The U.S. Air Force is the youngest member of America's Armed Forces. Defending America's interest from the air, gathering information on enemy nations, providing supplies during peacetime, and working with America's space program are all part of the Air Force's mission. Dramatic and exciting? Yes. And that is reinforced by the use of official photos on every page. Likewise, what could be a rather dry dissertation on the Air Force's history and purpose are made relevant by the use of historical examples. A student with a passing interest in the Armed Forces might find his or herself spurred to additional learning by the historical snippets provided throughout the text. One of six titles in the "Fighting Forces" series, this book describes the role, work, command, weapons, lifestyle and history of today's Air Force. Laid out like a mini-textbook, the book includes a glossary of terms, an index, an age-appropriate bibliography, and a website list. A word of caution: this book is promoted as being appropriate for students in grades one to four. While the sentence structure and vocabulary is relatively simple, the text is a bit advanced for new readers, especially those in the earlier grades. 2004, Rourke Publishing LLC, Ages 6 to 10.
—Kris Sauer
