While some of the series reviewed here focus on career options we’ve all heard of again and again but could never be bored with–such as being a librarian–others offer a look into work that is fresh, new, or extremely dangerous. From the familiar community helper to the fantastic polar explorer (with a few scientists thrown in for good measure), you’ll find books on a wide variety of careers. Overall, these offerings are adequate and would fit in most collections, but two are really exciting and shine for their originality.

 Preschool-Grade 4

BRITTON, Arthur K. Life at a Polar Research Station. maps. ISBN 978-1-4339-8482-2; ISBN 978-1-4339-8485-3. LC 2012021199. HARASYMIW, Mark. Life on a Submarine. ISBN 978-1-4339-8502-7; ISBN 978-1-4339-8505-8. LC 2012031424. NELSON, Drew. Life on an Oil Rig. ISBN 978-1-4339-8497-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-8500-3. LC 2012031294. NELSON, Maria. Life on the International Space Station. ISBN 978-1-4339-8507-2; ISBN 978-1-4339-8510-2. LC 2012031425. NIVER, Heather Moore. Life on an Aircraft Carrier. ISBN 978-1-4339-8492-1; ISBN 978-1-4339-8495-2. LC 2012022954. SYLVESTER, Oscar. Life on a Commercial Fishing Boat. ISBN 978-1-4339-8487-7; ISBN 978-1-4339-8490-7. LC 2012022061. ea vol: 32p. (Extreme Jobs in Extreme Places Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Gareth Stevens. 2013. PLB $26.60; ebook $26.60. Gr 3-5 –Not every person working at an Antarctic research station is a scientist; there are plenty of opportunities for those willing to shovel snow or grow vegetables. Structured around places rather than professions, these titles briefly touch on the breadth of duties and positions necessary to keep things running in six dangerous locations. Though the chapters are just a few pages long, they contain enough fascinating facts to pull in readers, such as information about disposable clothing, rogue waves, helicopter commutes, and a building on skis. The energetic design and excellent captioned photographs transport students to the center of the action and convey the excitement of these challenging jobs. The informal tone covers serious material in an engrossing and easy-to-digest manner. Kids will be highly entertained by these overviews. Sure to spark interest and further investigation.

GREEN, Michael. The United States Air Force. ISBN 978-1-4765-0071-3. LC 2012033246. ––––. The United States Army. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4765-0069-0. LC 2012033247. ––––. The United States Marines. reprods. ISBN 978-1-4765-0072-0. LC 2012033248. ––––. The United States Navy. ISBN 978-1-4765-0070-6. LC 2012033249. ea vol: 24p. (First Facts: U.S. Military Forces Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Capstone. 2013. PLB $24.65. Gr 1-3 –This is the place for kids to go for introductions to the U.S. Military, including information about the size of each branch, typical lengths of service, general mission, history, basic and officer training, equipment, and the wide range of jobs available. Glossary terms are defined at the bottom of the pages so readers don’t have to hunt them down. The color photographs and reproductions feature a reasonable balance of men and women. Text boxes deliver intriguing facts. Unfortunately, the website link in the back of each volume leads early elementary age children to some military sites that are far above their reading and comprehension levels. That the U.S. Military is powerful ( “The U.S. Air Force is the strongest air power in the world.”) and has the “best” of everything is reiterated across the titles.

READY, Dee. Dentists Help. ISBN 978-1-62065-081-3; ISBN 978-1-62065-841-3. ––––. Doctors Help. ISBN 978-1-62065-078-3; ISBN 978-1-62065-843-7. ––––. Firefighters Help. ISBN 978-1-62065-082-0; ISBN 978-1-62065-845-1. ––––. Librarians Help. ISBN 978-1-62065-084-4; ISBN 978-1-62065-847-5. ––––. Nurses Help. ISBN 978-1-62065-080-6; ISBN 978-1-62065-849-9. ––––. Veterinarians Help. ISBN 978-1-62065-083-7; ISBN 978-1-62065-851-2. ea vol: 24p. (Pebble Books: Our Community Helpers Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Capstone. 2013. PLB $21.32; pap. $5.95. PreS-Gr 1 –Acceptable introductions. Through repetitive vocabulary and clear, crisp color photographs (one per spread), readers will discover the basics of each profession–what the individuals do, where they work, the clothes and tools of the job, and each helper’s place in the community. While there is a fair amount of diversity in the photos, it’s worth noting that Firefighters shows only one female and only two men appear in Librarians. The suggested websites (which are accessed through a link in the back of each book) are disappointing. For example, the one for Dentists points kids to three adult-level career sites. If you have a need for community-helper books for early readers, these will fill the hole on your shelves.

Grades 5 & Up

ANNISS, Matt. Make a Podcast!. ISBN 978-1-84858-572-0. LC 2011051444. ––––. Start a Band!. ISBN 978-1-84858-571-3. LC 2011051442. ––––. Start a Blog!. ISBN 978-1-84858-575-1. LC 2011051448. LEVETE, Sarah. Make an Animation!. illus. ISBN 978-1-84858-574-4. LC 2011051451. PIPE, Jim. Make a Movie!. ISBN 978-1-84858-573-7. LC 2011051445. SUTHERLAND , Adam. Take Great Photos!. ISBN 978-1-84858-576-8. LC 2011051453. ea vol: 32p. (Find Your Talent Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Arcturus. 2013. PLB $28.50. Gr 5-8 –With the allure of trendy topics and a captivating design, these titles are sure to be popular with budding artists and media mavens. Written in a friendly tone, the conversational texts read like one friend is showing another the ropes (e.g., “Not only is this hobby fun, but creating your own podcast could lead to a successful career in radio.”). The energetic layouts include bright graphics, small blocks of text, lots of color photos, and sidebars with plenty of tips and practical advice and profiles of accomplished professionals. The titles provide as much of a step-by-step outline to creative endeavors as possible in 32 pages. Readers looking for more information will make use of the impressive “Further Information” print and Web resources. These solid introductions manage to leave plenty of room for individual creativity. The only pieces missing are mentions of Internet safety or privacy when sharing or publishing works online.

BERNE, Emma Carlson. Today’s U.S. Marines. ISBN 978-0-7565-4621-2; ISBN 978-0-7565-4637-3. LC 2012023143. BURGAN, Michael. Today’s U.S. Air Force. ISBN 978-0-7565-4620-5; ISBN 978-0-7565-4633-5. LC 2012023145. KENNEY, Karen Latchana. Today’s U.S. National Guard. ISBN 978-0-7565-4619-9; ISBN 978-0-7565-4639-7. LC 2012031828. NARDO , Don. Today’s U.S. Army. ISBN 978-0-7565-4618-2; ISBN 978-0-7565-4635-9. LC 2012009990. ––––. Today’s U.S. Navy. ISBN 978-0-7565-4617-5; ISBN 978-0-7565-4641-0. LC 2012023144. ea vol: 48p. (The U.S. Armed Forces Series). further reading. glossary. index. notes. photos. websites. Compass Point. 2013. PLB $28.65; pap. $8.95. Gr 6-9 –Each title opens with an exciting narrative that pulls readers in to discover more about the nuts and bolts of the various military branches. Divided into seven similarly organized chapters, each volume delivers detailed information about the history, organization, missions, job possibilities, basic training, weapons, equipment, and special operations of each branch. Color photos of people in action, short biographies of key men and women in the organization’s history, and sidebars provide interest and variety. Kids who are fascinated with the military will be able to easily compare the differences among the divisions across titles, and they will enjoy the level of description. Several volumes mention the limited opportunities for women, though the reasons for these barriers or efforts to eliminate them are not fully explained.

GREGORY, Josh. Climate Scientist. diags. ISBN 978-1-62431-002-7; ISBN 978-1-62431-026-3; ISBN 978-1-62431-050-8. LC 2012034717. ––––. Hydrologist. diags. ISBN 978-1-62431-001-0; ISBN 978-1-62431-025-6; ISBN 978-1-62431-049-2. LC 2012034716. MARA, Wil. Information Security Analyst. ISBN 978-1-62431-005-8; ISBN 978-1-62431-029-4; ISBN 978-1-62431-053-9. LC 2012034720. ––––. Wind Turbine Services Technician. diags. ISBN 978-1-62431-003-4; ISBN 978-1-62431-027-0; ISBN 978-1-62431-051-5. LC 2012034718. MULLINS , Matt. Geoscientist. ISBN 978-1-62431-004-1; ISBN 978-1-62431-028-7; ISBN 978-1-62431-052-2. LC 2012034719. ––––. Remote Systems Control Engineer. ISBN 978-1-62431-006-5; ISBN 978-1-62431-030-0; ISBN 978-1-62431-054-6. LC 2012034827. YOMTOV , Nel. Epidemiologist. diags. ISBN 978-1-62431-007-2; ISBN 978-1-62431-031-7; ISBN 978-1-62431-055-3. LC 2012034721. ––––. Transportation Planner. ISBN 978-1-62431-008-9; ISBN 978-1-62431-032-4; ISBN 978-1-62431-056-0. LC 2012034737. ea vol: 32p. (21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEM Careers Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Cherry Lake. 2013. PLB $28.50; pap. $14.21; ebook $28.50. Gr 6-9 –With their focus on science, technology, engineering and math careers, these titles will help kids see the value in these topics and maybe even encourage them to sit up and pay more attention in class. After covering basic information, such as facts about equipment, work schedules, common technology used, safety gear and day-to-day activities, each book provides an overview of specific job requirements and prospects. Skills (e.g., critical-thinking talent or being cool with heights), personality traits, and physical attributes are discussed as well as growth potential in the field and salary and educational specifications. The various fields are presented in an honest way: kids are shown that even the most glamorous sounding jobs include some routine tasks, such as writing reports or preparing budgets. Unremarkable color photos and diagrams illustrate the pages. Historical information and biographical sketches make clear how rapidly our world is changing. Solid career books for the STEM-minded.

Don’t miss Gareth Stevens’s “Extreme Jobs in Extreme Places”; the focus on out-of-the-ordinary careers will pique interest even when students don’t have to write reports and the photos alone are worth the purchase. Arcturus’s “Find Your Talent” is another standout; it not only introduces intriguing careers, but gives kids (and kids at heart) the tools they need to get to work right away. Also, some great photography tips and a really cool app are included. Whether readers want to pursue the careers in these two series or not, the photos, layout, and the introductions to unique vocations are be appealing. Capstone’s “Pebble Books: Our Community Helpers” is a fine basic series for the youngest customers. Librarians in need of books on the military would be wise to select Capstone’s “First Facts: U.S. Military Forces” for early elementary readers and Compass Point’s “The U.S. Armed Forces” for middle schoolers. If you have patrons wondering how they will use all of their STEM education, be sure to pick up Cherry Lake’s “21st Century Skills Library: Cool STEM Careers,” where they will find reasons to finish their algebra homework. While two of the series are exemplary, there isn’t a dud in the pack. This is a good year to update your career books.