(2) K-3 Illustrated by Merrilee Liddiard. During WWII, Sam and Keiko's class is knitting socks for U.S. soldiers. Before Keiko's family is sent to an internment camp, kindly Keiko leaves behind a note and a pair of hand-knitted socks for Sam's soldier brother. Sam (whose family is Jewish) determinedly makes a scarf to mail to Keiko in return, the phrase come home safely taking on new meaning for him. Many of the border-framed illustrations aptly look like vintage photographs. Appended with information about internment camps.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) 4-6 Foundations of Our Nation series. These books briefly outline sequential events that led the Colonies to seek independence from Great Britain. Following a basic format, each volume describes the historic occurrence and the principal characters involved; the inclusion of primary source material is valuable. Sidebars, drawings, maps, and photographs add to the readable texts. "Stop and think" questions invite student input. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Foundations of Our Nation titles: The French and Indian War, The Boston Massacre, The Boston Tea Party, and The Declaration of Independence.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Alice Coachman dreamed of athletic success as a "never-sit-still girl" in Depression-era Georgia. Her high-jumping career took off in high school, and in 1948 she became the first black female to win Olympic gold. The drama of Malaspina's free-verse telling is mirrored by Velasquez's emotive oil paintings. Appended archival photographs and an author's note expand the inspirational story. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Steve James. Susan B. Anthony's fight for women's suffrage is documented in accessible free verse that focuses on her November 1872 arrest for voting and her 1873 trial. At times the realistic illustrations (mostly portraits) verge on caricature. Text of the Fourteenth and Nineteenth Amendments introduce the story. An author's note and archival reproductions provide more information. Bib.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Doug Chayka. In Bangladesh, young Yasmin and her little sister, Mita, must work hard wielding their hammers, breaking old clay bricks into pieces to make new roads. Yasmin earns enough extra money to buy a book and convinces her parents of the importance of reading and education. Rich-hued oil paintings show the busy city streets of Dhaka and the family's small home. Reading list. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Susan Keeter. Malaspina sets the scene in Revolutionary War–era America, beginning with George Washington leading "his ragged Continental Army." She then shifts to the life of African American poet (and former slave) Wheatley, culminating in her sending a tribute poem to Washington and having him read it. The text is a little choppy, but the events, shown in vivid oil paintings, are engaging. Reading list.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Colin Bootman. A class assignment makes African American Louis curious to know more about Abraham Lincoln as a boy. It's the segregated South, and Louis is denied entrance to the library. However, a kind white librarian helps him complete his task. The sequence of events isn't totally convincing, leading up to a rather pat ending. Bootman's warm-hued paintings add life to the tale. Reading list.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(4) YA Tobacco: The Deadly Drug series. This series investigates adverse health effects and other aspects (physiological, social, psychological) of tobacco use by teens. Personal accounts and other examples (as well as many statistics) illuminate issues such as addiction, depression, and peer pressure. Photographs of teens engaging in typical activities should help readers connect to the messages; the hokey cartoons throughout will not. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Tobacco: The Deadly Drug titles: No More Butts, But All My Friends Smoke, Born to Smoke, But Smoking Makes Me Happy, False Images, Deadly Promises, Thousands of Deadly Chemicals, Smokeless Tobacco, and Teenagers and Tobacco.

Reviewer: Claudia Harrington DeShay

(4) YA Creation of the Modern Middle East series. These books (most revised and updated) are straightforward histories of Middle Eastern countries (though the area's volatility makes the series immediately out of date). The texts are dry, but they do an adequate job of providing background. Useful maps delineate the region's geography, and the many photographs add interest. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Creation of the Modern Middle East titles: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA Reform Movements in American History series. This series examines the history of specific reform movements of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, in addition to the political and social issues surrounding the changes. Each book explores the movement's background, principal personalities, successes and failures, and current status. The dense texts are enhanced by archival photographs, drawings, and informative sidebars. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Reform Movements in American History titles: The Family Values Movement, The Ethnic and Group Identity Movements, The Civil Rights Movement, The Labor Movement, The Progressive Movement, and The Women's Rights Movement.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 In World History series. This is a competent biography of Mao and the Chinese Revolution, focusing not just on his tyranny but also on his success with education and medical reforms. Black-and-white photographs and excerpts from Mao's poetry and speeches help to break up the text, which occasionally lacks transitions between paragraphs. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(3) 4-6 In World History series. Epitomizing his own era as have few others, Gandhi makes an excellent subject for this series. From his years in South Africa to his return to India as a national hero, his example of nonviolence led to India's independence from Britain and a worldwide awareness of the plight of the poor; the book, illustrated with black-and-white photos, offers plentiful information about this progression. A time line is included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) YA Overview series. These well-researched volumes, illustrated with small black-and-white photos, offer in-depth discussions. Spills examines both the highly publicized and little-seen ways oil enters the environment, its effects, and clean-up practices and preventive measures. Wilderness explores the environmental movement, the national park system, struggles between commercial and conservation groups, and the future of wilderness management. Spills contains a glossary. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(3) YA Overview series. An informative survey explores children's rights in a variety of issues, such as mainstreaming and tuition vouchers at school, child abuse in the home, and the legal rights of juveniles in the legal system. The balanced text is strengthened by appropriate citations of court decisions. Editorial cartoons and black-and-white photographs illustrate the volume. A list of organizations to contact is included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.