Gr 4-8-Each of these titles provides a comprehensive, yet easy-to-read overview in large, bold print. Explanations are concise and clear without being oversimplified, and the arrangement is attractive. Diagrams, drawings, and photographs appear on every page and complement the text well. Supplemental information is offered in boxed areas. Each volume covers an element's history; where it is found; how it is extracted, purified, and used; and its chemical reactions. Arsenic includes topics such as the element's use as a poison and its industrial applications. Cobalt discusses the use of the material as a coloring agent, as well as its role in human health. Lithium describes the chemical's importance in batteries and in pharmaceuticals. Molybdenum devotes a chapter to the medical uses of a radioactive version of the element. The explanations and visuals provided for specific chemical reactions are especially helpful. In addition, each book has a spread showing the periodic table and the reason for each element's position on it. Useful additions, especially for libraries who own other books in the series.-Maren Ostergard, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.