(2) K-3 Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. "On a North Carolina farm, massive towers with moving parts spin and sound in the breeze. Did space aliens create these contraptions?" At the opening of this picture-book biography, a tangle of colors and shapes and a burst of visual onomatopoeia ("WHIRR, CREEEAK. Plink, plink") introduce readers to the plucky machinist and inventor Vollis Simpson (1919–2013) and his "whirligigs." The narrative shows how his childhood interest in the mechanics of objects established his career path: "Vollis aimed to make machines work better." Illustrations add to the down-home feel of the story while helping readers visualize some of Simpson's more original improvements, such as a wind-powered washing machine invented during WWII using parts from a downed B-29 bomber. An injury in his sixties forces Simpson to close his machine-repair shop and ultimately propels him, "bored as a two by four," to begin making the colorful whirligig windmills that will become his legacy. Color and sound ("Whistle, Whir, BOING, BOING") keep the story energetic and busy to match the spirit of its subject, and the illustrations become ever more fanciful as Simpson's windmill farm grows. Back matter includes an author's note, a bibliography, and the lyrics to "Vollis Simpson's Windmill Farm" (to the tune of "Old MacDonald").

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(3) Illustrated by Helena Perez Garcia. Starting with her abusive home life, this lyrical picture-book biography of a pathbreaking woman meteorologist explains the pervasive sexism she faced getting an education during the 1940s and conducting her revolutionary research into cumulonimbus clouds. Due to her persistence, a previously dismissive male mentor had a change of heart and gave her computer time to build a mathematical model of cloud motion that "sparked an entire branch of science." Full-bleed illustrations in muted pastels straddle the literal and metaphorical (an illustration of her receiving her doctorate has her "flying higher than the clouds themselves"); an author's note, bibliography, timeline, and three archival black-and-white photos relay further facts.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 4-6 Pop Culture Bios: Superstars series. These biographies of young actors and musicians chronicle their subjects' lives and careers in casual, conversational text that will appeal to tweens. Each book touches on its star's struggles (Lovato's eating disorder, Thorne's dyslexia), introduces industry lingo (callback, one-hit wonder), and features plenty of glossy photos. Fans probably won't learn anything new in these superficial profiles. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Pop Culture Bios: Superstars titles: Bella Thorne, Carly Rae Jepsen, Cody Simpson, The Wanted, Demi Lovato, and Victoria Justice.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 4-6 The seventeen-year-old Australian musician humbly describes his life thus far, including his past as a competitive swimmer, his close relationship with his family, and what it's like to play concerts around the world ("Touring with Justin Bieber was a dope experience"). The book's text is repetitive and cliché-ridden, but there are certainly enough photos of this "surf-isticated" star to gratify fans.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Biography Library: Women in Science series. Beginning with a brief introduction and summary of accomplishments, each blandly written title presents a chronological biography of an influential female scientist. Captioned archival and stock photographs complement the superficial if accessible texts; challenges and controversies as well as successes are included. Reluctant readers may benefit from the high-interest, low-vocabulary approach. A follow-up activity encourages further study. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Biography Library: Women in Science titles: Rachel Carson, Joanne Simpson, Mae Jemison, and Antonia Novello.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA Crime Scene Investigations series. This series examines the skills, resources, technologies, and determination needed to solve crime, with an emphasis on the collaborative efforts between law-enforcement agents and forensic scientists, when applicable. Sidebars and photographs shed light on evidence gathering and interpretation, notable cases, career information, and statistics. The writing is dense, but readers interested in criminal justice will appreciate the level of detail. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Crime Scene Investigations titles: Poisoning, The O. J. Simpson Murder Trial, Computer Hacking, and The Case of the Zodiac Killer.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA Headline Court Cases series. Five noted trials--two from the nineteenth century and three from the twentieth--are recounted in formulaic fashion. The utilitarian texts provide background on the accused and their alleged offenses, describe arguments on each side of the case, examine the verdict, and explain the aftermath and its impact. The books are illustrated with sometimes overly dark black-and-white photos and reproductions. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Headline Court Cases titles: The Alger Hiss Communist Spy Trial, The Mary Surratt "Lincoln Assassination" Trial, The Court-Martial Trial of West Point Cadet Johnson Whittaker, The O.J. Simpson Murder Trial, The Trial of Gangster Al Capone.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta