(4) 4-6 Geography Matters in Ancient Civilizations series. Life in these ancient civilizations is thoroughly explored, with special emphasis on how the physical geography influenced aspects of their cultures including geopolitics, farming, and religion. Superimposed over rather distracting topographical-map backgrounds, main texts and subtopics are treated in question-and-answer fashion, supplemented with many illustrations, photographs, maps, and sidebars. A quiz and research tips conclude each volume. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Geography Matters in Ancient Civilizations titles: Geography Matters in Ancient Egypt and Geography Matters in the Inca Empire.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Geography Matters in Ancient Civilizations series. Life in these ancient civilizations is thoroughly explored, with special emphasis on how the physical geography influenced aspects of their cultures including geopolitics, farming, and religion. Superimposed over rather distracting topographical-map backgrounds, main texts and subtopics are treated in question-and-answer fashion, supplemented with many illustrations, photographs, maps, and sidebars. A quiz and research tips conclude each volume. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Geography Matters in Ancient Civilizations titles: Geography Matters in Ancient Egypt and Geography Matters in the Inca Empire.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) K-3 Plant Parts series. What's inside a flower, fruit, and seed, and why? These books thoroughly explain botany concepts such as how flowers reproduce plants and what attracts pollinators vital to seed production. Activities encourage learning by close observation. Labeled diagrams and cross-sections of plant parts, detailed color photographs with captions, and sidebars crowd many of the spreads. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Plant Parts titles: Flowers and Seeds and Fruit.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Plant Parts series. What's inside a flower, fruit, and seed, and why? These books thoroughly explain botany concepts such as how flowers reproduce plants and what attracts pollinators vital to seed production. Activities encourage learning by close observation. Labeled diagrams and cross-sections of plant parts, detailed color photographs with captions, and sidebars crowd many of the spreads. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Plant Parts titles: Flowers and Seeds and Fruit.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 Your Body by Numbers series. In this well-organized volume, a question-and-answer format is used to present major functions of the human body, the body parts and systems that perform those functions, as well as growth and nutrition. The crammed layouts include fact boxes, color photographs, and diagrams. A set of activities helps readers connect the concepts to their own bodies. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Your Body by Numbers series. Subheadings, charts, graphs, and captioned full-color photographs are gathered with short paragraphs and information boxes to cover anatomy and function of the brain and digestive system. The emphasis on measurable data overwhelms the otherwise solid explanations and makes the text a bit choppy. The appended "Test Yourself" spread poses ten questions and a research challenge. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Your Body by Numbers titles: Your Digestive System and Your Brain.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Essential Life Science series. Each volume features a topic in grade-school life science. Using a question-and-answer format, the books discuss bacteria, viruses, fungi, and the like (Microorganisms); features of organisms that allow for survival (Adaptations); and evolution (Variation). Crammed layouts include fact boxes, color photographs, diagrams, and activities to extend the concepts. There's some misleading language, but the books are useful overviews. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Essential Life Science titles: Microorganisms, Adaptation, and Variation and Classification.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) 4-6 Essential Life Science series. In this well-organized volume, a question-and-answer format is used to present major functions of the human body, the body parts and systems that perform those functions, as well as growth and nutrition. The crammed layouts include fact boxes, color photographs, and diagrams. A set of activities helps readers connect the concepts to their own bodies. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) 4-6 Essential Life Science series. Each volume features a topic in grade-school life science. Using a question-and-answer format, the books discuss bacteria, viruses, fungi, and the like (Microorganisms); features of organisms that allow for survival (Adaptations); and evolution (Variation). Crammed layouts include fact boxes, color photographs, diagrams, and activities to extend the concepts. There's some misleading language, but the books are useful overviews. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Essential Life Science titles: Microorganisms, Adaptation, and Variation and Classification.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Habitat Survival series. Following a brief definition of the habitat, each book details physical and behavioral adaptations that allow plant and animal species to survive in it; more in-depth concepts such as food webs, predator-prey interactions, and human relationships--both harmonious and destructive--with the habitats are also included. Color photographs of the organisms and maps of geographical locales accompany straightforward text. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Habitat Survival titles: Oceans and Deserts.

Reviewer: Devon Johnson

(4) 4-6 Mapping Earthforms series. Readers interested in learning about these geographic landforms will find an abundance of basic information. The writing is clear, with terms defined in context. Each book also includes a discussion of environmental concerns such as global warming and pollution. Well-chosen color photographs accompany the texts, though lengthy captions contribute to a cluttered look. There are four other spring 2007 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Mapping Earthforms titles: Islands, Oceans and Seas, Coasts, Valleys, and Volcanoes.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) 4-6 Mapping Earthforms series. Readers interested in learning about these geographic landforms will find an abundance of basic information. The writing is clear, with terms defined in context. Each book also includes a discussion of environmental concerns such as global warming and pollution. Well-chosen color photographs accompany the texts, though lengthy captions contribute to a cluttered look. There are four other spring 2007 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Mapping Earthforms titles: Islands, Oceans and Seas, Coasts, Valleys, and Volcanoes.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) 4-6 Mapping Earthforms series. Readers interested in learning about these geographic landforms will find an abundance of basic information. The writing is clear, with terms defined in context. Each book also includes a discussion of environmental concerns such as global warming and pollution. Well-chosen color photographs accompany the texts, though lengthy captions contribute to a cluttered look. There are four other spring 2007 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Mapping Earthforms titles: Islands, Oceans and Seas, Coasts, Valleys, and Volcanoes.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow