Gregory, Josh. Gettysburg Address.

Gregory, Josh.  Gettysburg Address.  Scholastic/Childrens Press  2013  64p    $13.51  ISBN 978-0-531-28204-5  series: Cornerstones of Freedom  ms  Nonfiction  E-BN  

     

This title in the Cornerstones of Freedom series focuses on the Gettysburg Address.  A brief history of the founding of the United States sets the background for the recounting of the events of the Civil War up to and including the Battle of Gettysburg.  The author describes the efforts of the governor of Pennsylvania to create and dedicate a cemetery at Gettysburg, the events of Dedication Day, the text of Lincoln’s speech, quotes from newspapers, statements by persons who were present, and the reactions of the crowd.  The five known copies of the speech are listed and preservation efforts are described.
The text includes a diagram of the layout of the cemetery, brief information on the assassination of Lincoln, identification of key people, and a timeline.  There is a full page of the primary documents available on the publisher-sponsored web site.  The glossary is adequate and the index is extensive.

This title provides all the information necessary for the reader to appreciate the importance of this speech, what brought it about, and why it is so famous.  An excellent resource for middle-school libraries.   

Summary: This title provides background and fleshes out the history of the Gettysburg Address.  Information taken from primary and secondary sources is highlighted.  It sets the event in history and helps explain why it is remembered today. 

Gettysburg Address                                                --Joan Theal

Benoit, Peter. Attack on Pearl Harbor.

Benoit, Peter.  Attack on Pearl Harbor.   Scholastic/Childrens Press   2013  64p $16.99  ISBN 978-0-531-23601-7  elm/ms  series: Cornerstones of Freedom  E-BNe   

The violent attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor, Hawa’ii, on the morning of December, 7, 1941, shocked America and was the reason it decided to finally enter World War II.  The point of the attack was to cripple the United States and possibly get it out the way.  The United States used Pearl Harbor as the home base for the U.S. Navy.  The attack on Pearl Harbor woke up the sleeping giant that would finally enter the war and show a force unlike any the world had ever seen.

Through this book the reader explores the reasons for the war and how it was handled.  There are spotlights and highlights on the many players of this era and how their decisions affected the war’s outcome.  The pictures provide a graphic retelling of the events as they developed, and the map shows the movement of the war in the Asian side of the continent.  There are also links to videos on primary sources that will help readers explore that time in American history.  The book also includes living history links, a list of resources, a glossary, and an index.

Pearl Harbor, World War II                                        --Magna Diaz

Benoit, Peter. The Titanic.

Benoit, Peter.  The Titanic.  Scholastic/Childrens Press    2013 64p  $30.00  ISBN 978-0-531-23607-9      ms   series: Cornerstones of Freedom  E-BNS     

This title is part of a series that describes some of the most dramatic and defining moments in history.  It offers a look at the sinking of the great ship Titanic.  Beginning with a discussion of the race between the rival shipping companies Cunard and White Star to be the biggest at the turn of the twentieth century, the author goes into great detail about the actual construction of the Titanic, the work of the Irish shipbuilding company that designed and built her, the ship’s impact with the iceberg, and the appalling loss of life due to the lack of proper safety measures.  There is also a compelling description of the problems with the radio communications between vessels and the lack of communication between radio officers and the ship’s captain.

The book is written in a clear, concise manner and is enhanced by primary source information and black-and-white photographs and period illustrations.  There are interesting and informative tidbits found in sidebars in each chapter that present additional information on relevant topics.  The book is library-bound and ends with a list of influential individuals, a time line, a living history link to primary sources, a glossary, a bibliography of books and web sites, and an index.  This will be a excellent source for reports requiring more than just basic information.

This title is part of an ever-growing series that discusses dramatic and defining moments in history.  Primary source material, crisp photographs of people and events, and timelines provide the student researcher with an overview of the topic. Gr 4-8.   

Titanic                                                           --Susan Ogintz

Benoit, Peter. Vietnam War.

Benoit, Peter.  Vietnam War.  Scholastic/Childrens Press    2013 64p  $21.05  ISBN 978-0-531-23608-6      elem series: Cornerstones of Freedom VG-BNes    

In this comprehensive book, upper elementary students are introduced to the long, bloody war in Vietnam from 1954 to 1975 and the ways in which its results have shaped our world today.  The author provides background information to help set the scene.  Students will read about what led up to the war, how it began, and what it took to end it.  The author also provides students with a view of what happened after the war and how the United States and Vietnam needed to work together to heal its wounds. 

The author uses several primary sources, including firsthand accounts, personal quotations, spotlights, maps, headline news, news from today’s perspective, and black-and-white period photographs, to help students dive into the history.  Students learn about influential individuals, a timeline of events, recommended books and web sites, a living history, and there are a glossary of terms and a comprehensive index as well. 

For schools that use Accelerated Reader, there is a test (AR Quiz # 156887). 

Each title in this series has an original, commissioned map spread that places all the events, people, and other important topics in their geographical contexts.  Sixty titles have been published in the third series of Cornerstones of Freedom as of this review.  

Vietnam War, 1961-1975                                                                            --Charleen Forba-Mayer

Burgan, Michael. African Americans in the Thirteen Colonies.

Burgan, Michael.  African Americans in the Thirteen Colonies.     Scholastic/ Childrens Press   2013  64p   $30.00  ISBN 978-0-531-23600-0 elm/ms  series: Cornerstones of Freedom  VG-BNS

This book includes a look at the harrowing journey taken by Africans who were brought to America, at the growth of slavery prior to the American Revolution, at the hardships of daily life in the colonies and at the role of slaves in the Revolutionary War.  It is very interesting to learn about slavery during the formative years of this country, before we achieved freedom from Great Britain.  Author Michael Burgan has used his fine writing style to tell young teens about life, hardship, and the growth of slavery throughout the colonies.  The book has four well-organized chapters in which  Burgan uses anecdotal information, statistics, and facts to tell the story of the limitations placed on African Americans, even on those who were lucky enough to gain their freedom.  In the beginning, some blacks could marry whites, have children and work their own land.  By the late 1600s, however, laws limiting the rights of blacks began to appear, especially in Virginia.  Slavery grew in the northern colonies, but with the exception of Rhode Island, the populations never equaled those of the South.  Readers learn about the Great Awakening, which brought Christianity to the masses of African American slaves.  They also learn about Crispus Attucks, one of the people killed during the Boston Massacre.  Whereas many slaves fought for the British during the Revolutionary War in exchange for their freedom, other slaves fought for the colonists and were instrumental in their victory. 

A teacher of social studies who hopes to teach the early history of slavery in the states will want to use the illustrations, the timeline that begins in the 1440s, and the text to support a unit on African Americans’ role in the U.S.  The book’s many extras include a spotlight on famous African Americans of the time.  All in all, this book has a lot to offer.  Cornerstones of Freedom uses historical illustrations, maps, timelines and comprehensive text to tell the stories of many important moments in American history.  Topics include Lincoln, Obama, Gettysburg, the nuclear age and many others.     

Slavery-History                                             --Martha Squaresky