This series provides timely resources for schools using the Common Core curriculum. Each book follows same format: an introductory chapter, key events and pioneers in history, a description of career possibilities, and a final chapter predicting future growth and goals. Photographs, charts, and diagrams accompany the informational text written in short, simple sentences. Each book also includes primary source quotes for use in discussion and as writing prompts for independent practice. Both women and men are represented in photographs, cover art, and the informational text. This up-to-date resource would be a welcome addition to any upper elementary and middle school library. Recommended.

These volumes are an excellent complement to the 2013 series Science in the Real World, with upbeat, career-oriented surveys of the history, scope, recent trends, and types of work in selected STEM fields. The texts are surprisingly accessible, and. . . they don’t shy away from controversial topics. . . . Along with generous quantities of back matter, each volume is pedagogically jet-propelled—with bulleted summary lists at the end and meaty primary-source passages. . .followed by comprehension-testing questions and project suggestions. Recommended for budding experimenters and for career-minded younger readers.