(4) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Travis loves books--especially those by John Steinbeck. Travis doesn't love his parents' new jobs, their new neighborhood, or the fact that the local library might close. As he and his friends campaign to save the library, they uncover a literary puzzle and helpful ghosts. Much of the mystery is lost because too much is explained. However, earnest appreciation for Steinbeck's California propels the story to a stirring conclusion. Bib.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(4) YA Authors of Banned Books series. Students researching book banning will appreciate this series that reviews historical censorship, provides each author's biography, summarizes the writer's most frequently banned books, and considers current issues related to the author's most famous titles. Several of the same sidebars and stock photos are repeated across volumes, giving the research a cookie-cutter quality. Discussion questions and lists of works are appended. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Authors of Banned Books titles: John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, and Madeleine L'Engle.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) YA Cather's own words are expertly woven into this lively, accessible biography. Photographs of Cather and the people and places she loved set the scene as Meltzer draws connections between the author's life and works, including an honest treatment of her intimate relationships with Isabelle McClung and Edith Lewis. Extensive back matter reveals Meltzer's in-depth research. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 History in Literature series. This series effectively places literary classics in context without simply regurgitating plot and theme. The authors' biographical details are combined with historical and cultural background, some of which is vague (a too-broad overview of the 1930s in Mice) or confusingly anachronistic (a profile of Barack Obama in Mockingbird). All volumes are busily illustrated with numerous maps and archival pictures. Reading list, timeline, websites. There are five other fall 2006 books in this series. Glos., ind. Review covers these History in Literature titles: John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, Willa Cather'sMy Ántonia, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, and George Orwell's Animal Farm.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) YA Understanding Literature series. This biography of Steinbeck intersperses narrative about his life with brief analyses of three influential novels: Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, and East of Eden. Unexciting but fact-filled, the book honestly tackles Steinbeck's failures as well as his successes. Very few black-and-white photos accompany the dense text. List of works, reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) YA People to Know series. Well-known Americans who have achieved success in government, the arts, and popular culture are the subjects of these clearly written biographies. The emphasis is on public success and career growth, never going much deeper to acknowledge idiosyncrasies or personal flaws. Still, the books will be sufficient for those seeking basic biographical information. Illustrated with average-quality black-and-white photos. Time lines are included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta