Read Series Made Simple, School Library Journal's guide to the latest series nonfiction

"What's the big picture?" It's a question that's been asked so often that it's become a cliché. But for students, especially those in the elementary and middle levels who are just beginning to learn about history, it's one that must be asked, explored, and answered. The books pupils read—even those about limited or highly specialized topics—should provide enough background and detail so that they can understand the context, significance, and impact of the events in our nation's history. Most of these series are big picture overviews, and as such they achieve varying degrees of success in meeting that challenge.

Preschool—Grade 4

HARASYMIW, Mark. Native Americans in Early America. ISBN 978-1-4339-4772-8; ISBN 978-1-4339-4775-9. LC 2010039137. ————. The British Colonies. ISBN 978-1-4339-4764-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-4767-4. LC 2010036597. LINDE, Barbara M. Slavery in Early America. ISBN 978-1-4339-4776-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-4779-7. LC 2010039139. ROZA, Greg. Immigration and Migration. ISBN 978-1-4339-4768-1; ISBN 978-1-4339-4771-1. LC 2010038390. ————. Westward Expansion. ISBN 978-1-4339-4780-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-4783-4. LC 2010040070. SHEA, Nicole. The American Revolution. ISBN 978-1-4339-4760-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-4763-6. LC 2010035556. ea vol: 32p. (The Story of America Series). photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2011. PLB $26.60; ebook $26.60. Gr 4-6—Objective coverage of people, ethnic groups, and events of early America. Brief chapters, generally spreads with two-to-four paragraphs each, are supplemented with short sidebars; "Did You Know?" facts; and large, captioned reproductions of period illustrations and art. Although the material is well written, its brevity restricts both the scope and the depth of what can be included. These books might draw browsers, but the subjects have received exhaustive coverage in extant literature, and these treatments offer neither report-writing details nor new perspective, making them additional choices.

Grades 5 and Up

BREZINA, Corona. The Fifth Amendment: Double Jeopardy, Self-Incrimination, and Due Process of Law. ISBN 978-1-4488-1260-8; ISBN 978-1-4488-2326-0. LC 2010018820. FURGANG, Kathy. The Ninth Amendment: Rights Retained by the People. ISBN 978-1-4488-1264-6; ISBN 978-1-4488-2330-7. LC 2010020091. ————. The Seventh Amendment: The Right to a Jury Trial. ISBN 978-1-4488-1262-2; ISBN 978-1-4488-2328-4. LC 2010017696. GALIANO, Dan. The Fourth Amendment: Unreasonable Search and Seizure. ISBN 978-1-4488-1259-2; ISBN 978-1-4488-2325-3. LC 2010017394. GERBER, Larry. The Second Amendment: The Right to Bear Arms. ISBN 978-1-4488-1253-0; ISBN 978-1-4488-2323-9. LC 2010015854. JONES, Molly. The First Amendment: Freedom of Speech, the Press, and Religion. ISBN 978-1-4488-1252-3; ISBN 978-1-4488-2322-2. LC 2010023234. ORR, Tamra. The Tenth Amendment: Limiting Federal Powers. ISBN 978-1-4488-1265-3; ISBN 978-1-4488-2331-4. LC 2010021852. PORTERFIELD, Jason. The Third Amendment: The Right to Privacy in the Home. ISBN 978-1-4488-1256-1; ISBN 978-1-4488-2324-6. LC 2010015855. ROZA, Greg. The Eighth Amendment: Preventing Cruel and Unusual Punishment. ISBN 978-1-4488-1263-9; ISBN 978-1-4488-2329-1. LC 2010015857. SHEA, Therese. The Sixth Amendment: The Rights of the Accused in Criminal Cases. ISBN 978-1-4488-1261-5; ISBN 978-1-4488-2327-7. LC 2010021318. ea vol: 64p. (Amendments to the United States Constitution: The Bill of Rights Series). photos. reprods. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Rosen Central. 2011. PLB $29.25; ebook $29.25. Gr 6-9—These well-written, objective, and informative introductions to the Bill of Rights discuss the historical reasons for each amendment, its basis in British and American common law, and the statutory and case law that shaped its implementation and development. The authors include differing viewpoints about the scope and definition of each of these protections and analyze how they affect modern society, law, and government. Sidebars and large, captioned photos and illustrations supplement the texts. While primarily useful for reports, these books will also give students perspective on current events.

BURGAN, Michael. Raising the Flag: How a Photograph Gave a Nation Hope in Wartime. diag. ISBN 978-0-7565-4395-2. LC 2010038572. DELL, Pamela. Man on the Moon: How a Photograph Made Anything Seem Possible. ISBN 978-0-7565-4396-9. LC 2010038577. NARDO, Don. Birmingham 1963: How a Photograph Rallied Civil Rights Support. ISBN 978-0-7565-4398-3. LC 2010038574. ————. Migrant Mother: How a Photograph Defined the Great Depression. ISBN 978-0-7565-4397-6. LC 2010038578. ea vol: 64p. (Captured History Series). photos. reprods. bibliog. chron. further reading. glossary. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Compass Point. 2011. PLB $33.99. Gr 6 Up—Occasionally, a single photograph becomes the emblematic image that defines an era, and this quality series tells the stories of four of those iconic pictures. Each book places its subject photo in historical context, profiles the photographer, describes the conditions under which it was taken, and analyzes both its immediate and its continuing impact. The texts include ample background information and details and are enhanced by large photos and sidebars. These books will help students understand the influence of the individual images and the eras they epitomize, making them strong choices. OLLHOFF, Jim. The Civil Rights Movement. ISBN 978-1-61714-709-8; ISBN 978-1-61758-885-3. LC 2010038246. ————. The Civil War. map. ISBN 978-1-61714-710-4; ISBN 978-1-61758-886-0. LC 2010038381. ————. Courage and Growth. ISBN 978-1-61714-711-1; ISBN 978-1-61758-887-7. LC 2010038370. ————. Pioneers of Equality. ISBN 978-1-61714-712-8; ISBN 978-1-61758-888-4. LC 2010038369. ————. The Roots of Humanity. illus. map. ISBN 978-1-61714-713-5; ISBN 978-1-61758-889-1. LC 2010038368. ————. Years of Slavery. map. ISBN 978-1-61714-714-2; ISBN 978-1-61758-890-7. LC 2010038741. ea vol: 32p. (African American History Series). photos. reprods. glossary. index. CIP. ABDO. 2011. PLB $27.07; ebook $27.07. Gr 5-7—Although Humanity covers human origins and the European slave trade in Africa, the series focus is on the African-American experience in the United States, describing the most important events of the centuries-long struggle for freedom and civil rights. The two- to four-page chapters are supplemented with sidebar biographies of important African Americans and large photos and reproductions, but the narratives, often consisting of only a few paragraphs per page, are short on background and context. These volumes provide the broadest of overviews, and given the large number of available alternatives about the topic, are supplemental for most collections.

Compass Point's outstanding "Captured History" does exactly what its title suggests, showing how a single photo can encapsulate an era. The series, which is by far the best of this group, offers readers a fresh perspective on history and will help them to understand how media canshape public opinion. Rosen's "Amendments to the U.S. Constitution" is a good introduction to constitutional law and the protections of the Bill of Rights and could be used both for middle-level reports and for background discussions about current events and debates. There are many extant series on early American and African-American history and Gareth Stevens's "The Story of America" and ABDO's "African-American History" neither break new ground nor offer new insights. They will not replace books already in library collections, but could be considered where collections lack sufficient introductory materials.

Read Series Made Simple, School Library Journal's guide to the latest series nonfiction