(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. This revised and updated book covers different sides of three major immigration issues: legal immigration, illegal immigration, and calls for English to be made the official language of the United States. Attempts to balance the issues limits the degree of depth, which is disappointing. Sidebars about relevant court decisions and questions to the reader help break up the text. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. These books explore arguments on both sides of complex contemporary issues. Authors cover the main points surrounding legal precedent, constitutionality, and moral considerations of gambling or the punishment of sex offenders. Sidebars include important court cases, relevant laws, and history of the issues. The writing is clear but dense. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Point-Counterpoint titles: Sentencing Sex Offenders and Legalized Gambling.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. These books explore arguments on both sides of complex contemporary issues. Authors cover the main points surrounding legal precedent, constitutionality, and moral considerations of gambling or the punishment of sex offenders. Sidebars include important court cases, relevant laws, and history of the issues. The writing is clear but dense. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Point-Counterpoint titles: Sentencing Sex Offenders and Legalized Gambling.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Do recent changes to bankruptcy laws help or hurt consumers? This volume argues both sides of issues surrounding current bankruptcy law. The subject is more arcane than other series entries and will require a high level of background knowledge. Still, the information is balanced. Occasional charts and sidebars break up the dense text. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Should immigrants in the United States have the same legal rights as citizens? Biddle presents both sides of three arguments concerning legal rights of immigrants, as related to legal counsel, detention, and immigration/deportation hearings. The text, though dense, is balanced. Occasional charts, sidebars, and maps help break up the pages. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. In this revised and updated volume, Hudson presents arguments for and against smoking bans, restrictions on tobacco advertising, and lawsuits against tobacco companies. The text, though dense, is balanced, and debate students will find it useful. The dull format is enlivened by occasional stock photographs, maps, and "From the Bench" sidebars that explore related court decisions. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Should blog writers be given the same protections as traditional journalists? Hudson explores such related issues as free speech and blogging. Specific questions are examined through two essays presenting opposing points of view. The subject is of particular interest to older students, and the book includes solid information, but dense writing won't hold their attention. Sidebars and occasional photos break up the text. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Following an introduction that includes a brief history of the topic, Marzilli explores arguments on both sides of the issues surrounding drugs and sports (e.g., media coverage, Congressional involvement). The dense text won't call to pleasure readers, but its presentation makes it well suited to high school debaters. Occasional sidebars and photographs of sports figures help spice things up. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Should the United States act boldly to protect itself, or does a preemptive war do more harm than good? Is the death penalty fair and/or effective? These revised and updated volumes present both sides of complex issues surrounding capital punishment and the war on terror. The texts are clear but dense. Occasional stock photographs and sidebars break up the pages. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Point-Counterpoint titles: Capital Punishment and The War on Terror.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Should the United States act boldly to protect itself, or does a preemptive war do more harm than good? Is the death penalty fair and/or effective? These revised and updated volumes present both sides of complex issues surrounding capital punishment and the war on terror. The texts are clear but dense. Occasional stock photographs and sidebars break up the pages. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Point-Counterpoint titles: Capital Punishment and The War on Terror.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Sherrow tackles three contentious issues surrounding food safety including use of pesticides, development of genetically modified foods, and regulation of the meat and poultry processing industries. The information, presented from opposing points of view, is current, but the dense, dry writing and textbook-style layout are off-putting. Some sidebars and photographs break up the pages. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. This series uses a debate format to explore contemporary issues. For example, one chapter in the book on euthanasia argues for state bans on physician-assisted suicide, and the following chapter argues that such a ban prolongs patients' suffering. The writing is solid but dense; personal stories and some photographs enliven the textbooklike presentation. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Point-Counterpoint titles: The Right to Die and Prisoners' Rights.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. This series uses a debate format to explore contemporary issues. For example, one chapter in the book on euthanasia argues for state bans on physician-assisted suicide, and the following chapter argues that such a ban prolongs patients' suffering. The writing is solid but dense; personal stories and some photographs enliven the textbooklike presentation. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Point-Counterpoint titles: The Right to Die and Prisoners' Rights.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Each book in this series argues both sides of a contemporary issue. Women in the Military, for example, includes two chapters on ground combat: one arguing that women shouldn't fight, the other asserting that women have the right to do battle alongside men. Each volume uses personal stories and some photographs to enliven the dense, textbook-style presentation. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Point-Counterpoint titles: Educational Standards, Private Property Rights, and Women in the Military.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Focusing mainly on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Marzilli explores issues surrounding disaster relief including the responsibility of federal and local governments and the efficacy of the National Flood Insurance Program. The information is sound, but the dense text is off-putting. Some sidebars and photographs break up the pages. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. High-school debate students researching regulation of drug companies will find a good deal of information here. The text explores opposing viewpoints on issues related to drug manufacturing, marketing, and government regulation. The presentation is dry, but the information is solid (although likely to go out of date quickly). Some sidebars and a few photographs break up the dense text. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Ruschmann explains the history of Miranda rights before presenting arguments for and against protecting the rights of suspected criminals. The writing is solid, and the author does a fair job making a complex issue understandable. The debate format poses somewhat artificial constraints on the presentation, but the book is a strong starting place for research. Some photographs and sidebars are included. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Each book in this series argues both sides of a contemporary issue. Women in the Military, for example, includes two chapters on ground combat: one arguing that women shouldn't fight, the other asserting that women have the right to do battle alongside men. Each volume uses personal stories and some photographs to enliven the dense, textbook-style presentation. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Point-Counterpoint titles: Educational Standards, Private Property Rights, and Women in the Military.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. Each book in this series argues both sides of a contemporary issue. Women in the Military, for example, includes two chapters on ground combat: one arguing that women shouldn't fight, the other asserting that women have the right to do battle alongside men. Each volume uses personal stories and some photographs to enliven the dense, textbook-style presentation. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Point-Counterpoint titles: Educational Standards, Private Property Rights, and Women in the Military.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Point-Counterpoint series. In this volume structured as a debate, readers learn about some of the issues surrounding adult stem-cell research, embryonic stem cells, cloning of stem cells, and emerging technologies. The writing is clear, if dense, and the book will be a solid starting place for research (though with the issue's topicality, the facts may be quickly out of date). Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth