(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Drawing Mash-Ups series. Illustrated by Stefano Azzalin. Learn how to draw animals (cat, tortoise) and legendary monsters (minotaur, werewolf) that assume human or machine characteristics (gymnast cat, bread-baking werewolf). These how-to books include step-by-step instructional sketches for thirteen "mash-ups" each that progress from sketched shapes to detailed colored pictures. An introduction encourages creativity and experimentation and offers suggestions about different media to use including pastels or chalk. Reading list. Review covers these Edge Books: Drawing Mash-Ups titles: Draw Amazing Animal Mash-Ups and Draw Scary Monster Mash-Ups.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Drawing Mash-Ups series. Illustrated by Alan Brown. Learn how to draw animals (cat, tortoise) and legendary monsters (minotaur, werewolf) that assume human or machine characteristics (gymnast cat, bread-baking werewolf). These how-to books include step-by-step instructional sketches for thirteen "mash-ups" each that progress from sketched shapes to detailed colored pictures. An introduction encourages creativity and experimentation and offers suggestions about different media to use including pastels or chalk. Reading list. Review covers these Edge Books: Drawing Mash-Ups titles: Draw Amazing Animal Mash-Ups and Draw Scary Monster Mash-Ups.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Sports to the Extreme series. Broad overviews of two categories of increasingly popular extreme sports provide a sense of the physical skill and specialized equipment needed to participate in them. Each book also touches on both the risks and the rush involved in sports such as rock climbing, sand kiting, BASE jumping, wingsuit flying, etc. A large color photo appears opposite each block of accessibly written text. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Sports to the Extreme titles: Extreme Air Sports and Extreme Land Sports.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Sports to the Extreme series. Broad overviews of two categories of increasingly popular extreme sports provide a sense of the physical skill and specialized equipment needed to participate in them. Each book also touches on both the risks and the rush involved in sports such as rock climbing, sand kiting, BASE jumping, wingsuit flying, etc. A large color photo appears opposite each block of accessibly written text. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Sports to the Extreme titles: Extreme Air Sports and Extreme Land Sports.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Drones series. Remote-controlled aircraft have many purposes; those roles include helping agribusiness and the military and providing entertainment. Accompanied by color photographs, each book describes several types of drones, discussing their form, function, and mechanical systems. Multiple sidebars provide additional information without cluttering the layout. Technical terms defined on the page allows for easier readability. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Drones titles: Military Drones, Recreational Drones, and Agricultural Drones.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Drones series. Remote-controlled aircraft have many purposes; those roles include helping agribusiness and the military and providing entertainment. Accompanied by color photographs, each book describes several types of drones, discussing their form, function, and mechanical systems. Multiple sidebars provide additional information without cluttering the layout. Technical terms defined on the page allows for easier readability. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Drones titles: Military Drones, Recreational Drones, and Agricultural Drones.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Military Technology Timelines series. Various military vehicles and equipment are profiled in two-page sections presented in chronological order. An additional timeline along the lower margin shows where each vehicle fits in historically. The limited texts suffer from some inconsistent descriptions; photos and real-life anecdotes in sidebars add helpful context. Though the information here is very basic, it's appropriate for third- and fourth-grade military enthusiasts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Military Technology Timelines titles: A Timeline of Fighter Jets and Bomber Planes, A Timeline of Helicopters, and A Timeline of Military Robots and Drones.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Military Technology Timelines series. Various military vehicles and equipment are profiled in two-page sections presented in chronological order. An additional timeline along the lower margin shows where each vehicle fits in historically. The limited texts suffer from some inconsistent descriptions; photos and real-life anecdotes in sidebars add helpful context. Though the information here is very basic, it's appropriate for third- and fourth-grade military enthusiasts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Military Technology Timelines titles: A Timeline of Fighter Jets and Bomber Planes, A Timeline of Helicopters, and A Timeline of Military Robots and Drones.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Military Technology Timelines series. Various military vehicles and equipment are profiled in two-page sections presented in chronological order. An additional timeline along the lower margin shows where each vehicle fits in historically. The limited texts suffer from some inconsistent descriptions; photos and real-life anecdotes in sidebars add helpful context. Though the information here is very basic, it's appropriate for third- and fourth-grade military enthusiasts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Military Technology Timelines titles: A Timeline of Fighter Jets and Bomber Planes, A Timeline of Helicopters, and A Timeline of Military Robots and Drones.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Investigating Natural Disasters series. These volumes provide superficial coverage of the basic terminology associated with the underlying science of two types of natural disasters: earthquakes (plate tectonics) and tornadoes (thunderstorms). Major historical events, scientific tools, and practical safety tips are included, along with dramatic photographs and diagrams. Fact sidebars and captions offer additional related information. Common Core–related questions are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Investigating Natural Disasters titles: Investigating Earthquakes and Investigating Tornadoes.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Investigating Natural Disasters series. These volumes provide superficial coverage of the basic terminology associated with the underlying science of two types of natural disasters: earthquakes (plate tectonics) and tornadoes (thunderstorms). Major historical events, scientific tools, and practical safety tips are included, along with dramatic photographs and diagrams. Fact sidebars and captions offer additional related information. Common Core–related questions are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Investigating Natural Disasters titles: Investigating Earthquakes and Investigating Tornadoes.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Cutting-Edge Robotics series. After an introduction about robots or drones working their magic in a real-life scenario, each text covers the history of the featured "bots" and the technologies behind them; a final chapter offers a balanced look into the future. Clear prose is complemented by relevant captioned photos and well-placed sidebars. A challenging but instructive project is appended. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Cutting-Edge Robotics titles: Drones and Flying Robots, Humanoid Robots, Law Enforcement Robots, and Robot Competitions.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Cutting-Edge Robotics series. After an introduction about robots or drones working their magic in a real-life scenario, each text covers the history of the featured "bots" and the technologies behind them; a final chapter offers a balanced look into the future. Clear prose is complemented by relevant captioned photos and well-placed sidebars. A challenging but instructive project is appended. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Cutting-Edge Robotics titles: Drones and Flying Robots, Humanoid Robots, Law Enforcement Robots, and Robot Competitions.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Cutting-Edge Robotics series. After an introduction about robots or drones working their magic in a real-life scenario, each text covers the history of the featured "bots" and the technologies behind them; a final chapter offers a balanced look into the future. Clear prose is complemented by relevant captioned photos and well-placed sidebars. A challenging but instructive project is appended. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Cutting-Edge Robotics titles: Drones and Flying Robots, Humanoid Robots, Law Enforcement Robots, and Robot Competitions.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Cutting-Edge Robotics series. After an introduction about robots or drones working their magic in a real-life scenario, each text covers the history of the featured "bots" and the technologies behind them; a final chapter offers a balanced look into the future. Clear prose is complemented by relevant captioned photos and well-placed sidebars. A challenging but instructive project is appended. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Cutting-Edge Robotics titles: Drones and Flying Robots, Humanoid Robots, Law Enforcement Robots, and Robot Competitions.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Circus Science series. Written in consultation with a postdoctoral physicist, these titles explore physics concepts integral to the circus. Short narrative paragraphs provide exciting introductions to various circus stunts and brief explanations of, for example, force and displacement in glass-walking (prominent safety disclaimers are included). Simple hands-on science experiments encourage further exploration. Attractive layouts and color photos invite sequential reading or random browsing. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Circus Science titles: Contortion, German Wheels, and Other Mind-Bending Circus Science and Fire Breathing, Sword Swallowing, and Other Death-Defying Circus Science.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Real-Life Dragons series. Flying dragons--named after the mythological creature--are lizards that leap, spreading broad skin flaps like wings and sailing through treetops in Southeast Asia. The book discusses how they "fly," what they eat, their life cycle, and steps to protect these vulnerable reptiles. This volume of the high-interest series includes eye-catching close-up photographs of the flying dragons in action. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Circus Science series. Written in consultation with a postdoctoral physicist, these titles explore physics concepts integral to the circus. Short narrative paragraphs provide exciting introductions to various circus stunts and brief explanations of, for example, force and displacement in glass-walking (prominent safety disclaimers are included). Simple hands-on science experiments encourage further exploration. Attractive layouts and color photos invite sequential reading or random browsing. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Circus Science titles: Contortion, German Wheels, and Other Mind-Bending Circus Science and Fire Breathing, Sword Swallowing, and Other Death-Defying Circus Science.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Top Secret Files series. This book describes some lesser-known aspects of the Great War, with emphasis on secret plots and pacts, weapons, spies, and technology. Each topic, mainly illustrated with black-and-white photographs, is briefly covered; fact sidebars and definitions of technical terms provide supplemental information. The last chapter is an unfortunate hodgepodge of topics. Critical thinking questions using the Common Core are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Boredom Busters series. Omoth presents eight activities to help children keep busy outside. Each project features large color photographs, materials list (consisting mostly of household items), and step-by-step instructions. Unfamiliar words are defined, and the book gives appropriate "Safety First" warnings when actions require adult supervision. A wide variety of creative and entertaining activities are included. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler