Library Media Connection; School Library Journal

This exciting series about some of the most dangerous jobs in the country delivers; the books are as exciting as they sound. They approach concepts surrounding injury, risk, and death with a controlled practicality. The short sentences and matter-of-fact tone make the books more appropriate than others that have attempted the same. The information reads more like a scientific pamphlet when it could have come across as sensationalized. All pages contain photographs that perfectly illustrate the worlds in which these people live. The books would have benefited from including more women and people of color. This is a perfect series for students who struggle to find motivation to read for pleasure.

These books are a browser’s paradise. The bulk of the photography is impressive, filling the pages with gritty (but not grisly) images of explosions, crashes, and falls, as well as big vehicles and machinery. Rodeo Clown is definitely the best of the set, followed by Coal Miner and Ice Road Trucker. The photos in Stunt Performer are, however, underwhelming, and one of the opening shots in Fighter Pilot shows an (assumed) airman bailing out of a jet in tennis shoes, a rather unfortunate editorial oversight as it clearly suggest the parachutist is not military. That said, Gordon’s writing has an edge-of-your-seat tone that undergirds the photos, and all of the books offer interesting, accessible nuggets of information. Bold graphics rendered in red, yellow, and black complete these exciting volumes. While not in-depth enough for reports, these titles will find success in the hands of readers who might daydream about tackling an adrenaline-pumping profession some day. – School Library Journal