(3) 4-6 With Ali Fadhil. Eleven-year-old Ali lives with his Christian-Kurdish family in Basra, Iraq, during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Entranced with American television, comics, and video games, Ali is dismayed to be considered the "enemy"; why can't they just kill Saddam Hussein and leave Ali and his countrymen alone? Young Ali's engaging voice and perspective add appeal to this story based on contributor Fadhil's childhood in war-ravaged Iraq.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) YA Dictatorships series. Following a brief history of Iraq, the dense text offers an in-depth look at the life of Saddam Hussein, from his formative years to his rise to power and ultimate downfall. Iraqi life is also explored as well as the country's position in the geopolitical arena during Saddam's reign. Sidebars and photographs provide additional detail. Back matter includes a "Who's Who?" Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) YA Major World Leaders series. Because these biographies concern current political figures, their authors face a difficult evaluation task. The details about Brazil and Iraq are accurate, but the text becomes more rambling in the Morrison volume. He shows, though, that the economic gap in Brazil continues to be challenging, and Shields even-handedly presents events leading to Hussein's capture. Captioned photos and maps illustrate the books. Reading list, timeline, websites (Hussein). Ind. Review covers these Major World Leaders titles: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Saddam Hussein.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 Days That Shook the World series. From circumstances leading up to the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait to the war in Iraq, this well-researched title presents a comprehensive account of the historic event. Despite the tight design, the accessible text, supported by color photos, maps, and text boxes, brings history to life and provides sound background to contemporary events. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA A & E Biography series. While Hussein, Arafat, and bin Laden attempt to provide unbiased biographies of controversial figures, Powell is an adulatory look at the Secretary of State. The books cover childhood and early influences but do not go into much detail about the current "war on terrorism." Some of the photos aren't relevant to the text. Reading list. Bib., ind. [Review covers these A & E Biography titles: Saddam Hussein, Colin Powell, Yasser Arafat, and Osama bin Laden.]

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) YA America at War series. Except for Persian Gulf, all of these books have been updated to include contemporary references (e.g., the United States' improved relationship with Vietnam in the past decade) and supplemental boxes that explore topics such as racism in the military. Although the writing is sometimes dry, the books are inarguably thorough. Drab black-and-white photos appear throughout. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these America at War titles: World War I, Persian Gulf War, Korean War, Vietnam War, and World War II.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Major World Leaders series. Students researching current events will appreciate these volumes about six newsworthy subjects. Workmanlike prose balances biographical details with information--both positive and negative--about how these political figures have led, or continue to lead, their countries. The accompanying color photos are often pallid. Timelines are included. There are six other fall 2002 books in this series. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Major World Leaders titles: Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, Anwar Sadat, Saddam Hussein, Vladimir Putin, and Yasir Arafat.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta