These brief, superficial biographies don't have much to offer independent readers beyond the barest of facts. The choppy text could have been better edited, and the stock photographs are often poorly placed in relation to the text. The glossary often uses a word to define itself (e.g., "colony": "a settlement. A person who lives there is a colonist"). Timeline, websites. Ind. [Review covers these Buddy Books: First Biographies titles: Albert Einstein, George Washington Carver, Sally Ride, Thomas Edison, and Thomas Jefferson.]

Gr 2-3-Basic, easy-to-read biographies with enough information for a first report. The books provide a list of important dates (helpful for keeping the sequence of events in order), important words, suggested Web sites, and a useful index. Edison sheds a little light on the life and work of the famous inventor. Captioned black-and-white photos appear on every spread. Jefferson begins with a brief look at the man's childhood and education and concludes with a look at his contributions to American history. These books provide the same information as those that can already be found in most collections, but the fresh format will appeal to young readers.-Christine E. Carr, Lester C. Noecker Elementary School, Roseland, NJ Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.