(3) 4-6 American Space Missions--Astronauts, Exploration, and Discovery series. From Gemini 4's twenty-three-minute spacewalk in 1965 to the International Space Station's future potential, these revised, redesigned, and re-titled books each focus on a specific mission, its crew, and its accomplishments and costs. Archival photographs and diagrams support the accessible texts, providing a basic overview of the triumphs and tragedies of U.S. space exploration to date. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these American Space Missions--Astronauts, Exploration, and Discovery titles: Eye on the Universe, Spacewalk, Walking on the Moon, The Coolest Job in the Universe, Danger in Space, and Space Shuttle Disaster.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) 4-6 American Space Missions--Astronauts, Exploration, and Discovery series. From Gemini 4's twenty-three-minute spacewalk in 1965 to the International Space Station's future potential, these revised, redesigned, and re-titled books each focus on a specific mission, its crew, and its accomplishments and costs. Archival photographs and diagrams support the accessible texts, providing a basic overview of the triumphs and tragedies of U.S. space exploration to date. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these American Space Missions--Astronauts, Exploration, and Discovery titles: Eye on the Universe, Spacewalk, Walking on the Moon, The Coolest Job in the Universe, Danger in Space, and Space Shuttle Disaster.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) 4-6 American Space Missions--Astronauts, Exploration, and Discovery series. From Gemini 4's twenty-three-minute spacewalk in 1965 to the International Space Station's future potential, these revised, redesigned, and re-titled books each focus on a specific mission, its crew, and its accomplishments and costs. Archival photographs and diagrams support the accessible texts, providing a basic overview of the triumphs and tragedies of U.S. space exploration to date. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these American Space Missions--Astronauts, Exploration, and Discovery titles: Eye on the Universe, Spacewalk, Walking on the Moon, The Coolest Job in the Universe, Danger in Space, and Space Shuttle Disaster.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Endangered and Threatened Animals series. Each of these books details the physical characteristics, life cycle, and habitat of an endangered or threatened animal and discusses relevant conservation efforts. The information is supplemented by web links that the publisher pledges to try to keep current for three years. In addition to color photos of the books' subjects, the series offers computer-screen shots, furthering the book-as-computer gimmick. Reading list. Ind. [Review covers these Endangered and Threatened Animals titles: The Bald Eagle, The Koala, and The American Alligator.]

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 Presidents series. Each featured president's life, prior career, and presidency receive a surface treatment in so brief and simplified a manner that it sometimes causes confusion. Website summaries and an online portal encourage readers to surf the Net for more information. Photos, screen shots, and other visual documents illustrate the books. There are four other spring 2003 books in this series. Reading list. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Presidents titles: Ronald Reagan, Woodrow Wilson, and James Buchanan.]

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA Collective Biographies series. Each book in this series profiles at least ten figures, ranging from the very famous (Spielberg, Earhart) to the less well known (contemporary pilots Nelda K. Lee and Martha King). The biographical entries are superficial and occasionally sanitized but will prove good starting points for those seeking basic information. Overly dark black-and-white images illustrate the books. Pirates contains a glossary. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Collective Biographies titles: Ten American Movie Directors, American Women of Flight, Great African-American Lawyers, and Pirates and Privateers of the High Seas.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Aircraft series. Flat prose describes the history, development, design, and uses of various aircraft. The texts feature vignettes about and quotes from those who have piloted these craft; most aren't as well known as Scott O'Grady (in Rescue Helicopters), but all add authenticity. Each volume in this series includes specifications for numerous vehicles and color photos of varying quality. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Aircraft titles: Crime-Fighting Aircraft, Fire-Fighting Aircraft and Smoke Jumpers, Rescue Helicopters and Aircraft, and The Supersonic X-15 and High-Tech NASA Aircraft.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Aircraft series. Flat, rushed surveys identify some of the aircraft used by the military during armed conflicts, in law enforcement, and for rescue missions. Illustrated with sometimes grainy color photographs, the books in this series discuss the design and capabilities of various craft, and the training requirements of those who pilot them. Specifications for some planes are included. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Aircraft titles: Coast Guard Rescue and Patrol Aircraft, and Navy Combat Aircraft and Pilots. ]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Aircraft series. Flat, rushed surveys identify some of the aircraft used by the military during armed conflicts, in law enforcement, and for rescue missions. Illustrated with sometimes grainy color photographs, the books in this series discuss the design and capabilities of various craft, and the training requirements of those who pilot them. Specifications for some planes are included. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Aircraft titles: Coast Guard Rescue and Patrol Aircraft, and Navy Combat Aircraft and Pilots. ]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Aircraft series. Flat prose describes the history, development, design, and uses of various aircraft. The texts feature vignettes about and quotes from those who have piloted these craft; most aren't as well known as Scott O'Grady (in Rescue Helicopters), but all add authenticity. Each volume in this series includes specifications for numerous vehicles and color photos of varying quality. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Aircraft titles: Crime-Fighting Aircraft, Fire-Fighting Aircraft and Smoke Jumpers, Rescue Helicopters and Aircraft, and The Supersonic X-15 and High-Tech NASA Aircraft.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Aircraft series. Flat prose describes the history, development, design, and uses of various aircraft. The texts feature vignettes about and quotes from those who have piloted these craft; most aren't as well known as Scott O'Grady (in Rescue Helicopters), but all add authenticity. Each volume in this series includes specifications for numerous vehicles and color photos of varying quality. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Aircraft titles: Crime-Fighting Aircraft, Fire-Fighting Aircraft and Smoke Jumpers, Rescue Helicopters and Aircraft, and The Supersonic X-15 and High-Tech NASA Aircraft.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Aircraft series. Flat prose describes the history, development, design, and uses of various aircraft. The texts feature vignettes about and quotes from those who have piloted these craft; most aren't as well known as Scott O'Grady (in Rescue Helicopters), but all add authenticity. Each volume in this series includes specifications for numerous vehicles and color photos of varying quality. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Aircraft titles: Crime-Fighting Aircraft, Fire-Fighting Aircraft and Smoke Jumpers, Rescue Helicopters and Aircraft, and The Supersonic X-15 and High-Tech NASA Aircraft.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Aircraft series. Illustrated with sometimes grainy color photos, the books in this series showcase a variety of aircraft and discuss the planes' history and development, design (with specifications included), and uses in agriculture, entertainment, scientific research, and the military. Some of the books are flatly written while others are florid, but all benefit from including personal quotes from those who have piloted the planes. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Aircraft titles: Stealth Fighters and Bombers, Air Show Pilots and Airplanes, Amazing Agricultural Aircraft, Hurricane Hunters, Air Force Aircraft.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta