Hydrogen Power: ISBN 978-1-60152-073-9 / eBook: 978-1-60152-445-4
Booklist, February 15, 2010

Part of the Compact Research: Energy and the Environment series, this volume provides teen researchers a one-stop resource for a credible and citable narrative, facts, figures, illustrations, and primary-source quotes on this timely topic. Four main sections explain the dependence on fossil fuels, the viability of hydrogen as an alternative, its impact on global warming, and what the future might hold. This resource offers information that could be used on both sides of an issue; yet rather than presenting the information in a point/counterpoint format, it is presented in a more concise manner. There are text boxes on many pages, but the format of the book remains uncluttered. Wide margins and extra spaces between lines of text allow for easier reading. Subheadings break the text into manageable blocks. Quotes, facts, and full-color figures are presented at the end of each chapter rather than interspersed in the body of the text. The book includes a chronology; related organizations; a list of books, periodicals, and Internet sources; chapter source notes; and a detailed index.
—J. B. Petty

Deforestation: ISBN 978-1-60152-075-3 / eBook: 978-1-60152-401-0
Biofuels: ISBN 978-1-60152-078-4 / eBook: 978-1-60152-404-1
Fossil Fuels: ISBN 978-1-60152-079-1 / eBook: 978-1-60152-405-8
Hydrogen Power: ISBN 978-1-60152-073-9 / eBook: 978-1-60152-445-4
Solar Power: ISBN 978-1-60152-074-6 / eBook: 978-1-60152-400-3
Wind Power: ISBN 978-1-60152-080-7 / eBook: 978-1-60152-406-5
School Library Journal, November 2009, Series Made Simple Supplement

Gr 9 Up These titles pack a ton of useful research information into small packages. The organization will appeal to researchers with limited prior knowledge, as the books begin with “At a Glance” summaries and then expand to chapter-length discussions. Chapters pose questions (“How Do Biofuels Affect the Environment?”), explore the issues in a clear narrative, and conclude with sections of primary-source quotes, compact facts, and informative illustrations. Deforestation feels like the odd man out, but it clearly explains the problems with the use of wood as a fuel, and describes efforts to change that trend.