History lovers have long known that studying the past is about more than just memorizing dates and places. History can be gross and messy, or full of adventures as people move from place to place or face great adversities. This season's batch of series, many geared toward the middle school crowd, include escapes from dire circumstances, journeys to strange lands, and pieces of the past that have gone missing and then been rediscovered in modern times. While some books emphasize action, others put a personal spin on historical events to entice their audience to read further.

Preschool-Grade 4

BLISS, John. Jewish Migration. ISBN 978-1-4109-4075-9; ISBN 978-1-4109-4081-0. LC 2010039334. ----. Nineteenth-Century Migration to America. chart. ISBN 978-1-4109-4074-2; ISBN 978-1-4109-4080-3. LC 2010039326. ----. Pioneers to the West. ISBN 978-1-4109-4076-6; ISBN 978-1-4109-4082-7. LC 2010039341. CUNNINGHAM, Kevin. Migration from Africa. ISBN 978-1-4109-4072-8; ISBN 978-1-4109-4078-0. LC 2010039322. KENT, Deborah. Middle Eastern Migration. ISBN 978-1-4109-4073-5; ISBN 978-1-4109-4079-7. LC 2010039323. ea vol: 32p. (Children's True Stories: Migration Series). reprods. maps. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Websites. CIP. Heinemann/Raintree. 2011. PLB $29; pap. $7.99. Gr 3-4-This series focuses closely on individual examples of children from different eras leaving their homes. The books are arranged chronologically, and each tale offers only one perspective, which means that a full picture of complex reasons for migration-as refugees or as individuals seeking a better life-never appears. Africa is more problematic in that two of the four stories are not about migration from Africa, but are about African-American or African-Caribbean migration, making it particularly difficult to offer a general picture that encompasses such diverse stories. The photos are enticing, but often do not feature the children profiled in the texts. These would make adequate supplemental materials at best, but they might intrigue students interested in the kids' eye view of history. BREDESON, Carmen. Don't Let the Barber Pull Your Teeth: Could You Survive Medieval Medicine? ISBN 978-0-7660-3693-2; ISBN 978-1-59845-373-7. LC 2010011898. STIEFEL, Chana. Sweaty Suits of Armor: Could You Survive Being a Knight? ISBN 978-0-7660-3784-7; ISBN 978-1-59845-376-8. LC 2010020758. ----. There's a Rat in My Soup: Could You Survive Medieval Food? ISBN 978-0-7660-3785-4; ISBN 978-1-59845-375-1. LC 2010020757. ----. Ye Castle Stinketh: Could You Survive Living in a Castle? ISBN 978-0-7660-3786-1; ISBN 978-1-59845-374-4. LC 2010019742. ea vol: illus. by Gerald Kelley. 48p. (Ye Yucky Middle Ages Series). further reading. glossary. index. Websites. CIP. Enslow. 2011. PLB $23.93; pap. $7.95. Gr 3-4-Gross is king in this entertaining series. The volumes are filled with garbage and germs, weird foods and scary medicines, and stinky suits of armor. The details are a part of the real history of the Middle Ages, and the selected topics are sure to appeal to trivia buffs and fans of potty humor. Quoted primary sources confirm that the authors aren't making this stuff up: firsthand accounts acknowledge the less-pleasant aspects of life. The fantastic and funny art amps up the humor-the only shame is that several images are reused across the series. Topics overlap in the text as well, but each book provides a full picture of its subject, and readers are just as likely to giggle when they encounter yucky details a second time.

Grades 5 & Up

ALTMAN, Linda Jacobs. The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising: Striking a Blow Against the Nazis. ISBN 978-0-7660-3320-7; ISBN 978-1-59845-347-8. LC 2010021596. BYERS, Ann. Rescuing the Danish Jews: A Heroic Story from the Holocaust. ISBN 978-0-7660-3321-4; ISBN 978-1-59845-343-0. LC 2009053595. ----. Saving Children from the Holocaust: The Kindertransport. ISBN 978-0-7660-3323-8; ISBN 978-1-59845-344-7. LC 2010014215. DEEM, James M. Auschwitz: Voices from the Death Camp. ISBN 978-0-7660-3322-1; ISBN 978-1-59845-346-1. LC 2010003064. ----. Kristallnacht: The Nazi Terror That Began the Holocaust. ISBN 978-0-7660-3324-5; ISBN 978-1-59845-345-4. LC 2010015696. HOFFMAN, Betty N. Liberation: Stories of Survival from the Holocaust. ISBN 978-0-7660-3319-1; ISBN 978-1-59845-348-5. LC 2010007234. ea vol: 128p. (The Holocaust Through Primary Sources Series). maps. photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. notes. Websites. CIP. Enslow. 2011. PLB $31.93; pap. $9.95. Gr 6-10-Drawing on diaries, letters, and books, these titles illuminate events by quoting at length from personal narratives, which are set apart from the main texts as sidebars. Readers will gravitate to this approachable focus, and teachers may appreciate the way that quotes from primary sources are integrated into simple texts. Citations to quoted works are extensive, and Web sources referenced make it easy for students to access resources for follow-up research. BODDEN, Valerie. Through the American West. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60818-065-3. LC 2010033413. ----. To the Heart of Africa. maps. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60818-066-0. LC 2010033414. ----. To the Moon. ISBN 978-1-60818-068-4. LC 2010033549. ----. To the Ocean Deep. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60818-067-7. LC 2010033416. ----. To the South Pole. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60818-069-1. LC 2010033552. ----. To the Top of Mount Everest. ISBN 978-1-60818-070-7. LC 2010033553. ea vol: 48p. (Great Expeditions Series). photos. bibliog. chron. further reading. index. notes. CIP. Creative Education. 2011. RTE $34.25. Gr 5-8-Lewis and Clark, Apollo 11, and other journeys are covered in detail, placing the excursions in their appropriate historical context, highlighting individuals involved in the expeditions, and providing firsthand accounts from historical documentation. The images are eye-catching, and the tone is conversational enough to keep readers engaged. The two weakest entries are those that deal with the Western exploration of regions already inhabited by non-Western people: American West and Heart of Africa. Because Bodden focuses narrowly, as is appropriate, on the expeditions, the books give a very Western point of view; thus, the cultures indigenous to the region being explored are minimized. Mount Everest is more successful in providing a culturally aware perspective, as it details both Nepalese Sherpas' traditions and their contributions to European expeditions up the world's highest mountain. BURLINGAME, Jeff. The Lost Boys of Sudan. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60870-475-0; ISBN 978-1-60870-696-6. LC 2011005596. FRADIN, Dennis Brindell. The Irish Potato Famine. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60870-473-6; ISBN 978-1-60870-694-5. LC 2010018788. ----. The Underground Railroad. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60870-476-7; ISBN 978-1-60870-697-6. LC 2010040063. PERL, Lila. The Holocaust. ISBN 978-1-60870-472-9; ISBN 978-1-60870-693-8. LC 2011001583. SONNEBORN, Liz. The Khmer Rouge. ISBN 978-1-60870-474-3; ISBN 978-1-60870-695-2. LC 2011005595. ea vol: 80p. (Great Escapes Series). maps. photos. bibliog. chron. further reading. glossary. index. notes. Websites. CIP. Marshall Cavendish/Benchmark. 2011. PLB $34.21; ebook $34.21. Gr 5-8-Except for Potato Famine, the people in these books are fleeing violence. Most of the volumes follow a specific person throughout his escape, using that narrative as a framework for explaining the historical and cultural context that led up to the horror. While stories of Holocaust escapees are common, the young men profiled in Perl's title not only escaped from Auschwitz, but also made it their duty to tell the world about the atrocities they witnessed. Lost Boys and Khmer Rouge are both particularly strong entries in the series, in part because the conflicts they cover are less familiar to most readers. Potato Famine departs from the narrative structure of the other volumes since no particular escapee takes a major role in framing the book. The primary-source quotes and period imagery throughout are well chosen and amplify the texts. CAPER, William. Gladiators: A Guide to the Deadly Warriors. chron. ISBN 978-1-4296-6602-2. LC 2010049209. GUNDERSON, Jessica. Ninjas: A Guide to the Ancient Assassins. ISBN 978-1-4296-6600-8. LC 2010051695. MCCOLLUM, Sean. Vikings: A Guide to the Terrifying Conquerors. ISBN 978-1-4296-6603-9. LC 2011000165. NIZ, Xavier W. Samurai: A Guide to the Feudal Knights. ISBN 978-1-4296-6601-5. LC 2011004956. ea vol: 48p. (Velocity: History's Greatest Warriors Series). maps. illus. photos. reprods. further reading. glossary. index. Websites. CIP. Capstone/Velocity. 2011. PLB $30.65. Gr 5-8-The series is more focused on relaying facts about the four groups of exceptional fighters than on a narrative. Gladiators offers the least amount of cultural context and mentions weapons without defining them. However, it also provides some of the most engaging facts, using visuals that echo video games in order to relay statistics about types of fighters. Ninjas and Samurai both have extensive modern cultural references to which students will relate. Vikings uses a strong mix of archaeology and historical documentation to present information about the conquerors. All of the volumes have eye-catching photos and illustrations. Trivia buffs (or fans of Spike TV's Deadliest Warrior show) will want these as regular references. Communication in the Ancient World. ISBN 978-0-7787-1733-1; ISBN 978-0-7787-1740-9. Religion in the Ancient World. ISBN 978-0-7787-1735-5; ISBN 978-0-7787-1742-3. Technology in the Ancient World. ISBN 978-0-7787-1736-2; ISBN 978-0-7787-1743-0. Trade and Commerce in the Ancient World. ISBN 978-0-7787-1737-9; ISBN 978-0-7787-1744-7. ea vol: 32p. (Life in the Ancient World Series). charts. illus. maps. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Websites. Crabtree. 2011. PLB $26.60; pap. $8.95. LC number unavailable. Gr 5-8-While this series strives for an evenhanded and diverse depiction of ancient (very broadly defined) cultures, devoting so little space to each entry leads to oversimplification that borders on misinformation. The books are poorly organized, causing some important details to be neglected. In Religion, Judaism is absent entirely, though Christianity and Islam are mentioned. Africa outside of Egypt is not mentioned in Technology, and, in the other titles, several African cultures are bunched together, in contrast to the geographically small Japan, which has its own full section in each book. Australia, North America, and large areas of Asia and South America are also completely absent. It's only because the books claim they're covering every "significant culture" that these absences are worthy of complaint. A less broad, more complex look at each of the topics would serve students better. DALAL, Roshen. The Illustrated Timeline of the History of the World. 277p. maps. ISBN 978-1-4488-4797-6. LC 2011010192. DAVIES, Gill. The Illustrated Timeline of Medicine. 226p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 978-1-4488-4796-9. LC 2011008266. EVANS, A. A. & David Gibbons. The Illustrated Timeline of World War II. 264p. charts. maps. ISBN 978-1-4488-4795-2. LC 2011007015. FORREST, Glen C., A. A. Evans, & David Gibbons. The Illustrated Timeline of Military History. 232p. maps. ISBN 978-1-4488-4794-5. LC 2011010120. ea vol: (History Timelines Series). photos. reprods. further reading. glossary. index. Websites. CIP. Rosen. 2011. PLB $47.95. Gr 7 Up-While dates may not be the be-all, end-all of history, they can be important. These books endeavor to provide both a running time line and a context to historical events, ranging from the broad history of the world to the more narrow topics of military, medicine, and the limited time period of World War II. It's hard to imagine students reading these dense books from cover to cover, but as reference sources, they are extremely useful. The concise explanations, paired with what would otherwise be an unwieldy chronology, help situate events in history and geography. Worldwide events, civilizations, and discoveries are given similar weight, making the books an excellent starting point for the less-covered histories of, for example, the ancient Americas or Eastern medicine. GEORGE, Charles & Linda George. The Holocaust. ISBN 978-1-60152-155-2. LC 2010045684. KALLEN, Stuart A. Ancient Egypt. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60152-152-1. LC 2010052491. MARCOVITZ, Hal. Ancient Rome. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60152-186-6. LC 2010053305. ROBSON, David. The Decade of the 2000s. ISBN 978-1-60152-187-3. LC 2010052489. WOOG, Adam. The Early Middle Ages. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60152-151-4. LC 2010039210. ----. The Late Middle Ages. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60152-188-0. LC 2011001382. ea vol: 96p. (Understanding World History Series). maps. photos. chron. further reading. index. notes. Websites. CIP. ReferencePoint. Nov. 2011. PLB $27.95. Gr 8 Up-Each book features a somewhat off-topic foreword that does little to help introduce the series and a useful pictorial time line to show important events that are later explained in detail. The volumes on the ancient and medieval world work well as a set, delineating a single geographic region's development over a specific era. Holocaust covers a much narrower period but provides context to the events of World War II that reach back to the anti-Semitic writings of Martin Luther. Decade of the 2000s is U.S.-centric, though it covers major events of violence and natural disaster across the globe, and does an excellent job of providing information, in brief, on politics, pop culture, and science and technology. The pair on the Middle Ages are written with enthusiasm for the time period, making a supposedly dark period of history more intriguing. GUNDERSON, Jessica. Methods of Warfare. ISBN 978-1-60818-101-8. LC 2010033844. ----. Pivotal Moments. ISBN 978-1-60818-102-5. LC 2010033845. WIMMER, Teresa. Causes. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60818-097-4. LC 2010033628. ----. Controversies. ISBN 978-1-60818-098-1. LC 2010033629. ----. Ideology and Information. reprods. ISBN 978-1-60818-099-8. LC 2010033842. ----. Important Figures. ISBN 978-1-60818-100-1. LC 2010033843. ea vol: 48p. (The War on Terror Series). photos. bibliog. index. notes. CIP. Creative Education. 2011. RTE $34.25. Gr 5-8-This series endeavors to offer a balanced perspective on post-9/11 events, situating them into a complex historical context. Gunderson's books have a Western bias, but they also strive to give both sides of stories, presenting both criticism and support for decisions made by the Bush administration in equal measure, and the information is well delineated. Wimmer's four entries are particularly strong; the author evenhandedly presents motives on all sides. However, the gun-sight backdrop throughout the series, which sometimes has images of people in its center, is a disturbing and suggestively violent visual motif. MALAM, John. Pompeii and Other Lost Cities. ISBN 978-1-60992-051-7. LC 2011011266. ----. The Terracotta Army and Other Lost Treasures. ISBN 978-1-60992-052-4. LC 2011012121. ----. The Titanic and Other Lost Ships. ISBN 978-1-60992-054-8. LC 2011012122. ----. Tutankhamun and Other Lost Tombs. ISBN 978-1-60992-053-1. LC 2011012123. ea vol: 32p. (Lost and Found Series). illus. maps. photos. reprods. chron. glossary. index. CIP. QEB. 2011. PLB $28.50. Gr 5-8-These books are a mix of trivia and tales. After a short introduction to the various topics-treasures, graves, cities, and shipwrecks-each title covers lost locations or items and then follows with information on how they were found. Locations from around the globe are used, though Africa is only represented through Egyptian tombs and North America is only seen in shipwrecks. Lost Ships in particular is interesting as it spans a wide swath of geography and paints simple pictures of ancient and more recent shipwrecks that contrast with the modern world uncovering these lost treasures. Because each entry stands on its own, these books could be read together or used separately as short references on any of the topics covered. Malam's engaging writing style serves the high-interest content well. RICE, Earle, Jr. The Battle of Marathon. ISBN 978-1-61228-077-6; ISBN 978-1-61228-159-9. LC 2011000606. ROBERTS, Russell. The Battle of Hastings. ISBN 978-1-61228-075-2; ISBN 978-1-61228-157-5. LC 2011000605. ----. The Battle of Waterloo. ISBN 978-1-61228-076-9; ISBN 978-1-61228-158-2. LC 2011006174. ----. The Battle of Yorktown. ISBN 978-1-61228-074-5; ISBN 978-1-61228-156-8. LC 2011000607. TORRES, John A. The Battle of Midway. ISBN 978-1-61228-078-3; ISBN 978-1-61228-160-5. LC 2011002746. ea vol: 48p. (Technologies and Strategies in Battle). diags. reprods. illus. maps. photos. bibliog. chron. further reading. glossary. index. notes. Websites. CIP. Mitchell Lane. 2011. PLB $29.95; ebook $29.95. Gr 4-8-This series covers world-changing battles, beginning with events that took place in ancient times and progressing to modern history. There is less focus on the technological aspects of the skirmishes than on strategy, and along with the basics of battle, the books feature short biographies of the fighters involved, the lead-up to the battles, and the end results. The simple language reduces complex historical events to manageable stories, making the books approachable for ambitious young readers and reluctant older readers. These aren't necessary purchases, but they might be considered to increase military-history collections. While some of these books will grab the attention of passing browsers, particularly Enslow's "Ye Yucky Middle Ages," others will be of more use as supplements to regular course material or as reference sources. Despite the problematic graphics, Creative Education's "War on Terror" on the whole covers events that are still new to history books, making them valuable, evenhanded resources. The less-well-known stories included in Marshall Cavendish's "Great Escapes" series offer an approachable entry into those portions of world history, and "History Timelines" from Rosen would make a beneficial stand-alone set.