(4) 4-6 Great Minds of Science series. Featuring innovative scientists, several from underrepresented groups, these biographies discuss childhood interests, study, diligence, and professional achievements, from tobacco farmer Banneker's almanac to Earle's underwater research and publications. Some effective primary material linked to online resources is included; frequent integrative questions and prompts may distract general researchers. Many photos and diagrams illustrate the text, though the pale-yellow-type captions aren't optimal. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Great Minds of Science titles: Charles Drew, George Washington Carver, Sylvia Earle, Jane Goodall, Charles Darwin, and Benjamin Banneker.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(2) YA When the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic strikes, seventeen-year-old Cleo responds to a call for volunteers from the Red Cross. She comes face-to-face not just with the invisible menace of the disease but also with anti-German sentiment and the mortality of her friends and loved ones. The setting of this novel, with meticulous but unobtrusive details, is remarkably realized.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2014

(4) K-3 American Red Cross founder (and Polacco's ancestor) Clara Barton's childhood is chronicled. Davie protects and teaches his little sister, especially when she's ridiculed for her lisp. But gentle Clara loves and understands nature and becomes recognized as a healer early on. Polacco's sunny illustrations underscore the sibling affection and Clara's compassion; invented dialogue and lack of concrete resources bring into question the sentimental story's validity.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Military Heroes series. Filled with photographs and archival illustrations, this series presents a range of famous and lesser-known people involved in U.S. military history. In addition to standard biographical details, the texts also examine controversies and career flops as well as successes; sidebars provide historical context. Though the writing is on the bland side, the texts are useful for reports. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Military Heroes titles: Samuel Houston, Benjamin O. Davis Jr., George S. Patton, Clara Barton, John McCain, and Colin Powell.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) K-3 Amazing Americans series. With minimal, easy-to-read texts, these biographies touch on a few key points in each notable American's career. Roosevelt focuses on his early life, so it's not obvious what made him an "amazing" president; the contributions of Barton and Carson are clearer, though greatly simplified. Stock photographs (some oddly colorized) are featured opposite the text on each spread. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Amazing Americans titles: Amazing Champion of the Earth Rachel Carson, Amazing Civil War Nurse Clara Barton, and Amazing President Theodore Roosevelt.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(3) 4-6 Americans--The Spirit of a Nation series. Archival photographs, maps, primary sources, and well-documented citations combine with comprehensive texts to provide worthy biographies of two American icons. These titles sort fact from fiction and show the passionate determination that established Barton's and Poe's places in history. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Americans--The Spirit of a Nation titles: Edgar Allan Poe and Clara Barton.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) K-3 Heroes of American History series. Although their brevity sometimes interferes with a nuanced interpretation of history (as when Ford maintains that "FDR did not want America to go to war"), these books tell enough of the story for elementary school students to grasp the importance of their subjects. Many captioned illustrations break up the text, helping young readers better visualize the historic events. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Heroes of American History titles: Clara Barton and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 World Watch series. These balanced introductions, presenting global organizations' successes and failures, raise issues for reflection, class discussion, and further investigation. Each group's history, mission, and challenges are discussed. Captioned color and black-and-white illustrations and text boxes supplement the brief but informative text. Directory, reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these World Watch titles: The Red Cross Movement, UNICEF, and World Health Organization.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read: Stories of Famous Americans series. Illustrated by Simon Sullivan. Barton's childhood, her early life helping soldiers during the Civil War, and her founding of the American Red Cross are briefly detailed in this biography for emergent readers. The information is sound, but the illustrations are awkward, and at times Barton looks grotesque, as if Sullivan is ramming home the reference to her homeliness made in the text. Timeline.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) K-3 Photo-Illustrated Biography series. Occasionally dry but easy to read and understand, these simple biographies adequately retell each subject's life story and contribution to society. Archival photos and reproductions enhance the text; however, the images are occasionally paired with boxed quotations, while the captions confusingly appear on the opposite pages. Timeline, websites, reading list. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Photo-Illustrated Biography titles: Clara Barton, Helen Keller, John Adams, and Rosa Parks.]

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) K-3 Checkerboard: Everyday Heroes series. Both of these books provide information on the history and work of organizations dedicated to serving the nation (National Guard) or the world (Red Cross). Useful for school reports, the fairly dry books contain brief texts organized into chapters, as well as contemporary photographs and archival material. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Checkerboard: Everyday Heroes titles: The National Guard and The Red Cross.]

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow