(4) K-3 On My Own Holidays series. Illustrated by Qi Z. Wang. Each author provides a detailed explanation of the featured holiday or, in the case of Easter, describes how the holiday is celebrated in diverse lands, from Sweden to Ethiopia to Colombia. Some books' illustrations are less accomplished than others, but the short sentences in these thorough offerings are just right for beginning readers. Chinese and Cinco contain glossaries. Review covers these On My Own Holidays titles: Veterans Day, Easter around the World, Chinese New Year, Cinco de Mayo.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Creative Minds Biography series. Illustrated by Qi Wang. These books adequately narrate the major events in the lives of their subjects: Alcott's writing to provide for her family, Mozart's musical precocity, Jones's rise in naval rank and unwillingness to accept defeat, and Whitney's invention of the cotton gin. Black-and-white drawings illustrate the texts, whose styles range from Aller's reasonable fluidity to Allman's rather abrupt account. List of works (Mozart and Alcott). Bib., ind. Review covers these Creative Minds Biography titles: Beyond Little Women, Musical Genius, I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight, and Maker of Machines.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian