Designed more to give a high- (or even middle-) schooler permission to dream than to provide specific job data or advice, this single-­volume encyclopedia identifies about 400 occupations or specialties with special reference to general skills and personal qualities required to make each a good fit. Scattered exceptions like truck driver, politician, and (optimistically) professional athlete aside, higher education or some measure of vocational training is by and large listed as a must. Presented under 15 randomly ordered headings from Arts, Crafts, and Design to Transportation, the single-spread entries each feature a graphically presented typical career path from entry level on up, pithy comments on each career's pros and cons, notes on common entry qualifications and characteristic lifestyle demands, and a boxed list of needed abilities such as communication skills or detail orientation. Salary lows and highs are not given in numbers but as a range of one to five stars. (Librarians can hope to achieve four stars. Editors two. Salaries for reviewers varies enormously.) Further research will be necessary, but this gives readers a range of options.--Peters, John Copyright 2010 Booklist

Gr 6 Up-A typical library's collection of career books can quickly become dated or out of touch. Enter this manual. With simple graphics, bright colors, and a vast compendium of information, this guide will engage teens who are wondering, "What now?" Each page contains a job description, information on related careers and salaries, and a skills guide. The book explains precisely how to go from dipping a toe into the waters of a particular job to the highest positions within the field. The index is well organized, and the entries are nicely cross-referenced. The material can be dry or a bit vague at times, especially for readers who would be interested in discovering real-life applications. However, it should be useful for students, and the wide scope of knowledge will keep it current for longer than many comparable titles. VERDICT This strong addition will be fun for browsers as well as for those selecting college majors and making job decisions.-Erinn Black Salge, Saint Peter's Prep, Jersey City, NJ © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.