Fusion

Gr 9 Up—This book does an excellent job of delivering complex information, including background on the theories, applications, devices, and future of fusion. Beginning in the first chapter, which offers information on hydrogen fusion in the Sun and big bang nucleosynthesis, to the final section that explores the International Tokamak Experimental Reactor and the Demonstration Power Plant, this dense volume contains plenty of detailed facts. Clear diagrams and color photos break up the text, and sidebars highlight people and topics such as theoretical physicist Hans Bethe and "The Invention of the Laser." The information is presented in a straightforward way, but due to the complex topic and the depth of the text, this volume will not appeal to casual readers. However, as there is little out there for high school students studying fusion, this work will fill a void for science enthusiasts and report writers.—Elizabeth Kahn, Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy, Jefferson, LA