(3) 4-6 Abandoned!: Towns Without People series. Despite a rather sensationalized title, this series is genuinely fascinating. Each book traces the history of a now-deserted town, explaining its population boom, possible reasons for decline, and what each abandoned place is like today. With interesting historical and contemporary photos and well-placed sidebars, these are solid places to begin research on some of America's stranger places. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers the following Abandoned! titles: Bodie, Cliff Dwellings, Roanoke Island, and Salton Sea Resort.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(3) K-3 Symbols of Freedom series. These simple, easy-to-read texts begin with an introduction to national parks, then ably present the history of each park, highlighting the plants and animals that live there and showcasing some of the most notable sights. Well-captioned photographs illustrate each volume; maps also add detail to the text. The thoughtful, eye-pleasing design makes navigation easy. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Symbols of Freedom titles: Mesa Verde National Park, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Denali National Park and Preserve, Everglades National Park, Yosemite National Park, Death Valley National Park, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(4) 4-6 Events That Shaped America series. This overview attempts to cover the history of a people who disappeared seven hundred years ago, discussing how the culture evolved from a nomadic to agrarian society and the impact of farming on daily life. The book's brevity lends itself to misleading information, and the details tend to get lost in the big picture. Boxed quotes and sidebars help break up the text, illustrated with photographs. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) YA National Parks Mystery series. In a set-up too reminiscent of Wolf Stalker (the series opener), Jack and Ashley, along with Lucky, a teenage foster child, accompany their veterinarian mother on her latest mission: to investigate cougar attacks in Mesa Verde National Park. Anthropological details about the ancient cliff dwellers are woven into the narrative, and Jack's showdowns with a cougar and with Lucky--whom he both likes and mistrusts--make for a riveting read.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 How It Was series. Contrary to the series title, the history is fairly sketchy in these volumes, but readers will gain an understanding of the physical surroundings and way of life at these landmarks. After a brief chapter that does cover some history, each book features the fictionalized thoughts of six individuals, including a newly converted Chumash Indian girl, a cliff dweller, and one of Thomas Jefferson's slaves. Well-chosen color photos and floor plans complement the texts. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman