(4) 4-6 Snap Books: Figure Skating series. These slim titles provide introductions to types of popular figure skating. Brief chapters provide basic information about the elements of each skating category, including history of the sport, technique, costuming, competition, and notable teams and stars. The volumes include bulleted lists, fact boxes, varying type and fonts, and captioned photos but lack the grace and style of the subjects. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Snap Books: Figure Skating titles: Synchronized Skating and Ice Dancing.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Mysterious Encounters series. These books present descriptions, histories, personal anecdotes, and in some cases cross-cultural variations on the title topics in three or four digestible chapters. Stock photos and illustrations--some adequate, some cheesy, some unhelpful--break up the texts. Although a few sidebars offer alternative explanations for strange occurrences, the texts tend to present the supernatural as fact. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Mysterious Encounters titles: Time Travel, Burial Grounds, La Llorona, Stonehenge, and The Dover Demon.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) 4-6 Innovators series. Zuckerberg focuses on the Facebook inventor's youth while Greiner and Taylor highlight the contributions of women in engineering and medical research. Though the texts are accessible, the information (especially statistics) will quickly be outdated. Stock photos of varying relevance illustrate the texts. Taylor includes a reading list. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Innovators titles: Doris Taylor, Helen Greiner, and Mark Zuckerberg.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Monsters series. These brief volumes will be appreciated by mythology fans. The texts describe the creatures' origins as well as giving examples from contemporary popular culture (e.g., J. K. Rowling's hippogriff). Illustrations ranging from historical artifacts to movie stills and book covers add interest to the somewhat dry writing. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Monsters titles: Centaurs, Griffins, and The Minotaur.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) 4-6 Monsters series. Each volume presents the history and legends associated with the title creature, including appearances in popular culture and connections to real animals (where applicable) that might have inspired the legends. Stories from different parts of the world are included, which adds interest and context, though the texts can be dry. The range of photographs and illustrations will appeal to readers. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Monsters titles: The Sphinx, The Kraken, Mermaids, and Sirens.