(4) 4-6 You Choose: Ancient Greek Myths series. Illustrated by Nadine Takvorian. These two decent adaptations of Greek myths rely on a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure format, which encourages multiple read-throughs to follow the different story paths. This makes for some abrupt transitions, though, as you skip past parts of each myth. Both books include serviceable sepia-toned illustrations. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these You Choose: Ancient Greek Myths titles: Olympians vs. Titans and Hades and the Underworld.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Graphic Library: Universal Myths series. Illustrated by Silvio DB. These books explore central elements of mythology (creation and floods) in civilizations around the world. Eschewing the more familiar biblical and Greek stories, these draw largely from Asian, African, and Native American sources, each book offering a good variety. The graphic-novel format works well with the genre, and the art is colorful and lively. World map included. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Graphic Library: Universal Myths titles: Cleansing the World and Dawn of Time.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Daryll Colins. Each slim volume offers seven chapters of simple sports-related jokes, loosely organized by theme ("Punny Pitchers"; "Rowdy Refs"). There are occasional laugh-out-loud moments among the many groaners throughout the jokes themselves, the cartoony illustrations, and the cornily captioned photos of on-field action. The same "Joke Dictionary" and "How to Tell Jokes" section ("Don't laugh at your own joke") is appended in each volume. Review covers these titles: Sports Illustrated Kids Baseball Jokes and Sports Illustrated Kids Football Jokes.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Daryll Colins. Each slim volume offers seven chapters of simple sports-related jokes, loosely organized by theme ("Punny Pitchers"; "Rowdy Refs"). There are occasional laugh-out-loud moments among the many groaners throughout the jokes themselves, the cartoony illustrations, and the cornily captioned photos of on-field action. The same "Joke Dictionary" and "How to Tell Jokes" section ("Don't laugh at your own joke") is appended in each volume. Review covers these titles: Sports Illustrated Kids Baseball Jokes and Sports Illustrated Kids Football Jokes.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) 4-6 You Choose: Surviving Extreme Sports series. Snow, bitter cold, wild animals, and other physical dangers are omnipresent in these pick-your-path wilderness-survival stories. Readers' choices determine whether the adventure ends successfully or in failure. The narratives highlight the exhilaration and danger of both extreme sports; color photographs sprinkled throughout illustrate the majestic yet harsh environments. An epilogue provides limited contextual background. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these You Choose: Surviving Extreme Sports titles: Surviving Mount Everest and Surviving the Iditarod.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Jake Maddox Sports Stories series. Illustrated by Sean Tiffany. Black-and-white full-page illustrations accompany these hi-lo stories involving talented athletes in tennis (Doubles), football (Punter's), bull-riding (Rodeo), and golf (Secondhand). The message-laden texts highlight the importance of focus and fair play to achieve team victory and accomplish personal goals. The engaging, action-packed stories should appeal to sports enthusiasts. Each book is supplemented by background on the sport, discussion questions, and writing prompts. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox Sports Stories titles: Double Trouble, Punter's Pride, Rodeo Challenge, and Secondhand Slice.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Jake Maddox JV series. Breakneck soccer, football, basketball, and baseball action dominate these message-driven short novels about middle-school boys who learn lessons concerning the importance of doing the right thing for your friends and yourself while seeking the glory of winning. The easy-to-read, engaging hi-lo books also include discussion questions, writing prompts, and interesting facts about each sport. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox JV titles: Block and Rock, Free Throw Fail, Home Safe Home, and Soccer Sabotage.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 You Choose: Ancient Greek Myths series. Illustrated by Nadine Takvorian & James Nathan. These two decent adaptations of Greek myths rely on a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure format, which encourages multiple read-throughs to follow the different story paths. This makes for some abrupt transitions, though, as you skip past parts of each myth. Both books include serviceable sepia-toned illustrations. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers the following You Choose titles: Perseus the Hero and Jason, the Argonauts, and the Golden Fleece.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 1-3 Thud & Blunder series. Illustrated by Pol Cunyat. Thud, a dark-skinned girl, and Blunder, a fair-skinned boy, are nine-year-old knights who accompany a questing knight who loves to dance (Knight) and encounter a dragon with a cold (Dragon). Despite some typos, these transitional chapter books, filled with wordplay and silliness as well as cartoonish art, should find young fantasy fans. Discussion questions and writing prompts are included. Glos. Review covers the following Thud & Blunder titles: The Not-So-Heroic Knight and The Not-So-Deadly Dragon.

Reviewer: Nancy Sheridan

(4) 1-3 Monster Heroes series. Illustrated by Dave Bardin. Four do-gooder monsters--a shy ghost, a beet-juice-drinking vampire, a tofu-eating zombie, and a curse-reversing witch--are loosely joined up in cheesy episodes meant to encourage early readers. The print is large, the chapters are short, and each story's lightweight problem is quickly solved by the "superheroes." Full-color illustrations ensure these characters seem silly rather than scary. Questions and writing prompts are appended. Glos. Review covers the following Monster Heroes titles: The Ghost Trap and Vampires and Veggies.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 1-3 Monster Heroes series. Illustrated by Dave Bardin. Four do-gooder monsters--a shy ghost, a beet-juice-drinking vampire, a tofu-eating zombie, and a curse-reversing witch--are loosely joined up in cheesy episodes meant to encourage early readers. The print is large, the chapters are short, and each story's lightweight problem is quickly solved by the "superheroes." Full-color illustrations ensure these characters seem silly rather than scary. Questions and writing prompts are appended. Glos. Review covers the following Monster Heroes titles: The Ghost Trap and Vampires and Veggies.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) 4-6 National Geographic: Everything series. With Shivani Bhalla. Dynamic photographs heighten this survey of predators great and small. Exploring the vital role of predators in ecosystems, the book describes the physical attributes, behavior, and habitats of myriad predatory species across the land, sea, and sky. While the busy layout can sometimes be visually overwhelming, a wealth of information overcomes this minor flaw. Quizzes and an interactive glossary are included. Reading list. Ind.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) 4-6 National Geographic: Everything series. With Brady Barr. Striking photographs of snakes, lizards, turtles, and alligators bolster this fascinating overview of reptiles. Enlightening text delves into the reptilian life cycle, the diversity of species behavior and characteristics, and the dominance of reptiles in the prehistoric age. The layout is occasionally crowded, but the quality and quantity of information overcome this minor flaw. Quizzes and an interactive glossary are included. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) 4-6 Graphic Library: Science of Sports with Max Axiom series. Illustrated by Caio Cacau. A "super scientist" equipped with gadgets and superpowers explains the physics of familiar sports, deconstructing action shots with "voiceovers" and cutaways that enhance readers' sports knowledge while offering accessible, engaging explanations of key physics concepts. Unfortunately, extraneous information and shoehorned-in narratives dilute the books' usefulness and appeal. Additional sports facts are appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Graphic Library: The Science of Sports with Max Axiom titles: The Science of Football with Max Axiom, Super Scientist and The Science of Hockey with Max Axiom, Super Scientist.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 4-6 You Choose: Fractured Fairy Tales series. Illustrated by Amit Tayal. In these Choose Your Own Adventure–style books, readers take on the protagonist role and follow different fairy-tale-inspired plot lines. Perspectives and genres (e.g., urban fantasy, dystopian future) are varied; endings may be happy or sad; brave choices are typically rewarded, foolish ones punished. The narratives are sufficiently unpredictable to keep readers entertained. Black-and-white comics-like illustrations support the texts. Critical thinking questions are appended. Reading list. Review covers these You Choose: Fractured Fairy Tales titles: Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian

(4) 4-6 National Geographic: Everything series. With Hillary S. Young. Birds of prey, or raptors, are accurately introduced in four major sections of busy double-spreads with catchy headings ("Nest Sweet Nest") and colorful overlapping photos of varying sizes. Colloquial text includes solid bird facts; an ornithologist is also introduced. Interactivity is a priority, especially in the final section, which offers quizzes (one contains errors) and an "interactive glossary." Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 Graphic Library: Ancient Myths series. Illustrated by Estudio Haus. Three ancient myths are retold with energetic American comic book–style art that fits the stories' superhuman action. However, Haus's mix of panels with (and often atop) full-page illustrations hinders the books' visual flow. A limited page count makes Trojan War feel rushed, whereas Hercules and Perseus fit somewhat better within the constraints. "Ancient Fact" boxes supplement the narratives. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Graphic Library: Ancient Myths titles: The Trojan War, The 12 Labors of Hercules, and The Adventures of Perseus.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 You Choose: Modern History series. This Choose Your Own Adventure–style book provides three different paths for readers to follow (e.g., be a Marine during Operation Moshtarak). Though the information is limited, reluctant readers who enjoy the series hook will come away with a sense of the conflict. Photos help break up the text. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 4-6 You Choose: Modern History series. This Choose Your Own Adventure–style book provides three different paths for readers to follow (a child in the lower ninth ward, a store owner in the Lakeview neighborhood, or a firefighter in Biloxi). Though the information is limited, reluctant readers who enjoy the series hook will come away with a sense of the natural disaster. Photos help break up the text. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 4-6 National Geographic: Everything series. Illustrated by Gonazlo Ordoñez & Margaret Salter. With Adrienne Mayor. Though the title suggests you'll learn "everything" about mythology from around the world, really the book provides brief snapshots. Four chapters are subdivided into two-page sections covering various aspects: types of mythologies; specific stories; prominent creatures, figures, and gods; etc. A mix of illustrations, photos, and text boxes on every spread makes for busy visuals. A resources list is appended. Ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo