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K-3
Zoom In on Pioneering Explorers series.
These biographies highlight the groundbreaking accomplishments of three twentieth-century adventurers: astronauts Armstrong and Jemison and oceanographer Cousteau. Aligning to Common Core Standards, the volumes contain scant information in brief, mundane statements. The accompanying archival photos highlight the subjects' bravery. Lists of quick stats and key dates are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Zoom In on Pioneering Explorers titles: Jacques Cousteau, Mae Jemison, and Neil Armstrong.
48 pp.
| Enslow/Elementary
| January, 2014
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-4231-5$23.93
(4)
4-6
Inventors at Work! series.
Highlighting mainly lesser-known inventors of well-known products, these books straightforwardly relate the history, science, process of discovery, and the challenges each person faced in developing his or her invention. The accurate but sometimes fragmented narratives are supplemented by photos, sidebars, diagrams, and a four-page appendix about how to develop an innovative idea into an invention. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Inventors at Work titles: The Chocolate Chip Cookie Queen, Scuba Man, The Coolest Inventor, Microwave Man, The Woman Who Invented Windshield Wipers.
32 pp.
| ABDO
| September, 2013
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-61783-966-5$18.95
(4)
4-6
Great Explorers series.
Each title successfully establishes historical setting, current knowledge, and unanswered questions, setting the stage for profiling the featured explorer. Stock photographs, maps, and archival images combine with dry texts to provide adequate, straightforward biographies of these men and the legacies that defined their work, whether it was trading with the East, mapping the world, or studying the depths of the ocean. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Great Explorers titles: Captain Cook, Ferdinand Magellan, Christopher Columbus, and Jacques Cousteau.
40 pp.
| Knopf
| March, 2009
|
TradeISBN 978-0-375-85573-3$16.99
(2)
K-3
Yaccarino's picture book biography uses sinuous shapes and a retro fifties palette to evoke the beauty of Cousteau's watery domain. With spot quotations from the man himself, the text succinctly numbers his achievements. Gouache and airbrush paintings go far to convey the allure of the deep, while lots of variety in picture size and page layout keeps the book dynamic. Reading list, timeline.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2009
32 pp.
| Chronicle
| June, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8118-6063-5$16.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Éric Puybaret.
Cousteau's aqualung invention and camera skills allowed him to share "the inside of the sea" with the rest of the world. This biography of the French oceanographer/filmmaker/environmentalist focuses on his lifelong passion for the ocean. The fluid, lyrical text is enhanced by dreamy, mesmerizing illustrations in teal-blue and mustard-yellow tones. An author's note provides more information (although no dates are included).
(3)
4-6
Sterling Biographies series.
Attractive layouts and numerous images of photos, paintings, documents, etc., (e.g., Armstrong's high school yearbook entry) make for engaging, easy-to-approach biographies. Each volume begins by detailing a significant moment (Alamo for Crockett, moon landing for Armstrong, underwater anniversary party for Cousteau) then backtracks to the subject's birth to continue the detail-rich narrative. Sidebars flesh out historical contexts and important contemporaries. Source notes. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Sterling Biographies titles: Neil Armstrong, Jacques Cousteau, and Davy Crockett.
48 pp.
| Mitchell
| September, 2002
|
LibraryISBN 1-58415-112-9$$17.95
(4)
4-6
Unlocking the Secrets of Science series.
Although these books lack documentation for quotations, they reliably relate the contributions of their subjects to science and technology. The authors begin with a pivotal anecdote, then follow a chronological path through the men's lives and contextualize their discoveries and inventions. Black-and-white photos supplement the texts. There are six other fall 2002 books in this series. Bib., glos., ind.
112 pp.
| Lerner
| July, 2000
|
LibraryISBN 0-8225-4979-4$$25.26
(4)
YA
A & E Biography series.
These biographies offer straightforward information about their subjects in accurate, if adulatory, packages. Illustrated mostly with low-grade black-and-white photos, along with a few color photos, these books generally afford serviceable, well-documented introductions to their subjects. Crazy Horse, Cousteau, and Gandhi contain time lines; Gates, Sagan, and Gandhi contain glossaries. Bib., ind.