(4) YA Digital Issues series. Although the surveys, statistics, and other data will soon be dated, this series is a thorough look at serious concerns of our digital world, from hacking to violent video games to overreliance on social media. Many of the topics overlap and are covered by more than one title. Text boxes, quotations, and stock photos help to break up the dense texts. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Digital Issues titles: Online Predators, Online Security, Online Addiction, Online Entertainment, Online Privacy, and Social Media.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA Deadliest Predators series. After a general introduction titled "Apex Predators," six chapters cover individual types of sharks (great white, tiger shark, spotted wobbegong, etc.). Topics include appearance, habitat, hunting and capturing prey, and threat-level to humans; the text's tone is sometimes reassuring, sometimes gruesome. "At-a-Glance" sidebars are useful for comparison. The dense text is off-putting, but the many photos should fascinate shark fans. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Future of Technology series. With the directness of textbooks, the books in this series explore exciting, interrelated areas of technological innovation with in-depth, straightforward text; clear organization; and well-documented sources. Sidebars contain supplementary information and "Words in Context," a user-friendly alternative to a glossary. Introductory timelines are difficult to navigate, and minimal visual elements and unremarkable covers do little to draw in readers. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers the following Future of Technology titles: What Is the Future of Artificial Intelligence?, What Is the Future of Nanotechnology?, What Is the Future of Drones?, What Is the Future of 3D Printing?, What Is the Future of Virtual Reality?, and What Is the Future of Self-Driving Cars?

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) YA Future of Technology series. With the directness of textbooks, the books in this series explore exciting, interrelated areas of technological innovation with in-depth, straightforward text; clear organization; and well-documented sources. Sidebars contain supplementary information and "Words in Context," a user-friendly alternative to a glossary. Introductory timelines are difficult to navigate, and minimal visual elements and unremarkable covers do little to draw in readers. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers the following Future of Technology titles: What Is the Future of Artificial Intelligence?, What Is the Future of Nanotechnology?, What Is the Future of Drones?, What Is the Future of 3D Printing?, What Is the Future of Virtual Reality?, and What Is the Future of Self-Driving Cars?

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) YA Forgotten Youth series. These volumes chronicle the unfortunate plight of many of today's children. Soldiers focuses on the atrocities occurring in countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where children are forced into military service. Homeless presents statistics and first-person accounts of the struggles of abandoned kids and teens. Incarcerated highlights how prison affects many youths. Photographs, sidebars, and helpful organizations' contact information enhance the dense, serviceable texts. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers the following Forgotten Youth titles: Child Soldiers, Homeless Youth, and Incarcerated Youth.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) YA Collective Biographies series. In each dense collective biography, six brief biographical sketches introduce key figures in magic, science-fiction films, DJing, the internet, young adult literature, or celebrity brand empires. Focusing on select pivotal players demonstrates how creative talent contributed to the meteoric rise of each industry, though the people or material included can be random. Thematic introductions, photographs, sidebars, and pull-quotes add dimension. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers the following Collective Biographies titles: Great Magicians and Illusionists, Sci-Fi Directors, Electronic Dance Music DJs, Internet Entrepreneurs, Young Adult Authors, and Brand Empire Celebrities.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) YA Drug Dangers series. Five text-heavy chapters outline each drug's current popularity, its negative effects, and treatment for and prevention of abuse, using charts, photographs, and sidebars for emphasis. Legalization of medical and recreational marijuana is mentioned only briefly in Marijuana. Alcohol is dense with statistics and studies, while Heroin and Painkillers overlap a great deal. There are four other fall 2016 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers the following Drug Dangers titles: The Dangers of Heroin, The Dangers of Marijuana, The Dangers of Alcohol, and The Dangers of Painkillers.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Issues in Society series. Introductions describe the current status of these drugs in the U.S. Performance-Enhancing largely explores the difficulties of testing professional and amateur athletes and the vagaries of which organizations are responsible for testing. Marijuana emphasizes its dangers rather than presenting a balanced view. Color photos and occasional "Viewpoint" sections add interest to the dense prose and dull, textbook-like layouts. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Issues in Society titles: How Harmful Are Performance-Enhancing Drugs? and Is Marijuana Harmful?.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Cutting Edge Technology series. Numerous current (as of publication) products of biotechnology research and industry are featured in this book. Innovations such as medical robots, assistive devices, artificial organs, and smart sensors, as well as precision medicine, are described in detail, but explanations of the underlying scientific principles are lacking. Photographs of the various devices in development or in use accompany the dense text. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) YA Deadliest Predators series. After a general introduction titled "Born to Be Predators," six chapters cover individual types of mammals (lion, wolverine, honey badger, etc.). Topics include appearance, habitat, hunting and capturing prey, and threat-level to humans; the text's tone is sometimes reassuring, sometimes gruesome. "At-a-Glance" sidebars are useful for comparison. The dense text is off-putting, but the many photos should fascinate fierce-and-furry-creature fans. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Collective Biographies series. Following a brief introduction describing historical obstacles to women's careers in sciences or leadership, each volume profiles six successful women and their rise to influence. Each fairly short bio narrates the ups and downs of its subject's career, and most paint the woman as an encouraging role model. Photographs, sidebars, and pull-quotes liven up the dense, textbook-like presentations. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers the following Collective Biographies: Women Scientists and Inventors and Women World Leaders.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) YA Collective Biographies series. Biographies of six artists whose work represents key moments in the development of comic art demonstrate "the power that cartoonists have to bring both laughter and drama to a mass audience." Occasional photographs, sidebars, and pull-quotes accompany dense texts about the careers of the iconic creators of Peanuts, Doonesbury, Family Guy, The Simpsons, and others; more comics reproductions would be helpful. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) YA Collective Biographies series. In each dense collective biography, six brief biographical sketches introduce key figures in magic, science-fiction films, DJing, the internet, young adult literature, or celebrity brand empires. Focusing on select pivotal players demonstrates how creative talent contributed to the meteoric rise of each industry, though the people or material included can be random. Thematic introductions, photographs, sidebars, and pull-quotes add dimension. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers the following Collective Biographies titles: Great Magicians and Illusionists, Sci-Fi Directors, Electronic Dance Music DJs, Internet Entrepreneurs, Young Adult Authors, and Brand Empire Celebrities.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) YA Teen Guide to Finances series. Introductory concepts about entrepreneurship and personal finance are discussed in these dense texts. The topics, which range from general money management to future-planning, have an overarching theme of fiscal responsibility. The content is strong, but the dull layouts feel dated, and there are too few charts and other visuals to help clarify the concepts. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Teen Guide to Finances titles: Teen Guide to Credit and Debt, Teen Guide to Saving and Investing, Teen Guide to Paying for College, and Teen Guide to Starting a Business.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) YA Forgotten Youth series. These volumes chronicle the unfortunate plight of many of today's children. Soldiers focuses on the atrocities occurring in countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where children are forced into military service. Homeless presents statistics and first-person accounts of the struggles of abandoned kids and teens. Incarcerated highlights how prison affects many youths. Photographs, sidebars, and helpful organizations' contact information enhance the dense, serviceable texts. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers the following Forgotten Youth titles: Child Soldiers, Homeless Youth, and Incarcerated Youth.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) YA Forgotten Youth series. Currie describes the experiences of children who come to America illegally, either with or without their parents. Using statistics and first-person accounts, the presentation documents the difficulties encountered, including fear of detection and deportation, problems involving detention centers, and factors relating to teenagers (e.g., going to college). Photographs and sidebars are included on otherwise text-heavy pages. Helpful organizations' contact information is included. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) YA Teen Guide to Finances series. This volume's basic, age-appropriate information about finding a career and the U.S. income tax system could be helpful for teens entering the workforce. However, the book's dull layout and dense text may make it challenging for teens to access its content, and there are too few charts and other visuals to help clarify the concepts. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) YA Teen Guide to Finances series. Introductory concepts about entrepreneurship and personal finance are discussed in these dense texts. The topics, which range from general money management to future-planning, have an overarching theme of fiscal responsibility. The content is strong, but the dull layouts feel dated, and there are too few charts and other visuals to help clarify the concepts. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Teen Guide to Finances titles: Teen Guide to Credit and Debt, Teen Guide to Saving and Investing, Teen Guide to Paying for College, and Teen Guide to Starting a Business.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) YA Collective Biographies series. Following a brief introduction describing historical obstacles to women's careers in sciences or leadership, each volume profiles six successful women and their rise to influence. Each fairly short bio narrates the ups and downs of its subject's career, and most paint the woman as an encouraging role model. Photographs, sidebars, and pull-quotes liven up the dense, textbook-like presentations. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers the following Collective Biographies: Women Scientists and Inventors and Women World Leaders.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) YA Forgotten Youth series. This dense volume chronicles the plight of children in foster care. The book cites numerous reasons for children entering the system--including parents who cannot or will not care for their offspring--and details children's resultant fear, anger, and confusion. Varied first-person accounts are presented along with statistics about successful and failed adoptions and helpful organizations' contact information. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg