ELLIS, Carol . Judo and Jujitsu . ISBN 978-0-7614-4933-1 ; ISBN 978-1-60870-363-0 . LC 2010013821. HANEY, Johannah . Capoeira . ISBN 978-0-7614-4932-4 ; ISBN 978-1-60870-362-3 . LC 2010013829. HANEY-WITHROW, Anna . Tae Kwon Do . ISBN 978-0-7614-4940-9 ; ISBN 978-1-60870-368-5 . LC 2010013828. MACK, Gail . Kickboxing . ISBN 978-0-7614-4936-2 ; ISBN 978-1-60870-366-1 . LC 2010014798. ea vol: 48p. (Martial Arts in Action Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Marshall Cavendish / Benchmark . 2011. PLB $29.93; ebook $29.93. Gr 5-7 These selections show the variety of martial arts, from Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian form that combines music, dancing, and acrobatics, to Tae Kwon Do, which is internationally the most popular form and is an Olympic sport. The action-oriented images and comic-book lettering on the covers will draw readers in, and the texts will keep them interested in the history, expectations for students, and basic moves of each sport. Aikido , which is particularly strong, demonstrates the author's personal familiarity with the art. On the other end of the spectrum, Kickboxing overreaches its scope, and rather than providing a detailed history of the modern incarnation, it goes back to ancient Greece and is unconvincing at drawing connections between kickboxing's various historical influences. Additionally, Mack attempts to describe the basic moves and offers just enough information so that unsupervised readers could hurt themselvesor their friendsby trying them out. The other four books stress the importance of learning from professionals. Capoeira also does a nice job of balancing discussion of the martial-art aspect of the sport with the musical aspect, detailing the instruments used with as much care as the various techniques. Tae Kwon Do has a ready-made audience, and the historical discussion of Korea's efforts in unifying a national fighting style brings new perspective to the international sport. Judo shows Ellis's usual style in creating an approachable narrative for those with no background in the subject. Attractive but additional offerings for collections in which martial arts are popular.— Alana Joli Abbott, formerly at James Blackstone Memorial Library, Branford, CT

Each book in the Martial Arts in Action series discusses the approach and techniques of a particular discipline as well as its history, course of training, and competitions. Drawn from a variety of sources, the illustrations (mainly color photos) are usually well composed and clearly reproduced. Occasional full-page features spotlight a more specific topic or profile a famous martial artist with a photo or, in some cases, a single paragraph of text. Strongly rooted in Brazilian slave traditions, Capoeira introduces a practice that combines elements of a game, dance, music, and martial arts. Each volume presents its topic in a very favorable light, explaining the benefits of martial-arts training for young people and suggesting ways of finding a good teacher. A glossary and short lists of books and websites are appended. A useful addition to many library collections.