Gr 5 UpThis well-crafted resource describes medical and dental innovations that have revolutionized health care and the extraordinary individuals behind the breakthroughs. More than 200 alphabetically arranged entries, ranging from less than a page to six pages in length, provide accurate facts about timely subjects such as AIDS therapies and vaccines, breast implants, cryogenics, mammography, and the separation of Siamese twins. Each piece features the name of the pioneer who is credited with the achievement, a thorough explanation of the scientific principles and discoveries behind it, and a discussion of its impact on contemporary society. Sidebars expand upon concepts in the narrative and showcase related topics. The volumes are profusely illustrated with expertly captioned black-and-white photos. Terms and phrases that appear in boldfaced type within the articles have corresponding entries. See-also references connect readers to other pertinent inventions or discoveries. Each volume has an excellent bibliography, a chronology of medical and dental events, a user-friendly glossary, and a comprehensive master index. This work can be partnered successfully with the six-volume Eureka! Scientific Discoveries and Inventions That Shaped the World (UXL, 1995), which chronicles scientific milestones from the Industrial Revolution to the present in layperson's terms. Both are first-rate purchases.Hillary Jan Donitz-Goldstein, New York Public Library
