(4) YA People in the News series. From politicians to actors to world leaders, these biographies provide mostly adulatory portrayals of their subjects (with the exceptions of Castro and Kim Jong Il); occasionally something controversial slips in to spice up the texts. Each volume includes biographical information, photographs, and career highlights (through 2008). Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these People in the News titles: Salma Hayek, Nancy Pelosi, Al Gore, Coretta Scott King, Pope Benedict XVI, Fidel Castro, and Kim Jong Il.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA Modern World Leaders series. This series, part history and part biography, challenges readers to consider the concept of leadership by placing the featured individual in a historical context. Each title includes childhood experiences, rise to power, significant historical events, international relationships, and political ideology. Captioned photographs provide additional perspectives and break up the intimidatingly dense texts. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Modern World Leaders titles: Ehud Olmert, Felipe Calderón, Roh Moo Hyun, and Kim Jong Il.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA Dictatorships series. These books about two Asian dictators first present histories of their countries before exploring the men's own backgrounds and regimes in greater depth. The texts are dense; strong graphic design with a bold, contemporary look including well-placed sidebars and photographs makes these books visually appealing and accessible. Thorough backmatter includes a "Who's Who?" Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Dictatorships titles: Kim Jong Il's North Korea and Mao Zedong's China.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) YA Major World Leaders series. Solid if impersonal introductions to five men who have played varying roles in the modern era, these volumes provide a good deal of historical background alongside the life stories of these contemporary leaders. Karzai is the liveliest book. Photographs help to break up the text. There are no source notes for quotations. Chronology, reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Major World Leaders titles: Gerhard Schroeder, Fidel Castro, Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, and Hamid Karzai.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt