Grade 5-8-These books profile two of the pioneers of the cyberspace era. Andreessen was instrumental in the creation of Mosaic, an early Web browser, and was cheated of recognition for his efforts. In revenge, he created the Netscape Navigator, which allowed the general public to use the Internet easily. However, his triumph sparked a huge legal and commercial battle with software-giant Bill Gates and Microsoft for control of the browser market. Bezos saw the commercial opportunities in an easily accessible Internet and created Amazon.com, one of the first, now most widely recognized dot.com businesses. Although his story makes for good reading, Andreessen's story of revenge and cutthroat competition is the more compelling of the two. Both authors are admiring of their subjects, emphasizing how they were able to see the possibilities of cyberspace and create something entirely new. Although these stories are interesting and readable, the books themselves are not very attractive. Each has only a few black-and-white photos that add little to the text and the cover art is not flattering to either man. In spite of superficial weaknesses, these titles are sure to appeal to both report writers and the young techies who exist in every school, showing them that those who view the world differently can make significant contributions.
Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO
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