Adorable, full-color photos of unusual animals (mini pigs, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, etc.) give this pet-care series instant browsing appeal. But the comprehensive text, packed with practical, clearly written information, makes these guides excellent resources as well.- Booklist, April 2016  VIEW NOW

A diverse group of cartoon children riding in a hot-air balloon drop in on American cities to see the sights and sample local culture and cuisine. All of the books touch on the title city's history, culture, sports, populations, food, and entertainment but in varying amounts, allowing individual books to focus on what makes each city unique. For instance, Washington D.C. explores many monuments and museums, Orlando theme parks, and Philadelphia early-American heritage. Large, well-captioned contemporary and historical photos illustrate the breezy and fast-paced texts, which average about a paragraph per page. Superimposed cartoon figures of the children tell readers...

Although bridges, the Great Wall, pyramids, and skyscrapers are marvelous feats, the titles in the Engineering Wonders series show how these structures began more as problems to solve than the visions of beauty they became. Filled with accessible text and a plethora of colorful examples from around the world, the individual books address the topic at hand rather than conform to a cookie-cutter series template. Bridges offers the similarities and differences among six types of bridges, including suspension, truss, and cantilever, in addition to important factors to consider—primarily weight—when building a bridge. Great Wall of China describes its symbolism and changing construction under numerous...

Forming opinions and creating cogent arguments are important skills for students to learn, and this series strives to develop these abilities in young readers. Each book centers on a different issue, offers two opposing sides, and asks readers to choose one. The presentation is simple. Each page features two to three sentences, which sometimes take the form of questions (“Is it fair to say a color is just for girls or boys?”). Color photos are used heavily, taking up more space than the text. At the end of each volume is a set of “Writing Tips” (which are more advanced...

The books in the Seeing Both Sides are intended as instructional tools for opinion writing. A teaching page before the table of contents in each book introduces vocabulary and background knowledge, as well as comprehension and extension activities. The back matter includes a page of writing tips for opinion writing, although the tips are not customized for particular issues. The main content of the books presents arguments for and against each issue. Well-chosen stock photos clarify and emphasize the points. Occasionally the issue or question at hand is not well defined, and arguments may lean one way. For example, the...