(4) 4-6 Poisons of Caux series. Illustrated by Jennifer Taylor. In this labyrinthine sequel to The Hollow Bettle, apothecary and "Noble Child" Ivy must find the door to Pimcaux and prevent evil Vidal Verjouce from obtaining scourge bracken; if he does, "Caux's green earth will be reduced to ash." The adventure is imaginative and exciting, though in the end, it feels a bit like a wild goose chase.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser

(4) YA Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series. This series ender intertwines death threats against Vlad with battles between humans and vampires with "taco Tuesdays" and girlfriend drama. Employing short, repetitive sentences for dramatic emphasis, Brewer reveals Vlad to be "human. And a vampire. And the Pravus" (of prophecy). Fans will appreciate this climactic volume in the histrionic high school vampire series.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser

(4) 4-6 Navigators series. This classroom-friendly volume describes information that is known, believed, discovered, or invented about dinosaurs. The many supporting visuals--full-bleed background pictures, various types of digital images, sidebars, and call-out boxes--take up every space and angle for an eye-catching if difficult-to-follow presentation. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser

(4) K-3 Explorers series. Illustrated by Peter Bull. Double-page spreads cover the basics about this vast subject, including the seasons and climates, clouds, precipitation, and global warming. Second and third graders will find the sound-bite information interesting and the diorama-like digital illustrations lively. A gimmicky "choose your own journey" feature complicates things unnecessarily. Ind.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser

(4) YA Hackers and parkour enthusiasts Danny and Omar compete against a Facebook group and a manuscript conservationist to find ancient gold. Through credulity-stretching strokes of luck, the boys, in the end, manage to get one bar of gold to pay off their debts. The plot line is hackneyed, but the story's unrelenting action, including vividly described parkour stunts, may appeal to reluctant readers.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser

(4) 4-6 Navigators series. These classroom-friendly volumes describe rainforests' and oceans' geographies, histories, and ecologies, in addition to ongoing preservation efforts. The many supporting visuals--full-bleed background pictures, various types of digital images, maps, sidebars, and call-out boxes--take up every space and angle for an eye-catching if difficult-to-follow presentation. Glos., ind. Review covers these Navigators titles: Oceans and Seas and Rainforests.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser

(4) K-3 Explorers series. Double-page spreads cover animal basics, including habitats, homes, care of young, and survival. Second and third graders will find the sound-bite information interesting and the diorama-like digital illustrations lively. A gimmicky "choose your own journey" feature complicates things unnecessarily. Ind.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser

(4) 4-6 Navigators series. These classroom-friendly volumes describe rainforests' and oceans' geographies, histories, and ecologies, in addition to ongoing preservation efforts. The many supporting visuals--full-bleed background pictures, various types of digital images, maps, sidebars, and call-out boxes--take up every space and angle for an eye-catching if difficult-to-follow presentation. Glos., ind. Review covers these Navigators titles: Oceans and Seas and Rainforests.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser

(4) YA Katey attends the Game--a video-game-centric school run by corporations and located in a mall. She's intrigued by encounters with a rebel group called the Unidentified and falls in with their leader. Readers may enjoy the story's punchy language and its many technological references (Facebook, iPods, Twitter, etc.); however, the stakes never rise high enough for Katey’s mission to feel that important.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser

(4) YA Shecter begins with the premise that although everyone "from Shakespeare to Hollywood" has turned Cleopatra into a silly vixen, she was actually a heroic, brilliant woman. The teen-aimed narration is engaging and accessible but becomes a little grating (e.g., "Little bro and his advisors had a cow over being left behind"). Many artistic reproductions and maps help elucidate Cleopatra's history. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser

(4) 4-6 Navigators series. This classroom-friendly volume condenses thousands of years of Egyptian history and culture. The many supporting visuals--full-bleed background pictures, various types of digital images, sidebars, and call-out boxes--take up every space and angle for an eye-catching (if difficult-to-follow) presentation. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tori Funkhouser