Gr 6 Up Each book provides a great array of facts, statistics, graphs, and primary-source quotes. The first title has an overview of the problem as well as topic-specific chapters such as “Who Drives Drunk?” and “How Should Drunk Drivers Be Punished?” It offers differing ideas on questions that have more than one answer. The colorful graphs and charts contain current information, sometimes through 2008. Robson covers disasters ranging from manmade to weather-related and bioterrorism. The author doesn’t just focus on the United States; how the world responds to disasters takes up a good part of the book. Hurricane Katrina is discussed in the overview and leads into chapters that question the ability of the United States to handle natural disasters and how it can be improved. Once again, colorful graphs and up-to-date statistics are included. Both titles would be great additions for students needing print materials to help with research projects, and for those who require some kind of first-person account included in their research.
—Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR