Armed Services

November 1, 2011

Gr 4-6-With an international focus, these volumes cover a lot, resulting in somewhat-confusing reads. Visual clutter is caused by too many type styles and sizes, an excess of photos, narrow margins, and "AF Facts" and "Action Stats" sidebars on almost every page, many of which are devoted to details about weapons and equipment. The action ricochets from cave fighting in Afghanistan to crime-scene investigations in Great Britain, and from nabbing cocaine hidden inside a shipment of frozen sharks in Mexico to search and rescue missions in Haiti. Background knowledge is sometimes presumed (for example, the term "IT" is used but not defined in the text or limited glossary). "Fast Facts" pages add still more to the stew, which might take even the most diligent students quite some time to digest.

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2012
This series takes a cursory look at national, state, and local units intended to protect citizens. Each book presents brief vignettes related to specific categories; for example, Police includes such topics as highway patrols, dog squads, crime scene investigators, and SWAT teams. The numerous photographs and sidebars, while eye-catching, make the pages difficult to navigate. Websites. Glos., ind.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)