Gr 8 Up-This volume focuses on American and British feature films and television. A useful introduction contextualizes various traditions and provides a detailed, compelling time line of key events over the last 200 years beginning with Robertson's 1798 creation of "the phantasmagoria, a sophisticated 'magic lantern' to project moving images." The quality of the entries varies. Articles on animators and innovators are somewhat reductive while the historical information in the geographical articles successfully amplifies the content of the introductory material to great success. Dobson has cast a wide net with regard to her definition of animation, including some live performance in which inanimate materials are manipulated. Since this is not a technical dictionary, entries on technique, materials, and technology cover context and key use rather than understanding or replicating the process. In fact, context is this volume's greatest service; its short entries with their thorough cross-referencing will allow readers to quickly and briefly understand how a topic is situated in a web of history and influence. Dobson offers an accessible starting point for student research, and her extensive bibliography will help those who want to explore more deeply. Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH