Morley, Jacqueline. You Wouldn’t Want to be an American Pioneer! rev ed.

Morley, Jacqueline.  You Wouldn’t Want to be an American Pioneer!  rev ed. Scholastic/ Watts  34p            $21.75  978-0-531-27500-9         2013      ms           E-Bnes  series: You Wouldn't Want To Be  Nonfiction     

Comical illustrations support this children’s book about the journey westward over land.  Instead of painting the picture of an adventure which was worth the trip, the book describes the journey as it really was, fraught with hardship at every turn.  With visual aids that are uniquely humorous and educational, this book provides a look at the many obstacles facing the pioneer who wanted to venture west.  Other details include a look at the necessary equipment, the supportive role of animals, and the hardships faced by men, women and children who made the journey.  The timeline on the inside cover helps young readers establish a timeframe, and a map of the western trails shows the various routes that pioneers took to reach the western seaboard.  This book is as creative as a comic book with a glimpse at history thrown in!  The reader never feels inundated with information; instead, he or she enjoys a present-tense text that places him/her into an era of American history that is both adventurous and dangerous!  “Handy Hints” offers helpful advice along the way, but one of the best parts is the detail in each illustration.  Children will enjoy studying the visuals to see the facial expressions on both the animals and humans, to compare the text to the pictures, and to read the creative and often humorous dialogue.  Each two-page spread presents new information about topics like sandstorms, Indians, stampedes and mealtimes.  If the task of a social-studies teacher is to get children to enjoy reading and learning American history, this book provides the solution.  It is user-friendly, innovative and enjoyable!  The glossary and index are followed by the enumeration of a few of the factors that pushed Americans to venture west:  financial problems, epidemics, and the Civil War.  The contributions of top American pioneers are summarized, and some trivia about various trails concludes the volume.
American history-Westward expansion.                                                              --Martha Squaresky

 

Savage, Jeff. Rugged Gold Miners.

Savage, Jeff.  Rugged Gold Miners.  Enslow, 2012.  48p. $21.26.  ISBN 978-0-7660-4020-5    

elm/ms  Grades 3-8     VG-BN          

Rugged Gold Miners provides an overview of the boom-and-bust lifestyle of  miners and the towns founded by the gold and silver discoveries of the late 1800’s.  It is exciting reading that reveals the dangers and hard work involved in mining in Colorado, Nevada, and Alaska. With black-and-white drawings and photos, students will see the people and tools involved in mining. A small black-and-white map shows the major cities of Nevada and California that were associated with the Gold Rush.  The writing successfully replicates the sense of excitement that people felt when they heard of the riches in the western part of the United States in the late 19th century.  For such a slim book, there is a significant amount of information about gold and silver, where it is found, how it is mined, and the hardscrabble lives of miners.  This book will appeal to casual browsers as well as those needing material for reports on the Old West.  Chapter notes, a glossary and an index complete the book.        

The series is True Tales of the Wild West, and it is comprised of six titles about the people who settled the West, relating exciting events taken from real lives.   Each book has black-and-white illustrations, a glossary, chapter notes and an index.                        Subject: Gold Miners                          Lois McNicol

Sorrels, Roy. The Legend of the Alamo.

Sorrels, Roy. The Legend of the Alamo.   Enslow, 2012. 128p.   $31.93.  ISBN 978-0-7660-3952-0

ms/hs  Grades 6-12     VG     

The Legend of the Alamo presents the back story on the The battle strategies for both the Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto will intrigue fans of warfare.  Information on the leaders of both sides is presented, along with insights about their families and their personal beliefs.  A diagram of the Alamo and two maps of Texas help to locate the events discussed in the book.  However, one map of Texas with all the rivers and towns that are mentioned would have been more helpful, as some of the small towns are not listed on either map.  This book provides some good insights into the people who traveled west, focusing on their fortitude, strength and bravery.  A timeline, chapter notes, lists of resources for further reading, and an index complete the book. 

The Legend of the Alamo is part of the Enslow series Stories in American History, which is comprised of six books that cover important events in American history, from the creation of the Oregon Trail through the development of the Manhattan Project, as well as the people involved in them.  They are well illustrated to capture student interest.   Subject: Alamo (Texas) -- History              Lois McNicol

Young, Judy. A Book For Black-Eyed Susan

Young, Judy.   A Book For Black-Eyed Susan          

Sleeping Bear Press(Cengage)        2011   unp 16.95  978-1-58536-463-3            

elem    Historical                    E-BNe 

While traveling on the

Oregon Trail, a young girl makes a cloth first book for her baby sister so she

will always remember the trip and the sister who loves her.      Cora's mother

dies as her baby sister is born.  Cora helps name her Susan after her mother╒s

favorite flower - black-eyed Susans.  Her aunt cares for the baby and to pass

the time, Cora sews patches to help Susan remember the home they left, the

travel across the prairie and her family.  When she learns that Susan will go to

California with the aunt and uncle while she and her father go to Oregon, Cora

sews the patches together to make a cloth first book for Susan.  A surprise

ending completes the story full circle.

   The illustrations are in gorgeous water color.  They fit the mood and

beautifully enhance the text.  The colors are bright yet soft befitting the mood

of the story.

   This historical fiction depicts the hardships along the Trail as well as the

sense of loss and separation experienced by most travelers.  The events could

very easily have happened to any family.  They definitely ring true to the

historical period.

  An excellent book for elementary schools and can also be used in middle school

in connection with a study of the Oregon Trail and Westward Expansion.      

            Theal, Joan