Gr 6 Up—Each of these titles opens with an introduction explaining the time period covered and major influences of the era, such as the Renaissance era’s focus on reason. A continuous timeline runs along the bottom of each page, color-coded according to the field of science for each entry. A subject-specific timeline for each chapter runs vertically down the side of the page. The main content is accompanied by sidebars on related details—a section on Islamic astronomy includes a sidebar on algebra, for example. Some chapters deal with specific advances like “The Invention of the Wheel,” while others focus on a particular scientist. A table of contents, glossary, suggested books and websites, and index offer support to readers. VERDICT A helpful series for research that could be useful in both STEM and history units.

School Library Journal