(4) 4-6 Great Escapes of World War II series. Illustrated by Wilson Tortosa. These graphic novels tell gripping tales of escaping the Nazis during WWII: in Outrunning, a Norwegian resistance fighter; in Death Camp, multiple prisoners in a concentration camp. Contrived speech-bubble dialogue is accompanied by historical fact boxes throughout the graphic tellings; comics-style art and layouts work well to depict the intrigue and action intrinsic to these historical events. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Great Escapes of World War II titles: Outrunning the Nazis and Death Camp Uprising.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Shadow Squadron series. Illustrated by Wilson Tortosa & Benny Fuentes. In two fast-paced, easy-to-read episodes, a special ops military unit attempts to infiltrate enemy territory in Afghanistan and Iran to apprehend terrorist suspects threatening U.S. security. Tense computer-game-style illustrations show the Shadow Squadron fighting off enemy attacks; glossaries precede each chapter to define key words. There's no character development, but the high-energy, non-stop action will appeal to the series' fans. Review covers these Shadow Squadron titles: Dragon Teeth and Long Shadow.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Shadow Squadron series. Illustrated by Wilson Tortosa & Benny Fuentes. In two fast-paced, easy-to-read episodes, a special ops military unit attempts to infiltrate enemy territory in Afghanistan and Iran to apprehend terrorist suspects threatening U.S. security. Tense computer-game-style illustrations show the Shadow Squadron fighting off enemy attacks; glossaries precede each chapter to define key words. There's no character development, but the high-energy, non-stop action will appeal to the series' fans. Review covers these Shadow Squadron titles: Dragon Teeth and Long Shadow.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Shadow Squadron series. Illustrated by Wilson Tortosa & Benny Fuentes. Lt. Commander Cross's elite special forces team travels to Yemen to capture an Iraqi bomb-maker (Dark). In Sand, they're charged with rescuing a senator's kidnapped son in Mali. Illustrated with dark, tense artwork, these military adventures are designed to resemble classified military reports, including dossiers on the stock characters, mission briefings/debriefings, and an author interview. Short glossaries ("Com Chatter") precede each action-heavy chapter. Review covers these Shadow Squadron titles: Dark Agent and Sand Spider

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Shadow Squadron series. Illustrated by Wilson Tortosa & Benny Fuentes. Lt. Commander Cross's elite special forces team travels to Yemen to capture an Iraqi bomb-maker (Dark). In Sand, they're charged with rescuing a senator's kidnapped son in Mali. Illustrated with dark, tense artwork, these military adventures are designed to resemble classified military reports, including dossiers on the stock characters, mission briefings/debriefings, and an author interview. Short glossaries ("Com Chatter") precede each action-heavy chapter. Review covers these Shadow Squadron titles: Dark Agent and Sand Spider

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Tony Hawk's 900 Revolution series. Illustrated by Wilson Tortosa. In this thirteenth and last book in the series, the Revolution concludes its worldwide search for the missing fragments of Tony Hawk's mystical 900 skateboard. The final face-off pits the "Revolution against Collective, good versus evil," skating to the ultimate extreme-sport finish. The fast-paced action, dialogue chock-full of skating lingo, graphic-novel insert, and familiar characters will mainly appeal to reluctant readers.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 Tony Hawk's 900 Revolution series. Illustrated by Wilson Tortosa. In Impulse, New Yorker Dylan Crow comes to join the Revolution team--a group of teens united by the special power of Tony Hawk's shattered skateboard. In Exiled, Dylan finds his loyalty questioned by the group, while the Revolution continues to rally against the evil Collective in Lockdown. Short action-filled chapters, dialogue that includes extreme-sports lingo, and graphic-novel sections mid-book will mainly appeal to reluctant readers. Review covers these Tony Hawk's 900 Revolution titles: Lockdown, Impulse, and Exiled.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan