(4) 4-6 Find Your Talent series. Animation encourages trying out various media; Movie provides directions for screenwriting, shooting, editing, etc.; Photos explains concepts including composition and depth of field. Anecdotes about famous artists make pipe dreams seem possible; the busy collage-style layout may appeal to kids willing scrutinize the pages. Some of the advice seems like common sense. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Find Your Talent titles:Make an Animation, Make a Movie!, and Take Great Photos.

Reviewer: Allison Cole

(4) 4-6 Mission Impossible series. Captioned photographs in color and black and white combine with sidebars and straightforward text to introduce a variety of dangerous events in past and recent history that required quick thinking, skill, and a bit of luck. Each incident is restricted to a double-page spread, limiting the scope of information and sometimes marginalizing the event. This series may motivate further research. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Mission Impossible titles: Rescue Squad, Spies, Stunt Crews, and Survivors.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Mission Impossible series. Captioned photographs in color and black and white combine with sidebars and straightforward text to introduce a variety of dangerous events in past and recent history that required quick thinking, skill, and a bit of luck. Each incident is restricted to a double-page spread, limiting the scope of information and sometimes marginalizing the event. This series may motivate further research. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Mission Impossible titles: Rescue Squad, Spies, Stunt Crews, and Survivors.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Mission Impossible series. Captioned photographs in color and black and white combine with sidebars and straightforward text to introduce a variety of dangerous events in past and recent history that required quick thinking, skill, and a bit of luck. Each incident is restricted to a double-page spread, limiting the scope of information and sometimes marginalizing the event. This series may motivate further research. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Mission Impossible titles: Rescue Squad, Spies, Stunt Crews, and Survivors.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Mission Impossible series. Captioned photographs in color and black and white combine with sidebars and straightforward text to introduce a variety of dangerous events in past and recent history that required quick thinking, skill, and a bit of luck. Each incident is restricted to a double-page spread, limiting the scope of information and sometimes marginalizing the event. This series may motivate further research. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Mission Impossible titles: Rescue Squad, Spies, Stunt Crews, and Survivors.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Countries in Our World series. These volumes provide very general introductions to their title countries. Topics include geographical, economic, environmental, cultural, and political issues, positive and negative, faced by the citizens; useful spreads look ahead to 2020. Abundant photographs (of varying relevance) and sidebars highlight important facts and people. The volumes will be quickly dated. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Countries in Our World titles: Israel in Our World, Japan in Our World, Pakistan in Our World, and South Korea in Our World.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) 4-6 Countries in Our World series. These volumes provide very general introductions to their title countries. Topics include geographical, economic, environmental, cultural, and political issues, positive and negative, faced by the citizens; useful spreads look ahead to 2020. Abundant photographs (of varying relevance) and sidebars highlight important facts and people. The volumes will be quickly dated. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Countries in Our World titles: Israel in Our World, Japan in Our World, Pakistan in Our World, and South Korea in Our World.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) 4-6 On the Edge series. Pipe briefly glosses over eleven journeys of worldwide exploration, beginning with Marco Polo and ending with late-twentieth-century explorers (e.g., "daredevil explorer Steve Fossett" and his around-the-world balloon attempt). Photographs and reproductions provide clear images of the people and places involved, while short sidebars add interest. A "How Daring Are You?" quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) 4-6 On the Edge series. Pipe superficially explores the histories of several dangerous sports, from desert running to skydiving, urban climbing and parkour; notable athletes are also spotlighted. Photographs provide clear images of the people and places, while short sidebars add interest. A "How Extreme Are You?" quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) 4-6 On the Edge series. Pipe superficially explores the history of stock car racing along with providing information about specific auto races and types of cars; notable drivers are also spotlighted. Photographs provide clear images of the people, places, and vehicles, while short sidebars add interest. A "Have You Got What It Takes?" quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) 4-6 On the Edge series. Pipe briefly glosses over eleven dangerous careers, including firefighting, deep sea rescue, and bomb disposal. For some, specific cases are highlighted (e.g., the "Perfect Storm" ship, 2009's Chinese coal mine rescue). Photographs provide clear images of the people in action, while short sidebars add interest. A "Would You Risk It?" quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) 4-6 On the Edge series. Pipe superficially touches on notable storms from around the world (most during the twentieth century), including hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, hailstorms, and dust storms. Photographs show clear images of the storms' aftermaths; short sidebars provide details. A "Would You Survive?" quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) K-3 How? What? Why? series. In each of these series books, four cartoon kids examine questions (How do mirrors work? What are echoes?) and suggest possible explanations. Sequenced experiments test the hypotheses and offer brief explanations; some related questions are answered at the back of each book. It's accurate science, but by not employing a scientific vocabulary, some explanations are simplistic. Ind. [Review covers these How? What? Why? titles: What Is a Shadow?, Why Does a Battery Make It Go?, How Does a Trumpet Work?, and What Makes It Swing?.]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 How? What? Why? series. In each of these series books, four cartoon kids examine questions (How do mirrors work? What are echoes?) and suggest possible explanations. Sequenced experiments test the hypotheses and offer brief explanations; some related questions are answered at the back of each book. It's accurate science, but by not employing a scientific vocabulary, some explanations are simplistic. Ind. [Review covers these How? What? Why? titles: What Is a Shadow?, Why Does a Battery Make It Go?, How Does a Trumpet Work?, and What Makes It Swing?.]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 How? What? Why? series. Simple questions, simple answers, and simple experiments fill the books in this series. In bright primary colors, cartoon-style children pose questions and offer possible explanations, followed by sequenced experiments and brief explanations, with some related questions answered at the back of the book. These books present accurate science, but little effort is made to introduce scientific vocabulary. Ind. [Review covers these How? What? Why? Titles: How Does a Ship Float?, What Does a Wheel Do? Why Does Ice Melt?, and Why Does it Fall Over?. ]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 How? What? Why? series. Simple questions, simple answers, and simple experiments fill the books in this series. In bright primary colors, cartoon-style children pose questions and offer possible explanations, followed by sequenced experiments and brief explanations, with some related questions answered at the back of the book. These books present accurate science, but little effort is made to introduce scientific vocabulary. Ind. [Review covers these How? What? Why? Titles: How Does a Ship Float?, What Does a Wheel Do? Why Does Ice Melt?, and Why Does it Fall Over?. ]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 How? What? Why? series. Simple questions, simple answers, and simple experiments fill the books in this series. In bright primary colors, cartoon-style children pose questions and offer possible explanations, followed by sequenced experiments and brief explanations, with some related questions answered at the back of the book. These books present accurate science, but little effort is made to introduce scientific vocabulary. Ind. [Review covers these How? What? Why? Titles: How Does a Ship Float?, What Does a Wheel Do? Why Does Ice Melt?, and Why Does it Fall Over?. ]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 How? What? Why? series. Simple questions, simple answers, and simple experiments fill the books in this series. In bright primary colors, cartoon-style children pose questions and offer possible explanations, followed by sequenced experiments and brief explanations, with some related questions answered at the back of the book. These books present accurate science, but little effort is made to introduce scientific vocabulary. Ind. [Review covers these How? What? Why? Titles: How Does a Ship Float?, What Does a Wheel Do? Why Does Ice Melt?, and Why Does it Fall Over?. ]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 Read About series. Each book introduces basic facts of history, geography, people, civilization, and religion for new readers. Textbook-like illustrations, some photo re-enactments using models and costumes, and small color photographs of artifacts and ruins accompany the accessible texts. Report writers may need to supplement these volumes with more in-depth studies. Ind.

Reviewer: Sara Pearce

(4) K-3 Each double-page spread in this oversized book explores a group of nocturnal animals ("The Big Cats," "Pouched Prowlers," "Bedtime Bugs," etc.). A busy design crams illustrations of varied quality together with facts about the creatures' adaptations for nighttime hunting and survival. While the information provided in the brief text is mostly substantive, several gimmicky features detract from the presentation. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli