(4) K-3 Zoom In on Amazing Authors series. This series, which aligns to Common Core Standards, offers beginning readers brief, humdrum introductions to the lives of five well-known children's book creators and one cartoonist (Schulz). While archival photographs add interest, generic stock photos unrelated to the authors or their work (especially in Mayer and Ryan) are less successful. Lists of quick stats and key dates are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Zoom In on Amazing Authors titles: Charles Schulz, Dr. Seuss, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Maurice Sendak, Mercer Mayer, and Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(4) K-3 Author Biographies series. These very brief, accessible, photo-heavy biographies offer high points of the careers of two giants of children's literature (the book was published before Sendak's death). The simple one or two lines of text accompanying each picture act more as captions, without really identifying either what's going on in the photo or why it's relevant to the person's life. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Author Biographies titles: Dr. Seuss and Maurice Sendak.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) YA Who Wrote That? series. Serviceable and detailed but sometimes plodding, these biographies provide extensive information about their subjects' works; since Sendak lacks the illustrator's art, the analysis of his picture books suffers, although the narrative includes controversies. Each volume includes many photos and quotes from interviews. These titles are useful mainly for author report research. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Who Wrote That? titles: Barbara Park and Maurice Sendak.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee