(4) K-3 Super SandCastle: Amazing Inventors & Innovators series. Seven innovative thinkers and their history-making inventions are introduced in uncomplicated biographies for early readers. Each slim overview provides a cursory outline of the subject's life in ample archival photos illuminated by large-print text. A final question closes the gap between history and the present in each volume: "Who do you talk to on the telephone?" "What do you like to take pictures of?" Glos. Review covers these Super SandCastle: Amazing Inventors & Innovators titles: Alexander Graham Bell, George Eastman, Henry Ford, Samuel Morse, Thomas Edison, and The Wright Brothers.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Super SandCastle: Amazing Super Simple Inventions series. Each collection of activities explores the engineering principles and design features of historically important technological innovations in transportation, communication, and imaging. After background information about each invention, its principal innovator, and a timeline of development, readers can follow clear directions (illustrated with photos) to create their own prototypes from common items--a string phone and a balloon-powered car, for instance. Glos. Review covers these Super SandCastle: Amazing Super Simple Inventions titles: Super Simple Aircraft Projects, Super Simple Automobile Projects, Super Simple Camera Projects, Super Simple Phonograph Projects, Super Simple Telegraph Projects, and Super Simple Telephone Projects.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 History Maker Bios series. Each book in this series presents basic biographical material about an important figure in science or industry. The lackluster text is enhanced by plentiful black-and-white archival photos and period reproductions; unnecessary cartoonlike illustrations in color detract from the overall design. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these History Maker Bios titles: George Eastman, Albert Einstein, Milton Hershey, The Wright Brothers, Marie Curie, and Thomas Edison.]

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(4) YA Historical American Biographies series. Although formulaic (each volume in this series begins with a dramatic in medias res moment from the subject's life and ends with a chapter detailing his or her historical legacy), these books contain solid biographical information. The main texts balance personal and professional facts; sidebars offer intriguing supplemental matter. The books are illustrated with black-and-white photos. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Historical American Biographies titles: Carry A. Nation, Harry Houdini, William Tecumseh, Henry Ford, and George Eastman.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta