(4) 4-6 Cultural Atlas for Young People series. Updated by Peter Mitchell. The history, geography, and cultures of these ancient civilizations are briefly introduced in double-page spreads illustrated with maps, photographs, and drawings. The presentation can be disjointed and some complex issues are glossed over, but readers mainly interested in browsing will uncover some fascinating tidbits. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Cultural Atlas for Young People titles: Ancient China, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Maya & Aztec Civilizations, Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Rome, and The Middle Ages.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) 4-6 Witness to History series. After an introduction that defines primary and secondary sources, left-hand pages superficially discuss historical events and right-hand pages provide firsthand accounts from a range of people (Hitler's family's Jewish doctor, a farmer in southern Ulster). The primary source material is this series's asset. The captioned photographs extend the text. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Witness to History titles: The Troubles in Northern Ireland and The Rise of Hitler.

Reviewer: Kate Murphy

(4) 4-6 Turbulent Planet series. Beginning with a clear description of what it is like to experience each natural disaster, these books present an engaging, informative introduction to the origin, prediction and arrival of, and defense against the featured topic. Photos, maps, diagrams, sidebars, personal accounts, and an accessible text fill each busy page, adequately conveying the excitement associated with tumultuous environmental conditions. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Turbulent Planet titles: Wild Water, Shaky Ground, Storm Warning, Violent Skies, Heat Hazard, and White-Out.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Excavating the Past series. This welcome new series highlights the work of archaeologists in deciphering the lives of people through the artifacts they left behind. Religion, the arts, daily life, and history are covered in most volumes. The formats tend to be cluttered, and each spread's "Did you know?" tag line is superfluous, but the numerous photos of artifacts are often fascinating. Reading list, timelines. Glos., ind. Review covers these Excavating the Past titles: The Indus Valley, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, The Viking World, Ancient Rome, and The Aztec Empire.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 20th Century Perspectives series. Each double-page spread in these books focuses on a specific aspect of the causes of the featured war, from the people in power to the backdoor diplomacy that made war inevitable. Although the information is sound, the pages are overcrowded with text boxes, maps, and photographs. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. [Review covers these 20th Century Perspectives titles: The Causes of World War I and The Causes of World War II.]

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 20th Century Perspectives series. In double-page spreads, this overview presents the causes of, personalities involved in, and aftermath of the Russian Revolution. Though the information is sound, the pages are overcrowded with text boxes, maps, and period photographs. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman