(4) K-3 Mean Machines series. Each volume consists of double-page spreads showcasing vehicles within the book's category; each profile includes a simple paragraph introducing the vehicle, facts boxes describing individual features, and "Super Stats." There's not much organization or substantive information about how each vehicle works mechanically, but dramatic color photos of the exotic vehicles in action have a lot of appeal. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Mean Machines titles: Extreme Supercars, Racing Supercars, Superboats, and Supercopters.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) K-3 Mean Machines series. Each volume consists of double-page spreads showcasing vehicles within the book's category; each profile includes a simple paragraph introducing the vehicle, facts boxes describing individual features, and "Super Stats." There's not much organization or substantive information about how each vehicle works mechanically, but dramatic color photos of the exotic vehicles in action have a lot of appeal. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Mean Machines titles: Extreme Supercars, Racing Supercars, Superboats, and Supercopters.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) K-3 Mean Machines series. Each volume consists of double-page spreads showcasing vehicles within the book's category; each profile includes a simple paragraph introducing the vehicle, facts boxes describing individual features, and "Super Stats." There's not much organization or substantive information about how each vehicle works mechanically, but dramatic color photos of the exotic vehicles in action have a lot of appeal. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Mean Machines titles: Extreme Supercars, Racing Supercars, Superboats, and Supercopters.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) K-3 Mean Machines series. Each volume consists of double-page spreads showcasing vehicles within the book's category; each profile includes a simple paragraph introducing the vehicle, facts boxes describing individual features, and "Super Stats." There's not much organization or substantive information about how each vehicle works mechanically, but dramatic color photos of the exotic vehicles in action have a lot of appeal. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Mean Machines titles: Extreme Supercars, Racing Supercars, Superboats, and Supercopters.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Wild West series. These books delve into legends and popular lore related to the American West. Brief biographies and vignettes dispel many of the myths surrounding such characters as Jesse James, Belle Starr, Butch Cassidy, and Wyatt Earp. Trailblazing includes accounts of Lewis and Clark, mountain men and fur trappers, and the Alamo. Illustrations and sidebars accompany readable texts on blandly designed pages. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Wild West titles: Gunslingers and Cowboys, Outlaws and Rebels, and Trailblazing the Way West.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Wild West series. These books delve into legends and popular lore related to the American West. Brief biographies and vignettes dispel many of the myths surrounding such characters as Jesse James, Belle Starr, Butch Cassidy, and Wyatt Earp. Trailblazing includes accounts of Lewis and Clark, mountain men and fur trappers, and the Alamo. Illustrations and sidebars accompany readable texts on blandly designed pages. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Wild West titles: Gunslingers and Cowboys, Outlaws and Rebels, and Trailblazing the Way West.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Wild West series. This blandly designed volume chronicles conflicts occurring from the 1600s through the 1880s between Native Americans and European settlers. Significant events--including the massacres at Sand Creek and Wounded Knee and battles at Apache Pass and Little Bighorn--are briefly recounted, identifying causes, personalities, and outcomes. Archival photographs accompany the unvarnished portrayal of this shameful period of American history. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Wild West series. These books delve into legends and popular lore related to the American West. Brief biographies and vignettes dispel many of the myths surrounding such characters as Jesse James, Belle Starr, Butch Cassidy, and Wyatt Earp. Trailblazing includes accounts of Lewis and Clark, mountain men and fur trappers, and the Alamo. Illustrations and sidebars accompany readable texts on blandly designed pages. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Wild West titles: Gunslingers and Cowboys, Outlaws and Rebels, and Trailblazing the Way West.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Find Your Talent series. General directions guide readers through establishing a web presence. Anecdotal snippets about already established and popular sites add interest to the sometimes contradictory text (in Blog: "'wallpapers'...can make text difficult to read" and "brighten up the look of your blog by using...'wallpapers'"). The busy collage-style layout may be appealing to kids willing to scrutinize the pages. Some of the advice seems like common sense. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Find Your Talent titles: Make a Podcast and Start a Blog.

Reviewer: Allison Cole

(4) 4-6 Find Your Talent series. Finding your style, recruiting bandmates, and booking first gigs are among the general steps outlined toward achieving musical stardom. Anecdotal "Early Days" of famous bands make pipe dreams seem possible; the busy collage-style layout may appeal to kids willing to scrutinize the pages. Some of the advice seems like common sense. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Allison Cole

(4) 4-6 Find Your Talent series. General directions guide readers through establishing a web presence. Anecdotal snippets about already established and popular sites add interest to the sometimes contradictory text (in Blog: "'wallpapers'...can make text difficult to read" and "brighten up the look of your blog by using...'wallpapers'"). The busy collage-style layout may be appealing to kids willing to scrutinize the pages. Some of the advice seems like common sense. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Find Your Talent titles: Make a Podcast and Start a Blog.

Reviewer: Allison Cole

(3) YA Creative Workshop series. These how-to books by professional artists will be best appreciated by readers with serious interest and fairly advanced skills. All feature information about tools, materials, and techniques. Oil covers color theory and includes six projects for practice; Fashion discusses anatomy and research; Digital is the most technical, both in terms of concepts and equipment. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Creative Workshop titles: The Fundamentals of Oil Painting, Creative Fashion Drawing, and Digital Art.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Science F.A.Q. series. Questions and answers about earth and its atmosphere are loosely grouped into thirteen categories such as "Make a splash" with information about oceans and rain and "Air we go" about wind and air pressure. A photo or graphic accompanies all four questions on each bright but busy spread. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Science F.A.Q. series. Questions and answers about plant science are loosely grouped into thirteen categories such as "Try this for size" with information about giant redwoods and "Going to extremes" about plants growing in severe conditions. A photo or graphic accompanies all four questions on each bright but busy spread. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Science F.A.Q. series. Questions and answers about various animals are loosely grouped into thirteen categories such as "Yackety-yak," about how animals communicate, and "Fact or fiction?" dispelling legends about animals (e.g., cats having nine lives). A photo or graphic accompanies all four questions on each bright but busy spread. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Science F.A.Q. series. Questions and answers about how various sciences affect everyday objects and occurrences are loosely grouped into thirteen categories such as "Pass the gas" with information about carbonated drinks, and "Changing things" about recycling paper. A photo or graphic accompanies all four questions on each bright but busy spread. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Science F.A.Q. series. Questions and answers about space are loosely grouped into thirteen categories such as "Hey--lighten up!" addressing the northern lights and why stars twinkle and "Up, up and away" with information about space junk. A photo or graphic accompanies all four questions on each bright but busy spread. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Science F.A.Q. series. Questions and answers about the human body are loosely grouped into thirteen categories such as "I beg your pardon" with information about hiccups, burps, and yawns, and "Pass it on" about genetic inheritance. A photo or graphic accompanies all four questions on each bright but busy spread. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) YA Creative Workshop series. These how-to books by professional artists will be best appreciated by readers with serious interest and fairly advanced skills. All feature information about tools, materials, and techniques. Oil covers color theory and includes six projects for practice; Fashion discusses anatomy and research; Digital is the most technical, both in terms of concepts and equipment. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Creative Workshop titles: The Fundamentals of Oil Painting, Creative Fashion Drawing, and Digital Art.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) YA Creative Workshop series. These how-to books by professional artists will be best appreciated by readers with serious interest and fairly advanced skills. All feature information about tools, materials, and techniques. Oil covers color theory and includes six projects for practice; Fashion discusses anatomy and research; Digital is the most technical, both in terms of concepts and equipment. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Creative Workshop titles: The Fundamentals of Oil Painting, Creative Fashion Drawing, and Digital Art.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn