Information Security Analyst

April 1, 2013

Gr 6-9-With their focus on science, technology, engineering and math careers, these titles will help kids see the value in these topics and maybe even encourage them to sit up and pay more attention in class. After covering basic information, such as facts about equipment, work schedules, common technology used, safety gear and day-to-day activities, each book provides an overview of specific job requirements and prospects. Skills (e.g., critical-thinking talent or being cool with heights), personality traits, and physical attributes are discussed as well as growth potential in the field and salary and educational specifications. The various fields are presented in an honest way: kids are shown that even the most glamorous sounding jobs include some routine tasks, such as writing reports or preparing budgets. Unremarkable color photos and diagrams illustrate the pages. Historical information and biographical sketches make clear how rapidly our world is changing. Solid career books for the STEM-minded.

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2013
Grades 4-7 The entry into the Cool STEM Careers series begins with a scene out of a suspense movie: an information security analyst helps track down a corporate spy searching for confidential information about a new product the corporation is developing. From there, Mara writes about both the content and the requirements of the job, making it clear that the best analysts constantly seek out shifts and developments in computers and other technology. Mara also states that it is a growing field, one that will require more expertise as computer hackers get more sophisticated. Mara also explains why some personality traitsincluding trustworthiness, patience, and excellent communication skillsare crucial to this career. Standard back matter includes a short list of well-known security analysts includingwho knew?Julius Caesar.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)