(3) YA Tech Titans series. With clean design that reflects the companies they profile, these straightforward, well-organized introductions to technology innovators present the histories, impacts, key players, and controversies. With a focus on narrative and readability, each book compellingly begins with an anecdote about the founders or recent events to demonstrate the company's powerful influence. Sidebars and lots of captioned photographs help break up the texts. There are four other spring 2019 books in this series. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Tech Titans titles: Apple, Facebook, Google, and Twitter.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Cheerleading series. This series offers information about a variety of aspects of the sport, from basic skills and training to the world of competitive cheering and even opportunities for future careers. While accessible for beginners, the books also contain details of interest to experienced cheerleaders. The spirited design successfully blends informative texts with lively color photographs for an appealing presentation. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following SportsZone: Cheerleading titles: Cheer Skills and Drills, Cheer Tryouts and Training, Spirit-Raising Cheers and Chants, Cheer Tools and Gear, Cheer Careers, and Competitive Cheerleading.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) YA Women's Lives in History series. Each book provides biographies of a good number of women--both well-known and lesser-known--who are high achievers in their respective fields. Clear, engaging texts provide context-setting background, and the volumes' clean design includes with many photos and useful sidebars. There are four other fall 2016 books in this series. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Women's Lives in History titles: Women in Science, Women in Politics and Government, Women in Arts and Entertainment, and Women in War.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) 4-6 Ready for Military Action series. These books provide information about different military technologies. Each book covers history, mechanics, tactics, and strategies related to the subject; details about how soldiers use the equipment on the job are also included. Black-and-white and color captioned photos and well-placed sidebars supplement the dry but accessible texts. Distracting critical thinking prompts direct readers to do further research. There are four other spring 2015 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Ready for Military Action titles: Powerful Military Vehicles, Incredible Military Weapons, Fascinating Military Submarines, and Awesome Military Robots.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) YA Essential Library of the US Military series. Each military branch's profile begins with a description of recent successful military initiatives to illustrate the group's mission and scope. Successive chapters effectively trace history, contemporary roles, equipment, and weapons. Career opportunities and basic training are also discussed; a final chapter describes life on the job. Color photos, charts, maps, and informative sidebars enhance the texts. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these US Military titles: The US Air Force, The US National Guard, The Us Coast Guard, and The Us Army.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 ShockZone--True Survival Stories series. Each thin volume shares six to eight (mostly) contemporary stories of extreme survival, including a 2005 grizzly bear attack on a father and daughter and a boy's eight-day ordeal buried in rubble in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Readers will be grabbed by a mix of harrowing details and eye-catching color photographs. The stories and appended safety tips are superficially presented but are nonetheless fascinating. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Shockzone--True Survival Stories titles: Surviving Accidents and Crashes, Surviving Natural Disasters, Surviving the Wilderness, Surviving in Cold Places, Surviving in Wild Waters, and Surviving Animal Attacks.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) 4-6 Great Warriors series. Two of the U.S. military's elite Special Forces units are explored in these volumes. Each book provides a brief history of the units, details past and current missions, and delves into the grueling training it takes to join the Green Berets and Navy SEALs. Color photographs and sidebars provide additional details. "Stop and think" questions promote critical thinking. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Great Warriors titles: Green Berets and Navy SEALs.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 History's Greatest Disasters series. The 1918 pandemic killed millions, but it took researchers decades to identify the culprit as a virus and learn how it spreads to humans. A vaccine wasn't developed until 1944. A matter-of-fact text describes the illness's devastation; archival photos, graphs, and informative sidebars tell their own horrific story. Writing exercises and prompts to visit the publisher's website are intrusive. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman