(3) YA British Library Writers' Lives series. This thorough examination of Dickens provides readers with a clear sense of his life and how it influenced his work--an impoverished childhood and years as a journalist and law clerk provided Dickens with the foundation for novels such as Oliver Twist. Reproductions of letters, manuscripts, photos, and engravings add interest and break up dense text blocks. Reading list, timeline. Ind.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 School Survival Guide series. Clear writing, helpful hints, and a casual tone make this self-help series accessible to upper elementary and middle school students. The volumes on report writing walk readers through the entire writing process from picking an idea to jotting down an outline to proofreading the final draft. The study skills guide includes strategies for organizing time, handling homework, and managing teacher relationships. Answers to sample questions are not included in the test skills volume. Ind.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 School Survival Guide series. Clear writing, helpful hints, and a casual tone make this self-help series accessible to upper elementary and middle school students. The volumes on report writing walk readers through the entire writing process from picking an idea to jotting down an outline to proofreading the final draft. The study skills guide includes strategies for organizing time, handling homework, and managing teacher relationships. Answers to sample questions are not included in the test skills volume. Ind.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 School Survival Guide series. Clear writing, helpful hints, and a casual tone make this self-help series accessible to upper elementary and middle school students. The volumes on report writing walk readers through the entire writing process from picking an idea to jotting down an outline to proofreading the final draft. The study skills guide includes strategies for organizing time, handling homework, and managing teacher relationships. Answers to sample questions are not included in the test skills volume. Ind.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Joel Schick. These secret methods of communication include spoken languages such as Pig Latin, written codes involving alphabet substitutions, and invisible writing techniques. The instructions for creating and deciphering the secret messages are often quite complicated, but an encoded short mystery that runs throughout the book will capture readers' interest and encourage proficiency. The accompanying comic illustrations are dark and poorly reproduced.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta