new releases

CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS

With an introductory reference to severe flooding in South Asia, Schroeder notes the increasing incidence of natural disasters across the world, including in areas with no prior history of them. She explains the impact of growing amounts of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution, connecting the dots between the resulting rise …

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DELAWARE BEHAVING BADLY

“Delaware may be small, but its criminal history contains multitudes,” writes Tabler at the outset of his narrative of the Diamond State’s seamy underbelly. “These stories span a spectrum—from blood-chilling murders that haunted generations to curious capers lost in dusty archives, from soul-crushing injustices that demanded reform to schemes so preposterous they strain credulity.” Tabler …

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EXPLORING ANIME

This short introduction to anime, like the genre itself, diverges in many directions. Six chapters highlight aspects of the industry, beginning with “The Anime Renaissance,” a chapter establishing the contemporary context of Japanese animation. The author argues that anime is central to Japanese culture; the robot cat Doraemon holds an official government position as “anime …

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SAVING THE WHALE

Addressing, like the other volumes in this series, “mission-ready” younger readers, Eason surveys threats ranging from modern whaling to climate change, abandoned fishing nets, and plastics pollution. She supplements an overview of conservation-related careers with vignettes featuring children who describe personal actions such as small-scale beach cleanups. Messy page design impedes the presentation; a jumble …

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SAVING THE CHIMPANZEE

It may seem premature to promote careers in wildlife conservation in an appeal aimed at a younger primary-grade audience, but Eason forges ahead anyway. She addresses “mission-ready” readers in her introduction and finishes with lines of relevant work from trained scientist to field guide, filmmaker, and even public relations specialist. In between, she engagingly positions …

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LOANS AND CREDIT

“You may not realize it, but lenders don’t just hand out money, it always comes at a price.” Should a guide to credit cards and loans be any less direct? This book, which is chock-full of practical advice around how to pay bills on time, shop using discounts, and cut back on spending to meet …

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JOBS AND TAXES

Promising to “take the mystery out of money and the fear away from finances,” Sanderson begins with a broad overview of job sectors that are open to teens, including retail, food service, babysitting, tutoring, lawn care, lifeguarding, and reselling items online. She then goes on to detail common payroll deductions, which leads into a discussion …

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HOW TO END HOMELESSNESS

In the introduction, Hunter shares an eye-opening statistic: “Around one in every 500 Americans is homeless.” From there, each concise, well-organized chapter thoughtfully introduces different aspects of the issue, including types of homelessness, how different demographic groups are affected, the root causes, and the physical and emotional effects. The pages are visually appealing and easy …

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MANAGING SOCIAL MEDIA

Sanderson’s initial presentation of her subject is positive. She differentiates among types of social media, observing that online platforms have “opened up new career opportunities,” “enabled people to connect,” and allowed “people to leave reviews of products or companies.” China has its “own versions” of social media (there’s no mention of censorship). The statement that …

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HOW TO HELP REFUGEES

What is a refugee? While the simple answer—“a person fleeing their country to find safety”—is true, it only scratches the surface. This volume adds clear historical context. In the first three chapters, readers glean facts about refugees in the U.S. and examine global causes and responses and the social impact of displacement. The book offers …

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