Each book provides several examples of the title instruments and how they are played around the world. Western classical music is consistently featured, but pop, folk, jazz, and religious music are also discussed, as are cultural variations and ancient and historical origins. Many captioned photographs, illustrations, and sidebars provide visual interest but also crowd the pages. Websites. Glos., ind.

CHAMPION, Neil . Finding Your Way . map. ISBN 978-1-60753-038-1 . LC 2009030888. CHAMPION, Neil . Fire and Cooking . ISBN 978-1-60753-039-8 . LC 2010001626. CHAMPION, Neil . In An Emergency . ISBN 978-1-60753-040-4 . LC 2010002517. CHAMPION, Neil . Making Shelter . ISBN 978-1-60753-041-1 . LC 2010001378. ea vol: 32p. (Survive Alive Series). diags. illus. photos. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Amicus . 2010. PLB $19.95. Gr 3-7 These colorful books contain numerous photos and illustrations that effectively break the texts into small, readable chunks. There's lots of practical, everyday information here on food and water, shelter and safety, as well as some out-of-the-ordinary advice on how to cut open a cactus, make an igloo, and signal for a helicopter to land. Brief yet gripping real-life survival stories are interspersed throughout the books but are not documented and leave readers wanting to know more. Champion covers a lot of ground without going into great depth. Outdoorsy kids, including reluctant readers, will enjoy browsing through these appealing introductions to a wide variety of survival skills. Marcia Kochel, The Galloway School, Atlanta, GA