(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. In this third installment (Full Steam Ahead!; Go Green!), mice twins Sydney and Simon each create moon-related science projects for a school contest to meet their astronaut hero. Their efforts only succeed when the twins work together to combine science with creativity. Short chapters effortlessly incorporate moon facts, while full-color ink and watercolor-wash illustrations round out this informative STEAM story. Glos.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) 4-6 Real Lives series. Women covers courageous females who "challenged society's ideas about what women can achieve"; Heroes includes both men and women "whose deeds and words made the world a better place." Both books include thirty-six one-page profiles, each facing a pop art–style portrait of the subject; the attractive layouts use bold, bright-colored backgrounds. These introductory collective biographies could spark deeper research. Ind. Review covers these Real Lives titles: Fearless Women and Unsung Heroes.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Mice Sydney and Simon (Full Steam Ahead) use STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Science) skills to address pollution at their school: they make a sculpture out of trash and build their own musical instruments with which they record an inspirational song about recycling. Cartoony, neon-colored illustrations add verve to the informative story, which offers kids a constructive approach to environmentalism. Glos.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Mice Sydney and Simon plan to enter their flowers in the big show, but their plants are wilting with no means to water them. Using creative STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Science) skills, the twins learn how the water cycle works on Earth and at home and avoid a plant-wilting disaster. Whimsical illustrations add humor to the informative story. Glos.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Each student receives an identical vehicle-building kit for the Going Places contest. Rafael and Maya collaborate ("the instructions never said we couldn't team up") and triumph with their unconventional contraption ("who said it HAD to be a go-cart?"). It's curious how a simple tool kit yields a plane, but the thinking-outside-the-box message is strong and the bright illustrations are full of momentum.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen