(4) 4-6 This volume tracks the development and uses of armor in its many forms. The main focus is military applications, but civilian and athletic uses and some examples from the animal kingdom are also covered. The text provides useful information, but the layout can be confusing and some of the many spot illustrations are unfinished-looking.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Claiming "each century leaves its own layer of remains," this fascinating, accessible title introduces archaeology by presenting a fictional present-day city and digging below it to find yet another city with valuable clues to how people lived in the past. From prehistory to the future, cheerfully busy drawings and detailed cross-sections will reward readers with new discoveries at each return. Websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Navigators series. With no introduction, readers are launched into a presentation of technology currently in use and in development, from the practical to the fantastical. Double-page spreads feature bold diagrams, drawings, and photographs; sidebars provide additional information. With no clear definition of scope, the data is difficult to navigate. An "Investigate" feature encourages further study and may inspire future techies. Websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 A rushed text briefly recounts the design and construction of nine impressive structures, including the Great Wall of China, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Eiffel Tower, and New York's Woolworth Building. Cleanly drawn color depictions of these structures, sometimes featuring cutaway detail, add to the book's appeal; the oversize pages are busy with supplemental illustrations, maps, and captions. Ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 Double-page spreads reveal the broad spectrum of life forms and objects that can be found in the ocean, including whales and coral, shipwrecks, fishing nets, and humans visiting in submarines and diving suits. The detailed illustrations are accompanied by a competently written text and sidebars that supply additional facts and anecdotes. Glos.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Double-page spreads highlight a variety of underground structures including tombs, dungeons, animal tunnels, and subways. The text includes pertinent information about the construction and use of these subterranean creations; a sidebar provides supplemental historical facts. The detailed color illustrations show the various levels of each in cutaway detail. Glos.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta