(4) YA Out in Front series. This book starts with the story of Nujood, a Yemeni girl forced to marry at nine, then surveys the broader issue of child marriage and its ramifications, including abuse, health issues, lack of education, and the loss of freedom and civil rights. Despite some misinformation (e.g., "availability of birth control pills beginning in the 1920s"), the detailed narrative and strong accompanying images are powerful. Websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) YA Out in Front series. At fifteen, Grace Akallo was abducted from her Catholic girls' school and spent seven months as a child soldier in a Ugandan militia. Sawyer tells her story of capture, survival, and healing, while a historical overview of child soldiers being used in conflicts helps frame Grace's tale. The clear, structured narrative and moving photographs impel readers' empathy. Websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) YA Peculiar History series. Aretha's examination of the "peculiar institution" of slavery--and acts of resistance from the enslaved--in United States history is wide-ranging and unstinting, but tiny print and murkily reproduced photos and maps do it a disservice. The wealth of well-researched information, including many riveting primary source accounts, would have benefited from a roomier format and better book design. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) 4-6 Out in Front series. This biography of the Pakistani girl who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban provides geographical, historical, and sociopolitical context for Yousafzai's dedication to education activism. Captioned color photographs pair well with the concise and factual text. Important quotes are printed in red, which is difficult to read on some backgrounds. Significant terms are defined in the text. Websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer:

(3) YA Civil Rights Movement series. Black-and-white archival photographs, boxed quotes, and excerpts from notable speeches enhance this series documenting pivotal laws and incidents of the civil rights movement. Each title builds up to the featured event, though Brown more successfully sets the stage with historical context and what follows. Both are well researched additions to library collections. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these The Civil Rights Movement titles: Brown v. Board of Education and Martin Luther King Jr. and the 1963 March on Washington.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) YA Civil Rights Movement series. Black-and-white archival photographs, boxed quotes, and excerpts from notable speeches enhance this series documenting pivotal laws and incidents of the civil rights movement. Each title builds up to the featured event, though Brown more successfully sets the stage with historical context and what follows. Both are well researched additions to library collections. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these The Civil Rights Movement titles: Brown v. Board of Education and Martin Luther King Jr. and the 1963 March on Washington.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) YA Civil Rights Leaders series. Beginning with one of Malcolm X's more notable speeches, this well-researched biography presents his troubled childhood, prison education, rise and fall within the Nation of Islam, and assassination. Black-and-white archival photographs, boxed quotes, and sidebars enhance the readable text, successfully capturing the historical setting, key figures, and rising fervor of the civil rights movement. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA Profiles in Science series. The life of the Nobel Prize–winning scientist, whose major contributions include characterization of radioactive elements and the structure of the atom, is described through detailed descriptions of his early life in New Zealand to his schooling in England, his professorships and scientific research, and the relationships among famous turn-of-the-twentieth-century scientists. Archival photographs and diagrams supplement the dry text. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Devon Johnson

(4) YA Profiles in Science series. This profile of Dalton, an impoverished Quaker, provides a detailed account of his experimental and observational work in many sciences; especially highlighted are his principles of atomic theory, an important development in physical science, as well as insights into the scientific community at the turn of the nineteenth century. Photographs and diagrams supplement the dry text. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Devon Johnson

(4) YA Business Leaders series. Corrigan's focus in this balanced biography is, of course, Jobs's founding of Apple Computer and his revolutionary contributions to information technology. The dense narrative also documents how Jobs's invasive micromanaging led to spectacular successes and equally spectacular failures. The dull page design is off-putting, but stock photos and publicity shots help break up the text. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA World History series. Ancient Indus civilizations are explored in this thorough book. Chapters encompassing multiple aspects of the various cultures, such as language, medicine, and spice trading, are accompanied by pictures and sidebars offering a closer look at specific topics. Quotes from primary sources and historians flesh out additional details. The text is too densely packed with but rich with information. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) YA Modern Music Masters series. These biographies exemplify the diversity and genius of recent American music icons. Brown's compelling story is set in the context of 1960s civil rights struggles and the Vietnam War, while Bernstein's chronicles the development of his whole-body conducting style and rise to international fame amid equally illustrious influences. The books' design, which includes many black-and-white photos, is drab. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Modern Music Masters titles: Proud and Leonard Berstein and American Music.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) YA Modern Music Masters series. These biographies exemplify the diversity and genius of recent American music icons. Brown's compelling story is set in the context of 1960s civil rights struggles and the Vietnam War, while Bernstein's chronicles the development of his whole-body conducting style and rise to international fame amid equally illustrious influences. The books' design, which includes many black-and-white photos, is drab. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Modern Music Masters titles: Proud and Leonard Berstein and American Music.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) YA Xtreme Athletes series. This biography chronicles the rise of "Linsanity"--the wild enthusiasm for the first American-born NBA player of Chinese descent. Both college recruiters and the NBA draft overlooked Lin, but his academic prowess and clear passion for the game helped forge his path to Harvard and then to NBA greatness. Action photographs illustrate the accessible text. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) YA Political Profiles series. Already outdated post–2012 presidential race, this standard-issue biography touches on Romney's childhood, family background, and the trajectory of his business and political careers. Although it tries to be balanced by including some criticisms of Romney, the portrayal is mostly positive, sometimes bordering on biased (Romney's pro–Vietnam War stance is dubbed "patriotism"). Plentiful photos add interest. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA World Writers series. Full of information, these titles explore the personal and professional trajectories of popular authors. Real Courage also delves into the social and political history of the time. The subjects are engaging, but the books would benefit from better organization. The stock photographs are often only tangentially related to the texts. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these World Writers titles: Rick Riordan, Real Courage, and Suzanne Collins.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(4) YA Champion of Freedom series. Color and black-and-white archival photographs (often poorly reproduced), maps, and sidebars combine with a comprehensive text to present an accessible chronological biography of each notable activist. First-hand accounts, drawn from a variety of sources, lend an authentic voice, while the discussion of historical events and figures provides the political and historical contexts that motivated such determination and sacrifice. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Champion on Freedom titles: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Nelson Mandela.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA Champion of Freedom series. Color and black-and-white archival photographs (often poorly reproduced), maps, and sidebars combine with a comprehensive text to present an accessible chronological biography of each notable activist. First-hand accounts, drawn from a variety of sources, lend an authentic voice, while the discussion of historical events and figures provides the political and historical contexts that motivated such determination and sacrifice. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Champion on Freedom titles: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Nelson Mandela.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA World Writers series. Full of information, these titles explore the personal and professional trajectories of popular authors. Real Courage also delves into the social and political history of the time. The subjects are engaging, but the books would benefit from better organization. The stock photographs are often only tangentially related to the texts. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these World Writers titles: Rick Riordan, Real Courage, and Suzanne Collins.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(4) YA Champion of Freedom series. Color and black-and-white archival photographs (often poorly reproduced), maps, and sidebars combine with a comprehensive text to present an accessible chronological biography of each notable activist. First-hand accounts, drawn from a variety of sources, lend an authentic voice, while the discussion of historical events and figures provides the political and historical contexts that motivated such determination and sacrifice. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Champion on Freedom titles: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Nelson Mandela.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale