Reviews+

This biography for new readers highlights the iconic African American baseball player in stilted (though easy to digest) text that does not provide the depth of understanding required to appreciate his accomplishments. Large well-chosen photographs in an expansive page design add most of the interest; an appended timeline basically repeats the main text. Glos., ind.

Taking a multicultural approach, these generalized volumes provide overviews of life in different geographic locales. The brief texts and captioned photos touch on what's unique to the specific regions; Desert and Mountain unintentionally highlight stark economic contrasts between the U.S. and other parts of the world. Each book includes a world map, appended "Fun Facts," and a quiz. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Places We Live titles: Living in a City, Living in a Desert, and Living on a Mountain.

Information about each of these objects in the universe, along with the tools scientists use to investigate them, are presented in odd layouts that appropriate the iconography of a mobile app or website. More impressive are the excellent images of galaxies, stars, and planetary bodies presented on dark backgrounds. Each book also contains an activity; their quality varies. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Across the Universe titles: Asteroids, Comets, Galaxies, Moons, Planets, and The Sun.