(3) YA Presidential Powerhouses series. Through these significant presidencies, this thorough series examines crucial periods in America's history: the birth of a fledgling nation, the War of 1812, the Great Depression and WWII, and the dawn of America's "New Frontier." Each president's early life, administration milestones, and ultimate legacy are discussed in detailed chapters filled with maps and period photos or illustrations. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers the following Presidential Powerhouses titles: Franklin D. Roosevelt's Presidency, George Washington's Presidency, John F. Kennedy's Presidency, and James Madison's Presidency.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) K-3 First Look at America's Presidents series. Each highly abbreviated biography of a U.S. president uses a variety of visual and textual elements arranged informally on pages designed to look like cork bulletin boards. The brief, uninspired narratives are supported by photographs or period illustrations with captions and short sidebars in campaign-button graphics. Two famous quotes are appended. There are four other spring 2015 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers the following First Look at America's Presidents titles: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and James Madison.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) 4-6 Women Who Broke the Rules series. Illustrated by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher. Using the theme of rule-breaking to introduce a variety of women, Krull crafts informative and readable biographies. While Krull strives to tell the whole story, certain elements feel out of place or casually thrown in. But the various illustration styles are well matched to their subjects, and for young readers looking for facts about fascinating women, this series fits the bill. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Women Who Broke the Rules titles: Dolley Madison, Judy Blume, and Sonia Sotomayor.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Fact Finders: Cause and Effect series. These books present cursory accounts of two key events of American history. Causes of selected occurrences are presented, followed by the outcomes that resulted and their implications for the future. Numerous sidebars and inserts are sometimes redundant or distracting. Maps, charts, and illustrations accompany the suitable texts. Common Core critical thinking prompts are appended. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Fact Finders: Cause and Effect titles: Mr. Madison's War and Expanding a Nation.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ronald Himler. The story opens with Washington, D.C., burning and Dolley Madison heroically rescuing valuable treasures from the Executive Mansion. The text loses some momentum as it goes back to summarize James's and Dolley's biographies individually, then their meeting and marriage. Information about Madison's presidency and the War of 1812 is also included. Sketchlike illustrations complete the offering. Timeline, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) 4-6 America's Founding Fathers series. Each of these clear, straightforward biographies begins with a chapter highlighting a pivotal moment in each man's career. Following chapters trace the subject's life from childhood to adulthood. Black-and-white archival images and sidebars help to break up and extend the text. These are useful resources for history buffs as well as report writers. Addresses, reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these America's Founding Fathers titles: Gouverneur Morris, James Madison, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin.

Reviewer: Jim St. Claire

(3) YA Supreme Court Milestones series. Five landmark Supreme Court decisions are examined in detail in these books, beginning with the actual incidents that prompted the cases, to the case law preceding it, to the effects of the decision on future laws. The books do a good job of explaining complex legal issues, and all but Roe have a timeline. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Supreme Court Milestones titles: Brown v. Board of Education, The Pentagon Papers, Roe v. Wade, Dred Scott, and Marbury v. Madison.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 United States Presidents series. Each of these mini-biographies opens with a general introduction to its subject; the following chapters (most of which are two pages) skim the surface of childhoods, achievements before and after being elected, and post-presidential work. Historical photographs and illustrations (one per spread), vital statistics, time lines, and "Fun Facts" are included in all the books. Report writers will glean the facts, but not much more. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jackie C. Horne