(3) 4-6 This compendium opens with "You Are an Amazing Machine" and concludes with "Huge: Cosmology, Astrophysics, and a Few Unsolved Mysteries of the Universe." Each of eighteen chapters tackles a particular branch of science, including botany, physics, zoology, astrobiology, and climate change. Because the topics are vast, coverage is necessarily condensed, but readers can browse for pleasure or tuck into a chapter and find inspiration to do further research. TV personality Nye's enthusiasm for science comes through in sections packed with information, boxed quotations from working scientists, "Try This" activities, photos, illustrations, diagrams, and graphics. A selected bibliography and index are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Jack and the Geniuses series. Illustrated by Nick Iluzada. Jack; his genius foster siblings, Ava and Matt; and their mentor, Hank, head to Hawaii on their second adventure (At the Bottom of the World). They're helping a technology billionaire and an engineer uncover the saboteur of their revolutionary electricity project to harvest green energy from the ocean. Scientific information, humor, and suspense combine in a readable mystery accompanied throughout by monochromatic red illustrations.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) 4-6 Jack and the Geniuses series. Illustrated by Nick Iluzada. Billionaire scientist Hank Witherspoon recruits three foster siblings (two with off-the-chart IQs and one with street smarts) to help him with his experiments and inventions. When the team heads to the McMurdo Station research center in Antarctica to investigate a scientist's claims of an important discovery, they find that she has disappeared. A fast-paced mystery ensues, with scientific information woven into the plot.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Bryn Barnard. A light tone, diagrams, and humorous cartoon illustrations explain the basics: the differences between viruses and bacteria, how they affect the human body, how vaccinations and antibiotics work, etc. Twelve "Try This" pages provide hands-on answers to common questions such as "How do germs pass from person to person?" Page-top borders reveal how some organisms look under a microscope.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Koelsch. This introduction to dinosaurs contains the usual facts and speculation about what these prehistoric creatures looked like, how fossils were formed, and why they disappeared. What sets this book apart from other, similar volumes, are experiments and activities that demonstrate, among others, how dinosaurs may have communicated and how dust affects the atmosphere. The accompanying color art tends to be silly.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by John Dykes. This collection of facts about marine life, tides, and ocean currents has photographs of Bill Nye on every page. Fans of the television show will recognize the features "Try This!" (activities) and "Check it Out!" (factual asides), though the experiments suggested are disappointingly routine or impractical. The accompanying color illustrations are quieter than the chatty text.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford