(4) 4-6 Jake Maddox Sports Stories series. Illustrated by Sean Tiffany. Black-and-white full-page illustrations accompany these hi-lo stories involving talented athletes in tennis (Doubles), football (Punter's), bull-riding (Rodeo), and golf (Secondhand). The message-laden texts highlight the importance of focus and fair play to achieve team victory and accomplish personal goals. The engaging, action-packed stories should appeal to sports enthusiasts. Each book is supplemented by background on the sport, discussion questions, and writing prompts. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox Sports Stories titles: Double Trouble, Punter's Pride, Rodeo Challenge, and Secondhand Slice.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Jake Maddox JV series. Breakneck soccer, football, basketball, and baseball action dominate these message-driven short novels about middle-school boys who learn lessons concerning the importance of doing the right thing for your friends and yourself while seeking the glory of winning. The easy-to-read, engaging hi-lo books also include discussion questions, writing prompts, and interesting facts about each sport. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox JV titles: Block and Rock, Free Throw Fail, Home Safe Home, and Soccer Sabotage.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Boredom Busters series. Omoth presents eight activities to help children keep busy outside. Each project features large color photographs, materials list (consisting mostly of household items), and step-by-step instructions. Unfamiliar words are defined, and the book gives appropriate "Safety First" warnings when actions require adult supervision. A wide variety of creative and entertaining activities are included. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Kids Can Cook! series. Step-by-step recipes follow safety and cooking tips in these offbeat cookbooks. Campfire includes fire-specific tips and is organized by cooking method (in foil, skillet, or Dutch oven); Disgusting includes ideas for snacks, entrees, sides, and desserts, and recommends presenting mainstay foods in kid-appealingly gross ways (e.g., "Maggoty Chili"). Both include photos of completed dishes, quirky facts, and "Try This!" alterations. Reading list. Review covers these Edge Books: Kids Can Cook! titles: Campfire Chef and Disgusting Eats.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Top Secret Files series. This book examines some of the lesser-known people, battles, and weapons of the Revolutionary War. Each profile receives an unfortunately brief description, but the text is supplemented by fact sidebars and definitions of technical terms. The book is laid out in an easy-to-read manner, incorporating colorful paintings and photographs. Critical thinking questions using the Common Core are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Dangerous Jobs in Action series. Simultaneously exciting and sobering, these fast-paced, true-life profiles of people in dangerous careers each begin by summarizing the job, indicating the risks, and presenting basic stats. Chapters then relate the nail-biting stories of people caught in life-threatening situations while performing these jobs; some survive, some do not. Well-chosen color photos and closing discussion questions accompany each entry. There are four other spring 2017 books in this series. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Dangerous Jobs in Action titles: Stunt Performers in Action, Deep-Sea Fishermen in Action, Ice Road Truckers in Action, and Smoke Jumpers in Action.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Superstar Stories series. Each entertainer's superficially sketched biography is presented in three or four brief chapters punctuated with publicity photographs and sidebars with quotes from the subject. A page of basic background facts precedes a simple narrative covering early breaks in the field, successful milestones, and present-day stardom. "Think About It" questions are appended. There are four other fall 2017 titles in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Superstar Stories titles: Zendaya, Silentó, Jennifer Lawrence, and Pharrell Williams.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 4-6 Sports Illustrated Kids: Pro Sports Team Guides series. Superfans pride themselves on their deep knowledge of their favorite sports teams, but these slim titles provide only a smattering of facts about each of the thirty pro baseball and basketball teams. Each team gets a dedicated double-page spread with a "Trophy Case" sidebar highlighting the number of home runs, rebounds, etc., posted by individual players. Photos appear profusely throughout. Reading list. Ind. Review covers these Sports Illustrated Kids: Pro Sports Team Guides titles: A Superfan's Guide to Pro Baseball Teams and A Superfan's Guide to Pro Basketball Teams.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 First Facts: First Sports Source series. Omoth's simply written, large-print texts provide superficial introductions to baseball and hockey, mixing a little history with a summary of rules, key equipment, the venue layout, and general suggestions. Valuable only to young readers unfamiliar with the sports, the sharp color photos, sidebars, and player quotes may help pique their interest. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following First Facts: First Sports Source titles: First Source to Baseball and First Source to Hockey.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) K-3 First Facts: First Sports Source series. Omoth's simply written, large-print texts provide superficial introductions to baseball and hockey, mixing a little history with a summary of rules, key equipment, the venue layout, and general suggestions. Valuable only to young readers unfamiliar with the sports, the sharp color photos, sidebars, and player quotes may help pique their interest. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following First Facts: First Sports Source titles: First Source to Baseball and First Source to Hockey.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Paranormal Handbooks series. Color photographs, drawings, and "Freaky Fact" sidebars accompany serviceable texts offering historical and recent anecdotes of people encountering two types of paranormal phenomena: UFOs and legendary creatures (Bigfoot, Chupacabra, etc.). The authors repeatedly state there is no scientific evidence to prove the creatures' existence but don't question the credibility of the sightings. Comprehension quiz included. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Edge Books: Paranormal Handbooks titles: Handbook to UFOs, Crop Circles, and Alien Encounters and Handbook to Bigfoot, Nessie, and Other Unexplained Creatures.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Wild Stunts series. Introducing daring feats--whether for movie roles, to break records, or simply for thrills--these easy-to-read volumes are full of images and facts young adrenaline junkies crave. Historical background on the use of stunts in film and the early days of motorcycles is provided. The books' energetic photographs are sometimes obscured by design graphics or blocks of text. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Wild Stunts titles: Stunning Motorcycle Stunts and Mind-Blowing Movie Stunts.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Blazers: See How It's Made series. These books succinctly chronicle the step-by-step processes involved in the production of an airplane and a motorcycle. Although the two machines are diverse in size and purpose, each manufacturing process involves initial planning, designing, and computer testing before assembly line production begins. Machine enthusiasts will appreciate the technical-detail-rich photographs and interesting facts boxes accompanying the readable texts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Blazers: See How It's Made titles: Building an Airplane and Building a Motorcycle.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 NFL Today series. Telling the stories of NFL franchises, each book begins with background about the team's early beginnings and home town. Major coaches and players are then discussed (off-field player antics are largely omitted). "On the Sidelines" sidebars and large, vivid photographs bring fans onto the fields and into the conversations about football legends and future stars. Ind. Review covers these NFL Today titles: The Story of the Oakland Raiders, The Story of the Chicago Bears, The Story of the New England Patriots, and The Story of the Indianapolis Colts.

Reviewer: Nancy Hull

(3) 4-6 Baseball: The Great American Game series. Energetic sports writing imparts solid histories of the teams through 2006. Well-chosen quotations supply insight, as when Mel Ott says of Yankees catcher Yogi Berra: "He stopped everything behind the plate and hit everything in front of it." Cleanly designed pages feature many generously sized, visually arresting photographs. Throughout, outstanding position players are highlighted to form hypothetical "All-Time Teams." Ind. Review covers these Baseball: The Great American Game titles: The Story of the Atlanta Braves, The Story of the New York Yankees, The Story of the Boston Red Sox, The Story of the Chicago Cubs, and The Story of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin