(3) YA Class in America series. This unique series--geared to school reports but with intriguing topics and ideas that go beyond the curriculum--could also provide support for debates and political action for motivated readers. Charts, graphs, archival photos, and contemporary color photos break up the dense information and detailed sidebars. Lots of discussion-starter questions make these books relevant to today's readers. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Class in America titles: The American Middle Class, Being Poor in America, Class and Education, Class and Race, Class Mobility, The Future of Work in America, The Health-Care Divide, and The One Percent.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 News Literacy series. In these brief, textbook-like overviews of media literacy, coverage is largely anodyne. Still, the topics have become increasingly important, and this series offers a good jumping-off point for upper-elementary students to think critically about what they read and see in the news, advertisements, and on social media. Each text includes well-considered assignments for further research, thought, and discussion. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these News Literacy titles: Advertising Overload, The Fake News Phenomenon, How Journalists Work, Uncovering Bias in the News, Why News Matters, and Your Personalized Internet.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Lowery. The Gingerbread Man (The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School etc.) may have met his match in a "magical, mischievous leprechaun pest" who's wreaking havoc at school: "Fo-Fiddley-Fee! / You can't catch me! / For I'm as clever as clever can be." Murray's rhymes are creative and amusing, and Lowery's pencil, screen-printed, and digitally colored panel illustrations are vibrant--with added pops of shamrock-green.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Wild Jobs series. Large, visually appealing color photos accompany short, accessible texts introducing young readers to exciting outdoor careers. Each book describes job details including training, special equipment, and clothing needed; provides a historical highlight; and gives examples of on-the-job scenarios, job rewards, and dangers. A short summary quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Wild Jobs titles: Animal Wrangler, Camping Guide, Cave Explorer, Deep-Sea Fisher, Scuba Diver, and Wildland Firefighter.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) K-3 Wild Jobs series. Large, visually appealing color photos accompany short, accessible texts introducing young readers to exciting outdoor careers. Each book describes job details including training, special equipment, and clothing needed; provides a historical highlight; and gives examples of on-the-job scenarios, job rewards, and dangers. A short summary quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Wild Jobs titles: Animal Wrangler, Camping Guide, Cave Explorer, Deep-Sea Fisher, Scuba Diver, and Wildland Firefighter.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) K-3 Wild Jobs series. Large, visually appealing color photos accompany short, accessible texts introducing young readers to exciting outdoor careers. Each book describes job details including training, special equipment, and clothing needed; provides a historical highlight; and gives examples of on-the-job scenarios, job rewards, and dangers. A short summary quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Wild Jobs titles: Animal Wrangler, Camping Guide, Cave Explorer, Deep-Sea Fisher, Scuba Diver, and Wildland Firefighter.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) K-3 Wild Jobs series. Large, visually appealing color photos accompany short, accessible texts introducing young readers to exciting outdoor careers. Each book describes job details including training, special equipment, and clothing needed; provides a historical highlight; and gives examples of on-the-job scenarios, job rewards, and dangers. A short summary quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Wild Jobs titles: Animal Wrangler, Camping Guide, Cave Explorer, Deep-Sea Fisher, Scuba Diver, and Wildland Firefighter.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) K-3 Wild Jobs series. Large, visually appealing color photos accompany short, accessible texts introducing young readers to exciting outdoor careers. Each book describes job details including training, special equipment, and clothing needed; provides a historical highlight; and gives examples of on-the-job scenarios, job rewards, and dangers. A short summary quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Wild Jobs titles: Animal Wrangler, Camping Guide, Cave Explorer, Deep-Sea Fisher, Scuba Diver, and Wildland Firefighter.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) K-3 Wild Jobs series. Large, visually appealing color photos accompany short, accessible texts introducing young readers to exciting outdoor careers. Each book describes job details including training, special equipment, and clothing needed; provides a historical highlight; and gives examples of on-the-job scenarios, job rewards, and dangers. A short summary quiz is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Wild Jobs titles: Animal Wrangler, Camping Guide, Cave Explorer, Deep-Sea Fisher, Scuba Diver, and Wildland Firefighter.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 Building by Design series. These books focus on four formidable architectural marvels constructed in diverse regions of the world. Each book details a specific building, giving an account of its unique purpose, history, design, construction, and modern use. Budding architects will find the series engaging. Stock photographs, diagrams, direct quotes, and sidebars provide clarity. "Fast Facts" and critical thinking questions are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Building by Design titles: Engineering the Space Needle, Engineering the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Engineering Burj Khalifa, and Engineering the Taj Mahal.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 War Technology series. Alongside general discussion of these major modern wars, the series traces the development of warfare technology, from WWI-era tanks, ships, and guns to drones, PackBots, and cyberwarfare of today's War on Terror. Photographs, sidebars, and infographics add to the serviceable texts, which largely center on the series' core-standards-geared prompts and activities (scattered throughout and appended). Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these War Technology titles: World War I Technology, Vietnam War Technology, World War II Technology, and War on Terror Technology.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 War Technology series. Alongside general discussion of these major modern wars, the series traces the development of warfare technology, from WWI-era tanks, ships, and guns to drones, PackBots, and cyberwarfare of today's War on Terror. Photographs, sidebars, and infographics add to the serviceable texts, which largely center on the series' core-standards-geared prompts and activities (scattered throughout and appended). Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these War Technology titles: World War I Technology, Vietnam War Technology, World War II Technology, and War on Terror Technology.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Lowery. In the fourth Gingerbread Man book, he rises to the challenge of a zoo-animal scavenger hunt. But things go awry when a giraffe mistakes him for food (well, he is food) and the class moves on. Undaunted, the gingerbread man follows the clues and finds his classmates. Murray and Lowery's consistently winning recipe includes bouncy, ear-pleasing rhymes and spry, varied illustrations.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(3) K-3 Seedlings series. This well-designed kindergarten-level series introduces four common dog breeds with friendly texts and lots of attractive, glossy photos. The information is very elementary, but the books are successful introductions to nonfiction for emerging readers. A concluding spread features an anatomically labeled photo of the dog and a couple of close-ups of specific features. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Seedlings titles: Retrievers, Terriers, Beagles, and Bulldogs.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Seedlings series. This well-designed kindergarten-level series introduces four common dog breeds with friendly texts and lots of attractive, glossy photos. The information is very elementary, but the books are successful introductions to nonfiction for emerging readers. A concluding spread features an anatomically labeled photo of the dog and a couple of close-ups of specific features. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Seedlings titles: Retrievers, Terriers, Beagles, and Bulldogs.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Seedlings series. With glossy photos and very simple sentences in large type, these well-designed introductions to military vehicles are suited to emerging readers new to nonfiction. The texts cover the bare essentials, including each vehicle's purpose and notable features as well as basic details of the work being done. A labeled diagram of the vehicle concludes each book. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Seedlings titles: Fighter Jets, Tanks, Armored Vehicles, and Battleships.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Seedlings series. With glossy photos and very simple sentences in large type, these well-designed introductions to military vehicles are suited to emerging readers new to nonfiction. The texts cover the bare essentials, including each vehicle's purpose and notable features as well as basic details of the work being done. A labeled diagram of the vehicle concludes each book. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Seedlings titles: Fighter Jets, Tanks, Armored Vehicles, and Battleships.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 Turning Points series. This well-researched series focuses on crucial moments from recent world history and examines the events, people, and places involved. Crisp, clear, and engaging writing marks all three of these volumes, particularly 9/11, in which the complicated interplay of history and culture is unpacked. Large glossy photographs are included throughout, along with sidebars providing background or expanding on information. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers the following Turning Points titles: The Arab Spring, The 9/11 Attacks, and The End of the Cold War.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) K-3 Big Time series. These biographies briefly introduce readers to each top athlete, including sections on the star's childhood, early sports interest, and career highlights, concluding with a few generic, unsourced quotes. The clean design features a full-page photo on each spread. The simple texts can be uninspired (e.g., "Stephen likes spending time with his family"), but they're appropriate for young fans. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Big Time titles: Alex Morgan, Andrew Luck, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Stephen Curry.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) K-3 Big Time series. These biographies briefly introduce readers to each top athlete, including sections on the star's childhood, early sports interest, and career highlights, concluding with a few generic, unsourced quotes. The clean design features a full-page photo on each spread. The simple texts can be uninspired (e.g., "Stephen likes spending time with his family"), but they're appropriate for young fans. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Big Time titles: Alex Morgan, Andrew Luck, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Stephen Curry.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith