In the tradition of Illustrated Classics, the legendary series of abridged, comic book-style literary classics, comes this high-interest title in the new Graphic History series, a part of the larger Graphic Library imprint. Bold inking and coloring by a studio of DC and Marvel veterans give the pages a polished, dynamic look, although the tan backgrounds that indicate primary source material (which, unfortunately, is left undocumented) are a bit subtle. Of course, the Titanic disaster provides ample occasion to employ the Ka-Pow! Boom! Krak! language of the genre, and accordingly moments of high drama (Iceberg, right ahead! Reverse the engines!) receive more play here than subtler issues, such as the way passengers' economic and social status affected the likelihood of their survival. Still, this noncondescending volume represents a shot in the arm for a category of children's publishing too prone to blandness; a URL to a publisher-maintained list of Web resources will help interested youngsters fill in the gaps.

MARTIN, Michael . Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad illus. by Dave Hoover & Bill Anderson. ISBN 0-7368-3829-5 . LC 2004015501. MARTIN, Michael . The Salem Witch Trials illus. by Brian Bascle. ISBN 0-7368-3847-3 . LC 2004019145. ea vol: 32p. (Graphic Library, Graphic History Series). bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone 2004. PLB $22.60. Gr 3-6 These eye-catching books not only draw inspiration and style from comic books, but also employ experienced illustrators and inkers from the field. Though the bright and boldly colored illustrations capture the spirit of comic books, they differ from the traditional framing readers are accustomed to, instead favoring one to three cells per page. The effect gives the books a rushed feel that, while maintaining a sense of excitement, leaves little room for subtlety in illustrations or details. Some important facts and references are added at the end of each book, but since undermotivated readers are unlikely to utilize these tools, the main text is occasionally oversimplified. Overall, these books would work well for introducing hi/lo readers to the subjects, but their use is limited as resources for reports. Dawn Rutherford, Kings County Library System, Bellevue, WA

This series puts a new twist on an old idea. Each slim volume presents an event in history in full-color comic format. The text is simple as is the flow of the graphic format. In The Sinking of the Titanic, facts such as the vessel The Californian being ten miles away are included, but the decision to carry fewer lifeboats to create deck space is not. In The Salem Witch Trials, motivations of the accusers are not explored in depth in the comic portion of the book, but a list of theories at the end makes numerous suggestions. The Curse of King Tut's Tomb introduces the idea of mummies before quickly jumping to the discovery and rumors of the curse surrounding the tomb. Each volume includes a set of further facts at the end as well as suggestions for further reading and suggested Internet sites. Overall the full color is appealing. The concern is that the covers have the look of "schoolbooks" created for research in school libraries, which will limit interest for older students. The length allows for little detail, making the titles good for introduction into a topic, but interested teens will need to search out better resources. Even the illustrations seem young. Perhaps the best use will be for limited English learners and younger teens who have severe reading difficulties.-Mary Ann Harlan.