(4) YA Digital Issues series. Although the surveys, statistics, and other data will soon be dated, this series is a thorough look at serious concerns of our digital world, from hacking to violent video games to overreliance on social media. Many of the topics overlap and are covered by more than one title. Text boxes, quotations, and stock photos help to break up the dense texts. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Digital Issues titles: Online Predators, Online Security, Online Addiction, Online Entertainment, Online Privacy, and Social Media.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA Digital Issues series. Although the surveys, statistics, and other data will soon be dated, this series is a thorough look at serious concerns of our digital world, from hacking to violent video games to overreliance on social media. Many of the topics overlap and are covered by more than one title. Text boxes, quotations, and stock photos help to break up the dense texts. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Digital Issues titles: Online Predators, Online Security, Online Addiction, Online Entertainment, Online Privacy, and Social Media.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA In Controversy series. From computer hacking and online activity to teenage driving habits and gun control, each book begins with an overview of the featured issue with subsequent chapters addressing five key points from differing perspectives. Captioned stock photographs add little to the straightforward texts; text boxes provide supplementary information, and pull quotes highlight salient points. The text-heavy pages may be off-putting to some readers. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these In Controversy titles: Can Gun Control Reduce Violence?, How Serious Is Teen Drunk and Distracted Driving?, How Serious a Problem Is Computer Hacking?, and How Are Online Activities Affecting Society?.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA In Controversy series. From computer hacking and online activity to teenage driving habits and gun control, each book begins with an overview of the featured issue with subsequent chapters addressing five key points from differing perspectives. Captioned stock photographs add little to the straightforward texts; text boxes provide supplementary information, and pull quotes highlight salient points. The text-heavy pages may be off-putting to some readers. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these In Controversy titles: Can Gun Control Reduce Violence?, How Serious Is Teen Drunk and Distracted Driving?, How Serious a Problem Is Computer Hacking?, and How Are Online Activities Affecting Society?.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA In Controversy series. From computer hacking and online activity to teenage driving habits and gun control, each book begins with an overview of the featured issue with subsequent chapters addressing five key points from differing perspectives. Captioned stock photographs add little to the straightforward texts; text boxes provide supplementary information, and pull quotes highlight salient points. The text-heavy pages may be off-putting to some readers. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these In Controversy titles: Can Gun Control Reduce Violence?, How Serious Is Teen Drunk and Distracted Driving?, How Serious a Problem Is Computer Hacking?, and How Are Online Activities Affecting Society?.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA Decade of the 2000s series. Although the information provided in these volumes involves some of the most monumental developments in recent history, this dry and uninspiring series conveys mostly basic information. Color photos (many quite powerful) and pull quotes from primary sources break up the dense and often repetitive text. This series will be useful for school reports. The same timeline opens each book. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Decade of the 2000s titles: Catastrophic Events of the 2000s, Cultural Milestones of the 2000s, Sports and Entertainment of the 2000s, Terrorism and War of the 2000s.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA Extraterrestrial Life series. Aliens as fact and fiction and the basis for their existence (or lack thereof) are recounted in painstaking detail in this series. The books are generally accessible. For some (especially Search), strong interest and aptitude in astronomy and physics would help comprehension. Some drawings and photographs, along with sidebars, help liven up these textbooklike volumes. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Extraterrestrial Life titles: Are Extraterrestrials a Threat to Human Life?, The Search for Extraterrestrial Life, Aliens in Pop Culture, Alien Encounters, and UFOs.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(3) 4-6 Mystery Library series. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, each fast-paced volume contains an overview of a different supernatural subject. Well-selected anecdotes about alien visitors, poltergeists, and Egyptian curses will provide chills for fans of the paranormal, but the books also contain possible scientific and commonsense explanations that will satisfy skeptical readers as well. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Mystery Library series. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, each fast-paced volume contains an overview of a different supernatural subject. Well-selected anecdotes about alien visitors, poltergeists, and Egyptian curses will provide chills for fans of the paranormal, but the books also contain possible scientific and commonsense explanations that will satisfy skeptical readers as well. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Mystery Library series. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, each fast-paced volume contains an overview of a different supernatural subject. Well-selected anecdotes about alien visitors, poltergeists, and Egyptian curses will provide chills for fans of the paranormal, but the books also contain possible scientific and commonsense explanations that will satisfy skeptical readers as well. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) YA Lucent Overview series. This broad, well-balanced survey touches on ESP, precognition, ghosts, extraterrestrials, and even religious visions and miracles. Illustrated with reproductions, editorial cartoons, and black-and-white photos, the concise text describes each type of phenomenon, provides anecdotal support, and shows how it has been interpreted by both believers and sceptics. Includes a list of paranormal research organizations. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) YA History Makers series. Each volume begins with an overbroad historical survey, followed by six to eight individual profiles. Illustrated with mediocre black-and-white photos, reproductions, and maps, the books contain limited personal information, focusing mostly on what made each individual famous (or infamous). Limited by their brevity, these profiles may serve as a starting point for report writers seeking basic biographical information. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) YA Contemporary Issues series. Is hate speech dangerous? Should children who kill be tried as adults? These two dilemmas, among others, are examined in these books, which are part of a series that asks kids to make up their own minds. A current event (e.g., the Columbine shootings) jumpstarts each discussion, and captioned black-and-white photographs, expert and lay opinions, charts, and cartoons offer texture and commentary. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) YA Contemporary Issues series. Is hate speech dangerous? Should children who kill be tried as adults? These two dilemmas, among others, are examined in these books, which are part of a series that asks kids to make up their own minds. A current event (e.g., the Columbine shootings) jumpstarts each discussion, and captioned black-and-white photographs, expert and lay opinions, charts, and cartoons offer texture and commentary. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Modern Nations of the World series. Both of these country studies look far back into the histories of India and Japan and contrast the past with the challenges of the present and future. The wide-ranging, dense texts, interrupted by boxed supplemental information, examine the countries' governments, religion, and people, and are accompanied by low-quality black-and-white photos. Time lines are included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta