(4) 4-6 Hero Journals series. Two great military leaders from the ancient world are profiled. Thorough first-person narratives detail their early lives through their rise and fall as generals. The scrapbook layout of maps, illustrations, and photos further supports the journal premise, but the scriptlike font makes reading difficult. A journaling prompt is appended. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Hero Journals titles: Alexander the Great and Hannibal of Carthage.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 The Roman Empire's insatiable appetite for expansion changes the life of a Carthaginian girl. After one terrible day, Sara finds herself enduring a dangerous sea voyage that calls upon her untapped courage and leads, perhaps, to romance. Lawrence doesn't fully succeed in transporting contemporary readers to this particular time and place, but the ancient history details are nonetheless intriguing. Glos.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) YA Ancient World Leaders series. These books delve into historical, social, and political theories specific to each ancient world leader and, where applicable, to today. The texts, though informative, can be dry, and they sometimes jumble the details when explaining military campaigns and battle tactics. Archival photographs and sidebars break up the pages; additional maps, battle plans, and/or illustrations would have been helpful. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Ancient World Leaders titles: Xerxes, Cyrus the Great, Cleopatra, Hannibal, and Darius the Great.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess