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

 

Morley, Jacqueline. You Wouldn’t Want to be Cursed by King Tut!

Morley, Jacqueline.     You Wouldn’t Want to be Cursed by King Tut!     Scholastic/ Watts 32p   $20.35  978-0-531-20874-8      elem  Series: You Wouldn't Want to Be (Scholastic/Watts)    VG         

Elementary students who enjoy reading about mummies, Egypt, or Egyptian tombs will appreciate this new title on King Tut.  Humorous illustrations, captions, and sidebars describe possibility of being cursed by King Tut of Egypt long after his death occurred in 1323 B.C.  Readers discover that the burial place of an Egyptian king, known as King Tutankhamen, was undisturbed for over three thousand years, surrounded by treasures and gold.  The rumors of an ancient curse on anyone who disturbed his tomb are discussed in great detail.  The discovery of his tomb in 1922 by Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter is also discussed.  Little is known about King Tut, and he was just eighteen when he died.  When Egyptian pharaohs or kings die, their bodies are mummified and preserved through embalming.  King Tut died suddenly, and because of his early death no tomb was ready for him.  It is possible that he was buried in a borrowed tomb.  Students learn about the Egyptian burials of kings, the rituals of burial, and the problems of intruders on the deceased.  When Lord Carnarvon dies, along with his dog, and the family experiences some unusual situations, reporters start to believe the ancient curse of King Tut.  Readers learn that in 1968 the mummy was x-rayed and that it underwent a CT scan in 2005.

The book includes color illustrations, handy hints, a glossary of terms, and an index.  Each title in the series You Wouldn’t Want to Be explores an event or tribulation experienced in the past.  Forty-eight titles have been published to date as of this review.  The series would make a great addition to an elementary library’s collection for reports and casual reading.  -- Charleen Forba-Mayer