Extreme Machines: Wild Wheels Series

Motos, ape hangers, full dressers, raked forks, hogs, and lots more colorful lingo are defined and described in Enslow Publishing's 2008 title Hottest Motorcycles (Wild Wheels!), the latest in their Wild Wheels! series. Author Bob Woods includes ample motorcycle history and technical description in his short and snappy book on the coolest cycles out there.

Woods opens with a chapter on the background and highlights of motorcycle racing, including famous annual races such as the Isle of Man TT races, road races, motocross/dirt track races, and endurance (enduro) racing, and cites some record breaking riders and cycles. He then divides the body of the book into chapters on cycle types--cruisers (including the historic Harleys), choppers, motocross and dirt bikes, street rockets and sports bikes.

Weaving anecdotes, safety information, and technical jargon into his narrative, Wood packs a lot of information into the photo-studded 48 pages of text, with yellow blocking to highlight terminology and special sections such as a page on the annual Sturgis, South Dakota, cycle convocation and on the Captain America chopper of Easy Rider fame. Wild Facts--standout black boxes with white type--dot the text with information of interest to enthusiasts. A two-page glossary is followed by a bibliography of books and Internet links for further information. A full index wraps up the solid coverage of this popular subject for middle readers.

The same accessible format is used in the other books in the Wild Wheels series-- Hottest Race Cars (Wild Wheels!), Hottest Nascar Machines (Wild Wheels!), Hottest Muscle Cars (Wild Wheels!), Hottest Race Cars (Wild Wheels!), and Hottest Dragsters and Funny Cars (Wild Wheels!). At Accelerated Reader quiz levels between 5.4 and 6.2, the accessible format and wide-ranging coverage make this series just right for young motorheads.