School Library Journal

Hooking readers with a job scenario, these conversational narratives then flow into historical perspectives, adding illustrations of early pioneers. Chapters cover typical career-education content such as what happens at work, what it takes to do the job, and what the future holds. Color-blocked vocabulary is integrated into the text and defined in a glossary. Sidebar information is labeled as “Learning & Innovation Skills,” which often poses critical-thinking questions, or “Life & Career Skills,” which features, for example, a short inspirational biography. This series is more of a cover-to-cover read than the others reviewed here, requiring fact finders to consult the index for information such as salary.

Bottom Line: “Cool Careers: Helping Careers” and “Extreme Careers” are so eye-catching that there is no question about their value as reading motivators at their respective levels. Both integrate facts and vocabulary in a lively writing style with plenty of interesting asides. “Cool Careers: 21st Century Skills Library” is more structured and aligned to educational initiatives for middle grades than “Extreme Careers,” and it is better for report writing, yet it doesn’t sacrifice accessibility. High school collections should consider “Great Careers with a High School Diploma” for its inclusion of everyday occupations such as cable installer and groundskeeper.