Reviews+

Gr 3—6—This series is sure to be as popular as the subjects themselves...

Gr 6—8—Like the "How They Made Things Work!" series above, this one tackles innovations from ancient cultures, but here they are grouped together by type rather than by area or period...

Gr 3—5—Representing just the tip of the iceberg—there are currently more than 900 official World Heritage Sites—-these quick introductions convey a sense of the vast range of places that have been designated by UNESCO's World Heritage Centre as being significant to our world and its cultures, and the almost equally huge range of challenges conservationists face in preserving them...

Gr 8 Up—Well written and well researched, each title describes the characteristics of a monster: its origins in literature or lore, its physical appearance, instances in which people believe they interacted with it, and hoaxes...

Gr 5—8—Scientific theories and laws are thoroughly defined and put into context with plenty of background and historical knowledge...

Gr 1—3—This series covers some kid favorites and the pictures pop off its glossy pages, but it has no further appeal...

K-Gr 2—These introductions present mammals that are generally active at night, with short comments on their habitats, feeding habits, defenses, birth and growth of young, and average lifespan for creatures that successfully "stay safe...

Gr 4—8—From gross-out goodies—mummification, sewers, early water closets—to everyday, familiar items, such as screws and books, these titles show how ideas and inventions changed the way things were done...

Gr 9 Up—A common sentence opens the introductions to the titles in this series, stating that, "The history of civilization is essentially the story of human beings understanding and manipulating matter...