U•X•L Titles: “Valuable” and “Recommended” Resources

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Searching for comprehensive reference books with information presented in an attractive, inviting way? The U•X•L  family is an “extraordinary, ambitious” collection “recommended” for serving the reference needs of middle school students. Producing several types of books: Encyclopedias, Biographies, Almanacs, Chronologies, and Primary Source volumes, U•X•L titles offer a number of ways to explore a particular subject.

The reviews speak for themselves…


U•X•L Civics

“Like other U•X•L sets, these volumes feature excellent supporting documentation and ancillary materials. Each volume contains the complete table of contents and index for the set, as well as appendices with the full text of founding American documents and student guides to civic engagement. The American Government volume includes extensive historical detail pertaining to the development of democracy and republican forms of government, as well as discussion of political philosophy. . . . Ample color photographs and visual aids complement the material and add to reader interest. These are suitable for both in-class use and inclusion in reference libraries”

–American Reference Books Annual, January, 2016

U•X•L Doomed: The Science Behind Disasters

“The three volumes in this excellent set cover 100 natural and man-made disasters occurring since 1900 . . . Some entries include primary source documents such as excerpts from government reports. Individual primary source documents are listed in the index, so readers can go directly to entries featuring such documentation if that is of especial interest. Most entries include both photographs and insets with information about related events or extended discussions of concepts causally involved in the disaster, such as building resonance.”

–American Reference Books Annual, January, 2016

U•X•L Money: Making Sense of Economics and Personal Finance

“Connections between macroeconomics and the importance of establishing a good credit history can seem tenuous, but this excellent three-volume set makes the case that understanding economic theory . . . The third volume will be of especial importance to many high school students because it focuses on the basics of personal finance, providing concrete examples to help young people understand such topics as the implications of various types of student loans and the basics of investing in stocks and bonds”

–American Reference Books Annual, January, 2016

U•X•L World Eras

“With beautifully rendered illustrations enhancing an informed and informative text, U•X•L World Eras is a ten volume history series. . . . The U•X•L World Eras series is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to high school, community, college, and university library World History reference collections.”

–Library Bookwatch, March, 2016

“This ambitious set attempts to provide a detailed overview of major periods of human history. . . Each volume in the set is self-contained with an introductory overview, volume-specific index, and the many maps, illustrations, and glossaries that render the U•X•L sets so readable and visually interesting for students. Sidebars contain copious quotations from original sources such as poems from the cultures being analyzed. . . . ”

– American Reference Books Annual, June, 2016

U•X•L Encyclopedia of Weather and Natural Disasters, 2nd ed.

“Outstanding ancillary materials complement the smart choices of entries in these five volumes to produce a first-rate encyclopedia set covering meteorology and the effects of weather on living systems. . . . Topics range over both basic terms such as drought and cloud to less-known terms such as foehn and mesoscale convective complex. Each volume includes a complete table of contents, list of entries according to scientific field, glossary, index, and practical guides to activities and further research. Individual entries contain microglossaries, and most include visual aids such as photographs and full-color diagrams of various cycles”

– American Reference Books Annual, June, 2016

“Each volume begins with a list of all of the entries arranged by scientific field for students focusing on a particular area of study and a chapter devoted to “Research and Activity Ideas” appropriate for students and teachers.The entries are written in a clear and easily accessible style and range in length from a few paragraphs to a few pages. Updated content include entries on the earthquake in Haiti in 2010 and the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011. Each entry features a “Words to Know” box that highlights vocabulary from the entry and provides definitions. Boxed areas are also used to highlight key pieces of information. Entries conclude with a list of related entries to investigate for further information. Colorful photographs, images, charts, and maps are included throughout. In addition, the title of the current entry or section appears along the top of each page for easier navigation. Each of the five volumes concludes with a comprehensive list of books, periodicals, and websites for further information, and a general index. This set would be a welcome addition to public or middle-school libraries.”

–Booklist, June, 2016

“The ten-page Research and Activity Ideas section provides related websites, weather information, and experiments that students can easily perform. The Words to Know section has definitions for weather and natural disaster vocabulary words used throughout the encyclopedia set but not their pronunciation. Each entry has multiple parts and a pop-out box with Words to Know, a full-color photograph, map, or drawing, and suggestions for related words to look for in the encyclopedia. There are also pop-out boxes that explain a news story, a scientific event, etc. related to the entry. A Where to Learn More section lists books, periodicals, and websites for additional research.
Recommended”

–School Library Connection, October, 2016

U•X•L How Everyday Products Are Made

“Each entry covers the history, raw materials, design, manufacturing, safety, and quality control of an item, and features two critical-thinking questions as well as a bibliography of books, periodicals, and websites for a variety of foods, high-tech products, and pop-culture items. Frequent sidebars give additional information, questions to discuss, and color illustrations on the entry. “Words to Know” is a separate sidebar for each topic. A “Readers Guide” and “Ten Research and Activity Ideas” can be found in each volume as well as the set index. The research ideas provide cross-disciplinary projects for classroom or library use, related entries, and websites for more information or activities. This is an excellent selection for budding scientists and those teachers and librarians looking for STEM project ideas as well as those who are curious about where common products originated.”

–Booklist, July, 2016

“”These volumes would be good additions in a middle school reference section, and I could also see them as valuable additions for lower level high school students as well as reluctant readers.”

Deb Grove, Retired Library Media Specialist, 2016

U•X•L Sustainable Living

“Although the title might imply a merely practical guide, this sophisticated encyclopedia also tackles concepts like the carbon cycle and intergenerational responsibility and concrete events such as the passage of the US Farm Bill and the UN Conference on Environment and Development. Each volume includes excellent ancillary materials . . . Individual entries include their own miniature glossaries and list resources, both websites and books, for further study. The encyclopedia does contain useful resources for readers interested in practical applications. Many sidebars provide information that can be used to research options. . . . ”

– American Reference Books Annual, June, 2016

“Pictures and colorful text boxes help to clarify and enrich the text while contributing to the book’s attractive layout. Each article closes with a list of related articles in the book and additional recommended books, periodicals, and websites. Entries are also listed by components of sustainability, which helps to illustrate how environmental issues affect multiple aspects of life and should help students organize their research. This title provides an excellent overview of environmental topics and will be a valuable resource as students begin research. Students needing in-depth information will need to look further. Recommended.”

–School Library Connection, October, 2016

U•X•L titles are available in print, as well as eBook format on the GVRL platform. Contact your rep today!Air Jordan 1

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