November 1, 2011
Gr 4-8-These compact volumes are bursting with information, but the visuals are their real strength. Filled with full-bleed, full-color action photos and concise texts, the pages are also peppered with "Xtreme Fact" sidebars that add related information. Well suited for reports or pleasure reading, the books are so current that Navy Seals includes information about Seal Team 6's attack on Osama bin Laden's compound in May 2011. History chapters, though brief, are enriched with engaging reproductions. The texts are brief but not easy, making the books best suited to older reluctant readers. The glossaries don't contain as many terms as readers might require (and the words included aren't distinguished by bold type in the texts). Final chapters called "The Future" are a bit simplistic.
Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
April 1, 2021
Gr 5 Up-Different branches of the U.S. military and associated careers are highlighted in this six-book series. Each book provides a history of the branch, as well as common tools used by military professionals, a glossary, online resources, and an activity challenge related to the activities and duties of each role. The strength of this series is that the information is clearly organized and presented, which will benefit readers who are interested in military careers but who might be reluctant readers. The downside to this series is the lack of gender diversity represented in the photographs. Overall, the series offers a wealth of information about different careers but falls short of accurately representing different identities in the military industry. VERDICT This series might supplement a larger collection but offers limited diversity representation.
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.