(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Martha Newbigging. This volume explores different aspects of dirt, from its formation and erosion to dirt biking. The casual writing style and many hands-on activities are a draw, but the information is randomly sequenced, forming a jumble of facts and trivia, which makes the book best used for browsing rather than research. Photographs and cartoon illustrations extend the concepts. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Ernie J. Cox

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Martha Newbigging. French's question-and-answer format takes on philosophy ("Why do bad things happen to us?"), religion ("Is there any evidence of life after death?"), science ("Can you clone dinosaurs?"), and ethics ("Should we ever hurt animals?"). Her responses often acknowledge that there may be multiple answers or no clear answers at all. Intriguing but overlong, the book is illustrated with cartoonlike art. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta