Chambers, Catherine

These first-person how-to guides purport to instruct the reader on being a "fiendish" ruler. In a conversational and tongue-in-cheek tone, these books present historical facts about how kings, pharaohs, shoguns, and emperors managed their realms. Illustrations emphasize the comical, using exaggerated facial expressions, postures, and speech balloons to good effect. Humor aside, the books still provide solid information about past royal life. Ind.

Introducing the mythical creature in an autobiographical format, this volume attempts to answer questions about Bigfoot--including "How old am I?" and "Do I really exist?"--by referencing beliefs and theories from a variety of different cultures. The setup is hokey and the content slim, but kids will learn basic Sasquatch lore. The illustrations are mildly amusing. Reading list. Glos., ind.

The debates in these titles center on the benefits and/or problems associated with attempts to circumvent or remedy environmental depredation. The slim volumes don't get deeply detailed; Chambers's dispassionate, generally even-handed approach is realistic about the lack of clear answers to these dilemmas. Relevant photos, graphs, sidebars, and "eyewitness" accounts supplement the narratives. Each book includes a quiz. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Earth Debates titles: Are Humans Damaging the Atmosphere? and How Effective is Recycling?.