VOYA

Each of the five books in this new series addresses a complicated, controversial issue by delving into one aspect rather than trying to tackle every angle. The books begin with an overview of the topic, followed by a history of the controversy. Is Stem Cell Research Necessary? concentrates on the possible benefits, moral concerns, effective alternatives (could adult stem cells be more effective than embryonic?), the situation in other countries (is the United States now irretrievably behind?), and the political issues surrounding government support. A slight bias toward pursuing stem cell research with federal government support is evident, but opposing viewpoints are granted equal coverage. Sources are as recent as April 2009 and include the import of Barack Obama’s change of policy allowing federally funded stem cell research. How Should the World Respond to Global Warming? creates great urgency in the introductory sections that propel the reader into chapters offering possible solutions to the problem. Those chapters describe how developing nations should respond, how developed nations should respond, how business and industry should respond, and recommended lifestyle changes for the average citizen of a developed nation. Especially interesting are the difficulties finding alternative fuel sources that do not harm the environment themselves and fairness issues around developing nations that are being asked to curtail emissions after years of watching developed countries create the current situation. Teenagers will be particularly interested in ways to reduce their individual carbon footprints. Unfortunately sidebars are not always placed effectively, more photographs could have been included (after creating considerable interest in the Aptera car, there should be a visual of the prototype), and the most recent source note is from 2008. This series is above average in using appealing text, clear source notes, and frequent quotations from the experts. “Facts” boxes at the end of each chapter give sometimes additional, sometimes repetitive statistics. A Related Organizations appendix is excellent, including annotations for each organization and its Web site.—Angela Carstensen.