dull template, the books explain their topics clearly and extend understanding via sidebars of further material and questions. Captioned photos and diagrams illustrate the texts. There are four other fall 2015 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Ecosystems of the World titles: Wetland Ecosystems, Woodland Forest Ecosystems, Coral Reef Ecosystems, and Grassland Ecosystems.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 No More Bullies series. Illustrated by Simone Shin. In this didactic but useful bibliotherapy series, facts and advice pepper fictional stories aimed to demonstrate types of bullying and how to handle them. In both stories, an animal character is bullied by insensitive/cruel contemporaries but improves the situation by enlisting adult help or finding an ally. The targets' misery is clearly articulated in text and in expressive, muted-palette illustrations. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following No More Bullies titles: Sometimes Jokes Aren't Funny and Teasing Isn't Funny.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Pebble Plus: Ice Age Animals series. These volumes provide very basic information about Ice Age animals; Sabertooth and Mammoths end with those creatures' extinction (shrews are still around today). The texts are easy to read but occasionally vague: "Humans settled in the sabertooths' home"; "The babies [shrews] are born blind and naked." Fuzzy digital-looking illustrations play up sharp teeth, long tusks, or small ("tiny") size. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the these Pebble Plus: Ice Age Animals titles: Arctic Shrews, Sabertooth Cats, and Woolly Mammoths.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Pebble Plus: Ice Age Animals series. These volumes provide very basic information about Ice Age animals; Sabertooth and Mammoths end with those creatures' extinction (shrews are still around today). The texts are easy to read but occasionally vague: "Humans settled in the sabertooths' home"; "The babies [shrews] are born blind and naked." Fuzzy digital-looking illustrations play up sharp teeth, long tusks, or small ("tiny") size. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the these Pebble Plus: Ice Age Animals titles: Arctic Shrews, Sabertooth Cats, and Woolly Mammoths.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Essential Issues series. Readable if bland prose explains the basics of self-injury, including history, psychology regarding the practices of cutting, and avenues for help. The informative pages are crowded with stock photographs (lots of close-ups of razor blades and scars), sidebars, and quotes from professionals and teens. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 Creatures of Legend series. These slim books include solid background information about the myths and legends surrounding these creatures from multiple cultures and geographic regions. Also discussed is the creatures' presence in popular culture. The short, simple sentences; wide leading between lines of text; and photos make these approachable books on high-interest topics. Discussion and writing prompts are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Creatures of Legend titles: Unicorns, Dragons, and Sea Monsters.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) K-3 Pebble Plus: Snakes series. This series focuses on physical appearance, geographical location, reproduction, and defense mechanisms. Each book presents its limited information in easy-to-read text with hints of sensationalism ("Strike! The cobra sinks sharp fangs into its prey"), while large, glossy color photographs of varying quality capture the drama. Vocabulary is suited to beginning readers; content is best for snake enthusiasts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Pebble Plus: Snakes titles: Garter Snakes, Anacondas, and Cobras.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) K-3 Pebble Plus: Snakes series. This series focuses on physical appearance, geographical location, reproduction, and defense mechanisms. Each book presents its limited information in easy-to-read text with hints of sensationalism ("Strike! The cobra sinks sharp fangs into its prey"), while large, glossy color photographs of varying quality capture the drama. Vocabulary is suited to beginning readers; content is best for snake enthusiasts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Pebble Plus: Snakes titles: Garter Snakes, Anacondas, and Cobras.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) YA Essential Lives series. These series entries, with straightforward writing and frequent sidebars and photos, are uneven in quality and interest level. Elizabeth I is particularly dry and requires background knowledge. Lucille Ball's colorful personality barely comes through in her volume (the pictures help), and the subtitle for Freud is odd (content is fine). Assange is current through 2011. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Essential Lives titles: Sigmund Freud, Lucille Ball, Julian Assange, and Elizabeth I.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee