F-15 Eagle Engaged: The Worlds Most Successful Jet Fighter is a hardback book of 288 pages, including 25 pages of Appendices. Written by an aviation expert Steve Davies and retired USAF Squadron Commander Doug Dildy, this book educates the reader on one of the most well known fighter jets. Larger than 9 x 11 inches, the book comes with gold title etching on the spine and a full-color paper dust jacket to sustain years of use. The book is a stand-alone item with no additional educational resources included. Chapter topics include information on competition for the F-15 Fighter Jet, the testing and evaluation process, its use in the Cold War and other engagements, and information on what the future holds for this dominant fighter jet. Pictures and diagrams fill the pages and include photos of the jet in flight, interior cockpit images, schematics of various components, images of the F-15 in various locations all over the world, and more.

The book is written for older students and adults, but the more than 100 color photos will thrill younger children interested in flight and fighter jets. First-hand accounts of combat are included, making the book a definite history resource. The detailed accounts are engaging and offer a wealth of information to the reader. Since being put into service in 1976, the F-15 has been a mainstay of the United States Air Force, and this book explains why it holds the position as the most successful fighter jet ever. It can be utilized by any homeschool desiring to teach about fighter jets, aviation history, and military resources. The Endnotes will supply an avid aviation fan with years and years of reading resources.

Our oldest is an Aerospace Engineering Major, and she found this book to be very informative and interesting. The photography is excellent and offers a glimpse into the experience our pilots face everyday. The first-hand accounts offer insight on the Air Force experience, from both the military and the civil service sides. An interested older child might keep the book on a bedside bookshelf for months of perusing the information inside. I will use it as a spark for geography, leading my son from a battle reference in the book to the battle's location on the other side of the world. Jets also lead easily into geometry discussions and the required measurements to build such an awesome machine. Resourceful homeschool teachers will find many uses for F-15 Eagle Engaged: The Worlds Most Successful Jet Fighter.

True history buffs will enjoy this book, as will anyone looking for a detailed overview of the F-15. Any family who enjoys big, colorful photographs will find this book useful as they work through recent history, military information, and any subject area that might involve fighter jets. If you do not wish to expose your children to the harsh reality of war, this book will not be appropriate; it references kills and combat in straightforward terms.

Any household with an Air Force fan or a student truly interested in fighter jets will want to have F-15 Eagle Engaged: The Worlds Most Successful Jet Fighter handy for deeper reading. I am thankful for a daughter who has a deep desire to understand "everything Air Force" as she continues to open our eyes to fields I never dreamt we would be interested in. This book will become a part of the education of our entire family.

Product review by Donna Campos, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, January 2008