American History

ADLER, David A. Heroes for Civil Rights. illus. by Bill Farnsworth. 32p. bibliog. chron. notes. CIP. Holiday House. 2008. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8234-2008-7. LC 2006038185.

Gr 3-5–The achievements of pivotal participants in the Civil Rights Movement, from Earl Warren to Martin Luther King, Jr., are honored in brief biographical profiles accompanied by full-page oil portraits. This book, most useful as an introduction, also includes a time line of important events from 1953-1968. B

ALEXANDER, Sally Hobart & Robert Alexander. She Touched the World: Laura Bridgman, Deaf-Blind Pioneer. 112p. photos. reprods. bibliog. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Clarion. 2008. Tr $18. ISBN 978-0-618-85299-4. LC 2007034978.

Gr 3-6–This insightful biography introduces a young woman who triumphed over seemingly insurmountable physical disabilities to achieve awe-inspiring educational accomplishments, making her an international celebrity in the early 1840s. Black-and-white archival photos, primary quotes, and compelling details shed light on Bridgman’s unique perception of the world, insatiable curiosity, and joy for communicating with others. B

ALLEN, Thomas B. Remember Valley Forge: Patriots, Tories, and Redcoats Tell Their Stories. 61p. (The Remember Series). maps. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. index. notes. CIP. National Geographic. 2007. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-4263-0149-0; PLB $27.90. ISBN 978-1-4263-0150-6. LC 2007024821.

Gr 5-8–With numerous full-color reproductions and a clear text that zeros in on the realities of daily life for members of the Continental Army, Allen’s book relates the drama of the army’s retreat to Valley Forge, the British takeover of Philadelphia, and Washington’s long road to victory. B

ALTMAN, Linda Jacobs. Trade and Commerce. ISBN 978-0-7656-8111-9. LC 2007018656.

HINDS, Kathryn. Daily Living. ISBN 978-0-7656-8110-2. LC 2007007844.

KELLY, Martin & Melissa Kelly. Government. ISBN 978-0-7656-8112-6. LC 2007007845.

STEFOFF, Rebecca. Cities and Towns. ISBN 978-0-7656-8109-6. LC 2007007843.

––––. Exploration and Settlement. ISBN 978-0-7656-8108-9. LC 2007003960.

ea vol: 96p. (Colonial Life Series). maps. photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Sharpe Focus. 2007. Tr $37.95.

Gr 5-9–Straightforward commentary (from Daily Living, “People were dirty, and so were their settlements”); numerous sidebars, maps, and color reproductions; and detailed information presented chronologically characterize these volumes that examine aspects of life in early America. Useful for research or as supplementary texts. B

BOLDEN, Tanya. George Washington Carver. 41p. photos. reprods. bibliog. notes. CIP. Abrams. 2008. RTE $18.95. ISBN 978-0-8109-9366-2. LC 2007028069.

Gr 4-7–Enlightening text depicts an accomplished individual who was born into slavery during the Civil War; raised on a modest Missouri farm; and eventually became a renowned agriculturalist, educator, and champion of “earth-care initiatives.” This well-written biography is graced by archival photographs and reproductions of Carver’s exquisite drawings and paintings. B

BOWES, John P. Black Hawk and the War of 1832: Removal in the North. 131p. maps. ISBN 978-0-7910-9342-9. LC 2007004927.

JOHNSON, Troy R. Red Power: The Native American Civil Rights Movement. 112p. ISBN 978-0-7910-9341-2. LC 2006102264.

ea vol: (Landmark Events in Native American History Series). photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. further reading. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Chelsea House. 2007. PLB $35.

Gr 6 Up–Bowes documents the passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the government’s brutal response to Indian resisters, while Johnson introduces the more recent and controversial history of the American Indian Movement (AIM). Photographs, reproductions, and fact boxes focus attention on key players and issues. B

CLINTON, Catherine. When Harriet Met Sojourner. illus. by Shane W. Evans. unpaged. CIP. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen Bks. 2007. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-050425-0; PLB $17.89. ISBN 978-0-06-050426-7. LC 2006019099.

Gr 3-7–Color-drenched, masterful illustrations and a dramatic, but easy-to-read text relate the life stories and accomplishments of two determined opponents of slavery on alternating pages. While their undocumented meeting comes only at the end of the book, the power of this presentation remains undiminished. B

CROY, Anita. Ancient Pueblo: Archaeology Unlocks the Secrets of America’s Past. 64p. (National Geographic Investigates Series). maps. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. National Geographic. 2007. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-4263-0130-8; PLB $27.90. ISBN 978-1-4263-0131-5. LC number unavailable.

Gr 5-8–Croy provides an overview of the Hohokam, Anasazi, and Mogollon peoples, whose civilizations flourished in the Southwest from about C.E. 100 to 1600. Filled with artist’s renditions and full-color photos of artifacts, sites, and scientists at work, this fascinating book will inspire discussion about how archaeologists interpret physical evidence and theorize about the past. B

FRADIN, Dennis Brindell. Duel!: Burr and Hamilton’s Deadly War of Words. illus. by Larry Day. unpaged. maps. bibliog. further reading. CIP. Walker. 2008. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-0-8027-9583-0; RTE $17.85. ISBN 978-0-8027-9584-7. LC 2007037994.

Gr 3-6–The long-smoldering and eventually fatal feud between a sitting vice president and Washington’s “first secretary of the treasury” is presented in a straightforward narrative vividly brought to life with dramatic, full- and double-page paintings. An eye-opening look at formerly acceptable, gentlemanly violence. B

GOODMAN, Susan E. See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House. illus. by Elwood H. Smith. 96p. photos. reprods. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Bloomsbury. 2008. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-59990-285-2; pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-1-59990-171-8. LC 2007044452.

Gr 3-6–An engaging text sprinkled with humorous asides and illustrated with comical—and occasionally irreverent—cartoons offers a comprehensive introduction to the history and machinations of presidential elections. From the foibles of the Founding Fathers to the crisis of the chads, future voters will find much to consider. B

KENDALL, Martha E. The Erie Canal. 128p. maps. photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. National Geographic. 2008. Tr $18.95. ISBN 978-1-4263-0022-6; PLB $28.90. ISBN 978-1-4263-0023-3. LC 2007029386.

Gr 5-8–Governor Dewitt Clinton’s ceaseless optimism won over naysayers and engineering challenges to create the 363-mile “ditch” across New York State, providing the area with instant economic prosperity. Numerous black-and-white illustrations, maps, and photos accompany an engaging narrative that focuses on technological innovations, laborers’ hardships, and lifestyle changes brought by this early 19th-century achievement. B

NATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK AND LITERACY ALLIANCE. Our White House: Looking in, Looking Out. illus. by authors. 256p. Candlewick. 2008. RTE $35. ISBN 978-0-7636-2067-7. LC number unavailable.

Gr 3-8–Selections and original works including essays, poetry, fiction, personal reminiscences, paintings, and drawings from more than 100 authors and illustrators comprise this grand look at the inhabitants, events, celebrations, and stories that have shaped our collective impressions of this historic building. A treasure. B

RAPPAPORT, Doreen. Lady Liberty: A Biography. illus. by Matt Tavares. unpaged. bibliog. chron. Candlewick. 2008. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-2530-6. LC number unavailable.

Gr 3-8–The sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, the publisher Joseph Pulitzer, a young girl who donated her pet roosters to the cause, and others responsible for taking the Statue of Liberty from design to reality are paid tribute through well-researched narrative poems and commanding, oversize paintings. B

THOMAS, Peggy. Farmer George Plants a Nation. illus. by Layne Johnson. 40p. bibliog. chron. Web sites. CIP. Boyds Mills/Calkins Creek. 2008. RTE $17.95. ISBN 978-1-59078-460-0. LC 2007018449.

