(4) YA Living History series. This series emphasizes social history and forefronts family life, community organization, religious practices, education systems, and inventions. Pull-out boxes define some words, but a glossary would have been helpful. Translated snippets from famous texts are short and useful, whereas the illustrations are perfunctory at best. Each volume is adequately researched, offering standard information and perspectives. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these Living History titles: Life During Medieval Times, Life During the Roman Empire, and Life in Ancient Mesopotamia.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) K-3 History Opens Windows series. Focusing on the details of everyday life (food, family, buildings, children), this updated series serves as an adequate introduction to past cultures for younger readers. The bright design and engaging illustrations, which include artifacts, period artwork, and photographs, may be enough to hold readers' attention despite the rather sterile texts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these History Opens Windows titles: Ancient West African Kingdoms, The Aztecs, The Incas, The Indus Valley, The Maya, The Sumerians, and The Vikings.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 4-6 Understanding People in the Past series. In short double-page chapters, these better-than-serviceable histories cover many different aspects of life in the Mayan and Sumerian civilizations and during the Middle Ages, including government, religion, medicine, agriculture, family, education, trade, and warfare. The spreads are attractive, featuring many illustrations, maps, and sidebars. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Understanding People in the Past titles: The Maya, The Sumerians, and The Middle Ages.]

Reviewer: Pamela McCuen

(4) 4-6 Science of the Past series. Ancient ideas about astronomy, medicine, animal and plant classification, and mathematics are clearly, if briefly, discussed. Color photos and reproductions illustrate the books, which cover so much information that some major figures, such as Plato and Aristotle, are barely mentioned. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Howard