(4) 4-6 Scientific American series. In clear and sometimes lively prose, these books explain natural phenomena at appropriate introductory levels. Eruptions highlights plate tectonics as causal, with location of the fault or its opening determining the effect. Weather emphasizes air and water as principal weather factors. Captioned photographs and diagrams assist the text.Eruptions contains anecdotal sidebars, while sidebars in Weather include at-home experiments. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Scientific American titles: Volcanic Eruptions, Earthquakes, and Tsunamis and Weather, and How It Works.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 Scientific American series. In pointed but nonsensational prose, this book examines dinosaur extinction, considering the five biggest mass extinctions, presenting a combination of asteroids and volcanoes as probable causes, discussing survival of mass extinction, and speculating about the possibility of a gradual mass extinction in the future, principally from habitat destruction. Captioned photographs, diagrams, and sidebars extend the text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. This book's eight chapters provide a comprehensive look at methamphetamine dependency and addiction. Testimonials from recovering addicts and personal stories add a human face to the accessibly presented but dry facts. Statistics about meth's developments, effect on body and brain, teen attitudes, and law enforcement efforts to stamp out production and abuse are discussed as well. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Drugs, the Straight Facts series. The books in this cautionary series succeed because they are lucid, well organized, and filled with color photos, charts, graphs, diagrams, lists (e.g., "Famous Dead Smokers"), and other visuals that both break up the text and reinforce the just-say-no message. The authors only lose traction with the melodramatically written anecdotes designed to scare readers straight. Addresses, reading list, websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Drugs, the Straight Facts titles: Heroin, Hallucinogens, Cocaine, and Nicotine.]

Reviewer: Nell Beram