Most of recorded world history is the story of the achievements and actions of or interactions among cultures. In some cases, societies created or contributed ideas or technology that led to more freedoms, greater prosperity, and better lives for millions. In other cases, they used their power to conquer, oppress, and even annihilate others. Some cultures were destroyed by adversity, while others used it as the motivation to achieve new heights. These series spend little time on the actions of individual leaders, focusing instead on how both ancient and contemporary societies grew and responded to internal and external challenges.

Preschool-Grade 4

CAHILL, Bryon. Freedom from Fear. ISBN 978-1-937529-94-9; ISBN 978-1-937529-86-4; ISBN 978-1-937529-99-4. LC 2012951570.

––––. Freedom from Want. ISBN 978-1-937529-93-2; ISBN 978-1-937529-85-7; ISBN 978-1-937529-98-7. LC 2012951569.

––––. Freedom of Speech and Expression. ISBN 978-1-937529-91-8; ISBN 978-1-937529-83-3; ISBN 978-1-937529-96-3. LC 2012951567.

––––. Freedom to Worship. ISBN 978-1-937529-92-5; ISBN 978-1-937529-84-0; ISBN 978-1-937529-97-0. LC 2012951568.

ea vol: 32p. (The Four Freedoms Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. reprods. websites. Red Chair. 2013. lib. ed. $26.60; pap. $8.95; ebk.. $29.95.

Gr 4-6 –As the world descended into global war in 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt declared four universal human rights worthy of support and defense. Each book defines a freedom, places it into the context of American history, and then gives international examples of how it has been adopted or restricted. Cahill uses examples to illustrate trends and patterns, all too many of which reveal that the four freedoms are far from universal and the struggle to secure them continues. Brief sidebars, “Did You Know?” fact boxes, and large photos, many of children, supplement the texts. It is disappointing that only one of the iconic Norman Rockwell paintings inspired by the four freedoms, Freedom from Want, is included in the set. Although these books don’t provide extensive background or geopolitical analysis, they do introduce readers to the importance of basic human rights, making them first purchases.

CHANDLER, Matt. Dangerous Times!: History’s Most Troubled Eras. ISBN 978-1-4765-0126-0.

GARBE, Suzanne. Killer Jobs!: History’s Most Dangerous Jobs. ISBN 978-1-4765-0127-7.

––––. Threatening Skies!: History’s Most Dangerous Weather. ISBN 978-1-4765-0128-4.

GITLIN, Marty. Brutal Games!: History’s Most Dangerous Sports. ISBN 978-1-4765-0125-3.

ea vol: 32p. (Edge Books: Dangerous History Series). chart. chron. further reading. glossary. illus. index. photos. reprods. websites. Capstone. 2013. lib. ed. $27.32.

Gr 3-6 –From gladiatorial games to BASE jumping, these books recount both historical and contemporary dangers. Each title covers at least eight topics, most in spreads with one page that has a few paragraphs that describe the danger and the other with a full-page photo or illustration. Text boxes provide additional anecdotes and facts. Brutal Games! is heavily weighted toward contemporary extreme sports, and all the books focus on fairly recent and mostly American history. Although there are some interesting tidbits (e.g., the American presidency rates as a historically dangerous job), these volumes offer neither exciting characters nor the gruesome details that so fascinate children, and they don’t contain enough information about individual topics for reports.

MURRAY, Julie. Egypt. ISBN 978-1-61783-809-5; ISBN 978-1-62401-196-2. LC 2013932175.

––––. India. ISBN 978-1-61783-812-5; ISBN 978-1-62401-199-3. LC 2013932150.

––––. Japan. ISBN 978-1-61783-815-6; ISBN 978-1-62401-202-0. LC 2013932174.

––––. Russia. ISBN 978-1-61783-817-0; ISBN 978-1-62401-204-4. LC 2013932176.

TIECK, Sarah. Brazil. ISBN 978-1-61783-805-7; ISBN 978-1-62401-191-7. LC 2013932173.

––––. Italy. ISBN 978-1-61783-814-9; ISBN 978-1-62401-201-3. LC 2013932153.

ea vol: 40p. (Explore the Countries Series). chron. glossary. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. ABDO. 2013. lib. ed. $29.93; ebk. $29.93.

Gr 3-5 –With a format that combines large, bright photos and brief text, these books provide basic introductions to world countries. Each titles opens with maps that locate the country and its most important cities and then touches on its history and flag, geography, economy, culture, most famous people, and more. “Tour Book” sections suggest places to visit and things to do and “Up Close” pages list basic facts. The attractive, well-captioned photos are the strongest elements of the set, but don’t fully compensate for the text that is limited to only a few sentences per page. Overgeneralization, superficial coverage, and an annoying overuse of exclamation points will further limit this set’s usefulness to report writers; it should be considered as an additional purchase where picture-heavy books to aid developing readers are in demand.

VON ZUMBUSCH, Amelie. Ancient Roman Culture. ISBN 978-1-4777-0775-3; ISBN 978-1-4777-1028-9. LC 2012045398.

––––. Ancient Roman Technology. ISBN 978-1-4777-0780-7; ISBN 978-1-4777-1033-3. LC 2013004135.

––––. Ancient Roman Daily Life. ISBN 978-1-4777-0778-4; ISBN 978-1-4777-1031-9. LC 2013003198.

––––. Ancient Roman Economy. ISBN 978-1-4777-0777-7; ISBN 978-1-4777-1030-2. LC 2013000209.

––––. Ancient Roman Geography. ISBN 978-1-4777-0779-1; ISBN 978-1-4777-1032-6. LC 2013003708.

––––. Ancient Roman Government. ISBN 978-1-4777-0776-0; ISBN 978-1-4777-1029-6. LC 2012051006.

ea vol: 24p. (Spotlight on Ancient Civilizations: Rome Series). glossary. illus. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2013. lib. ed. $22.60; ebk. $22.60.

Gr 3-6 –Large, full-color photos of Roman art, architecture, and artifacts are the strongest elements of these introductions. Each title has 10 short chapters that discuss a single aspect of the subject. The texts are limited to only one to three short paragraphs per page, but the photo captions add some facts. (“The emperor Hadrian had the Pantheon built in about AD 126.”) The format severely restricts the amount of background information and details that can be included. While these books won’t be helpful for report writers, their outstanding illustrations do provide an impressive visual history of Roman life and accomplishments, making them additional purchases.

Grades 5 & Up

ALLMAN, Toney. Life During Medieval Times. ISBN 978-1-60152-568-0. LC 2013012394.

CURRIE, Stephen. Life in Charles Dickens’s England. ISBN 978-1-60152-574-1. LC 2013019140.

KALLEN, Stuart A. Life During the Roman Empire. ISBN 978-1-60152-570-3. LC 2012044980.

NARDO, Don. Life in a Nazi Concentration Camp. ISBN 978-1-60152-510-9. LC 2012042546.

––––. Life in Ancient Mesopotamia. ISBN 978-1-60152-572-7. LC 2013017163.

WHITING, Jim. Life in the North During the Civil War. ISBN 978-1-60152-576-5. LC 2012050549.

YANCEY, Diane. Life in the South During the Civil War. ISBN 978-1-60152-578-9. LC 2013013426.

ea vol: 96p. (Living History Series). chron. further reading. index. map. notes. photos. reprods. websites. ReferencePoint. 2013. lib. ed. $28.95.

Gr 8 Up –These volumes focus on the everyday lives of a variety of people, including different social and economic classes, women, children, and slaves and servants. The books describe how people were housed, where they worked, what they ate, and how they worshipped and learned. All are well written in clear, informative prose that draws on well-documented primary sources, which are quoted in the text and excerpted in sidebars. The titles are objective about the negative and positive parts of each culture. The average-quality maps, period reproductions, and photographs add little to the texts. More focused on ordinary people than the books in Lucent’s “The Way People Live” series, these titles will promote deeper understanding of societies and groups that, for better or worse, influenced world history. Solid choices for secondary collections.

ANNISS, Matt. The Story of Hip-Hop. ISBN 978-1-59920-965-4. LC 2013003608.

––––. The Story of Pop Music. ISBN 978-1-59920-970-8. LC 2013003183.

––––. The Story of Punk and Indie. ISBN 978-1-59920-968-5. LC 2013003611.

––––. The Story of Rock Music. ISBN 978-1-59920-969-2. LC 2013003612.

––––. The Story of Soul and R&B. ISBN 978-1-59920-966-1. LC 2013003609.

––––. The Story of Techno and Dance Music. ISBN 978-1-59920-967-8. LC 2013003610.

ea vol: 32p. (Pop Histories Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Smart Apple Media. 2013. lib. ed. $28.50.

Gr 6-9 –Music fans will relish these overviews of the origins and histories of contemporary styles. Well-illustrated spreads describe the chronological development of each genre, emphasizing how new technologies expanded and segmented the music world. The main texts are supplemented by paragraph-length “Living Legend” profiles of significant artists as well as “Playlist” text boxes that direct readers to representative artists and songs so they can listen to the music on their own. There is considerable coverage of the British music scene, and material is skewed to current and very recent popular music, which could cause rapid dating. Pop and Rock are more superficial than the other titles, mostly because the format doesn’t have the space for a fuller examination of their long and broad histories. This set is not particularly valuable for reference, but it will be a hit with younger teens, who will appreciate the energetic design and color photos.

BARBER, Nicola. Churchill and the Battle of Britain. ISBN 978-1-4329-7634-7; ISBN 978-1-4329-7641-5. LC 2012041488.

GREEN, Jen. Gandhi and the Quit India Movement. ISBN 978-1-4329-7635-4; ISBN 978-1-4329-7642-2. LC 2012041681.

LANGLEY, Andrew. Bush, Blair, and Iraq. ISBN 978-1-4329-7633-0; ISBN 978-1-4329-7640-8. LC 2012041473.

––––. Hitler and Kristallnacht. ISBN 978-1-4329-7636-1; ISBN 978-1-4329-7643-9. LC 2012041746.

SENKER, Cath. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis. ISBN 978-1-4329-7637-8; ISBN 978-1-4329-7644-6. LC 2012041747.

––––. Mandela and Truth and Reconciliation. ISBN 978-1-4329-7638-5; ISBN 978-1-4329-7645-3. LC 2012041748.

ea vol: 64p. (Days of Decision Series). chron. cip. further reading. glossary. index. map. notes. photos. websites. Heinemann. 2013. lib. ed. $35; pap. $9.99.

Gr 7 Up –This series objectively examines some of the most important decisions of the last 100 years. The books open with a synopsis of the decision and then provide background that explains how the historical situation and each subject’s personality, experiences, political circumstances, country’s cultural background, and range of possible choices factored into his final choice. They close with analysis about the intended and unintended results of the decision and its positive and negative historical consequences. Brief biographies, photos, quotations, informational sidebars, and “What Do You Think?” critical-thinking prompts supplement the texts. While these topics have received wide extant coverage, this set’s focus provides a fresh perspective that will help readers better understand the complexity that is always part of the political and international decision-making process. First purchases.

BAXTER, Roberta. The Challenger Explosion. ISBN 978-1-61783-954-2; ISBN 978-1-62401-318-8; ISBN 978-1-62403-019-2. LC 2013931966.

BRENNAN, Linda Crotta. The Gulf Oil Spill. ISBN 978-1-61783-957-3; ISBN 978-1-62401-321-8; ISBN 978-1-62403-022-2. LC 2013932003.

CARAVANTES, Peggy. Hurricane Katrina. ISBN 978-1-61783-958-0; ISBN 978-1-62401-322-5; ISBN 978-1-62403-023-9. LC 2013931969.

MARCINIAK, Kristin. The Flu Pandemic of 1918. ISBN 978-1-61783-956-6; ISBN 978-1-62401-320-1; ISBN 978-1-62403-021-5. LC 2013931971.

MCDOUGALL, Chrös. The San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. ISBN 978-1-61783-959-7; ISBN 978-1-62401-323-2; ISBN 978-1-62403-024-6. LC 2013932004.

RISSMAN, Rebecca. The Chernobyl Disaster. ISBN 978-1-61783-955-9; ISBN 978-1-62401-319-5; ISBN 978-1-62403-020-8. LC 2013932006.

YASUDA, Anita. The Sinking of the Titantic. ISBN 978-1-61783-960-3; ISBN 978-1-62401-324-9; ISBN 978-1-62403-025-3. LC 2013932005.

ea vol: 48p. (History’s Greatest Disasters Series). chron. diag. further reading. glossary. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. ABDO. 2013. lib. ed. $32.79; ebk. $32.79; pap. $15.64.

Gr 5-8 –These chronologically arranged accounts of major world disasters begin with background information followed by a summary of events and analysis of how each event resulted in technological or regulatory changes to prevent or mitigate the effects of similar happenings in the future. The authors are objective about the human causes or reactions to each disaster, and sidebars encourage readers to form their own opinions by comparing opposing viewpoints from primary-source accounts. Additional resources are available on the publisher’s website. The set is designed to support the Common Core State Standards, and there are numerous prompts, including a “Stop and Think” section at the end of each book, that suggest independent research and writing activities. These titles contain average-quality photos, maps, and reproductions and have a textbook quality that may limit their appeal. Many of the topics have been covered in extant series, making this set an additional purchase.

BLOHM, Craig E. Catastrophic Events of the 2000s . ISBN 978-1-60152-522-2. LC 2012047798.

––––. Cultural Milestones of the 2000s. ISBN 978-1-60152-524-6. LC 2013017893.

HENDERSON, Harry. Science and Technology of the 2000s. ISBN 978-1-60152-528-4. LC 2013018907.

MOONEY, Carla. Sports and Entertainment of the 2000s. ISBN 978-1-60152-526-0. LC 2013018906.

NETZLEY, Patricia D. Terrorism and War of the 2000s. ISBN 978-1-60152-530-7. LC 2012049462.

ea vol: 96p. (The Decade of the 2000s Series). chron. further reading. glossary. index. notes. photos. reprods. websites. ReferencePoint. 2013. lib. ed. $28.95.

Gr 8 Up –This series recaps important events, trends, and scientific and cultural milestones of the first decade of the 21st century. Authors objectively describe their topics and give enough background to aid reader understanding but provide little analysis about either contemporaneous reactions or historical importance. Occasional “Perspectives” sidebars offer viewpoints on controversial issues. There is considerable overlap among the books, particularly on the subjects of technology and terrorism. The books are sparsely illustrated with average-quality photos that add little. Much of the material will become dated quickly, making the series of little use to most students.

FRIESEN, Helen Lepp. India. ISBN 978-1-62127-253-3; ISBN 978-1-62127-259-5; ISBN 978-1-48961-600-5. LC 2012041034.

GOLDSWORTHY, Kaite. Canada. ISBN 978-1-62127-251-9; ISBN 978-1-62127-257-1; ISBN 978-1-48961-598-5. LC 2012041014.

GOLDSWORTHY, Steve. Brazil. ISBN 978-1-62127-250-2; ISBN 978-1-62127-256-4; ISBN 978-1-48961-597-8. LC 2012041278.

––––. China. ISBN 978-1-62127-252-6; ISBN 978-1-62127-258-8; ISBN 978-1-48961-599-2. LC 2012041279.

KOPP, Megan. United States. ISBN 978-1-62127-255-7; ISBN 978-1-62127-261-8; ISBN 978-1-48961-602-9. LC 2012041036.

MARSHALL, Deb. Russia. ISBN 978-1-62127-254-0; ISBN 978-1-62127-260-1; ISBN 978-1-48961-601-2. LC 2012041280.

ea vol: 32p. (Exploring Countries Series). glossary. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. Weigl. 2013. lib. ed. $28.55; pap. $13.95; ebk. $38.95.

Gr 4-6–These titles emphasize the unique cultures and positive characteristics of various countries. Coverage is broad, with one or two pages devoted to the featured country’s geography, economy, history, ethnic mix, politics and government, arts, and sports. Attractive color photos and maps appear on each page, but they are supplemental to the several paragraphs of text that provide basic information about each topic. Text boxes add some interesting facts, and the books conclude with mapping activities and a quiz. These volumes have many positive points, but they are so weakened by an unacceptable number of errors (e.g., United States says that there are 20 billion people living in the New York City-Newark area and India states that the country has GDP of 46 trillion dollars) that should have been caught and corrected in the editing process that they can’t be recommended for purchase. A website in each title takes readers to additional online resources.

HEPPLEWHITE, Peter. Knights. ISBN 978-1-78212-400-9. LC 2013005699.

––––. Roman Soldiers. ISBN 978-1-78212-402-3. LC 2013005690.

STEWART, Alex. Gladiators. ISBN 978-1-78212-398-9. LC 2013005691.

––––. Greek Soldiers. ISBN 978-1-78212-399-6. LC 2013005689.

––––. Pirates. ISBN 978-1-78212-401-6. LC 2013005700.

––––. Viking. ISBN 978-1-78212-403-0. LC 2013005688.

ea vol: 32p. (Greatest Warriors Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Arcturus. 2013. lib. ed. $28.50.

Gr 5-8–Film stills and color photos of re-enactors, living-history sites, and ancient artifacts and locations are the centerpieces of these attractive introductions to the lives of warriors. Each topic (e.g., armor, weapons and battle tactics, living arrangements) is covered in a spread. The texts are largely composed of short paragraphs and “Fighting Talk” and “Combat Stats” text boxes that add definitions and more information. This format allows readers to learn about the warriors and their lives, but limits background facts about their native cultures. Unfortunately, there are no maps, which is a major weakness. While these books deliver little new information, their photo-based format and attractive layouts will draw browsers, especially boys, and encourage them to learn more, making them suitable as supplemental purchases.

HINMAN, Bonnie. Mount Everest. ISBN 978-1-62469-002-0; ISBN 978-1-62469-013-6. LC 2012955644.

O’NEAL, Claire. Mount Olympus. ISBN 978-1-62469-009-9; ISBN 978-1-62469-020-4. LC 2013901744.

ea vol: 48p. (Man Versus Mountain Series). bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. map. notes. photos. reprods. websites. Purple Toad. 2013. lib. ed. $29.95; ebk. $29.95.

Gr 5-8–Both of these text-heavy volumes include information on the geology, ecology, and native cultures of their mountains, but Olympus emphasizes its storied history as the home of the Greek gods and mythical center of Greek culture. Everest, in contrast, spends more time on the decades-long quest to reach the summit and the technology that has enabled such an increasing number of climbers that they threaten its ecosystem. The texts are supplemented with sidebars about related topics and vintage and contemporary photos. Unfortunately, each book’s single map will be of little help to readers. Everest is the better title of the two, but both mountains have been widely covered in extant titles. The books tend toward dryness and fail to provide either new information or perspective, making them additional report purchases.

HUNTER, Nick. Campaigns of World War I. ISBN 978-1-4329-8081-8; ISBN 978-1-4329-8086-3. LC 2012042717.

––––. The Home Fronts in World War I. ISBN 978-1-4329-8083-2; ISBN 978-1-4329-8088-7. LC 2012042729.

––––. Life on the Western Front. ISBN 978-1-4329-8082-5; ISBN 978-1-4329-8087-0. LC 2012042719.

––––. Women in World War I. ISBN 978-1-4329-8084-9; ISBN 978-1-4329-8089-4. LC 2012042731.

ea vol: 48p. (Remembering World War I Series). chart. chron. diag. further reading. glossary. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. Heinemann. 2013. lib. ed. $32.65; pap. $8.99.

Gr 5-8–Most of the sections in these books ask and answer a question about some aspect of World War I. The short chapters are paired with large period photos, effective maps, and “In Their Own Words” primary-source excerpts. Campaigns is the weakest of the group, mostly because of the difficulty of adequately explaining the complex origins and outbreak of the war in the available space. The other titles, which all have more limited scopes, are more successful. While the question-and-answer format is effective for providing introductory facts, much of this material has been so widely covered in extant sets, such Raintree’s “The World Wars” for this age group and Lucent’s “American War Library” for slightly older readers, that these books will be supplemental purchases for most libraries.

SAMUELS, Charlie. Technology in Ancient China. ISBN 978-1-4339-9624-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-9627-6.

––––. Technology in Ancient Egypt. ISBN 978-1-4339-9628-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-9631-3.

––––. Technology in Ancient Greece. ISBN 978-1-4339-9632-0; ISBN 978-1-4339-9635-1.

––––. Technology in Ancient Rome. ISBN 978-1-4339-9636-8; ISBN 978-1-4339-9639-9.

––––. Technology in Mesopotamia. ISBN 978-1-4339-9640-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-9643-6.

––––. Technology in the Ancient Americas. ISBN 978-1-4339-9620-7; ISBN 978-1-4339-9623-8.

ea vol: 48p. (Technology in the Ancient World Series). chron. diag. further reading. glossary. illus. index. photos. reprods. websites. Gareth Stevens. 2013. lib. ed. $31.95; ebk. $31.95.

Gr 4-7–These attractive books open with brief introductions to each culture and its technological background, followed by spreads that discuss how it developed or adopted technology that improved farming, architecture, transportation, communications, science and medicine, and more. The main text is limited to a few paragraphs per spread, supplemented with “Technical Specs” sidebars with facts about each topic. The images are the strongest element of the series, combining high-quality drawings (including exploded and explanatory diagrams) and photos of ancient sites and artifacts that illustrate how ancient technology worked. These books will help students understand the importance of interconnectivity among some of the cultures that adopted and adapted technology from their predecessors and neighbors. Solid choices.

While all of the sets in this group discuss the development and influence of world cultures, some provide either new information or a fresh perspective that will help students gain the deeper understanding required by the Common Core State Standards. Heinemann’s “Days of Decision” shows readers how a single decision can produce a world-changing impact. ReferencePoint’s “Living History” offers an in-depth examination of people’s lives in the past. Red Chair’s “The Four Freedoms” highlights the importance of and continuing international struggle for basic human rights. Gareth Stevens’s “Technology in the Ancient World” examines how ancient peoples created, used, and shared or adapted technology to improve and strengthen their cultures. Two additional sets should be considered for supplemental purchase due to their appeal to specific groups. Arcturus’s “Greatest Warriors” offers exceptional illustrative material that will draw middle school boys. Smart Apple’s “Pop Histories” will attract music lovers and help them understand the historical and cultural roots of the music their parents probably hate.