Reviews+

The debates in these titles center on the benefits and/or problems associated with attempts to circumvent or remedy environmental depredation. The slim volumes don't get deeply detailed; Chambers's dispassionate, generally even-handed approach is realistic about the lack of clear answers to these dilemmas. Relevant photos, graphs, sidebars, and "eyewitness" accounts supplement the narratives. Each book includes a quiz. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Earth Debates titles: Are Humans Damaging the Atmosphere? and How Effective is Recycling?.

These books provide facts about two familiar birds. Reader-friendly spreads offer easy-to-understand information on each bird's habitat, physical appearance, diet, life cycle, and behavior. Close-up photographs are prominently featured throughout. Kid-friendly text, with highlighted vocabulary words, makes the information accessible to young readers. Map. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Backyard Animals titles: American Crows and Hummingbirds.

Andrew J. Russell's job was to "document one of the largest construction projects ever attempted in the United States": the building of a transcontinental railroad. In 1869 he took "The Champagne Photo," famously recording eastern and western track-layers meeting in the middle of the country. In a spacious design, the well-written narrative is illustrated with numerous archival photographs. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.