600s: Things With Wheels: Series Nonfiction on Machines of All Kinds

The rising price of a gallon of gas has yet to stifle even adults’ interest in cars, motorcycles, trucks and the like; it is likely young readers’ fascination will continue strong. These seven series encompass a wide variety of interests: general transportation, racing, high-performance street use, and even military and construction applications. Using a wide definition of “things with wheels,” for even ships have capstans, these series are devoted to wheeled and wheel-related machinery, whether mundane, sporting, or bellicose.

Gr 4-6–A reminder that some things with wheels are a bit more grim than sports cars, motorcycles, and construction machines, this series presents 20th-century American, British, French, German, Japanese, and Russian military equipment. The texts are brief, with much information conveyed in captions and boxes with specifications, performance data, armament, and miscellaneous facts. Each volume begins with definitions and a history of the weapon, which leads into two-page descriptions of 12 examples, arranged chronologically. An account of their use and success in war is included. This arrangement, along with the readable explanations, helps trace the development of each kind of weapon on an international scale through the century. Excellent photos, almost all in black and white, depict these machines and include some pictures of them in action or under attack, such as the sinking of the Japanese battleship Yamato. In short, this is a stylish and well-executed production.

Gr 4-5–This utilitarian series describes innovations in eight means of transportation as well as their current uses. Each volume features a concise history of its topic, covers current issues and developments and the future outlook, and includes brief biographies of significant people. Both genders and minorities are represented, and up-to-date concerns, such as fuel efficiency and pollution, are included. Most readable are the volumes by Franchino and Marsico; however, there is a formulaic quality to the writing, caused, for example, by repeated mentions of the value of teamwork. A couple of minor errors crop up, and Masters demonstrates an annoying habit of quoting Wilbur Wright’s thoughts. Good color photos generally contribute to the texts but have a tendency to be small, making it difficult to pick out the details they are meant to convey. Bold color choices in the page design sometimes cross the line into garish, as in green highlights on a purple background. Still, the series often provides a view of some compelling developments, such as high-speed rail, future trucks, and container ships, and it benefits from inherent interest in the topic.

Gr 3-5–Generally well written and readable, as well as attractive, this series recounts the development and history of the vehicles, including brief mentions of the people involved in their conception, such as Lee Iacocca and Enzo Ferrari. The texts do well, not only at describing the cars, but also at putting them into context, discussing reasons for their production, efforts of competitors, and factors that influenced the cars’ evolution over the years. Each book includes a vital-statistics section that compares specifications for an early and recent example. Excellent photos, in color and black and white, effectively illustrate the history of the make, featuring both older and recent vintages. However, an error is apparent on the specifications page for the 1953 Corvette, on which an early '60s model is pictured. Still, the series is informative and appealing, despite its quirky selection of vehicles (Hummers in a series that includes Ferraris), and is sure to be popular with car enthusiasts.

Gr 3-4–These basic introductions feature appealing color photos of the vehicles in action and present up-to-date, although cursory, information on each type. The books provide a nice “feel” for the different kinds of racing, and should appeal to reluctant readers with an interest in the sport. Each title presents the history of its form of competition, a little information on the vehicles, the length and location of the races, and a mention of a few famous drivers or other significant individuals. Safety issues are stressed, and brief chronologies are included. Additional facts are featured in boxes, and sidebars contribute related data, such as costs or historical notes. The titles by Clausen-Grace are the most readable; Greve’s are the most straightforward in their presentation; and Spalding adds the most unusual types of racing. Minor errors crop up; a few statements are dated, for example, a claim that the Monte Carlo is Chevy’s NASCAR vehicle when its top division now uses the Impala body style, while others are explained too briefly for clarity. Overall, though, the series is a whirlwind tour of racing in America, with plenty of visual appeal for fans.

Gr 4-6–With attention-grabbing color photos and a well-executed combination of brief text and captions, this series presents six models by each of the motorcycle manufacturers represented by the titles. Each bike gets a four-page layout, with pictures of it in motion, still views with special features pointed out, and smaller photos of components and accessories. The descriptions are effective and are supplemented by boxes with terminology, technical details, and specifications. There is good variety in the types of cycles featured, ranging from off-road models to highway cruisers and superbikes. Lists for further information on the makes, and manufacturers’ chronologies are appended. Only very minor flaws appear: the specifications lists are inconsistent in the data presented for each make, and a few concepts use oversimplified wording, as in statements that drum brakes work the same as disks, or that the clutch lets the rider select the gear, which are just quibbles in comparison with the quality of the presentation and the visual appeal of the set.

Gr 3-6–This attractive series delivers a significant amount of material through its writing and graphics. The focus is on how these machines work and what they do, using the features of specific models as examples of the topics discussed. The authors present just enough detail to explain the basic principles of the functioning of these vehicles. Emergency Vehicles and Construction Vehicles present the most unusual topics, such as deep-sea rescue and tunnel-boring machines, while the other four feature more common types. Specifications, odd facts, and trivia are set aside in boxes, while the excellent color photos and outstanding diagrams feature clear, informative captions. An occasional tendency to use cute, slangy terminology, as in the description of an engine’s four strokes as “suck, squeeze, bang, and blow,” while colorful, is irritating. Overall, though, the topics are sure to be popular, the information is accurate, and it strikes a good balance between entertainment and education.

Comparing these diverse series is difficult, due to their varying focuses. “Red-Hot Bikes” and “War Machines” are the best-done and both cover popular topics. For the automobile-related sets, “Cars” is the pick of the litter, but is very limited in scope; “The Thrill of Racing” offers a wide but rudimentary overview of racing, while “Innovation in Transportation” covers a broad range of vehicles. All are acceptable purchases where needed. “How Machines Work” boasts attractive graphics and quality writing.