World War II by the numbers

Gr 4-8-Building a series of books primarily around numbers is a bold move, but it pays off in spades here. A brief paragraph at the beginning of each chapter establishes context. Subsequent content is presented via statistics, some of which are simply written out and others of which appear in pie charts, bar graphs, or timetables. Several stats appear on each page and include information on casualties, weapons, women, supplies, and more. Hi-res images are featured prominently, sometimes as an eye-catching background, such as the sepia-toned battle drawing that serves as a backdrop for a spread describing the jobs of Confederate soldiers. With other spreads, the images take center stage, such as one depicting a World War I soldier with his equipment. Many visuals are rendered with a shadow effect, making them appear to pop off the page. Unfortunately, sources are not cited. VERDICT The dynamic use of statistics makes for irresistible reading. This ideal supplement for history classes will appeal to reluctant readers. Consider for hi-lo collections, too. © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.