Series Made Simple

These starter biographies offer brief descriptions (with one to three sentences per page) about important Native American figures; historical art and photos as well as contemporary scenic photos accompany the sparse texts. Only very cursory details about each subject is offered, but the series may serve as an adequate introduction for younger readers. Lists of quick stats and key dates are appended. Glos., ind.

Piles of widely varied sandwich ideas await young "sandwich savants" in these quirky cookbooks. Themed by filling type, each volume's recipes are kid-friendly and use fairly common ingredients kids may find laying around the kitchen. Sandwich facts and tips (in unfortunately tiny type) adorn the jam-packed pages; cartoony illustrations make the sandwiches look tasty.

Each series volume contains four short sections of facts about a particular shark species, focusing on physical features, life cycles, and eating habits. The final two pages contain an anatomy diagram and details about the shark's relationship with people. Captioned color photographs on brightly colored pages support the text and feature plenty of ferocious open mouths without being too gory. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

This series clearly explains engineering principles through hands-on projects. Six-page introductions define each engineered structure, briefly describing its construction, uses, and different types. Five or six activities follow, and "Digging Deeper" sidebars expand on the science involved. Simple directions, inexpensive materials lists, and plenty of helpful photographs make this series a good choice for budding engineers. Each book concludes with a three-question quiz. Glos.

These introductory texts emphasize primary sources in the telling of history. Photographs of the modern-day locations, historical documents, maps, and paintings enhance the texts, which detail each individual's voyages, his place in the age of exploration, and broader historical context. Frequent questions encourage readers to make modern connections and question the morality of the explorer's choices. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

This series centered on makerspaces should give middle-grade makers, crafters, and hobbyists fresh ideas to spark their creative imaginations. Framed with a boilerplate introduction to makerspaces and standard safety messages and materials lists, each volume offers stepped project directions illustrated with clear photos; useful "tip" sidebars appear throughout. Younger crafters may need some adult help, but they'll be motivated. Glos., ind.

These starter biographies have fact-driven texts illustrated with uncaptioned photos (or historical art in [cf2]Washington[cf1]). The choppy writing is easy to read, but the volumes provide little in the way of substantive background about these First Ladies. Appended lists of quick stats and key dates may be helpful when writing reports. Glos., ind.

While ostensibly introducing young kids to seasons and the colors observable during each, this series' obvious marketing makes it more of an advertising campaign for the familiar crayon brand. Each volume contains vibrant, seasonal photos with a simple descriptive text. Young children might enjoy looking for all the (Crayola-brand) colors identified in the appended guide. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

These informative volumes about personality, dreams, and memory each begin with a chapter on previous beliefs and theories, followed by five or six chapters outlining current knowledge on the topic. Frequent photographs and line drawings accompany the plentiful quizzes and entertaining activities throughout, which let kids challenge themselves. A concluding activity to try with friends and family is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.