(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers series. Each of these engaging biographies introduces readers to the creator of a popular classic kids' toy or game. The texts are generally positive (and overuse exclamation points) but don't ignore difficulties and hardship, both personal and business-related. Captioned photos, archival reproductions, and "Fun Fact" boxes liven up the pages. The topics have ready-made kid-appeal; readers will glean insight into product development and the challenges of running a business. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers titles: American Girl Entrepreneur, Mr. Potato Head Inventor, Monopoly Mastermind, Pokémon Designer, Rubik's Cube Creator, and Yo-Yo Maker.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Innovators series. These volumes focus on contemporary inventors of items or technologies of interest to young people. Biographical sketches accompany information about the inventions, their popularity or uses, and business aspects of the inventors' work. The photographs are often tangential; Tajiri includes no photos of the man himself, and in Kwolek a stock photo of Polish immigrants stands in for her parents. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Innovators titles: Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, Jawed Karim, Satoshi Tajiri, Stephanie Kwolek, and John Lasseter.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee