Series Made Simple

Gr 3—9—Designed for struggling readers, this series combines accessible writing, dynamic illustrations, and high-interest topics...

PreS-Gr 2—A few misleading sentences are unfortunately included in these otherwise stellar introductions to scientific topics...

Gr 7 Up—Bridging ancient and modern history, this British import offers examples of exciting assaults and conquests from as early as the days of the samurai to as recently as 2000...

Gr 4—8—This well-written and thoughtfully designed series features engrossing topics, some of which have potential as curriculum tie-ins: a "Great Pyramid Mystery" spread in Ancient Mysteries, for example, discusses the history of the massive structures in Egypt and how nobody knows how they were built, and Disappearances outlines the questions surrounding the Roanoke colony...

Gr 1—3—Pithy blurbs provide an overview of each breed, complementing without overwhelming the highlight of the books: adorable photographs of cats...

K-Gr 2—Warriors are a source of fascination for children, and these titles make historical fighters accessible to students just beginning to read on their own...

Gr 4—6—The short chunks of text that pepper these volumes list notable facts about each of these popular sports...

Gr 4—8—This hi/lo series profiles current stars, giving basic information about their childhoods, how they rose to fame, and the songs for which they are famous...

Gr 2—3—Ridley has done a fairly good job of maintaining vocabulary appropriate to the topics, but these books unfortunately lack pronunciation guidance or introductory material...