(4) 4-6 Issues in Focus Today series. Short chapters trace the tumultuous history of Islam from the birth of Muhammad in 570 CE to modern times. Topics include religious beliefs and practices and the role of women in Muslim society; the concluding chapter discusses the concept of jihad. Many photographs (a few awkwardly staged), occasional sidebars, and maps illustrate the text. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(4) YA Family tragedy and social injustice haunt fourteen-year-old Allie, who, following her father's death, has moved to her grandparents' home in northern Minnesota, where, in the 1960s, harsh lines divide white and Ojibwe residents. Though the free-verse format seems arbitrary, Allie's voice is strong as she struggles with complex emotions.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(4) YA Diseases and People series. In the books in this series, chapters written in serviceable prose cover definition, history, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and future possibilities for prevention and treatment. Stories of individuals, including public figures, who suffer from the disorders humanize the facts. Grainy black-and-white photos are of dubious relevance. A question-and-answer section and timeline are appended. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Diseases and People titles: Bipolar Disorder, Depression, and Other Mood Disorders; Parkinson's Disease, and Pyromania, Kleptomania, and Other Impulse-Control Disorders.]

Reviewer: Gail Hedges