Gr 6–8—Each topic covered in this collection of books is presented on a busy double-page spread. A large illustration dominates the center of the spread, with smaller images for additional details. The main body of the text is covered in one or two paragraphs, with subheadings on related topics, labels, sidebars, and captions in smaller font. For instance, in Animals a spread on “A Frog’s Life” has subheadings covering “Breathing Underwater” and “Croaking”, then sidebars on the life cycle and how frogs swim. The volume on weather has diagrams on nearly every page to explain tornadoes, hurricanes, and other atmospheric movements. Each book is a broad survey of a topic; the table of contents and index allow readers to dip into what interests them most. VERDICT Useful to introduce topics thematically and a good classroom reference set for middle school but could be of interest to older students as well.

School Library Journal

This volume in the How It Works series (10 titles) takes readers on a detailed journey of plant life, beginning with impressive cross-sections of microscopic plant cells juxtaposed with photographs and diagrams of plant parts. Seeds, roots, flowers, and more are explained and illustrated in fine detail alongside familiar and unfamiliar examples. Reproductive information leads into a discussion of atypical plants, such as those that reproduce through spores. A short discussion of trees precedes information on plants in a variety of habitats (e.g., deserts and oceans), and depictions of carnivorous and parasitic plants are sure to fascinate. Regrettably, the title veers off course by including fungi, and the author uses complex, domain-specific vocabulary without always elucidating. However, the detailed text and visual information provided should entice devoted enthusiasts and students with robust scientific curiosity.