Gr 3-5–Focusing on day-to-day life at Mount Vernon, Thomas accentuates Washington’s ingenuity, penchant for experimentation, and benevolent spirit, character traits that made him a successful farmer and helped him to nurture a free and self-sufficient country. Quotes from this Founding Father’s diary and descriptive oil-on-canvas paintings augment the accessible text. B

WINTERS, Kay. Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak. illus. by Larry Day. unpaged. further reading. glossary. CIP. Dutton. 2008. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-0-525-47872-0. LC 2007028480.

Gr 3-6–With the Boston Tea Party as a backdrop, 16 free-verse poems reflect the opinions and emotions of individual Bostonians, including an errand boy, milliner, midwife, and blacksmith’s slave, during that fateful December in 1773. Watercolor-and-ink illustrations brimming with detail bring it all to life. B

Paul Revere: Midnight Ride (History’s Heroes Series). DVD. approx. 35 min. American Animation Studios (866/401-4376). 2007. ISBN 978-0-9796681-3-5: $39.95 (pub. perf.); ISBN 978-0-9796681-2-8: $19.95 (home use).

Gr 3-6–Ellie, a bald eagle, teams up with poet Ralph Waldo Emerson to introduce students to Revere in this animated production. The two follow the patriot, watch the Minutemen gather, and are present at the first battles of the American Revolution. While there are some fictionalized elements in the film (including two British soldiers who provide comic relief), the story is based on fact. The film begins and ends at the Concord Monument to Revere, where Emerson’s “The Concord Hymn” was sung at its commemoration; it is spoken here. D

Rosa. video or DVD. 14 min. (closed captioned). with tchr’s. guide.Weston Woods (scholastic.com/westonwoods). 2007. video, ISBN 978-0-545-04258-1: $60; DVD, ISBN 978-0-545-04257-4: $59.95; cassette with hardcover book, ISBN 978-0-545-04262-8: $24.95; CD with hardcover book, ISBN 978-0-545-04261-1: $29.95.

Gr 2-5–The legacy of Rosa Parks, a principal figure in the Civil Rights Movement, lives on in this Caldecott Honor book (Holt, 2005) written by Nikki Giovanni. The crisp text is warmly read by the author. Bryan Collier’s stunning collage art is scanned iconographically, along with a few of his illustrations from Doreen Rappaport’s Martin’s Big Words (Hyperion, 2001; Weston Woods, 2001) and some archival photographs. VDA

Mississippi Morning. cassette or CD. 11:48 min. Spoken Arts (spokenartsmedia.com). 2008. cassette, ISBN 0-8045-6963-0: $27.95; CD, ISBN 0-8045-4186-8: $29.95.

Gr 3-5–This outstanding picture book (Eerdmans, 2004) by Ruth Vander Zees begins with a description of the daily life of a young boy in Mississippi in 1933 as he helps his mom run the family homestead, works at his dad’s store, explores the woods, and hunts and fishes. When he’s with his friend LeRoy, he has to be sure that he isn’t seen, since his community doesn’t approve of “white folks spending time with colored folks.” His youthful innocence is shattered when he discovers that his father is a member of the Ku Klux Klan, which recently hung a “colored” man from a tree. This poignant story, complemented with realistic oil paintings by Floyd Cooper, is read with sensitivity. Soft banjo music accompanies the narration. A

Uprising (unabr.). 10 cassettes or 10 CDs. 11 hrs. Recorded Books (recordedbooks.com). 2007. cassette, ISBN 978-1-4281-7303-3: $88.75; CD, ISBN 978-1-4281-7308-8: $108.75.

Gr 6-8–In this novel (S & S, 2007), author Margaret Peterson Haddix steps back in history to present the fascinating story of three 15-year-old girls working in New York City’s Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in 1911, when a catastrophic fire breaks out in the sweatshop. The tale is presented from the alternating viewpoints of the girls, and narrator Suzanne Toren is brilliant, handling multiple voices with ease. The story encompasses information about immigration, women’s rights, and the early 20th-century labor movement. A