Forensic Identification: Putting a Name and Face on Death (Exceptional Science Titles for Upper Grades)
If one were to judge from the slate of current television shows, it would seem that there is no limit to this topic’s popularity. In a straightforward, no-nonsense manner, this focuses on how forensic scientists are able to solve the mystery of human remains that are not easily identifiable. While the text is detailed, it is contained to four brief chapters. Meanwhile, plenty of illustrative photographs and diagrams lead readers through the minutely detailed techniques that forensic anthropologists, artists, odontologists, and pathologists use, often working with only skeletal remains, to uncover the identities of individuals. Each chapter opens with two real-life, attention-grabbing “case studies,” which set the scene before actually delving into the specific steps taken by specialists. The resolutions of the case files at the end of each chapter provide a satisfying wrap-up while demonstrating how the process explained in that chapter is used to solve the case. A smart and interactive introduction to the CSI field. Grades 7-10. --Randall Enos