(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. In this quick tour of India, each double-page spread focuses on a different aspect of the country such as its geography, early civilizations, important structures, kingdoms, conflicts, cuisine, religions, arts, and literary traditions. Crowded with good captioned color photographs, this volume makes for better browsing than sustained reading. Ind.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. Photographs by Steve Teague. For each of twenty-nine Shakespeare-related topics, thoroughly captioned illustrations surround a paragraph of text. Presented in loose chronological order, the subjects range from the playwright's birthplace to "country fun" to the Globe Theatre. The colorful photos are mostly of Elizabethan art and artifacts but feature a few live models wearing period clothing. The cramped page layout makes this volume more suitable for browsing than for steady reading. Ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. Mostly double-page spreads detail various aspects of the American Revolution, such as the origins of political unrest; the types of weaponry used; and profiles of individual commanders, spies, and others. Crowded pages teem with high-quality reproductions and photos of individuals, documents, and equipment, however, photos of reenactors aren't identified as such. Ind.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. This is a densely packed but informative guide to Islamic history, customs, beliefs, holy books, architecture, society, and culture. The broadly focused and randomly organized double-page spreads are busy with text blocks, extensive captions, drawings, and color photos. Best for browsing, this volume will be useful as a supplement to more comprehensive treatments. Ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. Two dozen subtopics ranging from Native Americans to snake oil salesmen give an overview of U.S. western expansion. In addition to a summary paragraph, each subdivision is well illustrated, sometimes to the point of crowding, with captioned photographs and occasional maps. The brief treatment and random selection of the material make the book best for browsing. Ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. In association with the Smithsonian, this scrapbook follows the chronology of U.S. presidential history to peek in at the life and times of each first lady. Portraits, photos of some of the outfits on display at the Smithsonian, artifacts of the elections, and special mementos are scrambled together on the busy pages. While superficial, this is suitable for browsing. A list of resources would have been helpful. Ind.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. Written and illustrated in the busy style that is the hallmark of this series, the book combines a concise text, clear color photos, and captions to deliver a broad overview of emergency rescue services. The volume discusses how rescues are performed in the ocean, on mountains, and during wartime as well as the roles played by firefighters, medical workers, and even animals. The layout is unfortunately crowded. Ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. Photographs by Andy Crawford. This overview of the war is presented in double-page spreads that focus on topics such as occupation and resistance, the wartime roles of women, D-Day, the Holocaust, and the atomic bomb. The sheer amount of material presented in the slim volume results in superficial coverage--though the color photos and historic reproductions do make the book browsable. Ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. This busy compendium provides highlights from Super Bowls I-XXXIV and includes snippets of information about trophies, rings, records, glitzy pregame and halftime shows, collectibles, the media, and "super stadiums." Small photos (action shots, pictures of star players and coaches, images of memorabilia) compete for space in each double-page spread, with a paragraph of text and lengthy captions printed in small type. Ind.

Reviewer: Charlotte S. Huck

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. In a series of crowded double-page spreads, this book analyzes some of the major issues surrounding the war (slavery, secession, states' rights) and some related military, social, and political issues (women's roles, medical treatment, Union and Confederate war weapons, and camp life). Colorized archival photos, engravings, and illustrations compete for space with detailed captions printed in small type. Ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books series. Full-page spreads address aspects of epidemics such as what defines one, how infections spread, modern and historical pandemics, and the progress that has been made in dealing with them. The format is the usual striking scattershot of captions and color photos, with reproductions of medieval art, micrographs, and enlarged plastic models of pathogens, but some pages are overly crowded. Ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges