As SLJ’s new nonfiction reviews editor, I see a diverse range of informational books for children and teens. From picture book biographies to weighty scientific tomes, it all crosses my desk at some point. Diving into the wild and winsome world of Series Made Simple, however, reinforced how varied the subjects are even as it illustrated just how intriguing the presentations can be.

These books take new approaches to familiar and beloved topics. Jennifer Prince’s “History Comes Alive” and Mary Mueller’s “History Everywhere” explore titles that make creative use of primary sources. Capstone’s “Captured World History” has me dazzled because of its original and thought-provoking way of using iconic images as a springboard to explore historical events. Paula Willey’s “From Beadmaking to Beekeeping”  will bolster any collection’s well-worn crafts section with novel ideas for fun and frugal DIY projects—composting and raising chickens, anyone?

Spicing up the same old subjects can be hard, but these series make for some great new options—your readers will be informed, entertained, and, perhaps best of all, intrigued. Read on!

Mahnaz Dar (mdar@mediasourceinc.com), Editor of Series Made Simple Associate Editor for School Library Journal Twitter @DibblyFresh.